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mKTank

macrumors 68000
Jul 2, 2010
1,537
3
I'm surprised it beat your claim of "most durability" ;)

While we are talking about better software, where do you place the iPhone 5s maps vrs the iPhone 4s with ios5 ?

I do not disagree with your claims, though on my trip to Germany a week ago, I took my trusty iPhone 4, with google maps. iOS 6 is not a selling point between the two phones as the update is lacking any real killer features.
The 4 gets iOS6 maps as well, except without any navigation. So it's worse in every way.
 

KdParker

macrumors 601
Oct 1, 2010
4,793
998
Everywhere
5 is best among them. Best performance, most durability (yes it'll scratch but it won't break nearly as fast), best battery life, best screen, thinnest, lightest, best antenna, has LTE, etc etc etc.


You'd literally have to be an idiot to not go with a 5.


Silly to lock yourself into a 2 year contract with a iPhone4s, and definately with and iPhone4.
 

MH01

Suspended
Feb 11, 2008
12,107
9,297
5 is best among them. Best performance, most durability (yes it'll scratch but it won't break nearly as fast), best battery life, best screen, thinnest, lightest, best antenna, has LTE, etc etc etc.


You'd literally have to be an idiot to not go with a 5.

Can you explain how in a comparison between two items you have managed to use the term "best".

And do not hold back to when you get to the best attenna bit, I'm just getting some best popcorn......made in my best microwave.
 
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MH01

Suspended
Feb 11, 2008
12,107
9,297
The 4 gets iOS6 maps as well, except without any navigation. So it's worse in every way.

So you are telling me that if I get an iPhone 4, that was manafactured before September 21, it will pre installed with ios6? Well, swing and a miss, only the 8gb 4s and 16 gb 4s. You can get an ios5 4 from any retailer, only apple might have updated theirs....which I doubt
 

FieldingMellish

Suspended
Jun 20, 2010
2,440
3,108
I'll give an honest assessment of service once my launch day 4 running IOS6 is on Straight Talk, where I will park it for use. Presently I'm getting hammered on AT&T, because part of my present monthly bill still pays for a portion of the phone that has already been paid in full. Usage on Straight Talk is while waiting out all the 5 issues and until the 5 are in stock everywhere for immediate gratification.

My guess that for calls, texting and web usage, music streaming, etc., that the 4 is sufficient; the 4S more so; a 5 the current winner, but has proven to be the bleeding edge for many.
 

Drag'nGT

macrumors 68000
Sep 20, 2008
1,781
80
I don't care about Siri, the camera, or the increased size of the iPhone 5. Frankly, I'm even a little worried about the aluminum scuffing on the iphone 5 and I'm annoyed about the adaptor change. Yet obviously it's a newer phone that won't be obsolete, etc. etc.

So you don't care that the phone is in any way an improvement over the 2yr old iPhone 4? :rolleyes:


Buy the 5. It is a vast improvement over the 4. I had the 4 for 2 yrs and it's a huge improvement using the 5. The REASON you have an iPhone is to use it. The faster and more fluid the experience you have the happier you will be with owning the phone. When improvements and new iOS versions are released they WILL work on the 5 and the 4 will be phased out. You'll be more pleased by being included in the OS advancements than being flat out told no you can't have that.

The phone will also hold it's resale value 2yrs down the road for all the reasons I just told you are the reasons to buy it.
 

FieldingMellish

Suspended
Jun 20, 2010
2,440
3,108
So you don't care that the phone is in any way an improvement over the 2yr old iPhone 4? :rolleyes:


Buy the 5. It is a vast improvement over the 4. I had the 4 for 2 yrs and it's a huge improvement using the 5. The REASON you have an iPhone is to use it. The faster and more fluid the experience you have the happier you will be with owning the phone. When improvements and new iOS versions are released they WILL work on the 5 and the 4 will be phased out. You'll be more pleased by being included in the OS advancements than being flat out told no you can't have that.

The phone will also hold it's resale value 2yrs down the road for all the reasons I just told you are the reasons to buy it.


I don't get holding the resale value. What are 4's going for now, two years after launch? What are 4s going for one year after launch?

