iPhone 2g worth it?

[Delpheno]

On eBay the average low price is around $350.

I'm more concerned about the monthly rate. I don't want to pay $30 a month, and speed is not an issue for me. $20 I can do. Do you think the rate plan will stay the same for a long time?

Now the problem is what happens if the next iPhone iteration turns out to be amazing, capable of flash on browsers, 5 megapixel camera, video conferencing, etc.?

I'm hoping most of the features the next iPhone can do, the 2g one can do too, such as flash on Safari in the future (anybody know if 2g is capable of that yet?).

Thank you.

 

[QCassidy352]

I *think* that they are no longer enrolling people at the $20/month plan, but those of us who are on it can stay. Definitely check that with AT&T before you buy one.

 

[tylertech]

I just got a used 2G iPhone a few weeks ago, and I added the $20 a month plan using iTunes. AT&T now offers other 2G iPhone plans as well, and as far as I can tell, it will stay the same.

Also, flash isn't yet available for any iPhone (2G or 3G).

 

[mkrishnan]

Regarding the possibility of a new iPhone with enhanced hardware features, I don't understand... how does that impact your purchasing decision? If that happens, you'll have to upgrade to get the features, regardless of what you buy. iPhone EDGE users were allowed to upgrade to 3G even though they were in the midst of a contract... I'd suspect that Apple will make sure this happens again.

However, I'd say the EDGE iPhone is much more useful if getting it means you can avoid a new contract, e.g. by unlocking it and using an existing contract (AT&T or T-Mobile in the US). If you're going to activate it properly with AT&T, unless you can still get the $20 data rate, I don't see a point.

RE: Flash ... no, none of the iPhones or iPod touches have Flash capabilities, and it isn't widely expected to be coming very soon. There is a jailbreak utility that provides a very limited subset of flash functions, though.

 

[Delpheno]

I *think* that they are no longer enrolling people at the $20/month plan, but those of us who are on it can stay. Definitely check that with AT&T before you buy one.

Whoa, what makes you say that? That's a pretty rip off deal that AT&T is doing.

Regarding the possibility of a new iPhone with enhanced hardware features, I don't understand... how does that impact your purchasing decision? If that happens, you'll have to upgrade to get the features, regardless of what you buy. iPhone EDGE users were allowed to upgrade to 3G even though they were in the midst of a contract... I'd suspect that Apple will make sure this happens again.

However, I'd say the EDGE iPhone is much more useful if getting it means you can avoid a new contract, e.g. by unlocking it and using an existing contract (AT&T or T-Mobile in the US). If you're going to activate it properly with AT&T, unless you can still get the $20 data rate, I don't see a point.

RE: Flash ... no, none of the iPhones or iPod touches have Flash capabilities, and it isn't widely expected to be coming very soon. There is a jailbreak utility that provides a very limited subset of flash functions, though.

The reason why it effects my decision is because I don't want to pay $30. I don't think the new iPhone will drop to $20 a month. By getting EDGE, I will stick at $20.

I needed opinions because if the hardware is absolutely amazing, it will probably be worth paying $30 a month for the new interation.

And I know that the iPhone does not have flash capabilities, but is it even possible for them to upgrade the firmware and give it flash support?

I also don't get what you are saying. Which option is better in your opinion?

1) Buy iPhone EDGE off of eBay to use off of existing AT&T without data plan

2) Buy iPhone EDGE off of eBay, activate and use AT&T data plan for $20/month

Thanks for everyone's input.

 

[mkrishnan]

- Regarding a new hardware iteration... no one even knows when to expect that. We don't know when it's coming and we don't know how amazing it will be. It's not widely expected to be coming in the next few months or anything. The only active rumor for a new iPhone product in the next six months is that there might be a $99 iPhone 3G of some kind -- either lower capacity or some other kind of more basic model

- Regarding Flash -- of course it's possible for any iPhone or iPod touch to get new firmware running Flash. Apple just has to okay it. Adobe has already said they can get Flash running on the hardware, and Apple has already said they think its performance is too poor and don't want it on the iPhone unless it gets much faster.

