iPhone: a frugal choice

[Broadus]

I've thought a good deal about upgrading my almost 4-year-old iPhone 4S with a 2015 Moto X Pure. There's a lot about the Pure to like, though I would have to give up the simplicity of integration that I've enjoyed among my iPhone, iPad Air, and retina MacBook Pro. Still, the Pure's price tag is tempting to my budget-conscious mind. Also, while the Pure is not as fine a phone as the 6S should be, it seems good enough for my needs.

I've decided to go with an iPhone 6S, however, (and yes, I know the Plus would be closer in size to the Pure), and part of the reason is frugality.

I realize this decision may be counter-intuitive at first glance, but it is more frugal buy things that last. I plan to keep my next phone for at least four years. Would I keep a Moto X Pure for four years? I doubt it. I suspect I would keep it at most for two years and then get another.

The 6S should be able to serve my needs for the next four years. Apple will keep the phone's operating system up to date, the hardware seems future-proof enough for four years (at least for my needs if it has 2GB RAM), and the build quality of the phone itself is good for more than four years. Frankly, were my 4S a 4+"-size instead of 3.5", I would likely keep it for another year.

The Moto X Pure seems to be a fine phone, but I would have to give up the simple integration that i enjoy among all my devices. The perceived monetary saving is not worth that, at least to me.

 

[mrex]

I think i just read continuous flow of thoughts...

 

[eyoungren]

My sister gave me her old iPhone 3GS 32GB for Christmas 2011. I had it for two and a half years until a friend needed a phone.

He's using that 3GS as his main phone and has been for the last year or so.

I have my old iPhone 5 on the desk right next to me. Still works fine. We don't sell our phones when we are done with them.

My point being that if you are seeing this in terms of longevity and continued use then I believe you are spot on.

 

[solarguy17]

Really the only time you should absolutely stop using your old iPhone is when it will no longer receive iOS updates with needed security fixes. I for 1 upgrade every year but that because me and my wife are on opposite cycles and she never wants the newest phone. But holding onto an old iPhone shouldn't be a big deal. Unlike with you have an Galaxy S5 you need to update now since it won't be getting many more if any Andriod updates.

 

[Broadus]

My sister gave me her old iPhone 3GS 32GB for Christmas 2011. I had it for two and a half years until a friend needed a phone.

He's using that 3GS as his main phone and has been for the last year or so.

I have my old iPhone 5 on the desk right next to me. Still works fine. We don't sell our phones when we are done with them.

My point being that if you are seeing this in terms of longevity and continued use then I believe you are spot on.

My wife and I are the same with our phones. I'm giving my 4S to our adult daughter who could not care less about the latest technology.

 

[firedept]

I have to agree with all that is being stated. I upgrade every 2 years, then my wife keeps my old phone and we donate hers. Can not see any reason why a 6s would not last you for 4 years or more, plus you keep that integration you so like. Sometimes the extra money is worth it.

 

[Odat]

So you want to buy an iPhone and keep it for 4 years and $100 is stopping you from getting the plus?!. $100 is nothing over 4 years. How about saving that $100 by not eating out the next couple of weeks or so. Frugal is one thing but saving $100 over 4 years for a device you use all day everyday doesn't sound too smart. It's your call!

 

[Broadus]

So you want to buy an iPhone and keep it for 4 years and $100 is stopping you from getting the plus?!. $100 is nothing over 4 years. How about saving that $100 by not eating out the next couple of weeks or so. Frugal is one thing but saving $100 over 4 years for a device you use all day everyday doesn't sound too smart. It's your call!

No -- price has nothing to do with it. Given the two sizes, I think the smaller 6S will suit me better. The Moto X Pure is larger than ideal for me, but I like everything else about it.

 

[Odat]

No -- price has nothing to do with it. Given the two sizes, I think the smaller 6S will suit me better. The Moto X Pure is larger than ideal for me, but I like everything else about it.