Is it a fair statement to say that buyers of new phones when available are also buyers of every new laptop or ipad that Apple comes up with?
 

dukebound85

macrumors Core
Jul 17, 2005
19,118
4,096
5045 feet above sea level
The 4 gets iOS6 maps as well, except without any navigation. So it's worse in every way.

yet you can get navigation on the 4 with any other gps app

no one is saying the 4 is better than the 5

what is being aid is that the 4 is still a very capable device and for those who don't care to have the latest and greatest, it is more than fine

heck, i still use my first gen ipod touch. It works for music, email, web, etc. Am I an idiot?
 

mKTank

macrumors 68000
Jul 2, 2010
1,537
3
yet you can get navigation on the 4 with any other gps app

no one is saying the 4 is better than the 5

what is being aid is that the 4 is still a very capable device and for those who don't care to have the latest and greatest, it is more than fine

heck, i still use my first gen ipod touch. It works for music, email, web, etc. Am I an idiot?

For the 6th time, the 4 is capable and fine now. But it won't be in less than two years. The OP wants to sign a contract for 2-3 years. He's probably gonna want to have a futureproof phone.

The first gen iPod touch is a slow POS. You want to wait forever to do simple tasks, fine, but that's not very convenient.
 
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breezie

macrumors member
Jun 23, 2010
45
0
IPhone 5 is the only intelligent choice to get on contract. This doesn't mean it's the phone you should use, but based on value, it's the one you should buy.


Based on the original post, the two factors of importance are cost and durability.


(1) Cost: Since you are set on keeping the phone for 2 years, a iPhone 5 for $200 today is worth more than a iPhone 4 for $0.

How this works:

Today: You can easily flip your iPhone 5 for $500+ and still get an iPhone 4 for $200. That nets you an average of $300 saved if you choose to get the iPhone 5 to sell.

Down The Road: 2 years from now, the Iphone 5 should be worth $200+ whereas the Iphone 4 will be <$100.

(2) Durability: If you drop an Iphone 4 and 5, one is going to scratch, the other is going to shatter.
 

avanpelt

macrumors 68030
Jun 2, 2010
2,956
3,877
Despite my recent post on the iOS 6 forum about the time it takes Siri to respond a lot of the time, Siri is one of the things I appreciate most on the iPhone 5. I upgraded from an iPhone 4.

Paired with my in-car bluetooth system, Siri makes me a MUCH safer driver because I'm no longer doing the half-second glance to my iPhone, then back to the road for two seconds, then back to the iPhone for a half-second. . .you probably know the drill.

Ninety-five percent of the stuff I was previously touching and scrolling the iPhone 4 screen to accomplish while on the road I can now do handsfree with Siri. Sure, sometimes Siri takes 20-30 seconds to respond (as I mentioned in my other post), but once you get used to doing things with Siri while driving, I suspect you'll be glad you didn't get the iPhone 4.

If you don't think you need the latest and greatest iPhone, then go with the iPhone 4S. You'll still get the Siri and voice dictation stuff that the iPhone 4 will never get.
 

Drag'nGT

macrumors 68000
Sep 20, 2008
1,781
80
I don't get holding the resale value. What are 4's going for now, two years after launch? What are 4s going for one year after launch?

Is it a fair statement to say that buyers of new phones when available are also buyers of every new laptop or ipad that Apple comes up with?

I sold my 16gb i4 for $225. Ordered a 16gb i5 for $200 + tax.
Lots of people use these phones on prepay networks, parts, broke theirs and can't upgrade yet... tons of reasons.
 

bradPiano

macrumors member
Oct 10, 2011
34
0
I don't get holding the resale value. What are 4's going for now, two years after launch? What are 4s going for one year after launch?

Is it a fair statement to say that buyers of new phones when available are also buyers of every new laptop or ipad that Apple comes up with?

I agree on this. Apple certainly wants you to feel like you're obligated to purchase each new iteration of a product, but each product is increasingly more of a solid incremental step on existing form and function, and less of a revolution. OSX Snow Leopard on a 2009 MacBook Pro is still completely serviceable to get things done, but others might want you to believe that technology below a 2012 MacBook Pro with Retina Display running OSX Mountain Lion is a necessity. It's just not the case.
 

dukebound85

macrumors Core
Jul 17, 2005
19,118
4,096
5045 feet above sea level
I don't get holding the resale value. What are 4's going for now, two years after launch? What are 4s going for one year after launch?

