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Help me make a decision please

C

corriewf

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 5, 2009
971
87
I know I know, another one of these threads.

I have two 3GS, one is mine and one is my wife. I recently got an iPad and almost never use my iPhone anymore. At the same time I do like having the newest of things. I am in-between two decisions:

1. Get my wife a iPhone 4 for 199.99 with my line that qualifies and I stick with the 3GS.

Or

2. Get the iPhone 4 for 199.99 and one for my wife for 399.99.

I know we would love to use face time but since it's only on wifi, it's not applicable for us. I also don't use my iPhone for gaming etc as I have an iPad. With that said I feel like I will be really jealous of my wife even though she never got an iPad. Argg! The price difference is so different too. An extra 400 for both of us to have the new iPhone is rough.

I just find it hard to decide. Outside of the gyro, you guys think that the iPhone app experience is going to be any different than the 3GS? It still seems to me that the games have not been pushed enough to take advantage of the 3GS hardware since the devs want to make them compatible with 3G etc.
 
it is fathers day so your wife should be thinking of what she can do for you not what you can do for her even if you dont have any children.


if you plan on selling the two 3gs models on ebay i think you will be able to get just enough to cover getting two 4g iphones
 
amann76 said:
it is fathers day so your wife should be thinking of what she can do for you not what you can do for her even if you dont have any children.


if you plan on selling the two 3gs models on ebay i think you will be able to get just enough to cover getting two 4g iphones
Click to expand...


Yeah we do have a son. But with that said I kind of used the fathers day excuse with the iPad. :D

The problem with doing the early discounted pricing on her line for 399.99 is that it COULD effect her eligibility for discounted pricing next year. I am trying to avoid her ever getting screwed on getting the new iPhone.
 
corriewf said:
Anymore advice? :)
Click to expand...

talk to an ATT rep
When my sister wanted a new phone for christmas, even though she wasn't upgrade eligible, my dad went to ATT, and through some form of voodoo and/or gypsy magic, they managed to add another line to our family plan, allowing a phone to be purchased at upgrade pricing, and somehow come out paying less a month than we were before.

Idk what he did, or if it will work for you, but its worth a shot. Once you get your new iPhone that way you can pop her SIM in, and call ATT and have data removed from your new line, and just use it in an old phone to have an extra for emergencies.

Even if it doesn't work out to be less, the new line can be added for $10 a month, making purchasing a new phone over your 2 year period to come out to $440. That's $40 more than buying it on her line, but the price is spread out over 2 years, and you have another line that can become upgrade eligible, meaning next year at iPhone buying time, her line is eligible for an upgrade. Plus, again, that extra phone is nice to have for emergencies, or to lend to a friend who may have some misfortunes fall on them and need to borrow it for a while

Of course, this is all assuming you and your wife are on a family plan...
 
dccorona said:
talk to an ATT rep
When my sister wanted a new phone for christmas, even though she wasn't upgrade eligible, my dad went to ATT, and through some form of voodoo and/or gypsy magic, they managed to add another line to our family plan, allowing a phone to be purchased at upgrade pricing, and somehow come out paying less a month than we were before.

Idk what he did, or if it will work for you, but its worth a shot. Once you get your new iPhone that way you can pop her SIM in, and call ATT and have data removed from your new line, and just use it in an old phone to have an extra for emergencies.

Even if it doesn't work out to be less, the new line can be added for $10 a month, making purchasing a new phone over your 2 year period to come out to $440. That's $40 more than buying it on her line, but the price is spread out over 2 years, and you have another line that can become upgrade eligible, meaning next year at iPhone buying time, her line is eligible for an upgrade. Plus, again, that extra phone is nice to have for emergencies, or to lend to a friend who may have some misfortunes fall on them and need to borrow it for a while

Of course, this is all assuming you and your wife are on a family plan...
Click to expand...

You just gave me one hell of an idea my friend. I can add another line to my family plan and upgrade from the 59.99 to the 69.99 which gives more minutes per month. Then I can call the rentention department and act like I am going to cancel my service unless there is something they can do. I am sure they can give me at least $10 bucks off a month to stay with AT&T and so basically I will get the new line for nothing extra per month, plus extra minutes.

Think it will work?
 
Good luck with that one. Unless you have been a loyal customer for a couple of years or more, it won't work. AT&T is not that easy to scam. They also don't just "credit" you because you complain.

Plan on having that line for a year :)
 
I'm with the "sell the 3Gs" strategy, while your wife upgrades. You should be able to easily sell the 3Gs for close to $400. The only downside will be that you will have to wait a lil longer it seems. Your wife gets the iPhone @ $199, you sell the 3Gs and use her old phone to hold you over, and when the money comes in, use it to buy the iPhone 4 on your line for $400.

Although to be honest with you, i don't think that the new features warrant trying this hard from the 3Gs to the 4.
 
why not upgrade one this year and the other line next year? that way you can alternate years and get the latest phone every year. plus it's cheaper only upgrading one phone a year.
 
corriewf said:
I know I know, another one of these threads.

