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It's still a great phone. My wife and I use it as our dumb backup/travelling phone. Used to be on Vodafone in the UK but unlocked for years
 
Try scrolling a list of 500+ songs. It totally chokes on that and a lot more normal functions under iOS 6. Perfectly smooth under iOS 5.x, though. Not just my experience, I have seen three other iPhone 4's (not 4S) in my office brought to their knees after the iOS 6 upgrade.

As a very basic smartphone, it may be OK, but there are a lot of better choices at the same price (free, where ATT is concerned). On the other hand an iPhone 4 running 5.x iOS is still a great phone.


Like I said, it depends upon what the user expects out of a phone. You are one whose priorities include split second response; anything less would be a constant annoyance. Scrolling is fine for me under IOS6. A buyer could conceivably obtain a used 4 for $100.00 or less, go on Straight Talk and be golden from the financial sense while obtaining a large percentage of what the iphone offers.
 
I wouldn't buy it new and would certainly not put iOS 6 on it.

If you're buying new, scrimp and save just a bit more and get a 4S. The 4S will be good for years to come and in some ways is better than the problem plagued iPhone 5. Maybe by the time next year rolls around you can afford the 5S.

This time next year, you'd be looking to move on from the iPhone 4.

For what it's worth, I gave my 4 to my wife (her first smart phone) and bought the 4S rather than the 5. If my wife didn't need a phone I would have kept the 4 over the 5.
 
It's financially stupid to buy an iPhone 4 on contract based on it's true worth.

Even if you want to own an iPhone 4 instead of 5, you're throwing away the savings associated with a 2-year contract if you just buy the 4:

(1) Buy an iPhone 4 for $0 --- you spend nothing, you make nothing.

(2) Buy an iPhone 5 for $200, sell for $600, and buy a iPhone 4 from a 3rd party for $200. After factoring in the $200 you spent on the 5 and $200 you spent on a 3rd party iPhone 4, you are left making $200.

Conclusion = $200 > $0

Same logic with the 4s minus $100.
 
not everyone wants or needs to have the latest and greatest in tech.. nor do people need to 'keep up with the joneses'
 
It is not "free" now. You get one in exchange for signing a 2-year contract with an expensive data plan, which is far from "free."

The retail price of the iPhone 4 is still $450, and that's for the 8GB model! If you walk into an Apple store today, they will sell you a brand-new no-contract iPhone 4 out the door for that price + sales tax. You are paying that $450 (and then some, in some cases) whether you get the phone "free" or not...that same $450 is simply hidden in the cost of your service fees over the course of the 2 years that you agreed to sign your life away for.

Really, when people get "free" or subsidized phones with a long-term postpaid contract, all they are doing is financing the purchase of their phone over the course of 2 years. No one likes to think of it that way, but that's exactly what you're doing.

The iPhone 4 is still a great phone. The iPhone 4S is even better still. The MSRP of the first is $450, and $550 for the second. iPhone 5 models start at $650. Those are the actual prices, however you end up paying for it.

-- Nathan

Unless you want a crap prepaid service. It's free
 
x2 Id go for the 4S due to the antenna

That didn't affect everyone, and if you keep it in a case it's a non-issue. However, I would get the 4S for the better camera and improved internals.

Two things to consider:

1. OS updates. the 4S is likely to get one newer OS upgrade than the 4.

2. Capacity. How much storage do you want? The free iPhone 4 is only 8GB, while the $99 iPhone 4S is 16GB.
 
I currently have an old phone which i dont care for and i recently bought ipod touch5g and an ipad 2. I want to get an iphone4 since its cheaper then the 4s and 5 and i think the 5g ipod is better than the iphone4..


It's never stupid to buy an iPhone! Go for what you want. The 4 is a brilliant phone. Just not as good as the 5!! Good luck with whatever you end up having.
 
I have an iPhone 4 now,& I just got it in July. I'm perfectly fine that I don't have 4S,& I actually hate the iPhone 5 so that's a plus too :) I kno how long this phone has and I'm fine with it probably not getting ios 7 or whatever,cause its a great phone.

It really all depends on the kind of person you are. The fact you're even consider one tells me you're not a "latest and greatest" person. All comes down to what you need the phone to do for you
 
4S or don't buy anything. 4 is a turd speedwise compared to the 4S and 5.
 
It is not "free" now. You get one in exchange for signing a 2-year contract with an expensive data plan, which is far from "free."

It is free because you sign a two year contract regardless which phone you buy, unless you pay full retail price for the phone. SO if the OP can't afford to pay full price and signs a new two year contract every two years then yes, the phone is free.
 
I can't imagine have to have the 4 for two more years. It will be a real clunker.
 
I upgraded my children my the iPhone 3GS to the iPhone 4 a few weeks ago. It's still a phone that makes calls, sends texts, with occasional web browsing so it's still good IMO.
 
I upgraded my children my the iPhone 3GS to the iPhone 4 a few weeks ago. It's still a phone that makes calls, sends texts, with occasional web browsing so it's still good IMO.

So is an iPhone 1. It can do all of the above, but it's slow and never worth being locked down for 2 years with.
 
I just want a basic iphone to be honest. I don't care if the iphone5 is way faster and I would get Ip4 unlocked. 4s would probably be better in the long run but I've yet to see a reasonable price for an unlocked iphone4s
 
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