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Is it true that most people barely use the phone feature of the iPhone ?

My iPhone is still primarily an iPhone. In addition to talking to my girlfriend an hour+ each day, I get occasional calls from my boss when he's not out of the office and my mother when she has to ask me something.

All of its other functions come secondary.
 
I used to use the phone part a lot. Now it's down to 5 or 6 short calls a day, and maybe one long call a month.

I get 250 minutes a month and always have loads left, to be honest.
 
gentlefury said:
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Why do you have a smartphone?
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I'm not the poster, but my usage is fairly similar. DH and I share 400 minutes a month, and he uses the majority, not me. I carry a phone so work and family can reach me - I'm not a big talker.

I have an iPhone specifically for the integration with the Mac OS - I like the ease of Contact, Calendar and iPhoto sync, and iCloud has improved that even more. It's been awhile, but I think the other reason I embraced iPhone 2G was threaded texting - which was a hot feature on the Treos (dating myself, I know), but the bubbles added a slick touch.

I don't actually use cellular data either. I'm within range of WiFi 95% of the time and I think the carriers want too much money for my minimal use, so I don't pay for a data plan.

If the iPad mini had come first, I may have never had an iPhone - just a dumb phone plus mini.
 
Abazigal said:
In theory, is there anything stopping you from buying an unlocked iphone and inserting a mobile wireless sim-card (the kind you put in the ipad)?:confused:
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yes. there's a thread here about using the sim from a verizon ipad mini. don't remember the procedure but you have to activate it on the ipad mini and then move it to the iphone?
 
Outside of work, hardly ever. However I use about 1000 mins a month for work.

Actually about half of that is skype so..
 
Its a super computer in your pocket that has the ability to make phone calls, 10 years ago it was a phone that had the ability to send a text.
 
dewthedru said:
yes. there's a thread here about using the sim from a verizon ipad mini. don't remember the procedure but you have to activate it on the ipad mini and then move it to the iphone?
Click to expand...

I use T-Mobile on my my iPad and frequently put that sim card into my 4S and just bring that with me and use my Nexus 4 as a phone since I have the $30 5GB 100 minute plan in it.

In total, I have two active AT&T data only sims, one T-Mobile data sim and one $30 5GB 100 minute sim on T-Mobile.

All my devices are unlocked so switch the sims around all the time between my 4S, Nexus 4 and iPad Mini and Nexus 7.
 
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Abazigal said:
In theory, is there anything stopping you from buying an unlocked iphone and inserting a mobile wireless sim-card (the kind you put in the ipad)?:confused:
Click to expand...

There is nothing stopping you. Unless of course you've got a locked device. I do that when I go to Europe (I have a separate work phone). I pick up a SIM from one of the many airport kiosks. Works great. I've done it every time I've been over there since 2006. So, a bunch.

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In answer to the OP's question - I use less than 200 minutes per month. Typically I use less than 100 per month. If I'm talking to someone it's text (which is to say iMessage or Google Voice), Facetime or my desk phone.
 
gentlefury said:
No such thing. It's just a marketing sticker.
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Absolutely false. The first time HD Voice kicked in on a call of mine it was shocking how clear everything was. I'm on T-Mobile, and it's still rare to have a call from one t-mo device that is HD voice capable to another, but when you do it's remarkable.
 
karmamule said:
Absolutely false. The first time HD Voice kicked in on a call of mine it was shocking how clear everything was. I'm on T-Mobile, and it's still rare to have a call from one t-mo device that is HD voice capable to another, but when you do it's remarkable.
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Well I've had every iphone since 4 and I haven't heard an increase in call quality.
 
gentlefury said:
Well I've had every iphone since 4 and I haven't heard an increase in call quality.
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The reason I'm convinced it's real is I wasn't expecting to hear it, and suddenly on one call after a few moments of talking we both stopped almost simultaneously and said "WTH, this call sounds like we're right next to each other, it's GREAT!". We finally figured out that both phones were on T-Mo and HD voice capable.

Since then I've maybe heard it a handful of times. Still pretty rare, but it's fantastic when it kicks in.

(Oh, and it's also rather rare because like lots of people I don't talk much on the phone any more....)
 
I just checked my Launch Day iPhone 4 (Which my new 5s is replacing), and under the Cellular Usage, my Lifetime timer count is at 24 Days 10 Hours, so yes, the phone feature is important to me!
 
I'm up to 1500 mins this month with one week left on this billing cycle. I rarely use less than 1000/month.

However, I use the device even more for other things.
 
Well, my girlfriend certainly uses the phone lol... My phone usage is the top bar!
 

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DBZmusicboy01 said:
I don't use it
If I do maybe only 5 minutes per week or even less

It seems many people don't really use it
Instead they use it for texting and Facebook?
Is there a way the phone companies can release a data and text only plan?
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I wish you would tell that to all the people I hear using their phones on the train babbling on about nothing on their commute. It is so annoying.
 
I use maybe 15-20 minutes a month and that's talking to my mom and dad. I send and receive maybe 200 texts a month and that includes texts from work. Main reason I have a phone instead of a touch is I don't have a landline. I just don't really talk to people unless its in person, but even then I don't have much to say.

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bigcstyle4 said:
Well, my girlfriend certainly uses the phone lol... My phone usage is the top bar!
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To bad I can't gift mine I have about 450 rollover minutes expire ever month, and that's with my parents on my plan. :(

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Beezy253 said:
I just checked my Launch Day iPhone 4 (Which my new 5s is replacing), and under the Cellular Usage, my Lifetime timer count is at 24 Days 10 Hours, so yes, the phone feature is important to me!
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I think my lifetime is at about 2 1/2 days and that might be from my original iPhone.
 
Wait…….it has a phone feature?

My son and I share 1,500 anytime minutes and unlimited mobile to mobile……..most months, we use less than 20!
 
I just read a report on this topic the other day, about smartphone usage in Europe and elsewhere.

10% - talk
10% - surf the web
20% - text
60% - apps

The ratio of talking to doing anything else has been dropping for years.

Sometimes I'm sorry that smartphones got so popular. Just look at how people (don't) interact these days... even when sitting next to each other. It's sad.

Perhaps "The Number of the Beast" is actually our cell phone numbers! (Insert eerie apocalyptic music here.)
 
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