iPhone 8/Plus Apple hasn't earned my upgrade: Returned iPhone 8+ to stay with my 6s... anyone else do the same?

[Hal~9000]

Well... today I made the tough decision to return the 8+ and stick with my 6s

I appreciated all of the improvements the 8+ had such as:

• Bigger screen
• Brighter screen
• Longer battery
• Better camera
• Stereo speakers
• Faster processor

... but in the end I just couldn't justify spending $900 on a new phone when my 6s still gets the job done and I'm content with it. Apples throttling scandal didn't help inspire confidence in the long-term performance of the device plus there were a few other annoyances which I cover below.

Early on, some of the main reasons that I was leaning towards keeping the 8+ was the fact that it will be the last great phone which has 1] TouchID 2] IPS screen, and 3] notch-free design. The 8+ also had iOS 11.1.2 so it didn't have Apples throttling "feature" (unlike my 6s which has 10.3.3 and will eventually be throttled). Also next years iPhones, according to Ming-Chi Kuo, will all have AMOLEDS / no TouchID / Notches *bleh*

I kept switching back and forth between the two and seeing if the 8+ was truly a big enough difference to justify spending that amount of $ on something instead of sticking with the phone I have that's already paid off and I still was content with.

I'm also a minimalist by nature and tend to over analyze any buying decision that might possibly create unnecessary waste / excess. It's funny because if a family member lost their phone and needed my 6s it would have made the decision a lot easier. I would have given them my 6s for free and simply have kept the 8+. No one I knew needed a free 6s though, so it felt like a waste having a perfectly good phone sitting around the house doing nothing.

In addition to the whole $ wasting aspect + not creating unnecessary technology clutter around the house... Apples recent actions with their throttling scandal left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. I've been an pro-Apple consumer ever since the iPhone 3Gs days. Most of the technology I have at home is Apple technology as well: MacBook Air, AppleTV, Apple Watch, and iPhone 6s because the main feeling I had about Apple was one feeling in particular: trust. That feeling has now taken a hit (on the software side of things, hardware support is still top notch) and makes me question if I want to support a company willing to act like that.

At least one positive came from the whole "throttlegate" situation in the form of battery replacements being temporarily cut down in price to $29 through 2018. According to CoconutBattery my 6s hovers between 92-95% and has 278 charge cycles after 16 months. Also the Geekbench app currently shows me no slowdown ATM, so I think I'll simply wait until the end of 2018 to get a battery replacement... then ride that new battery as many years as I can. If my battery degrades to the point where the throttling is severe I'll simply do some research on the smartphone landscape at that time and switch over to whatever phone (Android or iPhone) fulfills my requirements.

P.S. one of the most annoying parts of the 8+ is just how amateurish Apples software keyboard is. I mean it's tiny and right in the middle of the damn screen! At least on the iPad you can split the keyboard to the left and right corners... but you can't with the plus for some stupid reason. In addition to not being able to split the keyboard, in iOS 10 you at least had other useful keys (such as undo, left and right arrows, etc) on the left and right side of the screen so the space wasn't wasted. In iOS 11 though Apple removed the useful keys for... drum roll... NOTHING! Now it's just blank space on the left and right of the keyboard for no good reason I tried using a third party keyboard app for a split keyboard option but the trade offs, namely terrible auto-correct and having to grant them access to view every single thing I type, made the 3rd party options not worth it at all to me.

To summarize: I had a very enjoyable experience with the 8+ but not enough enough to justify the $900 price tag when my 6s still gets the job done. Both phones sizes have their advantages. While I'll miss the advantages of the plus, I'll also enjoy the 6s for its pocketability, being able to reach most of the screen without having to stretch my thumb or constantly use reachability, and of course the huge the $ savings / not rewarding Apples bad behavior.

Hopefully Apple gets a good slap upside the head with all these class-action lawsuits and learns to knock off the Orwellian crap and instead start to provide users with much more transparency / software control options in the settings app.

Anyone else out there decide to return your 8/8+/X and stick with what you had? What were your reasons for doing so?

 

[GomerBoy]

I can never switch back to a 6 after getting so used to True Tone on my 8 Plus...the quality and difference in the screen is stark!

