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Between a rock and a hard place for iPhone 5

skywalkerr69

skywalkerr69

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 21, 2011
772
438
New York
Hey All,

I have been visiting this site for sometime but finally reg on the forums. I was wondering what everyone's advise would be on this issue. I have like a lot of people been with Verizon for over 10 years. Been a stockholder of Apple for over 15. I have been waiting so long for the iPhone. I have numerous Apple products as well. My question is that with the rumors going around about a possible iPhone 5 being launched this summer. Should I get the 4 or wait for the 5? Reason being I wouldn't want to buy the 5 at full retail price either. And who knows if Verizion will get it. I can pre-order the 4 on Feb 3rd...I have been thinking about this for a while and Feb 3rd is getting closer and closer!! And who knows if there will be an unlimited data plan for the 5. The pondering goes on. What does everyone think?
 
If you want to wait 6 months and hope that Verizon gets the 5, then do it. But if you want one in Feb get the 4. Personally, I think that the next iPhone will be a slight upgrade on the 4. Not an entirely new phone
 
You're also talking about a phone that doesn't even exist yet (at least to us non-Apple Execs). Although if the past is any indication, I don't think we're going to see a drastic update from the 4 to the 5 (or whatever it's coined). If you need/want the iPhone 4 when it launches on VZW, then I would say get it. Plus, who even knows if a CDMA iPhone 5 will be released in the summer. Its release may be pushed back to the fall since a lot of VZW (and AT&T) subscriber's are more than likely going to flock to the iPhone 4 come Feburary.
 
rdowns said:
I think that there's already at least 4 threads with this very topic. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Yeah, there are, and they are all the same.

The answer is so simple. You get a phone if you want it. I waited for the Verizon version of the iPhone (or as everyone here likes to say, VeriPhone, viPhone, VPHONE, Iphone, etc) and I will now buy it next month. Sure, there might be a super cool, better iPhone out this summer, but I don't care. I will get my iPhone now and be happy and use it for two years, maybe upgrading when I'm eligible. Over the course of my two years of ownership, new products will be released and I will not complain that my perfectly fine iPhone 4 is suddenly terrible, because it isn't.

The notion of having to have the most current technology is not possible for most people. If you're wealthy and can afford to constantly update your technology (this goes for anything: homes, automobiles, computers, phones), what does it matter, you just get the newest thing. But if you're like most people and "don't have $600 to blow," you just don't get that new product. You don't try to find ways to scam the system, ways to finagle and cheat.

Don't complain when the technology is updated three months later and now you're "outdated," that's how life works.
 
vachargerfan said:
If you want to wait 6 months and hope that Verizon gets the 5, then do it. But if you want one in Feb get the 4. Personally, I think that the next iPhone will be a slight upgrade on the 4. Not an entirely new phone
Click to expand...
It will not be 6 months. It will be more like 4-5 months. Feb 4th to June 4th is 4 months.

If you have a perfectly working phone I would wait the 4-5 months. Iphone 5 in June is coming to ALL carriers. Verizon does not want to have the iPhone 4 as their main phone when ATT has an iPhone 5 and both selling for the same price.
 
A little birdy told me there will be no CDMA iPhone update this summer. I have no clue if they are right, but they were right about the Verizon iPhone.

To me, it just makes sense. The launch of the GSM iPhone is always a humongous event. Phones sell out and go on back-order for weeks within the first couple of days.

It is not a far stretch of the imagination to assume that a Verizon iPhone launched at the same time would wreak that much more havoc on Apple stores and the manufacturing facilities. It's very conceivable that Apple would want to stagger these products. It's also a probability that they will want to give the phone some time in the market to maximize their profits before releasing a new one.
 
You'll get a 1000 opinions on what to do from this forum. IMO I'd say just get the iPhone 4 now. The iPhone 4 is a great device and I'm sad to admit I waited and hung on to my 3G for six months after the iPhone 4 came out. :eek: I would not do that again.

Get the iPhone 4 now and IF Verizon gets the iPhone 5 in the summer then sell the iPhone 4 and get the iPhone 5 if you think it is a major improvement.
 
You can either buy a phone that has a release date (Feb 3rd/10th) and is a for-sure thing, or you could wait 5 months for a possibility and cross your fingers that Verizon gets the next version of the iPhone at the same time as AT&T?

take your pick.

and let say that in 5 months (this summer) the next iPhone is not released to Verizon, are you going to buy the iPhone 4 then, or wait another 6 months for the next iPhone to launch next year.
 
you know....iphone 4 will still get iOS 5.0.