Is it a fair statement to say that buyers of new phones when available are also buyers of every new laptop or ipad that Apple comes up with?

I sold my unlocked 32gig 4 for 300

The next day, I bought an unlocked 32gig 4s for 350
 

breezie

macrumors member
Jun 23, 2010
45
0
I've noticed that iPhone resell has been dropping since the orignal Edge model since everyone has an iPhone today and so many are selling when there's a new release.

Regardless, the OP question is should he "BUY" a new 4 or 5 today. The answer will always be a 5 because of today's value. It's worth $500+ whereas a 4 is at best $200.

This does not mean he should keep the 5 after buying. If he decides he only needs a 4 or 4s in terms of daily use, he should sell it and get one that fits him. This way, instead of paying $0 in the long run, he's getting a few hundred dollars in return to own an older model.

Knowing which he should buy on contract is a no brainer. If he were asking which phone he should keep - that's a more complicated question.
 

bradPiano

macrumors member
Oct 10, 2011
34
0
I've noticed that iPhone resell has been dropping since the orignal Edge model since everyone has an iPhone today and so many are selling when there's a new release.

Regardless, the OP question is should he "BUY" a new 4 or 5 today. The answer will always be a 5 because of today's value. It's worth $500+ whereas a 4 is at best $200.

This does not mean he should keep the 5 after buying. If he decides he only needs a 4 or 4s in terms of daily use, he should sell it and get one that fits him. This way, instead of paying $0 in the long run, he's getting a few hundred dollars in return to own an older model.

Knowing which he should buy on contract is a no brainer. If he were asking which phone he should keep - that's a more complicated question.

I could also see the convenience and $0 up-front cost to just go pick up a model you plan on using being enough of an incentive to forgo the middle steps. I agree, however. If money is the chief concern moving forward, this is a sensible plan of attack and would allow some time with the new device to see how it fits in your everyday situations.
 

xAnthony

macrumors 65816
Mar 2, 2010
1,174
143
Hey people, are the iPhone 5's worth it?

I have an old iPhone4 that I'm happy with and I'm out of contract with AT&T. Since I live and work in buildings that have AT&T antennas above them, I know I'm going to stick with AT&T for the next two years. Therefore, it makes sense for me to sell my existing iPhone 4 for $200 and either

1) buy a new iPhone 4 for $0 (and pocket the 200)

or

2) buy the new iPhone 5 with the 200.

I don't care about Siri, the camera, or the increased size of the iPhone 5. Frankly, I'm even a little worried about the aluminum scuffing on the iphone 5 and I'm annoyed about the adaptor change. Yet obviously it's a newer phone that won't be obsolete, etc. etc.

For those who bought the iphone 5, which option would you recommend? Thanks guys!

If you're out of contract now, why don't you just stick with your original iPhone 4? Use it until it either breaks or you want a change. And then use your upgrade for a new phone. Doesn't make much sense to burn an upgrade for $200, as a few months or even a year down the road, you may wish you still had that upgrade.
 

BrokeTechLover

macrumors regular
Jul 4, 2012
126
0
I got an iPhone 4 this year & honestly,I don't c the need to upgrade,especially if u really and truly don't feel like you need to shell out the $200. If you like the 5 enough to get rid of your 4,then go for it.
As far as cost,the 5 is what you should get no questions,cause of resale value alone.
I personally refuse to upgrade to a phone I don't like,which is why until apple makes a phone I find at the very least attractive,I'll upgrade to a 4S and stay there.
In the end it all comes down to how you feel about your 4,the 5,& if you care about overall performance,specs,& the future of your phone as far as software goes
 

FieldingMellish

Suspended
Jun 20, 2010
2,440
3,108
The point of the this thread is a case where it's more about the user of the product than the product alone. Some enjoy the savings that comes along with getting tech that is one or two cycles behind. Some don't use the older tech to the max, so obtaining a newer, costly device only adds more of the max that they aren't going to use.
 