 

[Hal~9000]

I can never switch back to a 6 after getting so used to True Tone on my 8 Plus...the quality and difference in the screen is stark!

The screen was definitely beautiful on the 8+. As for true tone I actually switched it off.

I prefer more blue / less yellow screens and only turn on night shift if I'm about to go to bed.

Could definitely see how others who prefer the opposite though would really like it.

 

[The Game 161]

6s is still a great device and to be honest I wouldn’t of upgraded my 7 plus to the 8 plus if that’s all they offered.

I got the x as wanted something brand new and different in design and style.

This is the beauty of choice and apple older devices still work very well. My sister and Mum have the 6s and both work great for them. My mum may upgrade her 6s only due to the screen is cracked. Still useable though

 

[pika2000]

No need for such long narrative. Even Apple recognizes that the iPhone upgrade cycle gets longer. Heck, unlike previous years, they keep selling the 6S this year, and for good reason. We are at the point where 2 or 3 gen older hardware are still capable today. Thus Apple releasing the X as well, to compensate for the stretched lower end by recouping some margins on the even higher end.

 

[newellj]

I'm still working on whether I pass on this year's iPhones.

Had a 7 (still do) that I'm very happy with.

Seduced by the X for the larger and gorgeous display and the gesture-driven interface. Disliked the way control center and notifications worked, disliked the way ApplePay worked, disliked PWM brightness control, disliked not being able to unlock on my desk without picking up the phone. No opinion on the notch or FaceID as a concept (though I think there are some UI/UX problems with FaceID that Apple could solve).

Loved the TrueTone display on the X so when I returned it I walked out with an 8. The current question is whether I want to ditch the 7 for the 8 when, for me, the only noticeable improvement is the TrueTone display. Paying $700 for a white point adjustment seems nuts, so it will probably go back. Still evaluating.

 

[macfacts]

... P.S. one of the most annoying parts of the 8+ is just how amateurish Apples software keyboard is. I mean it's tiny and right in the middle of the damn screen! At least on the iPad you can split the keyboard to the left and right corners... but you can't with the plus for some stupid reason. In addition to not being able to split the keyboard, in iOS 10 you at least had other useful keys (such as undo, left and right arrows, etc) on the left and right side of the screen so the space wasn't wasted. In iOS 11 though Apple removed the useful keys for... drum roll... NOTHING! Now it's just blank space on the left and right of the keyboard for no good reason ...

Talking about landscape keyboard? The reason for the empty space is because of the notch on the iPhone X.

Apple engineers can write software like:

if DEVICE == iPhone 6s
and BATTERY_HEALTH < 80%
then throttle()

But can't write software like this:

if DEVICE == iPhone x
then use new keyboard
else use old keyboard

Very lazy.

 

[Hal~9000]

6s is still a great device and to be honest I wouldn’t of upgraded my 7 plus to the 8 plus if that’s all they offered.

I got the x as wanted something brand new and different in design and style.

This is the beauty of choice and apple older devices still work very well. My sister and Mum have the 6s and both work great for them. My mum may upgrade her 6s only due to the screen is cracked. Still useable though

Agreed.

6s is a wonderful phone and still holds up very well even 2+ years later. I wouldn't have upgraded from the 7 to the 8 series either.

I'm glad you are happy with the X. Definitely pricey but cutting edge design for sure, just personally dislike the notch and aspect ratio of the screen.

I'm still working on whether I pass on this year's iPhones.

Had a 7 (still do) that I'm very happy with.

Seduced by the X for the larger and gorgeous display and the gesture-driven interface. Disliked the way control center and notifications worked, disliked the way ApplePay worked, disliked PWM brightness control, disliked not being able to unlock on my desk without picking up the phone. No opinion on the notch or FaceID as a concept (though I think there are some UI/UX problems with FaceID that Apple could solve).

Loved the TrueTone display on the X so when I returned it I walked out with an 8. The current question is whether I want to ditch the 7 for the 8 when, for me, the only noticeable improvement is the TrueTone display. Paying $700 for a white point adjustment seems nuts, so it will probably go back. Still evaluating.