As an android user ready to throw it away on feb 3, this is going to be different. You no longer have to be stuck with the software on your phone for months and months and months after an update has been released. You won't need an iphone 5 to get hundreds of new features this summer.

And you can forget about LTE this year...so if you wait and go on a 2 year contract in june you might be regretting that you waited when a year later an LTE iphone comes out and you still have another year to go instead of 2 months.
 
saving107 said:
You can either buy a phone that has a release date (Feb 3rd/10th) and is a for-sure thing, or you could wait 5 months for a possibility and cross your fingers that Verizon gets the next version of the iPhone at the same time as AT&T?

take your pick.

and let say that in 5 months (this summer) the next iPhone is not released to Verizon, are you going to buy the iPhone 4 then, or wait another 6 months for the next iPhone to launch next year.
Click to expand...

Agreed. No one is really sure what Apple is going to do over the summer. I would get it in February and then evaluate what to do if there is a release over the summer as well.
 
If you have ATT, keep it. Verizon service is incredible, ive been with them before they were even Verizon. I was looking at getting the iPhone 4 for verizon, but since it is not 4G LTE, it will become obsolete within a year.


I doubt Apple will release the 5 for Verizon, as seeing their product cycles are 1 year. It wouldn't be fair for them to release an iphone for verizon, then release a new one six months later.

I say the iPhone 5 for Verizon 4G LTE will be released next year. Until then, I'm happy with my Droid X and I will wait.
 
flipster said:
If you have ATT, keep it. Verizon service is incredible, ive been with them before they were even Verizon. I was looking at getting the iPhone 4 for verizon, but since it is not 4G LTE, it will become obsolete within a year.


I doubt Apple will release the 5 for Verizon, as seeing their product cycles are 1 year. It wouldn't be fair for them to release an iphone for verizon, then release a new one six months later.

I say the iPhone 5 for Verizon 4G LTE will be released next year. Until then, I'm happy with my Droid X and I will wait.
Click to expand...
"Fair"? Seriously what does that mean?
Verizon is in the business to make money and be competitive and grow subscribers.

If your theory is right come June we will have
ATT - $99 iPhone 4 - $199 iPhone 5 and $299 iPhone 5
Verizon - $199 iPhone 4 and $299 iPhone 4

That scenario does not look competitive to me

What Verizon wants is something like this
ATT - $99 iPhone 4 - $199 iPhone 5 and $299 iPhone 5
Verizon - $99 iPhone 4 - $199 iPhone 4 and $299 iPhone 4

That looks way more competitive to me. How is Verizon going to grow subscribers when they are not offering the latest phone their main competitor offers or the same phone at a higher price?

There is no doubt there will be people leaving ATT come February to go to Verizon but once June roles around and in your scenario they will have no reason to leave if they can get a iPhone 5 with ATT and all Verizon has to offer is an iPhone 4.
 
skywalkerr69 said:
Hey All,

I have been visiting this site for sometime but finally reg on the forums. I was wondering what everyone's advise would be on this issue. I have like a lot of people been with Verizon for over 10 years. Been a stockholder of Apple for over 15. I have been waiting so long for the iPhone. I have numerous Apple products as well. My question is that with the rumors going around about a possible iPhone 5 being launched this summer. Should I get the 4 or wait for the 5? Reason being I wouldn't want to buy the 5 at full retail price either. And who knows if Verizion will get it. I can pre-order the 4 on Feb 3rd...I have been thinking about this for a while and Feb 3rd is getting closer and closer!! And who knows if there will be an unlimited data plan for the 5. The pondering goes on. What does everyone think?
Click to expand...

MOST of us think you should be able to make this decision without asking others.:eek:
 
ineedamac said:
You'll get a 1000 opinions on what to do from this forum. IMO I'd say just get the iPhone 4 now. The iPhone 4 is a great device and I'm sad to admit I waited and hung on to my 3G for six months after the iPhone 4 came out. :eek: I would not do that again.

Get the iPhone 4 now and IF Verizon gets the iPhone 5 in the summer then sell the iPhone 4 and get the iPhone 5 if you think it is a major improvement.
Click to expand...

