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How do people stuck in the iPhone 'S' upgrade cycle feel about getting screwed again?

If I had to pick, I'd rather have had Snow Leopard and Mountain Lion than just Leopard and Lion. Same principle here.

I think owning only S iPhones is the smarter plan so, no, I don't think anyone got "screwed" for doing what makes the most sense.
 
throAU said:
People who are on the S cycle (like me) get the device the non-S should have been.

3 vs 3G-S - underpowered vs 3G-S
4 vs 4S - fixed antenna, better performance, Siri
5 vs 5S - likely ships with iOS7, early iphone 5 manufacturing niggles sorted out, etc.
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Can't agree more. After having gone through several defective iPhone 5, I'm ready to get on the 'S' cycle for better stability.
 
I am (probably) going from teh iPhone 4 to the 5S.

I feel I can wait 3 years comfortably and do upgrades on that cycle. My wife went from 3GS to 5 recently.
 
shotts56 said:
Oooooooooh, someone's touchy this morning.
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What's that even suppose to mean?

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JayLenochiniMac said:
That doesn't "prove" anything. It could also mean more people are adopting the iPhone. But, yes, many here upgrade yearly.
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Yes, it could mean more people are first adopters. It could also mean that people have reached the end of their 2 year contract and want to upgrade, not really caring if its a S version or not.
 
Why should the folks on the "S" cycle feel screwed any more than folks on the "non-S" cycle? If anything, the "non-S" cycle folks might have reason to feel a bit more "screwed". To wit:


  • "Antennagate" with the iPhone 4 (which was never an issue for me)
  • Dearth of cases available on Day One
  • No third-party chargers, cables, etc. on Day One (can you say "Lightning Connector"?)

The users on the "S" cycle would have had most of those issues resolved in the months before they acquired their iPhone "S", whereas the "non-S" folks had to go through weeks or months without a case they liked, or an accessory that didn't work, etc.

Plus, in the case of the 3GS and 4S, they got a nice "speed bump" for performance, and some new features (Compass in the 3GS, Siri in the 4S to name only a couple) over their "non-S" counterparts.

For me, I'm soldiering on with (some of the obsessive upgraders might want to put down their coffee...) a two and three-quarters year old iPhone 4, and I'm perfectly happy to be switching onto the "S" upgrade cycle in the coming months.

:apple::apple:
 
The "S" Cycle Is Better

I like being on the "S" cycle. I upgraded to the 3Gs early - as soon as it came out - so I'm happy to not be a part of the "new" hardware... This time around, and has given me time to decide that the iPhone 5 hardware is completely crap and the screen makes no sense. I am holding out and not upgrading until Apple makes a new screen size. It is nice that Apple continues to offer "free" software upgrades, I will essentially be getting a "new" phone when iOS 7 comes out - but it will be on 2 year old hardware.
 
saintforlife said:
We all know the non 'S' models (iPhone 3G, 4 and 5) got the new hardware + upgraded internals, while the 'S' ers just got small internal updates.
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That makes absolutely no sense unless you think that somehow the 5s won't include improvements from the 5, the 4s didn't get the improvements made in the 4, etc. Even so, that still makes no sense. You're thinking in terms of the Xs versus the X but the X is irrelevant for those sticking to the Xs upgrade cycle.

saintforlife said:
I for one am lucky to be on the 3G, 4, 5, 6 upgrade cycle.
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So why are you concerned about this? As someone one with a 4s upgrading to the 5s I can say that none of us are "getting screwed". They're just arbitrary points in the product lifecycle. If you need to think this way to make yourself feel better about what you bought then that's your problem, not mine.
 
GoCubsGo said:
Wrong. If you were n a 3GS and you went to a 4S, you appreciated the same hardware upgrades as the rest. The difference is, you do not "appreciate" the first rendition of the hardware upgrade. I don't see how you can believe that people who upgrade from 3GS to 4S were at all screwed. I think your logic on this thought is wrong.
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People who got the 4, enjoyed the retina screen for a full year before the 3GS owners got a sniff of it. The 4 owners also got a 5MP camera that for the first time could substitute for a point and shoot.

While the original 3GS owners who skipped the 4 and were upgrading to the 4S, the 4 owners upgraded to the 5 and have been utilizing the benefits of a 4" screen for almost 9 months now while the 4Sers are still stuck on a 3.5" screen. The 5 owners also had LTE all this time to go along with a beast of a processor.

