Help me! Would you be able to get another phone after an iPhone?

[AlphaDogg]

My iPhone 2G (original) is really showing its age. It is super slow, and can't even compete with the new iOS4 devices. It can't even run iOS4. So, I want to upgrade to an iPhone 4. My mom says that it is "extravagant" to upgrade. I don't use a lot of data, so the $15 data plan would suffice. I have the $20 unlimited data plan on my iPhone 2G, and use about 75MB of that per month. My mom says that if I need to upgrade, I have to get a cheap $50 phone from the AT&T store. Once you get an iPhone, you really can't go back to a cheap phone because it has so many features that cheap phones lack.

Anyway. Back to my question. As an iPhone owner, in your opinion, is it true that once you get an iPhone, you can't go back? It definitely is true in my opinion.

Edit: FYI, I am 14 and I know more about electronics than either of my parents. But my mom is the executive decision-maker.

 

[Mac'nCheese]

My iPhone 2G (original) is really showing its age. It is super slow, and can't even compete with the new iOS4 devices. It can't even run iOS4. So, I want to upgrade to an iPhone 4. My mom says that it is "extravagant" to upgrade. I don't use a lot of data, so the $15 data plan would suffice. I have the $20 unlimited data plan on my iPhone 2G, and use about 75MB of that per month. My mom says that if I need to upgrade, I have to get a cheap $50 phone from the AT&T store. Once you get an iPhone, you really can't go back to a cheap phone because it has so many features that cheap phones lack.

Anyway. Back to my question. As an iPhone owner, in your opinion, is it true that once you get an iPhone, you can't go back? It definitely is true in my opinion.

Maybe if they sold the white one, you could go back.

 

[AlphaDogg]

Maybe if they sold the white one, you could go back.

Haha. Like the joke once you go black, you don't go back? But seriously, I am not in a very good mood about this, so if you can't post any good advice, please just keep the jokes to yourself. Thanks!

 

[stisdal]

Personally, I would hate to go back to a non smart phone, and I love the 'it just works' OS on the iPhone...

That said, I would also go with what I can afford to spend for the length of the contract. If something happened, and I just couldn't afford it, I would just go with what I could afford...

I guess what i'm telling you is if you can pop for the cost, go for it. If mom is buying, be happy you get anything at all...

 

[AlphaDogg]

Personally, I would hate to go back to a non smart phone, and I love the 'it just works' OS on the iPhone...

That said, I would also go with what I can afford to spend for the length of the contract. If something happened, and I just couldn't afford it, I would go with just go with what I could afford...

I guess what i'm telling you is if you can pop for the cost, go for it. If mom is buying, be happy you get anything at all...

And that brings me to my next point. She won't let me spend my nearly $3k that I have stored in the bank. I got that $3k from bar mitzvah gifts.

Edit: Oohh a Demi-God posted in my thread!

 

[Mac'nCheese]

And that brings me to my next point. She won't let me spend my nearly $3k that I have stored in the bank. I got that $3k from bar mitzvah gifts.

Edit: Oohh a Demi-God posted in my thread!

Maybe if u r a really good boy, Hanukkah Harry will bring you one in a few days.

 

[mtnDewFTW]

I think it's hard to go from a smartphone to a regular phone in general, iOS or not. But I have to agree with the person that said they would go with the option they could afford. After all, it's just a phone. The transition won't be pretty, but if you're on a tight budget, then you just gotta go with the option that won't leave you broke.

If I had to give up my iPhone one day for some reason, and get a regular phone, I'd get used to it eventually. But I wouldn't keep my iPhone if it meant losing all my money. Not worth being broke.

 

[AlphaDogg]

Maybe if u r a really good boy, Hanukkah Harry will bring you one in a few days.

I have begged them to let me get it for Chanukkah and for them to get it for me for Chanukkah and both times, the answer was no. I even asked them to get it for me for my birthday (in February) and they said no. My mom said that I have to keep this phone until the end of high school (i am a Freshman, so 3.5 more years).

Also, I asked my friend what he thought about the question in this thread and he said:After I got my iPhone 3G, it was stolen from me, so I had to live with an old razor phone for over a year. I then got another iPhone 3G...so its possible, but it aint fun and I barely used the razor because I was left feeling so lacking.

 

[mad-dog-one]

Apple better treat me nicely and build the best smart phone or I'll switch faster than Mr Jobs can slap a tick.

 

[lsvtecjohn3]

If you want the iP4 so bad you should get a job, I know you said you're 14 so cut you neighbor's grass, baby sit, do chores. And yes I could go to another phone if someone made one that was better than the iPhone.

 

[barkingDog]

<snip> ... is it true that once you get an iPhone, you can't go back? ... <snip>

Yes, true - IMO.

Getting rid of the UL data plan would be of more concern to me in the long run than a new phone/new capped data plan ATM. You know the trend nowadays; these devices are slurping ever more data as time marches on.

Then again -- who knows what (dare I say it) Verizon's iPhone's data plans will offer. So the UL data plan issue could be a moot point.

 

[JoelTGM]

My mom says that if I need to upgrade, I have to get a cheap $50 phone from the AT&T store.

Then your mom doesn't understand what the word "upgrade" means, why spend $50 on a downgrade. Anyway, if you want to get an iPhone 4, how about asking for it for christmas if you pay half? Use school grades and all that, see what happens. Try to sell the 2G on a local buy and sell website to get that extra money needed.

edit: Oh, after reading the rest of the posts here, um yeah you're probably out of luck. Sounds like she just doesn't want you to carry an iPhone 4 around a highschool.

 

[dontworry]

If you want the iP4 so bad you should get a job, I know you said you're 14 so cut you neighbor's grass, baby sit, do chores. And yes I could go to another phone if someone made one that was better than the iPhone.