Mliii

macrumors 65816
Jan 28, 2006
1,126
5
Southern California
I confess that I haven't read all the posts in this thread, but one thing I have definitely noticed since upgrading from my 4- the 'feel' of the 4s compared to the 4 is that it is MUCH faster to use for everyday tasks.
Similarly, I have the same sense of the feel of speed increase between the 4s and the 5.
I don't know how important this is to you, and i'm NOT basing this on empirical statistics, just giving you my impression. Things like opening Apps, shifting from one screen to the other and transitions between webpages, etc feel much faster on the 5- to the point that when I use my 4s (a second line), I grow a bit impatient with how slow it seems. And it was the same thing I experienced comparing the 4 and 4s.
 

irDigital0l

Guest
Dec 7, 2010
2,901
0
Never said a single word about Siri. I wasn't referring to the fact that the screen is larger. Simply put, the iPhone 5 has the best screen because of the color accuracy and sharpness, even when put next to other top contenders such as the Galaxy S3. It's a better screen than the one that ships with the iPhone 4. It's a big bonus at the minimum if he still doesn't care.

Ummm...he said "I don't care about Siri, the camera, or the increased size of the iPhone 5"

So it doesn't matter what you were referring too, the fact is that he doesn't care.

Also I hate when people make up bs especially when the facts are right there. The SIII's screen is better than the iPhone 5. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...qQHObRf8seSh2HgTQ&sig2=XfH4xYCGX4LWbiAodTJLJg

I already went over this.

Better performance.
Better screen.
Better battery life.
Better reception (especially over the iPhone 4's antenna which sports a faulty design).
More future proof (more on this point later).
More software features.
Thinner.
Lighter.
Better camera.
Better connectivity (LTE, DC-HSPA+, etc.)

Or wait next year and get the new iPhone which will have MORE BETTER and better. It'll be MORE THINNER and thinner and MORE LIGHTER than lighter.

Lets go over what the OP doesn't care about...
-not Siri
-not camera
-not larger screen
-not new prone-to-scratch design
-not new lightening connector

And yes he realizes its a newer phone and won't be obsolete. Say goodbye to half of your list.

No, it doesn't. A lot of features of iOS 6 were omitted, with the vast majority of the ones that were not omitted performing in a subpar manner inconsistent with standards generally set by the usual iPhone owner. This is only year one if he decides to buy an iPhone 4. What's going to happen year two with iOS7? How about year three with iOS8? He's going to be left in the dark as his phone's performance deteriorates with each update as he misses out on more features on a bi-annual basis.

1. Yes it does. My iPhone 4 hasn't slowed down a bit, its battery hasn't gone down a bit, its performance overall hasn't been subpar at all.

2. What about iOS 10 and iOS 12 and iOS 20?

Your thinking too much into the god damn future, enjoy what you have now.

"The journey is the destination."

Im not worried about iOS 9 because by that time I will probably have upgraded to the iPhone 6 which last me until I need to upgrade.

Seeing as the iPhone 4 is over two years old, I would hardly call it "every year." There is also nothing wrong with the people that want to upgrade every year. These people earn their money and spend it as they choose. Are you going to be their instant financial advisor and demand that their spendings be altered based on your standards of normality? Trying to argue that outdated technology already on its last legs with a cloudy future is a wise purchase over current-/next-generation technology is more akin to the definition of atypicality.

iPhone 4, then the iPhone 4S, then the iPhone. Yes the iPhone does get updated every year, congratz.

Like I said before...most people don't upgrade every year. If you upgrade every year, your obviously atypical. Some people might need to upgrade every year, maybe there a tech blogger or reviewer. Maybe your just an Apple fanboy and need to get the latest and greatest. Maybe there's a feature you need to for a job.

Not here to debate with how you spend your money, but its obvious to say that if you update every year, you have your reasons.

But thank you for blowing my previous comments out of proportion.

In conclusion: OP, get an iPhone 5.

In conclusion, he should get a phone that he likes.

Judging by his use, hes not that interested in Siri, the camera, or 4-inch screen. Those are pretty big factors in choosing which iPhone. He also is skeptical about the more easily scratched design and new connector.

I'd say it'll be wiser if he got a iPhone 4 for FREE. He can pocket the money to get a better iPhone down the road or something else.
 
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poppycao

macrumors newbie
Sep 18, 2012
6
0
Since you're on contract, I would go for the 5.

However, the 4S is still a fantastic device, and has every software advantage of the 5.
 
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