Now while the 4Sers upgrade to 5S this year, this current 5 owners will move on to an even bigger phone when the 6 launches next year, while the 5S owners show off their scuff free phone and dual LED flash and 'refined' design. :rolleyes:

This isn't rocket science. I don't see how you don't get the fact that the non-S folks get the best upgrades and upgrades that actually matter first. If people are so worried about design issues on a new generation phones they should not preorder at launch and should just wait a month or two to let Apple iron out the problems.
 
throAU said:
People who are on the S cycle (like me) get the device the non-S should have been.
3 vs 3G-S - underpowered vs 3G-S
Click to expand...
Well, the 3G owners got to use the first iPhone that ran on 3G networks and also the first modern smartphone apps. What do you say to that? What phones were the 3GS owners using in the year the 3G was out?

4 vs 4S - fixed antenna, better performance, Siri
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It is a wash. I was enjoying the retina display of the 4 for a full year before the iPhone 3GS owners got their hands on the 4S. The iPhone 4 camera was the best on a smart phone at the time, while the 3GS owners were stuck on their dinky 3.2 MP camera with no flash. I got a front facing camera with Facetime with my iPhone 4 and again used it for one full year more than my 3GS counterparts. I got a sleek all glass phone, probably the most iconic smartphone design of the time while the 3GS owners were still messing with a plastic phone. Siri - is your argument? Really? Siri is probably the 2nd most spectacular Apple failure after the Apple Maps. Nobody I know uses Siri. I never had any attennagate issues with my iPhone 4. It was blown out of proportion by the media.

5 vs 5S - likely ships with iOS7, early iphone 5 manufacturing niggles sorted out, etc.
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You are reaching here. Guess what, iPhone 5 gets iOS 7. In fact I am running it on my iPhone 5 already. What manufacturing niggles? My iPhone 5 was flawless, not a single scratch or ding. And the processor is a beast. It's probably still the fastest smartphone on the market for everyday tasks.
 
saintforlife said:
People who got the 4, enjoyed the retina screen for a full year before the 3GS owners got a sniff of it. The 4 owners also got a 5MP camera that for the first time could substitute for a point and shoot.

While the original 3GS owners who skipped the 4 and were upgrading to the 4S, the 4 owners upgraded to the 5 and have been utilizing the benefits of a 4" screen for almost 9 months now while the 4Sers are still stuck on a 3.5" screen. The 5 owners also had LTE all this time to go along with a beast of a processor.

Now while the 4Sers upgrade to 5S this year, this current 5 owners will move on to an even bigger phone when the 6 launches next year, while the 5S owners show off their scuff free phone and dual LED flash and 'refined' design. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

How is this any different from 4S owners enjoying Siri for a full year before the 4 owners getting a sniff of it, 3GS owners benefiting from improved battery life, faster processor/more memory, video, better camera (with autofocus and tap to focus), oleophobic coating, etc. for one whole year before the 3G owners, etc.?

You're just rationalizing to suit your own upgrade cycle.
 
Don't forget that people who upgraded from the 3GS to the 4S got twice as much memory. The memory options for the 3GS and the 4 were 8GB, 16GB and 32GB. Memory options for the 4S were 16GB, 32GB and 64GB.
 
saintforlife said:
Siri - is your argument? Really? Siri is probably the 2nd most spectacular Apple failure after the Apple Maps. Nobody I know uses Siri. I never had any attennagate issues with my iPhone 4. It was blown out of proportion by the media.
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Siri worked great for me on my 4S for the year while you were using your iPhone 4. I use it multiple times everyday. I'm not sure what you are trying to prove here. Are you jealous that you aren't gonna get a new iPhone this year? Now you feel the need to justify your choice in staying on the cycle you are on.

I'm on a family plan and can upgrade whenever I want. I skipped the 5 because the truth is upgrading every generation is a little overkill in my opinion, especially if you want the 64 GB model. The upgrades from one to the next are relatively minor. I've gone between 1-3 years in between upgrading my iPhones.

Breaking Good said:
Don't forget that people who upgraded from the 3GS to the 4S got twice as much memory. The memory options for the 3GS and the 4 were 8GB, 16GB and 32GB. Memory options for the 4S were 16GB, 32GB and 64GB.
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Not quite. The iPhone 4 originally came in 16 GB and 32 GB models. The 8 GB model didn't come out until the same time as the 4S. I am hoping the next model has higher base storage sizes.
 
saintforlife said:
This isn't rocket science. I don't see how you don't get the fact that the non-S folks get the best upgrades and upgrades that actually matter first. If people are so worried about design issues on a new generation phones they should not preorder at launch and should just wait a month or two to let Apple iron out the problems.
Click to expand...
No, it's not rocket science at all, at least not for me. Your opinion is noted and not shared, you should just leave it at that. Like my opinions, your opinion is not fact and this thread, it's replies by other members, and your failed logic suggesting that people on the "S" upgrade cycle are screwed is evidence of such.