Oh I see. Never mind then. Good luck

 

[Broadus]

Oh I see. Never mind then. Good luck

Thanks.

I can see how you came to your conclusion. I was trying not to be too wordy in the OP so included the cryptic parenthetical comment about the Plus being more comparable in size to the Pure even though I was making the comparison to the 6S.

 

[JaySoul]

It's different for everyone.

My friend is still using her iPhone 4S with no problems. But then she's not bothered about having the latest camera etc.

I know other people that want the newest phones because they love them, and don't mind losing out on relatively small amounts in order to experience the latest/greatest tech.

 

[Broadus]

It's different for everyone.

My friend is still using her iPhone 4S with no problems. But then she's not bothered about having the latest camera etc.

I know other people that want the newest phones because they love them, and don't mind losing out on relatively small amounts in order to experience the latest/greatest tech.

And what are "relatively small amounts" to some are relatively larger to others.

The reason I posted to begin with is that the iPhone is considered by many to be a luxury item, that the choice for more budget-conscious persons is a mid-level or entry-level Android. I think a case can be made that an iPhone can be considered a viable option by budget-minded people.

 

[Broadus]

Double post -- somehow, someway

 

[JaySoul]

And what are "relatively small amounts" to some are relatively larger to others.

The reason I posted to begin with is that the iPhone is considered by many to be a luxury item, that the choice for more budget-conscious persons is a mid-level or entry-level Android. I think a case can be made that an iPhone can be considered a viable option by budget-minded people.

This past year has changed the landscape a bit.

When I had iPhones (2008-13) then I could buy it brand new from Apple, sell it a year later for a handsome price, "only" losing about £150 or so.

As time went on, the resale value of an iPhone has gone down for sure. The 5 I sold, it was more like £250 I was down by.

In comparison, I can buy an Android flagship - depending on which one - for £300-400. As opposed to the £600 (at least) that Apple charge.

However, I now tend to keep Android phones for about 9 months, then sell them. So I lose about £100 per device over 9 months (about that average, anyway).

So I swap phones more freqently and am prepared to "lose" £100 per device for the privilege. If I had an iPhone again, it certainly wouldn't be like the good old days of resale!

Then again, a brand new Moto G is perfectly sufficient for loads of people and is ridiculously cheap brand new. So I don't really know if I'm making sense anymore.

 

[Broadus]

This past year has changed the landscape a bit.

When I had iPhones (2008-13) then I could buy it brand new from Apple, sell it a year later for a handsome price, "only" losing about £150 or so.

As time went on, the resale value of an iPhone has gone down for sure. The 5 I sold, it was more like £250 I was down by.

In comparison, I can buy an Android flagship - depending on which one - for £300-400. As opposed to the £600 (at least) that Apple charge.

However, I now tend to keep Android phones for about 9 months, then sell them. So I lose about £100 per device over 9 months (about that average, anyway).

So I swap phones more freqently and am prepared to "lose" £100 per device for the privilege. If I had an iPhone again, it certainly wouldn't be like the good old days of resale!

Then again, a brand new Moto G is perfectly sufficient for loads of people and is ridiculously cheap brand new. So I don't really know if I'm making sense anymore.

You make plenty of sense, but it is easy to start rambling when thinking about such matters. Things are really changing, for sure. The Moto G has "frugal" written all over it as far as initial price goes.

Put yourself in the place of someone who sees keeping the same phone for several years as working better with his budget and financial priorities. How long would a person be content to use a Moto G? I suspect it would be longer if a person didn't update the OS. Then again, there would be security risks in running an outdated OS, wouldn't there?

Step it up to a Moto X Pure. That's a pretty nice phone for $400, 16GB RAM and up to 128GB SD card support. How long could a person keep up with Android updates with the Pure? Perhaps longer than I had considered, and surely longer than the Moto G, given the specs.

