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Current iPhone 5S user... curious what others might do

Totally

Totally

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 22, 2012
744
261
West Coast = Best Coast
As the title says, I am one of the few, the proud, using a 64GB iPhone 5S. It's still on iOS 7 and it is jailbroken. I'm sure Apple loves me.

That being said, the battery life is starting to get to me from charge-cycle losses - many days I have to charge it during the day now. I am not ready to give up my headphone jack yet. I really like being able to go to Walmart and pick out a $9 pair of headphones when they break because I run a lot and they get sweaty and gross.

I also think that my 5S is the perfect sized phone for everything. But the battery is starting to dwindle. So I am curious what you would do if you were in my shoes.

Would you replace the battery at a phone repair shop, upgrade to a 6S, upgrade to a 7, or upgrade to an 8? (Remember 6S vs 7, the key issue is headphone jack for a person like me) And would you do it now or wait until the 8 is released when prices on all the previous models should fall? Would replacing the battery in my 5S give it a new lease on life?
 
Totally said:
As the title says, I am one of the few, the proud, using a 64GB iPhone 5S. It's still on iOS 7 and it is jailbroken. I'm sure Apple loves me.

That being said, the battery life is starting to get to me from charge-cycle losses - many days I have to charge it during the day now. I am not ready to give up my headphone jack yet. I really like being able to go to Walmart and pick out a $9 pair of headphones when they break because I run a lot and they get sweaty and gross.

I also think that my 5S is the perfect sized phone for everything. But the battery is starting to dwindle. So I am curious what you would do if you were in my shoes.

Would you replace the battery at a phone repair shop, upgrade to a 6S, upgrade to a 7, or upgrade to an 8? (Remember 6S vs 7, the key issue is headphone jack for a person like me) And would you do it now or wait until the 8 is released when prices on all the previous models should fall? Would replacing the battery in my 5S give it a new lease on life?
Click to expand...
Have you considered the SE?

If you like the size of the 5s that may be more your style. And the SE retains the headphone jack.

PS. It's a secondary phone and it's the third replacement but I still have my iPhone 5. :)
 
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So follow up question - is there any chance apple may ever update the SE again? I know the answer, "We don't know what apple has in store" but I don't think it's form factor has seen an update since it was released. And it was the bottom of the line phone when it was released. So I can't imagine paying money for that to upgrade from my 5S. That's why I was willing to compromise and consider a 6S.
 
Totally said:
So follow up question - is there any chance apple may ever update the SE again? I know the answer, "We don't know what apple has in store" but I don't think it's form factor has seen an update since it was released.
Click to expand...

Maybe, maybe not... If you know the answer why are you asking...

Totally said:
And it was the bottom of the line phone when it was released. So I can't imagine paying money for that to upgrade from my 5S. That's why I was willing to compromise and consider a 6S.
Click to expand...

Actually the iPhone SE has the same internals as the iPhone 6s if I remember correctly.
 
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Totally said:
As the title says, I am one of the few, the proud, using a 64GB iPhone 5S. It's still on iOS 7 and it is jailbroken. I'm sure Apple loves me.

That being said, the battery life is starting to get to me from charge-cycle losses - many days I have to charge it during the day now. I am not ready to give up my headphone jack yet. I really like being able to go to Walmart and pick out a $9 pair of headphones when they break because I run a lot and they get sweaty and gross.

I also think that my 5S is the perfect sized phone for everything. But the battery is starting to dwindle. So I am curious what you would do if you were in my shoes.

Would you replace the battery at a phone repair shop, upgrade to a 6S, upgrade to a 7, or upgrade to an 8? (Remember 6S vs 7, the key issue is headphone jack for a person like me) And would you do it now or wait until the 8 is released when prices on all the previous models should fall? Would replacing the battery in my 5S give it a new lease on life?
Click to expand...
What's wrong with upgrading to the next 7S and plugging the adapter to your headphones without ever disconnecting/unplugging it - you coil it up and GO!
 