I just cannot agree with such nonsense, it isn't a big deal.
 
saintforlife said:
All I am saying is that folks who went from 3G--> 4 -->5 enjoyed bigger upgrades (compared to the iPhone they were using before) than folks who went from 3GS --> 4S --> 5S.
Click to expand...

I'd have to disagree.

Most of the items that are "Big" updates from the #-># generation are STILL big updates in the #s->#s. Most of the differences in the #->#s are refinements.

I will agree, if you want to push it this way, that there are less surprises in the S->S upgrade cycle, due to the bigger/more radical updates generally being introduced in the # cycle, not S.
 
Shrink said:
Ah, the voice of sweet reason!

Actual ratiocination appears on our boards.:D



BTW: I haven't felt screwed in much too long a time...:eek:
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I depends what you want to have before everyone else. I also upgrade every two-ish years, mostly because the contracts demand it. So if you have to be on one or other cycle - which is it better to be on?

The S - clearly.

The S cycle is the better cycle to be in because you do actually get the real update. Whilst it is right to say every two years is a leap, there is still the question of what is actually new when you buy your phone. The inside or the outside?

The non-S update is generally a form factor update, with the old 'S' phone squeezed inside a shiny new body. Take the 4S / 5 upgrade, for example, it is essentially a 4S, with a snazzy new dress on. So - if you want a phone that looks new, but is actually last year's phone in drag, stick to the non-S cycle.

The 'S' cycle on the other hand tends to be the tech upgrade. They don't need to focus on the form-factor, they did that last year, so for the 'S' it is all about getting as much new stuff into that snazzy little outfit as possible....

I am looking forward to seeing what tech upgrade they spring in a few months time, going from 4S to 5S. If what it looks like means more to you - stick to that cycle.
 
Im stuck on the S cycle. My upgrade is right now. I got the 5 though out of contract. I will not be getting the 5S (by upgrading).

I might, however, sell my 5 on ebay or craigslist for xxx amount then buy the 5S out of contract with the money selling the 5 and the rest out of pocket.

From past experiences, every S phone Ive had has sucked. The 3GS had horrible horrible battery life and the 4S was a joke to me. 4S by far the worst iPhone ever. (IMO)
 
I was going to wait on the 5s to release before I left Sprint but I don't think I can wait now. The data speeds on this 4s are so disappointing I think I'll leave and go to T-mobile sooner than later.
 
I love being on the S cycle. Yes it kind of sucks because a new form factor is released (5) and you're still stuck on the old looking phone (4S) for another year. But at the same time its great because once you do upgrade, you get everything the 5 has to offer plus more. If anybody should feel screwed its the people NOT on the S cycle.
 
saintforlife said:
People who got the 4, enjoyed the retina screen for a full year before the 3GS owners got a sniff of it. The 4 owners also got a 5MP camera that for the first time could substitute for a point and shoot.

While the original 3GS owners who skipped the 4 and were upgrading to the 4S, the 4 owners upgraded to the 5 and have been utilizing the benefits of a 4" screen for almost 9 months now while the 4Sers are still stuck on a 3.5" screen. The 5 owners also had LTE all this time to go along with a beast of a processor.

Now while the 4Sers upgrade to 5S this year, this current 5 owners will move on to an even bigger phone when the 6 launches next year, while the 5S owners show off their scuff free phone and dual LED flash and 'refined' design. :rolleyes:

This isn't rocket science. I don't see how you don't get the fact that the non-S folks get the best upgrades and upgrades that actually matter first. If people are so worried about design issues on a new generation phones they should not preorder at launch and should just wait a month or two to let Apple iron out the problems.
Click to expand...

What's the point here?

4S owners were enjoying a 8 mp camera, HSPA+ data speeds, world phone capability, Siri, and probably some other stuff a full year before 4 owners that stuck to a two year cycle.

Aside from a larger screen there is nothing that interest me on the 5 that my 4S can't do. All the software is the same.

You probably said the something about the 4S a lot of 4S owners are saying about the 5.

I'll admit I think the 5 is technically better in nearly every way then the 4S. But only difference between it as an upgrade and the 4S is a .5" screen bump. It's faster in processing and data with a better camera....the same as the 4S was to the 4 and the same the 5S will be to the 5.
 
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