Maybe I'm just trying to convince myself that it is "frugally-okay" to stay with iPhone.

 

[JaySoul]

You make plenty of sense, but it is easy to start rambling when thinking about such matters. Things are really changing, for sure. The Moto G has "frugal" written all over it as far as initial price goes.

Put yourself in the place of someone who sees keeping the same phone for several years as working better with his budget and financial priorities. How long would a person be content to use a Moto G? I suspect it would be longer if a person didn't update the OS. Then again, there would be security risks in running an outdated OS, wouldn't there?

Step it up to a Moto X Pure. That's a pretty nice phone for $400, 16GB RAM and up to 128GB SD card support. How long could a person keep up with Android updates with the Pure? Perhaps longer than I had considered, and surely longer than the Moto G, given the specs.

Maybe I'm just trying to convince myself that it is "frugally-okay" to stay with iPhone.

I think someone just made a thread recently on how long an Android device would last... I'm the wrong person to ask because I like the latest/greatest.

But in general, I'd suggest it would run well for a couple of years, then potentially start to decline.

A software update could speed things up, or slow things down. But at least the battery in many Android devices is swappable, which is a major boon to longevity.

My aunt is still using her Samsung Galaxy S2 with no real problems, she just got the battery swapped and otherwise it's working perfectly well. I think that was released in April 2012!

 

[bhayes444]

I think someone just made a thread recently on how long an Android device would last... I'm the wrong person to ask because I like the latest/greatest.

But in general, I'd suggest it would run well for a couple of years, then potentially start to decline.

A software update could speed things up, or slow things down. But at least the battery in many Android devices is swappable, which is a major boon to longevity.

My aunt is still using her Samsung Galaxy S2 with no real problems, she just got the battery swapped and otherwise it's working perfectly well. I think that was released in April 2012!

Maybe the older Android devices, for the past couple of years a lot of phones have been going to built in batteries. The only major player I know of that still uses swappable batteries is LG; although I only am familiar with the U.S. market.

Your aunt is a champ for sticking it out with that phone, and I think it was actually released in Spring 2011! S6 in 2015, S5 in 2014, S4 in 2013, S3 in 2012, S2 in 2011.

 

[bhayes444]

You make plenty of sense, but it is easy to start rambling when thinking about such matters. Things are really changing, for sure. The Moto G has "frugal" written all over it as far as initial price goes.

Put yourself in the place of someone who sees keeping the same phone for several years as working better with his budget and financial priorities. How long would a person be content to use a Moto G? I suspect it would be longer if a person didn't update the OS. Then again, there would be security risks in running an outdated OS, wouldn't there?

Step it up to a Moto X Pure. That's a pretty nice phone for $400, 16GB RAM and up to 128GB SD card support. How long could a person keep up with Android updates with the Pure? Perhaps longer than I had considered, and surely longer than the Moto G, given the specs.

Maybe I'm just trying to convince myself that it is "frugally-okay" to stay with iPhone.

Motorola has been better with updates recently compared to the past, and I got my mom the 1st generation Moto G with LTE early last year, and it recently got updated to 5.1.1, but I wouldn't expect it to go much further than that. Usually 2 years of updates is all you can hope for with most Android devices that aren't Nexus phones. Sometimes you get lucky and get security fixes on older phones, but not usually...

 

[throwthedice]

What are these "security issues" that I see keep getting mentioned here? I am genuinely interested in knowing what is it that is worrying so many people. I have a Nexus right now and I'm getting OS updates pretty much a month after Google has released new(er) version of the OS. I'm guessing with manufacturers like Samsung, Sony etc, the updates are few and far in between (if any). However, how does this transpire as a security issue to an average Joe like me who uses these supposedly "un-secure" devices?
I've got my mobile apps for all my banking needs - are you guys worried that someone may grab hold of the banking info or something?