I have two 3GS, one is mine and one is my wife. I recently got an iPad and almost never use my iPhone anymore. At the same time I do like having the newest of things. I am in-between two decisions:

1. Get my wife a iPhone 4 for 199.99 with my line that qualifies and I stick with the 3GS.

Or

2. Get the iPhone 4 for 199.99 and one for my wife for 399.99.

I know we would love to use face time but since it's only on wifi, it's not applicable for us. I also don't use my iPhone for gaming etc as I have an iPad. With that said I feel like I will be really jealous of my wife even though she never got an iPad. Argg! The price difference is so different too. An extra 400 for both of us to have the new iPhone is rough.

I just find it hard to decide. Outside of the gyro, you guys think that the iPhone app experience is going to be any different than the 3GS? It still seems to me that the games have not been pushed enough to take advantage of the 3GS hardware since the devs want to make them compatible with 3G etc.
Click to expand...

you could make a list of who uses their iphone for more :p... then based on that upgrade only that person. Does she really need a new phone :p.
 
AbSoluTc said:
Going by this - https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/925850/ - it sounds like you only need one.
Click to expand...

Yes that is correct. I don't really use my iPhone much anymore. But with that said if we can use face time over 3G some way (jailbreak) it would be great to see my wife and kid when I'm working. If we both have the iPhone 4 that is. The HD videos will be nice for my son, but one phone is enough for that.


Ok so I called AT&T and this is what happened. They somehow lowered my rate plan by $10 however lowered my minutes by 100 to 450 minutes instead of 550. So I can now get the third line for $10 and pay the same amount as what I paid before and get both of my iPhones for 199.99. They can switch the phone to my wifes line and we never use the third line.

What else did they do? Get ready for this. Sit down if your not already. They gave me 100 min on my line per month and 100 on my wifes which means I am now getting 650 minutes for $10 less and if I add a third line they will give me another 100 free minutes making it 750 minutes for the exact same price I was paying before. Am I done? No! They also gave me 5000 free rollover minutes.

So in total:
*59.99 for 3 lines with 750 minutes and 5000 rollover minutes.
*not including cost for unlimited data plans and text messaging.

I have only had my 3GS and service with AT&T for 10 months and have paid every single bill late. I don't get paid until a week after my bill is due so I pay one week late every month. I get the full discount pricing on my 10 month old 3GS.

Thanks to everyone that gave me advice. I suggest you all call and make friends with AT&T retention dept. They are great!
 
amann76 said:
it is fathers day so your wife should be thinking of what she can do for you not what you can do for her even if you dont have any children.


if you plan on selling the two 3gs models on ebay i think you will be able to get just enough to cover getting two 4g iphones
Click to expand...

This is probably one of the most ridiculous things I've ever read.
 
Interstella5555 said:
This is probably one of the most ridiculous things I've ever read.
Click to expand...

I thought that too when I first read it, but than I was quick to adopt his logic. :D Fathers and non Fathers should be worshiped with iPhone 4 goodness on Fathers Day just for the fun of it.
 
corriewf said:
Yes that is correct. I don't really use my iPhone much anymore. But with that said if we can use face time over 3G some way (jailbreak) it would be great to see my wife and kid when I'm working. If we both have the iPhone 4 that is. The HD videos will be nice for my son, but one phone is enough for that.


Ok so I called AT&T and this is what happened. They somehow lowered my rate plan by $10 however lowered my minutes by 100 to 450 minutes instead of 550. So I can now get the third line for $10 and pay the same amount as what I paid before and get both of my iPhones for 199.99. They can switch the phone to my wifes line and we never use the third line.

What else did they do? Get ready for this. Sit down if your not already. They gave me 100 min on my line per month and 100 on my wifes which means I am now getting 650 minutes for $10 less and if I add a third line they will give me another 100 free minutes making it 750 minutes for the exact same price I was paying before. Am I done? No! They also gave me 5000 free rollover minutes.

So in total:
*59.99 for 3 lines with 750 minutes and 5000 rollover minutes.
*not including cost for unlimited data plans and text messaging.

I have only had my 3GS and service with AT&T for 10 months and have paid every single bill late. I don't get paid until a week after my bill is due so I pay one week late every month. I get the full discount pricing on my 10 month old 3GS.

Thanks to everyone that gave me advice. I suggest you all call and make friends with AT&T retention dept. They are great!
Click to expand...

Lol, wait until you get the first bill. Then do the yippy skippy dance. ;)
 
AbSoluTc said:
Lol, wait until you get the first bill. Then do the yippy skippy dance. ;)
Click to expand...
I was able to confirm everything via att.com earlier today. Although I still am hesitant. I couldn't believe I could get so much. But to be fair I spoke with the guy for 45 minutes talking about all kinds of things. He may have just thought I was a stand up guy.
 
corriewf said:
I was able to confirm everything via att.com earlier today. Although I still am hesitant. I couldn't believe I could get so much. But to be fair I spoke with the guy for 45 minutes talking about all kinds of things. He may have just thought I was a stand up guy.
Click to expand...

Or he thought you were into him.
 
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