Anyone buying S3 to get off S cycle?

K

Kendo

macrumors 68020
I've had an iPhone since the 3GS and as much as I love the iPhone, the 4S screen is starting to feel a little cramped. Rather than getting the 5S, I decided to hold off until the 6. The main reason for doing so, I don't want to be locked in a 2 year contract with the 5S if the 6 turns out to be magical.

My solution is to get an S3 as soon as the prices hit rock bottom after the S4 comes out. This will also give me a chance to play around with Android for the first time and get a larger phone for hopefully $250. Then I can hop back on the iPhone in a year.

Are there any other 4S users who will follow suit?
 
Kendo said:
I've had an iPhone since the 3GS and as much as I love the iPhone, the 4S screen is starting to feel a little cramped. Rather than getting the 5S, I decided to hold off until the 6. The main reason for doing so, I don't want to be locked in a 2 year contract with the 5S if the 6 turns out to be magical.

My solution is to get an S3 as soon as the prices hit rock bottom after the S4 comes out. This will also give me a chance to play around with Android for the first time and get a larger phone for hopefully $250. Then I can hop back on the iPhone in a year.

Are there any other 4S users who will follow suit?
Click to expand...

In my opinion, I don't think it'll be magical. We've basically reached that point of "diminishing returns" since smartphones are so advanced. What else is it that we want that's would be considered magical? Higher resolution display? More megapixels? Faster processor? More RAM? To me, those improvements are just how technology advances; not something that has the WOW effect when the first iPhone came out

However, if something really magical and revolutionary does come out, I'm sure you would find the iPhone 6 worth getting even if it costs more than a subsidized phone.
 
darricksailo said:
In my opinion, I don't think it'll be magical. We've basically reached that point of "diminishing returns" since smartphones are so advanced. What else is it that we want that's would be considered magical? Higher resolution display? More megapixels? Faster processor? More RAM? To me, those improvements are just how technology advances; not something that has the WOW effect when the first iPhone came out

However, if something really magical and revolutionary does come out, I'm sure you would find the iPhone 6 worth getting even if it costs more than a subsidized phone.
Click to expand...

Okay "magical" is probably not the right word. More like, change in design with larger screen.

I'm sure there are a ton of 4S users here so I was really trying to get a feel for how many of us are not gonna lock ourselves into another 2 year S cycle.
 
No phone is going to be revolutionary until someone invents a brain implant chip or holographic display, ect. Until then, updated specs and new software features just like the pc market.
 
As someone who has been on the "S" cycle since the 3GS, I definitely appreciate where you are coming from.

I started in Feb 2008 with the original iPhone, then my next one was the 3GS, which I picked up on launch day in June, 2009. Next thing I upgraded to was a 4S, which I picked up on launch day in Oct 2011.

I definitely feel where you're coming from though as far as the cramped quarters of the 3.5" screen and not having LTE.

However, I actually prefer the "S" cycle personally, because by then any bugs or shortcomings the initial version of the design had get worked out.

Thinking about it....the iPhone 3G, even though it had a different design, had the same internals as the original iPhone, save for the 3G and GPS chips. So when the 3GS came along and had the same design as the 3G, but got a faster processor, a bump in RAM, a compass, better camera, and video recording.

And the iPhone 4 had antennagate going on, so when the iPhone 4S debuted, they had addressed that particular shortcoming by installing the dual antenna system. Plus it added the A5 chip, a better camera system, and HSPA+ support, even though it was the same design as the iPhone 4. Also, the 4S runs iOS 6 at full capacity, while the 4 is limited in what it can do with iOS 6.

So, I'm actually curiously eager about the 5S, and wondering what subtle enhancements it will receive over the 5. I am NOT jumping ship from iOS ecosystem though. I have way too much invested in apps and such, to want to do that.

The 4S is still a great phone right now, as it does everything I need a phone to do. However, I will be just as eager to jump from a 4S to a 5S in 2013, as I was eager to jump from the 3GS to the 4S in 2011.
 
No, I am an "S" and I like it.

In addition, all smartphones have more features in common than differences. The market is maturing. I am more interested in OS platform differences an as I am in the Mac/iOS camp, I am not gonna jump.
 
TWD98j said:
As someone who has been on the "S" cycle since the 3GS, I definitely appreciate where you are coming from.

I started in Feb 2008 with the original iPhone, then my next one was the 3GS, which I picked up on launch day in June, 2009. Next thing I upgraded to was a 4S, which I picked up on launch day in Oct 2011.

I definitely feel where you're coming from though as far as the cramped quarters of the 3.5" screen and not having LTE.

However, I actually prefer the "S" cycle personally, because by then any bugs or shortcomings the initial version of the design had get worked out.

Thinking about it....the iPhone 3G, even though it had a different design, had the same internals as the original iPhone, save for the 3G and GPS chips. So when the 3GS came along and had the same design as the 3G, but got a faster processor, a bump in RAM, a compass, better camera, and video recording.

And the iPhone 4 had antennagate going on, so when the iPhone 4S debuted, they had addressed that particular shortcoming by installing the dual antenna system. Plus it added the A5 chip, a better camera system, and HSPA+ support, even though it was the same design as the iPhone 4. Also, the 4S runs iOS 6 at full capacity, while the 4 is limited in what it can do with iOS 6.

So, I'm actually curiously eager about the 5S, and wondering what subtle enhancements it will receive over the 5. I am NOT jumping ship from iOS ecosystem though. I have way too much invested in apps and such, to want to do that.