 

[Broadus]

What are these "security issues" that I see keep getting mentioned here? I am genuinely interested in knowing what is it that is worrying so many people. I have a Nexus right now and I'm getting OS updates pretty much a month after Google has released new(er) version of the OS. I'm guessing with manufacturers like Samsung, Sony etc, the updates are few and far in between (if any). However, how does this transpire as a security issue to an average Joe like me who uses these supposedly "un-secure" devices?
I've got my mobile apps for all my banking needs - are you guys worried that someone may grab hold of the banking info or something?

Just things that I read, such as "Goodbye, Android" and "As if there weren't enough reasons to ditch Android for iPhone — this takes the cake."

I have no personal experience with Android.

 

[bhayes444]

What are these "security issues" that I see keep getting mentioned here? I am genuinely interested in knowing what is it that is worrying so many people. I have a Nexus right now and I'm getting OS updates pretty much a month after Google has released new(er) version of the OS. I'm guessing with manufacturers like Samsung, Sony etc, the updates are few and far in between (if any). However, how does this transpire as a security issue to an average Joe like me who uses these supposedly "un-secure" devices?
I've got my mobile apps for all my banking needs - are you guys worried that someone may grab hold of the banking info or something?

I would assume it's just things from media sites like Broadus linked in his post just below yours. Manufacturers and carriers can be a little slow in updating their devices, but that is the risk people take when they buy a phone that doesn't run stock Google. The security updates get pushed out from Google to their devices in a fairly timely manner. Plus, Google, Samsung, and I think LG committed to pushing out monthly security updates to devices after the Stagefright vulnerability was publicized. With all the I terconnectedness of our devices, and the mass amounts of stuff they can do these bugs are getting harder to fix without breaking more stuff, plus people have a greater incentive to find and exploit them than before as more people use smartphones. Google and Apple seem to be doing a pretty bang up job on getting these fixes out. If there are other manufacturers in the way of Google's updates then don't buy from them; that's all people need to do. I won't recommend HTC anymore as they left my parent's phones on 4.1.1 after 12 months in the market, and it didn't even get patched for a security issue that was present in the 4.3 or earlier version of Android.

 

[Sumter]

Yep. Some people get by fine with old phones. My dad uses his Samsung Galaxy S still, for example. He always comments on how much faster my 6+ is but when I ask him about getting a new phone, he always says no because his current phone works fine. I gave him my iPad Air so he has something to do... He doesn't use his phone like a smartphone, so I felt he could have some fun wih a tablet. He uses an 8 year old laptop he won't change as well.

 

[rui no onna]

Put yourself in the place of someone who sees keeping the same phone for several years as working better with his budget and financial priorities. How long would a person be content to use a Moto G? I suspect it would be longer if a person didn't update the OS. Then again, there would be security risks in running an outdated OS, wouldn't there?

That depends. Google's Android is fairly modular. Individual components get updated even if the device never receives a single firmware update. Kinda like if you're using Windows 7 and are getting security updates. You don't have to move up to Windows 8 or Windows 10 just to get security updates (at least until Microsoft stops supporting Windows 7 in 2020).

Problem is when the security risk is embedded in firmware rather than in the individual components. Then you have a problem.

 

[Retired Cat]

And what are "relatively small amounts" to some are relatively larger to others.

The reason I posted to begin with is that the iPhone is considered by many to be a luxury item, that the choice for more budget-conscious persons is a mid-level or entry-level Android. I think a case can be made that an iPhone can be considered a viable option by budget-minded people.

I'm one of those budget minded people that chose an iPhone. When I bought my iPhone 5, over 2 years ago, I did so largely because I wasn't satisfied with the level of software update support from Android handset makers. I'd rather buy 1 good phone every few years and get software updates rather than waste money buying a new phone more often because it's been abandoned by the manufacturer.

iPhone 5 runs very well on iOS 8. I think I may finally upgrade to a 6S if I like it. The displays on the 6/6+ are very nice and make my current screen seem a bit dull.