Totally said:
So follow up question - is there any chance apple may ever update the SE again?
Click to expand...

If I were a betting man, I'd bet they'd release an updated SE in June 2018. Same design, with new internal specs.

I can't see Apple releasing a smaller size iPhone with a new design. It's just not worth the R&D and headaches that would come with it.
 
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If you like the 5s, you'll love the SE. It does have the same internals as the 6s and it's a great phone. I wouldn't buy one until after the keynote, just in case they surprise us with something like it. But if not, the SE is a solid upgrade from the 5s
 
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Totally said:
As the title says, I am one of the few, the proud, using a 64GB iPhone 5S. It's still on iOS 7 and it is jailbroken. I'm sure Apple loves me.

That being said, the battery life is starting to get to me from charge-cycle losses - many days I have to charge it during the day now. I am not ready to give up my headphone jack yet. I really like being able to go to Walmart and pick out a $9 pair of headphones when they break because I run a lot and they get sweaty and gross.

I also think that my 5S is the perfect sized phone for everything. But the battery is starting to dwindle. So I am curious what you would do if you were in my shoes.

Would you replace the battery at a phone repair shop, upgrade to a 6S, upgrade to a 7, or upgrade to an 8? (Remember 6S vs 7, the key issue is headphone jack for a person like me) And would you do it now or wait until the 8 is released when prices on all the previous models should fall? Would replacing the battery in my 5S give it a new lease on life?
Click to expand...


iPhone SE. Great phone. Great price. Plus a headphone jack and a great battery. Plus you can still use your 5s cases.
[doublepost=1503731488][/doublepost]
eyoungren said:
Have you considered the SE?

If you like the size of the 5s that may be more your style. And the SE retains the headphone jack.

PS. It's a secondary phone and it's the third replacement but I still have my iPhone 5. :)
Click to expand...


I loved my iPhone 5. Held onto it for years but eventually gave it to a buddy who went through a nasty divorce. He is still using it to this day. Trusty device and built solidly.
 
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Honestly, consider the SE.

It‘s a great All-Star, new iOS 11 is gonna run smooth like butter and overall battery life is just great.

For me, the best niché iPhone Apple has ever released.


...and no one is gonna steal it from you, because they think you have an outdated phone.
 
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Totally said:
So follow up question - is there any chance apple may ever update the SE again? I know the answer, "We don't know what apple has in store" but I don't think it's form factor has seen an update since it was released. And it was the bottom of the line phone when it was released. So I can't imagine paying money for that to upgrade from my 5S. That's why I was willing to compromise and consider a 6S.
Click to expand...
I believe that Apple will update SE. Just wait and see. Personally I plan to use my iPhone 5S at least until 2020 before replacing it.
Replacing the battery depends on the cost. If it's at least half of the price of the SE then it's not worth it.
 
I got the AT&T Prepaid iPhone SE 32GB from Best Buy for $150 last weekend. Locked to AT&T but we're on AT&T postpaid anyway. Great deal for 6s performance in 5s chassis.
 
eyoungren said:
Have you considered the SE?

If you like the size of the 5s that may be more your style. And the SE retains the headphone jack.

PS. It's a secondary phone and it's the third replacement but I still have my iPhone 5. :)
Click to expand...

Se for sure if you like the 5s and love a great battery life
 
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Sounds like my question has been answered. I will wait until this keynote with my 5S. And then at some point a SE might be in my future. I might try to hold out until it gets an update though.

Thanks everyone :)
 
Totally said:
Sounds like my question has been answered. I will wait until this keynote with my 5S. And then at some point a SE might be in my future. I might try to hold out until it gets an update though.

Thanks everyone :)
Click to expand...

Not sure what carrier you're on, but it's kind of irrelevant anyway - you can pick up a prepaid Verizon SE for $200, activate it as a verizon prepaid device, then immediately transfer it to either Postpaid or another carrier. This takes the cost of the SE from being $400+ to $200. You also get the prepaid SIM, which for a month you can bounce around to other VZW prepaid devices to act as valid activation to do the same. So if you wanted a cheap android phone to mess around with emulators, or another SE for someone else at $200, etc.