- Regarding which of your two options is better... I can't imagine using an iPhone without a data plan, so do the math.

 

[slapguts]

My opinion would be to purchase a new 3G, and just pay the $30.

A new 3G is $199, and a used 2G is going to run ~$350.

That's 15 months of 3G service, before you see any savings. As far as the iPhone is concerned, a lot can change in 15 months.

 

[Michael CM1]

My opinion would be to purchase a new 3G, and just pay the $30.

A new 3G is $199, and a used 2G is going to run ~$350.

That's 15 months of 3G service, before you see any savings. As far as the iPhone is concerned, a lot can change in 15 months.

Yeah, what he said. It's quite dumb to spend $350 on an iPhone when you can get a better one for $199 ($149 refurb). I get it for people who want to unlock it and use it on another network (especially if they buy mine one day), but if you can use AT&T it's kinda silly. I don't think buying an older one will allow you to not use the data plan.

Buy the 3G. You'll get a lot of use out of it's faster speed (if you live in a 3G area) and you'll have the GPS to use.

 

[Delpheno]

The reason why data plans aren't important to me is because on my college campus, Wi-Fi is ALL OVER the place. So I just use that instead of the data plan.

I plan on using the iPhone for at least five or so years. So if I can still get $20 a month after I leave college, that'll be great.

Thanks for the opinions.

 

[tylertech]

1) Buy iPhone EDGE off of eBay to use off of existing AT&T without data plan

You are required to use AT&T's $20 data plan for the iPhone (unless you jailbreak)

If you don't really care about any internet plan, then I recommend you get a used iPhone off of eBay, jailbreak it, and block the EDGE from your iPhone so that you don't need the $20. But then you just have a phone. (But you can always use Wi-Fi)

 

[CocoaPuffs]

My opinion would be to purchase a new 3G, and just pay the $30.

A new 3G is $199, and a used 2G is going to run ~$350.

That's 15 months of 3G service, before you see any savings. As far as the iPhone is concerned, a lot can change in 15 months.

3G data service is $15 more each month, $199 = $390.

 

[nickspohn]

Buy first gen iPhone. Avoid contracts.


If new iPhone comes out, you can get it, and sell the first gen iPhone for close to what you paid for it initially if you don't trash it.


The things you mentioned are mostly software, and can be added in updates, like flash. Things like a better MP camera, cannot obviously.

A 5MP in the next iPhone is high doubtful as well. It will probably be 3.2

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

The reason why data plans aren't important to me is because on my college campus, Wi-Fi is ALL OVER the place. So I just use that instead of the data plan.

I plan on using the iPhone for at least five or so years. So if I can still get $20 a month after I leave college, that'll be great.

Thanks for the opinions.

Shortsighted. What if you are off campus?

 

[Delpheno]

I like the new $99 iPhone rumor, sounds very nice. Even for $30 a month, it sounds like a good deal to me.

3G data service is $15 more each month, $199 = $390.

I thought it was $30 a month. Even if it's $15 more than the $20, it's $35.
What are you saying?

 

[CocoaPuffs]

I like the new $99 iPhone rumor, sounds very nice. Even for $30 a month, it sounds like a good deal to me.



I thought it was $30 a month. Even if it's $15 more than the $20, it's $35.
What are you saying?

You have to read the whole string...and do some basic math.

 

[TheMBC]

Let's look at it this way.

iPhone 3G,
$39.99 +
$30 (data) +
$5 (minimum, mandatory 200 texts) +
$8.40 [Gov't fees and taxes usually 11.2%]
=
$83.39

iPhone 2.5G,
$39.99 +
$20 (data and 200 texts) +
$6.72 [Gov't fees and taxes usually 11.2%]
=
$66.71