The 4S is still a great phone right now, as it does everything I need a phone to do. However, I will be just as eager to jump from a 4S to a 5S in 2013, as I was eager to jump from the 3GS to the 4S in 2011.
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The iphone 5 doesnt seem to have any issues with the hardware though, i have not had one problem with mine. So this time it will be just improving specs and not improving on hardware issues since there doesnt seem to be any
 
Prime85 said:
The iphone 5 doesnt seem to have any issues with the hardware though, i have not had one problem with mine. So this time it will be just improving specs and not improving on hardware issues since there doesnt seem to be any
Click to expand...

True, there may not be many salient issues, but, from what I've heard, the back is susceptible to scuffs, so they might use a different material or put some sort of coating on it so that it does not scuff so easily. Also, the fact that it does not run on all LTE bands and is not a world phone, like the 4S is, may be addressed.

The more obvious hardware upgrades? One I can think of would be the processor. iPhone 4 got the A4 (single core)...iPhone 4S got the A5 (dual core)...iPhone 5 got the A6 (faster dual core)...iPhone 5S gets A7 (quad core), perhaps? Also the camera will almost undoubtedly get some sort of upgrade from the 8MP that the 5 has...which is also what the 4S has too.

Maybe they'll be nice and decide to restore the headphone jack to the top of the phone. I still cannot see what sense it makes to have the headphone jack on the BOTTOM of the device, as it is now. But maybe that's just me.

Larger screen most likely won't happen...and a bump in RAM probably won't happen either.

Regardless, the jump from 4S > 5S will probably feel as monumental as the jump from 3GS to 4S was. Especially if iOS 7 is anything to write home about.
 
Kendo said:
I've had an iPhone since the 3GS and as much as I love the iPhone, the 4S screen is starting to feel a little cramped. Rather than getting the 5S, I decided to hold off until the 6. The main reason for doing so, I don't want to be locked in a 2 year contract with the 5S if the 6 turns out to be magical.

My solution is to get an S3 as soon as the prices hit rock bottom after the S4 comes out. This will also give me a chance to play around with Android for the first time and get a larger phone for hopefully $250. Then I can hop back on the iPhone in a year.

Are there any other 4S users who will follow suit?
Click to expand...

I did.

I got the S3 when the iP5 hit. Waiting to see what comes of the iP6. Pretty happy with it but I like Apple stuff. Really happy with the screen. It's like just about the perfect size for me.
 
It will be magical if it can project a 3D hologram a-la Starwars, and Siri works like the computer on the Enterprise.

I luv my 4rSteve. If that's the last Glass&Metal phone Apple ever makes am going to keep it forever and never upgrade it to prevent slow down. Laugh all u want. ^)
 
eawmp1 said:
No, I am an "S" and I like it.

In addition, all smartphones have more features in common than differences. The market is maturing. I am more interested in OS platform differences an as I am in the Mac/iOS camp, I am not gonna jump.
Click to expand...

Same. I used my AT&T upgrade to buy a 4S in January, paid my first bill and then cancelled the account. I am now using it on T-Mobile very happily I might add.
 
If the S4 is anything to go by, most upgrades to phones now will be mostly just in specs. It's going to boil down to whether or not you like iOS or Android and whether you like 5 inch screens or 4 inch screens. There won't be anymore 2007 iPhone like revolutions for a while.
 
When the S3 got released the S2 got cheaper but far away from rock bottom. I doubt you will get the S3 for 250 anytime soon.
 
Prime85 said:
The iphone 5 doesnt seem to have any issues with the hardware though, i have not had one problem with mine. So this time it will be just improving specs and not improving on hardware issues since there doesnt seem to be any
Click to expand...

I'm not sure about where you might be, but here there is a problem with the iPhone 5 shifting from LTE to 3G. By that I mean, if it is done quite often, then a No Service bug starts to occur. I've had to restart my iPhone on numerous occasions just to get service again.
 
SprSynJn said:
I'm not sure about where you might be, but here there is a problem with the iPhone 5 shifting from LTE to 3G. By that I mean, if it is done quite often, then a No Service bug starts to occur. I've had to restart my iPhone on numerous occasions just to get service again.
Click to expand...

I think that is more network sided than the phone problem. Are you getting bad LTE reception? As in low bars. Maybe it would be best to keep it on 3G and enable LTE when you need it for surfing the web
 
darricksailo said:
I think that is more network sided than the phone problem. Are you getting bad LTE reception? As in low bars. Maybe it would be best to keep it on 3G and enable LTE when you need it for surfing the web
Click to expand...

Negative. I get full bars for the most part. It is when the service dips that the problem occurs. What I'm referring to though, is how it stops looking for service after a while and will get stuck in No Service. Usually when I'm in a building or going under a train station. When I emerge into an area I know has LTE service, the phone will sometimes not act. I thought I had fixed the problem by doing a complete restore, but it still occurs.
 
SprSynJn said:
Negative. I get full bars for the most part. It is when the service dips that the problem occurs. What I'm referring to though, is how it stops looking for service after a while and will get stuck in No Service. Usually when I'm in a building or going under a train station. When I emerge into an area I know has LTE service, the phone will sometimes not act. I thought I had fixed the problem by doing a complete restore, but it still occurs.
Click to expand...

I get that too. I feel like that's a software problem and not hardware. The software is not telling the phone to search for a connection every so often. However, that's my opinion
 
I think it sounds like a reasonable plan, OP. I have been toying with the idea of picking up a used S3, Nexus 4, or Nexus 7 to tinker around with the Android system as I am currently using all Apple devices. It would be a secondary device for me, at least at this point, though, and I feel somewhat decadent for even considering buying a device I don't need although I can easily afford it. I have the 5 and will NOT be upgrading to 5S unless they add a larger screen. I would like to learn the Android system and I'd also really enjoy playing with a Nokia 920 to learn the Windows mobile system.:) Always open to learning new systems and trying something different although you wouldn't know it from my current devices.
 
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