It was really nice that Apple had an extended return policy for the holidays. It helped having that extra time to decide. Was very tempted by the phone but in the end I just couldn't justify the very high price when I already had a device which was paid off and I was content with.

Either way you choose I hope you end up very happy

Talking about landscape keyboard? The reason for the empty space is because of the notch on the iPhone X.

Apple engineers can write software like:

But can't write software like this:

Very lazy.

Right? I mean geez Apple, it doesn't seem that hard to differentiate software capabilities based on which iPhone model you have.

I mean they do this already via different software abilities of the Plus vs non-plus / X models... wherein you can have apps do different things in landscape mode. Why not simply have different software keyboards for the X vs plus / non-plus???

Pure laziness...

 

[Skika]

The screen was definitely beautiful on the 8+. As for true tone I actually switched it off.

I prefer more blue / less yellow screens and only turn on night shift if I'm about to go to bed.

Could definitely see how others who prefer the opposite though would really like it.

True tone can make your screen more blue than default if lightning conditions demand it.

 

[newellj]

Was very tempted by the phone but in the end I just couldn't justify the very high price when I already had a device which was paid off and I was content with.

Either way you choose I hope you end up very happy

Thank you - and that is really the nub of it. I own the 7. It has 80 charge cycles and 97% battery health. It works perfectly speedily with iOS 11, which is important because my Series 3 AW is important to me for fitness and health reasons. I personally am not ready to give up TouchID yet, and other than TrueTone there really isn't anything compelling about the 8. (Talking to myself - but it's helpful.)

There's always next year.

Thanks and best luck to you.

 

[eyoungren]

Even Apple recognizes that the iPhone upgrade cycle gets longer.

How so?

If they ackowledge that then why do they keep introducing new phones each year? Why do that unless they want you to upgrade yearly?

Unless you mean they are recognizing that CUSTOMERS are upgrading later and later?

 

[iOSUser7]

Another one of those « I hope I made the right decision but please reassure me because I’m not sure » thread...

 

[Ghost31]

I’m a whore for new Apple stuff, but I think we’re getting to the point where it’s like...what else do we have to look forward to? I remember back in the day with the first few iPhones every new feature was exciting and we all couldn’t wait to get it. Now it’s small things that don’t make a huge difference and is definitely not worth a grand.

Except...the iPhone X. This is the first major redesign since the original iPhone. If there’s ever a time to upgrade, it’s not during the 6s. Or 7. Or any other “s” cycle. It’s when they completely redesign the phone like this and set a new design language going forward with gestures and Face ID as main elements of user experience.

The iPhone X was the start of something, so I may as well jump in early and get used to get. Everybody else is putting it off like “nooo I want my Touch ID” but we all know it’s gone and that at some point Face ID will be on iPad and Mac.

So I’m good with what I’ve got. I’m gonna try to keep this one as long as I can. I envy those that keep their devices until they crap out or aren’t supported by updates. I’m gonna try for 3 years at least with mine

 

[profmjh]

I went from 7+ to X to 8.

The move from 7+ to X was impetuous and fanboyish. Though I was initially enthusiastic, after a few weeks I felt the phone was actually somewhat ugly (I don't like the round corners on the screen) and I actually missed bezels (somewhere you can safely hold on to) and Touch ID.

I couldn't go back to my 7+ because I'd already sold it. I went to an 8 because I wanted the best non-X and there was a deal available. I went for the regular 8 because of the size and weight. I'm done with phablets.

And now I'm happy. And I'm going to try really hard to keep this phone for more than a year.

 

[newellj]

FWIW, I think I would have titled this thread "Apple hasn't earned my upgrade" or "Apple has persuaded me to upgrade" but that's a nit.

How so?

If they ackowledge that then why do they keep introducing new phones each year? Why do that unless they want you to upgrade yearly?

Unless you mean they are recognizing that CUSTOMERS are upgrading later and later?

I think he means that keeping more prior models in the line is a recognition of a longer upgrade cycle. Not sure that's the conclusion I'd draw, though.

 

[eyoungren]

I think he means that keeping more prior models in the line is a recognition of a longer upgrade cycle. Not sure that's the conclusion I'd draw, though.