He said he has the money. Your mom is right for making you save the money for something better than a cell phone that will be "obsolete" in less than a year. That said, I would look for a used one on craigslist and sell the 2g. I'm sure you could tap into your savings to make up the difference or sell something else you have. You might as well wait for iP5 at this point anyways.

 

[AlphaDogg]

If you want the iP4 so bad you should get a job, I know you said you're 14 so cut you neighbor's grass, baby sit, do chores. And yes I could go to another phone if someone made one that was better than the iPhone.

I have the money, but she won't let me use it.

Also, the question on the poll implied if you could use a "dumbphone" instead of an iPhone.

Edit: My mom thinks that I am materialistic. That means that I like having things. I don't like having things just for the sake of having things, I like having things to use them.

 

[alexpja]

Alpha, its true. I can't go back o.o...

I actually found my old Nokia candybar phone and I'm looking at it going like: I USED THIS THING?!?!

e.e



pwns :3

 

[kim2272]

I tried to go back to a blackberry but ended up using the IPhone 4 again.

 

[youngplaya0228]

When i temporarily went back to a dumbphone, i hated it.... for a few weeks. After awhile though, you start to get back accustomed to using it, and forget about having to play random games or check your mail every hour. And since you're coming from a 2G, you will probably get used to it even quicker, since you didn't experience anything like the speed boost.

Besides, it'll make it that much better jumping from a dumbphone to an iP4 (or 5) than a 2G to it.

 

[lsvtecjohn3]

I have the money, but she won't let me use it.

Also, the question on the poll implied if you could use a "dumbphone" instead of an iPhone.

Edit: My mom thinks that I am materialistic. That means that I like having things. I don't like having things just for the sake of having things, I like having things to use them.

I understand that you have money but you said you mom won't let you touch that money. I was suggesting that you find another way to make money so that way you don't have to touch they money you already have saved.

 

[wirelessmacuser]

The answer is no. I can easily go back to any other type of phone I wish. Apple has a good product in the iPhone, and one I prefer. But that preference is getting narrower as the Android & WP7's I own get better.

If it was my call, I'd like to see Apple really focus on the next iPhones quality, functionality, and include a 4.0" display. Done right there's no reason Apple couldn't create a really impressive new model instead of a warmed over update.

I would enjoy nothing better than a great iPhone 5 model (or whatever model it's called).

 

[Mac'nCheese]

I have begged them to let me get it for Chanukkah and for them to get it for me for Chanukkah and both times, the answer was no. I even asked them to get it for me for my birthday (in February) and they said no. My mom said that I have to keep this phone until the end of high school (i am a Freshman, so 3.5 more years).

Also, I asked my friend what he thought about the question in this thread and he said:After I got my iPhone 3G, it was stolen from me, so I had to live with an old razor phone for over a year. I then got another iPhone 3G...so its possible, but it aint fun and I barely used the razor because I was left feeling so lacking.

Hanukkah is an acceptable spelling. If you put the C in front, you need to drop one of the Ks. Anyway, did you try the old can I get it for BOTH the holiday and my birthday? Make it two big gifts in one. That's all I can think of that might work. That and the going half-sies thing. Come up with half the money on your own, she puts in the rest, you get the point.

 

[-aggie-]

I'd have no problem going to a better phone.

 

[h1r0ll3r]

No. Not only no but HELL NO! I can't even look at a 3G the same way after using my iPhone 4. I couldn't even fathom have to revert to a flip phone or some other crappy phone. Then again, I'm one of those data hogs so I'm sitting quite nicely with my unlimited data plan on my IP4. If needed, I could go back to another phone of equal functionality, say a BlackBerry or some Droid driven phone, but I could never go back to using a RAZR or some other "dumb" phone again.

 

[darkside flow]

My god... I got my first smartphone at age 23 and didn't have a data plan till I was 24. At 14, I bought my own pay-as-you-go phone by myself. I can see why your parents may want to try and curb the materialism before it gets out of hand.

But I make no judgements. Although I am almost twice the age of the OP (jesus.... i remember 14 like it was yesterday), I can see that times have changed so quickly and young teenagers have been brought up with smartphones. I was in McDonalds when the 3GS launched and heard a girl, no older than 14 years of age as well, talking to a friend on her brand new BLACKBERRY saying that BB sucks now and that she was waiting for her iPhone to be delivered.

But that is the type of sense of entitlement your parents are likely trying to avoid with you. So my suggestion would be to show them that you really deserve it. Do chores for them. Show some responsibility and maturity. It may not pay off right away, but I am sure with time they will start to see that you deserve it.


Funny story about switching back to a non-iPhone: my girlfriend (24) was using my 3G until it broke temporarily (we thought for good) a few weeks ago. Her mom brought her an old Samsung flip phone and the first thing she said was: "OMG, NO ANGRY BIRDS?!?!" lol... She was kidding, but as it turns out it was really difficult for her to cope until she found an iPhone 4 at one of the stores.

 

[ucfgrad93]

I think it's hard to go from a smartphone to a regular phone in general, iOS or not. But I have to agree with the person that said they would go with the option they could afford. After all, it's just a phone. The transition won't be pretty, but if you're on a tight budget, then you just gotta go with the option that won't leave you broke.

If I had to give up my iPhone one day for some reason, and get a regular phone, I'd get used to it eventually. But I wouldn't keep my iPhone if it meant losing all my money. Not worth being broke.

Agreed. It is just a phone, and if money is tight or your parents won't let you upgrade, then you have to live within those limitations. It will be difficult, but not impossible.

 

[adztaylor]

Why don't you compromise with your mum and get the 3GS? It will be a huge upgrade over your current phone and it will be cheaper.