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iPhone 6 Advice

nviz22

nviz22

Cancelled
Original poster
Jun 24, 2013
5,277
3,071
Hi, I am looking into buying an iPhone 6 or 6+ for T-Mobile. My spending limit is $700, but that includes buying it outright from T-Mobile or AT&T or buying a new phone from the grey market/private sellers. I am also considering the Nexus 6 or Xperia Z3. Now, what attracts me to the iPhone 6 are the following items:

1. Reliability

2. Quality Camera

3. Great App Selection

4. iMessaging and Facetime

5. Tremendous build quality overall.

What concerns me are the following:
1. No predictive dialing (spell name with numbers and phone guesses who I want to call, not a huge deal but a great convenience).

2. Dealing with iTunes. I can get free legal music and ringtones on Android. How do I accomplish this with the walled garden of iTunes? When I had a 5S, it was frustrating dealing with that for the 1 week I had the iPhone 5S.

3. Battery life isn't great on the 6, but the 6+ is out of my price range if I buy it outright even though private sellers provide cheaper prices but more riskier opportunities.
4. Lack of widgets even though that feature was considered an improvement in iOS 8.

5. Lacking deeper multi tasking. This will take awhile to get used to, but I feel like I could accomplish more things simultaneously with my S5 than my old 5S. I hate the S5 now because of all the hardware issues I had.

6. I have the Moto 360 smartwatch and I haven't taken advantage of it much because of me replacing my S5 like every two weeks because of hardware defects.

I need the following in my phone: timely updates, reliability, decent battery life, a good camera, Wi-Fi calling, not excessively big screen or bezel, good customer support and warranty replacement service, good build quality.
 
Just buy an Android phone. You have too many knocks against the iPhones that nobody can combat. You hate iTunes and the walled garden. Everything you hate about the iPhone you said you can do better on an Android so go for one. Samsung Note 4.
 
HenryDJP said:
Just buy an Android phone. You have too many knocks against the iPhones that nobody can combat. You hate iTunes and the walled garden. Everything you hate about the iPhone you said you can do better on an Android so go for one. Samsung Note 4.
Click to expand...

Is there a way to get around what I listed though? I don't mind adapting. I have an iPad Mini 2. I would like to hear what people do to adjust to Apple's closed off environment. My iPad is only for iMessaging, web browsing, emails, and occasional video watching.
 
I don't understand concern number 1. What does it mean to "spell a name with numbers"? How would that be easier than asking Siri to call John Doe?

As for number 2, I seriously doubt there is free legal music for any operating system. If there is, and if it plays on Android, it should also play on the iPhone.
 
nviz22 said:
Is there a way to get around what I listed though? I don't mind adapting. I have an iPad Mini 2. I would like to hear what people do to adjust to Apple's closed off environment. My iPad is only for iMessaging, web browsing, emails, and occasional video watching.
Click to expand...

I think your terminology is a little off base. "Closed off"? Really now. It's not like people have a hard time using thier iPhones. There are hundreds of thousands of apps and since you already have an iPad then you already know what it's like experience Apple's system. You can have an Android phone and an iPad. What's wrong with that combo since an Android phone fits your needs better?
 
nviz22 said:
Is there a way to get around what I listed though? I don't mind adapting. I have an iPad Mini 2. I would like to hear what people do to adjust to Apple's closed off environment. My iPad is only for iMessaging, web browsing, emails, and occasional video watching.
Click to expand...

You can still get free legal music from indie sites (SoundCloud, etc.), and not free, from other (lesser expensive than iTunes) subscriptions (Amazon, etc.). Remember that most artists' music is published primarily for sale. That is how they hope to survive. I make my own ringtones, and rip music from CDs. I wish you luck in your quest. Buy an iPhone 6... and you may be real happy!
 
chabig said:
I don't understand concern number 1. What does it mean to "spell a name with numbers"? How would that be easier than asking Siri to call John Doe?

As for number 2, I seriously doubt there is free legal music for any operating system. If there is, and if it plays on Android, it should also play on the iPhone.
Click to expand...