IDK.

Apple kept the 4s in the model line for longer than most other iPhones up until the 6/6+ launched. Don't think that was a recognition at the time of a longer upgrade cycle. More milking the cash cow of 4s sales for as long as they could.

I'd argue that the sales numbers of the 6 series still justifies the continued production and sale of the phone more than Apple recognizing longer upgrade cycles.

But I appreciate the spin here.

 

[Strelok]

If anything I respect OP for voting with their wallet unlike most people who just bitch and complain without doing anything!

 

[Hal~9000]

FWIW, I think I would have titled this thread "Apple hasn't earned my upgrade" or "Apple has persuaded me to upgrade" but that's a nit.

Thank you newellj. Went ahead and changed it to your more accurate title. Appreciate it

 

[trigonometry]

I think you could’ve made this decision without actually purchasing anything in the first place. Researching is your friend. And why would you keep the clutter (iPhone 6S) when you could sell it to offset the price of the new phone. Or give it away to someone less fortunate.

 

[newellj]

Thank you newellj. Went ahead and changed it to your more accurate title. Appreciate it

Please be sure that I wasn't trying to take any digs.

I think I'm looking at it sort of like this: Apple gets to make their decisions, then I get to make mine. If I still had a 6S, I probably would go back to it vs. the X or 8. And I will probably go back to my 7 rather than the X (tried and returned) or the 8 (trying now).

 

[eyoungren]

And why would you keep the clutter (iPhone 6S) when you could sell it to offset the price of the new phone. Or give it away to someone less fortunate.

I think that depends on your definition of clutter.

We (my wife and I) do not sell our older devices. They are kept around for different purposes until they either die or someone I know needs a device. Which is the second part of what you mentioned, but I don't actively search out people or organizations that need my device(s) either.

Generally, any new device my wife and I purchase is often with our tax refund and even then, not every year. We generally use our devices for 2.5 to 3.5 years. Their value to sell off at that point is much less than those who do this yearly.

Ultimately though it comes down to my not being willing to part with a device I've used extensively for so long and put so much money into paying off.

 

[HallStevenson]

The move from 7+ to X was impetuous and fanboyish.

Don't feel bad, there are plenty of folks who went from the 6 to the 6s to the 7 and then to the 8 or X. There's very little reason to do that. Skipping a model or two in between would not have been a big deal. Those people, though, will point out the 1 or 2 minor changes between yearly models as their justification.

 

[joeblow7777]

I went from a 6 to an 8 Plus. No regrets. Even though the 6 was still pretty good.

And for the record, you can't split the keyboard on a plus phone as you can on an iPad, but you can have it shifted to either side in order to be accessible with a single thumb.

 

[trigonometry]

I think that depends on your definition of clutter.

We (my wife and I) do not sell our older devices. They are kept around for different purposes until they either die or someone I know needs a device. Which is the second part of what you mentioned, but I don't actively search out people or organizations that need my device(s) either.

Generally, any new device my wife and I purchase is often with our tax refund and even then, not every year. We generally use our devices for 2.5 to 3.5 years. Their value to sell off at that point is much less than those who do this yearly.

Ultimately though it comes down to my not being willing to part with a device I've used extensively for so long and put so much money into paying off.

I’m going by the OP’s definition of clutter. I don’t consider old iPhones clutter. I acknowledge he said he sought out people in his immediate circle that might’ve needed a phone but why not a charity? Not criticizing OP just saying there is no shortage of ways to get rid of old iphones.

 

[joeblow7777]

Don't feel bad, there are plenty of folks who went from the 6 to the 6s to the 7 and then to the 8 or X. There's very little reason to do that. Skipping a model or two in between would not have been a big deal. Those people, though, will point out the 1 or 2 minor changes between yearly models as their justification.

I absolutely agree. I say, it's your money do what you want, but really, no one actually needs to upgrade their phone every year. It's usually just giving in to the urge to have the shiniest newest thing. Due to the unique nature of this past launch, some people even bought the 8/8+ while fully knowing that they would buy the X 6 weeks later, just because they always have to have the newest iPhone.