Spot on, this is exactly what I'm going to do!
 
skywalkerr69 said:
Hey All,

I have been visiting this site for sometime but finally reg on the forums. I was wondering what everyone's advise would be on this issue. I have like a lot of people been with Verizon for over 10 years. Been a stockholder of Apple for over 15. I have been waiting so long for the iPhone. I have numerous Apple products as well. My question is that with the rumors going around about a possible iPhone 5 being launched this summer. Should I get the 4 or wait for the 5? Reason being I wouldn't want to buy the 5 at full retail price either. And who knows if Verizion will get it. I can pre-order the 4 on Feb 3rd...I have been thinking about this for a while and Feb 3rd is getting closer and closer!! And who knows if there will be an unlimited data plan for the 5. The pondering goes on. What does everyone think?
Click to expand...


They're not rumors... they're going to release an iPhone 5 this summer regardless...
And why wouldn't you wait.. it's only like 6 months away.
 
edk99 said:
"Fair"? Seriously what does that mean?
Verizon is in the business to make money and be competitive and grow subscribers.

If your theory is right come June we will have
ATT - $99 iPhone 4 - $199 iPhone 5 and $299 iPhone 5
Verizon - $199 iPhone 4 and $299 iPhone 4

That scenario does not look competitive to me

What Verizon wants is something like this
ATT - $99 iPhone 4 - $199 iPhone 5 and $299 iPhone 5
Verizon - $99 iPhone 4 - $199 iPhone 4 and $299 iPhone 4

That looks way more competitive to me. How is Verizon going to grow subscribers when they are not offering the latest phone their main competitor offers or the same phone at a higher price?

There is no doubt there will be people leaving ATT come February to go to Verizon but once June roles around and in your scenario they will have no reason to leave if they can get a iPhone 5 with ATT and all Verizon has to offer is an iPhone 4.
Click to expand...

What you say is true, but just becuase Verizon wants it doesn't mean Apple will have the desire or facilities to provide. Another option is that Verizon drops the price of their iPhone 4 to be competetive until the iPhone 5 for Verizon is available.

There are all kinds of different scenarios we could argue and many reasons and thought processes behind each. Short of having insider information, all any of us can do is speculate.
 
amazingdm said:
They're not rumors... they're going to release an iPhone 5 this summer regardless...
And why wouldn't you wait.. it's only like 6 months away.
Click to expand...

An iPhone 5 is rumored to be released in June, but that doesn't mean it's coming to Verizon.
 
I know only one thing about the next iPhone. Good or bad (like my iPhone 4) they'll sell millions as I sit back, do nothing but smile as my stocks climb even higher. I would have never imagined Apple would turn into a Religion with legions of followers who will buy anything with that fruity logo.
 
Buy the 4 at full price no contract extension. Then use your upgrade for the 5 and sell the 4. That's what I would do and you should come out ahead.
 
Geckotek said:
A little birdy told me there will be no CDMA iPhone update this summer. I have no clue if they are right, but they were right about the Verizon iPhone.

To me, it just makes sense. The launch of the GSM iPhone is always a humongous event. Phones sell out and go on back-order for weeks within the first couple of days.

It is not a far stretch of the imagination to assume that a Verizon iPhone launched at the same time would wreak that much more havoc on Apple stores and the manufacturing facilities. It's very conceivable that Apple would want to stagger these products. It's also a probability that they will want to give the phone some time in the market to maximize their profits before releasing a new one.
Click to expand...

I think that this is one of the most sensible views on this topic. While none of us really know what Apple is planning for this summer, I'd be very surprised if they only give the Verizon iPhone 4 a handful of months to serve as the top iPhone on Verizon. It makes sense to me that they would want to wait a little while longer before releasing an updated version on Verizon.
 
chakraj said:
Buy the 4 at full price no contract extension. Then use your upgrade for the 5 and sell the 4. That's what I would do and you should come out ahead.
Click to expand...

But then in 2012 when (and I'm just assuming now) the fully revamped iPhone is released, you'll be only half way through your contract, whereas if you upgrade in February you'll be able to upgrade again shortly after the 2012 iteration is released. There are pros and cons to either option, I think. My personal choice is to buy it now. If you've been waiting so long for the iPhone to be released on Verizon, you should just get it and enjoy the fact that the wait is finally over! :D
 
I know this goes against apples normal schedule. But I believe the next iPhone will be the new fully upgraded one, dual core, bigger screen, more ram and memory, Hspa+, in order to move them ahead of this years new pack of androids. I know, I know, flame away...
 
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