Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

DoNoHarm

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Oct 8, 2008
1,138
46
Maine
After recently returning my iPhone 6+ and downgrading to an iphone 4s, I have been wondering if there are others out there doing the same. Does anyone use an older iphone as their main phone? What makes you stick to the older phone instead of upgrading?

For me it was the form factor and the feel in hand of the iphone 4s. The chamfers of the iphone 5 feel weird, and the iphone 6 seems less comfortable to hold. Also, cheaper spare parts for this older phone like a $10 back panel, $15 battery, or a $30 front screen assembly keep me using the 4s even if I drop it and something breaks...
 

woodywoodz

Suspended
Apr 12, 2014
121
6
NewYork
I use the older iPhone 4S, too :p

The reason why I do not upgrade to a new one is very simple---the iphone 4S still works well and can meet all of my needs. It's enough for me. and the improvements on the iPhone 5 or 6 does not impress me a lot
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,508
28,204
I'm still using my iPhone 5, 64GB.

Got it on launch day. I waited a year to avoid getting the 4s (don't like it). Apple killed the 5 and introduced the 5c and 5s, neither of which come in black so I was not interested. The 6 and 6+ also do not come in black so still not interested and they are IMO fugly to boot.

I'm with my phones for more than two years usually and I don't sell them and I don't use cases. So, looks are very important to me.
 

rgarjr

macrumors 604
Apr 2, 2009
6,820
1,052
Southern California
I'm using my iPhone 5 still. My 2 year contract is still not up and don't feel like doing Next. Just recently got a new battery installed from Apple.
 

lax28

macrumors 6502
Sep 28, 2014
279
157
New Jersey
Only iPhones I had for more than 1 year was the 1st generation, (skipped getting a 3G and waited until 3Gs) and the iPhone 4 (When Apple moved release from June to October) Other than that been upgrading yearly.

I have a 6Plus now and can't imagine going back the the smaller 5s.

But I have always been a cell phone junky and changed phones very often.
 

100

macrumors member
Sep 21, 2014
86
2
I am thinking about buying a 4s or 5 as a spare to my current iphone 6. Does this count?
 

sluggozmom

macrumors 6502
Sep 13, 2011
282
64
Massachusetts
My husband went back to his iphone 5 today after trying a 6 for a week.
He couldn't get used to the form factor, and the power button.
My 11 year olds eyes lit up when he said he didn't want it. She's enjoyed playing with mine, and she's taken very good care of her iphone 5....so I swapped out the sim and handed it to her. Took her all of a minute to give it back and ask for her 5.
Too big for him and her.... So I returned it.
Mama always likes big:D but not too big. The 6 hits the sweet spot for me!
 

JackieInCo

Suspended
Jul 18, 2013
5,178
1,601
Colorado
I still have a 3GS but the last time I charged it and tried to use it, I was SO annoyed by how slow the thing was. I haven't touched it since. I will never go back to anything other than my 5S or when I get a new iPhone which will be next year.
 

Ladybug

macrumors 68000
Apr 13, 2006
1,874
1,014
Yes, I'm still using my 4s. My husband uses his too. However I'm looking to upgrade while he isn't. My phone gets more use than his does and my battery life isn't good at all anymore. I sometimes have to charge it twice a day now. Also touch on it is very hit or miss lately. I'm due for an upgrade next month unless I go NEXT. Debating between the 5s and the 6 atm. Hubby sees no good reason to upgrade his. :D
 

flyinmac

macrumors 68040
Sep 2, 2006
3,579
2,465
United States
Out of everyone I know personally, the iPhone 5 that I have is the newest one out of all of us. Everyone else I know is using a 4s or older. Some much older.

As for why.... Because they still work. When they quit working, we'll replace them with something else. Not everyone buys into Apple's latest and greatest mentality. It's a phone.
 

mtneer

macrumors 68040
Sep 15, 2012
3,183
2,715
I still have my launch day iPhone 5. It works fine, the battery lasts a workday and I haven't upgrade to newer iOS. I will keep it going until it stops working or Apple releases an extraordinary new phone.
 

jenni122701

macrumors regular
Jan 13, 2013
205
88
(Western) North Carolina, USA
I actually JUST got a new 5S on contract with VZW. I love the look and feel of this phone so much. I plan to use it until renewal time if not longer. As long as a phone meets your needs there is no reason to jump to the newest thing. Its just whatever the individual likes and chooses to do. I had the 4S before and it was a great phone. These iPhones can get several or more years of good use.
 

iHeartsteve

macrumors 68000
Feb 12, 2012
1,554
900
I'll continue to use my gold 5s even though I bought the 6+. I think the 5 series will be one of my favorite for a while, at least until they reveal the 7. Hahah my 5 would probably still be in great working condition if I didn't sell it. The 4 was also a great design however the non-retina would have bothered me now. I actually liked the weight of it at the time. When I got the 5 iPhone, it took a while to adjust looking for my phone instead of feeling the weight difference.
 

Clauoita

macrumors newbie
Nov 10, 2014
7
0
Screen dimension of new iPhones is much better than the olders...but old iPhones 5 series are the best smartphones for every other aspects.

I'm now with a new iphone 6 and i'm very happy with it
 

stillcrazyman

macrumors 603
Oct 10, 2014
5,593
63,911
Exile
I'm still using my 3 1/2 year old 4S. I'm running 8.1 which works alright for most things. I'm awaiting the delivery of my 6 Plus, but still having plenty of use with the 4S. :cool:
 

MacCruiskeen

macrumors 6502
Nov 9, 2011
321
5
Given that the installed base of iPhones is in the hundreds of millions, even though the 6/6+ has obviously been a successful launch for Apple, the answer to your question is obviously yes.
 

Attonine

macrumors 6502a
Feb 15, 2006
744
58
Kent. UK
Still using a 3GS. Ordered a 6, waiting for delivery. The 3GS will keep being used as I live and work between UK, Brazil and Libya. The 3GS will still be used, especially in Libya, where cellular internet is not available in my desert location.
 

Charadis

macrumors 65816
Jul 3, 2010
1,003
210
Launch day white Verizon iPhone 5 32GB here. Upgrade eligible since September, but I'm not very impressed with the new 6 series, and there are no new 64GB gold 5s at upgrade price to be found here.

Still looks like new, never had it serviced, or ever had any problems. Why fix something that isn't broken? Sent from my iPad.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 147

QCassidy352

macrumors G5
Mar 20, 2003
12,048
6,085
Bay Area
I am still using a two-year-old iphone 5, so I guess the answer is yes if that's what you mean. When I read the thread title though, I assumed you were talking about much older iPhones, like something that wouldn't even run iOS 8, so iPhone 4 and earlier. If you just mean anything before the current generation, and there are tens (hundreds?) of millions of people who would answer yes.
 

KUguardgrl13

macrumors 68020
May 16, 2013
2,492
125
Kansas, USA
Still using my iPhone 5 at 22 months old. We'll see where I'm at come January when my Verizon contract is up. It's sort of up to my dad though since it's his plan. He still has a 4S, so he may not be too happy about me having a phone that's three years newer than his.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.