At $200, IMO it makes it irrelevant if there's a new (entirely un-rumored) SE this keynote. You can't beat that price, because it's about what a mint 5S goes for on Swappa.
[doublepost=1503769769][/doublepost]
0dev said:
If you're lucky the SE will get updated in this keynote, you never know!
Click to expand...
For this to be the case, it would be the first time in years that Apple has successfully had not a single leak regarding a device. There's no pending rumor for a new SE in the immediate future, and it's actually just launched as a prepaid device on various carriers this month.

That, to me, says they're going to milk the model for another 6-18 months. As it initially had a spring release, I'd expect that to stay the same - so either this coming spring, or perhaps the following one.
 
atlas_0 said:
Not sure what carrier you're on, but it's kind of irrelevant anyway - you can pick up a prepaid Verizon SE for $200, activate it as a verizon prepaid device, then immediately transfer it to either Postpaid or another carrier. This takes the cost of the SE from being $400+ to $200. You also get the prepaid SIM, which for a month you can bounce around to other VZW prepaid devices to act as valid activation to do the same. So if you wanted a cheap android phone to mess around with emulators, or another SE for someone else at $200, etc.
Click to expand...
Verizon and Apple started locking the prepaid iPhones to Verizon activated from July 18, 2017 onwards.
 
I just replaced the battery in my 5s and I am sticking with it until the bitter end :)

It's on iOS 10 but definitely going to be upgrading it to iOS 11 when its finalised.
 
Totally said:
So follow up question - is there any chance apple may ever update the SE again? I know the answer, "We don't know what apple has in store" but I don't think it's form factor has seen an update since it was released. And it was the bottom of the line phone when it was released. So I can't imagine paying money for that to upgrade from my 5S. That's why I was willing to compromise and consider a 6S.
Click to expand...

It's prob been covered but.... The SE is a 6S just a smaller screen and lacks 3D Touch. It wasn't bottom of the barrel because that was iPhone 6 at the time (and I guess still is until next iPhones are announced).

Apple had the $9 dongle to allow you to use your $9 wired headphones on the iPhone 7. There are still plenty of reasons not to like that, but at least there is that option for you.

If you can wait it out, see what Apple does with the new models and go from there. The older models will be discounted so you'll get a better deal anyway.

Although some rumors say the SE might get a spec bump refresh in 2018, I wouldn't hold my breath. It's definitely not being announced in Sept 2017 with the iPhone 8.
 
rui no onna said:
Verizon and Apple started locking the prepaid iPhones to Verizon activated from July 18, 2017 onwards.
Click to expand...

It's funny when someone posts something thinking they're so correct, despite it directing it to someone that's already proven them wrong.

The prepaid model, which is in my hand right now, is the same exact model as the normal Verizon one; Model A1662. It becomes usable on Postpaid, as well as unlocked, immediately after activation of the first month of prepaid Verizon service. I have tested this myself. While they may be locked immediately out of the box, as soon as they're activated they become just like any other Verizon or unlocked model.
 
atlas_0 said:
It's funny when someone posts something thinking they're so correct, despite it directing it to someone that's already proven them wrong.

The prepaid model, which is in my hand right now, is the same exact model as the normal Verizon one; Model A1662. It becomes usable on Postpaid, as well as unlocked, immediately after activation of the first month of prepaid Verizon service. I have tested this myself. While they may be locked immediately out of the box, as soon as they're activated they become just like any other Verizon or unlocked model.
Click to expand...
Question, did you activate it just recently? I know it used to be unlocked and was planning on getting one for an upcoming overseas trip but reviews on Best Buy and reports on SlickDeals say Apple/VZW have started locking these handsets.

Have you tried it with AT&T or T-Mobile SIM?

Iirc, it works on Verizon postpaid after 1 month of prepaid credit but you need 6 months for other carriers.
 
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