Here's, how it works with music on Android, an app spams people with advertising for downloads to get the music to the end user. Spelling names with numbers like 1= A, 5 =L, 3= E, 9= X. So I type 1539 for Alex instead of looking through contacts.

----------
HenryDJP said:
I think your terminology is a little off base. "Closed off"? Really now. It's not like people have a hard time using thier iPhones. There are hundreds of thousands of apps and since you already have an iPad then you already know what it's like experience Apple's system. You can have an Android phone and an iPad. What's wrong with that combo since an Android phone fits your needs better?
Click to expand...

Not many good dependable Android brands.
 
nviz22 said:
Here's, how it works with music on Android, an app spams people with advertising for downloads to get the music to the end user. Spelling names with numbers like 1= A, 5 =L, 3= E, 9= X. So I type 1539 for Alex instead of looking through contacts.

----------



Not many good dependable Android brands.
Click to expand...

Instead of typing 1539 for Alex, why not type "ALEX". or ask Siri to "Call Alex"?
 
nviz22 said:
Here's, how it works with music on Android, an app spams people with advertising for downloads to get the music to the end user. Spelling names with numbers like 1= A, 5 =L, 3= E, 9= X. So I type 1539 for Alex instead of looking through contacts.

----------



Not many good dependable Android brands.
Click to expand...

I know you said you had trouble with your S5. Have you tried out the Note 4?
 
nviz22 said:
Here's, how it works with music on Android, an app spams people with advertising for downloads to get the music to the end user.
Click to expand...


App spams people with ads? Hmm, not sure I like the sound of that.

Your best bet is probably music streaming services like Spotify, Google Play, etc.


But with your budget and requirements I don't think iPhone would be a good fit for you, especially if you hate iTunes,.
 
tiartrop said:
App spams people with ads? Hmm, not sure I like the sound of that.

Your best bet is probably music streaming services like Spotify, Google Play, etc.


But with your budget and requirements I don't think iPhone would be a good fit for you, especially if you hate iTunes,.
Click to expand...

So what phone do you recommend?

----------
tiartrop said:
App spams people with ads? Hmm, not sure I like the sound of that.

Your best bet is probably music streaming services like Spotify, Google Play, etc.


But with your budget and requirements I don't think iPhone would be a good fit for you, especially if you hate iTunes,.
Click to expand...

I can't adjust to iTunes?
 
chabig said:
Instead of typing 1539 for Alex, why not type "ALEX". or ask Siri to "Call Alex"?
Click to expand...

...because when you open the Phone app, the dialer pad is right there. How convenient would it be to just be able to do as OP wants like in the old days/with other phones? I also wish the iPhone would do this.

It's the same as when you'd use the number pad to text using T9.

Maybe you're just too young to remember this. :)
 
nviz22 said:
Is 16 GB hard to manage for people these days?
Click to expand...

My last phone was a 16GB iPhone 5. I went with a 64GB 6 this time, and I'm really glad I did. Apps are getting bigger and bigger, pictures are big, video files are even bigger of course... slow-mo and time lapse videos on the new iPhones are file hogs and on top of that the 60fps video option makes it even more so- but worth it if you have the space as they do look great.

As far as iTunes- When I first used it years ago I didn't like it, but I think that's just because it was new. These days I can't complain. It has a job to do and it does it well. Pretty much everything you need is in that one package. Does Android or for that matter any of the Android/Windows phone makers offer this? Hardly.

Another +1 for iPhone is lack of bloatware. Some may argue there is some in the form of Newsstand, Health app, etc., but I don't see it as such compared to Android devices. For instance- my old man has an LG Flex on AT&T... it has two apps for nearly everything. Two browsers, two message apps, etc. How confusing! One for Android and one from LG. No thanks, it's just too much crap. I've always disliked third party apps for such things though.
 
Ken Kaniff said:
Yeah my mistake, it depends on what on which tab you were on last time it was open.
Click to expand...

And I understand what the other guy is asking for. I think Apple decided that with the full computer and keyboard interface, there would be no reason to support the old-style T9 keyboard. An arbitrary decision, perhaps, but Apple always tries to advance technology and isn't shy about dropping the old stuff.
 
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