Is it worth buying an iPhone 5 for the Apple Watch then getting a 6S upon release?

[AaronM5670]

I currently have a Nexus 5 as an 'in-between phone'.

My main question is whether the iPhone 5 will lose its value significantly between now and the inevitable 6S launch in September. I am intending to purchase one for around £100 on eBay as it is the minimum requirement for the Apple Watch.

Is the iPhone 5 Apple Watch experience exactly the same as with an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus?

Thanks in advance!

 

[sanke1]

You can get a 5 or 5c depending on the deal. I am myself waiting for 6S as there are rumors of it having 2 GB of RAM. I don't plan on getting Apple Watch.

 

[AaronM5670]

You can get a 5 or 5c depending on the deal. I am myself waiting for 6S as there are rumors of it having 2 GB of RAM. I don't plan on getting Apple Watch.

I think the 5C commands a slight premium over the 5 due to the 4G compatibility but I'm not overly fussed to be honest. I'm not totally convinced on spending an extra 50% or so on the 5C when I'll be selling again come late August/September when the 6S with its much overdue 2GB RAM is imminent.

I must admit I wasn't totally enticed by the Apple Watch until I made an appointment and tried one on at the Apple Store but I think I was won over!

 

[nordique]

I think the 5C commands a slight premium over the 5 due to the 4G compatibility but I'm not overly fussed to be honest. I'm not totally convinced on spending an extra 50% or so on the 5C when I'll be selling again come late August/September when the 6S with its much overdue 2GB RAM is imminent.

I must admit I wasn't totally enticed by the Apple Watch until I made an appointment and tried one on at the Apple Store but I think I was won over!

5C and 5 are essentially the same phone, tech wise. Both are capable of 4G LTE, both use the same chipset, the only difference is the housing of the devices.

The original 5 feels much more "premium" than the 5C, as it has a similar case/design to the 5S. Its also lighter than the 5C. Some people prefer the curved feel of the 5C over the rectangular edges of the 5/5S design however.

If the 5C demands a slight premium, it may be solely because it came out in 2013 whereas the 5 came out in 2012 so it carries the impression of a "newer" phone.

But tech wise, there is no difference between the 5 and 5C

 

[AaronM5670]

5C and 5 are essentially the same phone, tech wise. Both are capable of 4G LTE, both use the same chipset, the only difference is the housing of the devices.



The original 5 feels much more "premium" than the 5C, as it has a similar case/design to the 5S. Its also lighter than the 5C. Some people prefer the curved feel of the 5C over the rectangular edges of the 5/5S design however.



If the 5C demands a slight premium, it may be solely because it came out in 2013 whereas the 5 came out in 2012 so it carries the impression of a "newer" phone.



But tech wise, there is no difference between the 5 and 5C

Sorry for the confusion, I meant extra 4G compatibility in the UK - the iPhone 5 is only compatible with EE and Three 4G in the UK whereas the 5C and 5S are compatible with all UK 4G networks.

 

[nordique]

Sorry for the confusion, I meant extra 4G compatibility in the UK - the iPhone 5 is only compatible with EE and Three 4G in the UK whereas the 5C and 5S are compatible with all UK 4G networks.

Oh i see, that I was not aware of.

I suppose if you're using it only as a stop gap measure for the next 6 months or so, whatever gives you the best deal is what I feel you should go with. I can't speak to the resale values of the 5 vs 5C in the UK, but in Canada where I live it seems to be pretty similar between the two devices such that I wouldn't be too bothered. Perhaps then given the extra compatibility, in that regard, go for the more recent device (5C)

 

[AdamskiUK]

I think the 5C commands a slight premium over the 5 due to the 4G compatibility but I'm not overly fussed to be honest. I'm not totally convinced on spending an extra 50% or so on the 5C when I'll be selling again come late August/September when the 6S with its much overdue 2GB RAM is imminent.

I must admit I wasn't totally enticed by the Apple Watch until I made an appointment and tried one on at the Apple Store but I think I was won over!

LOL - Edit: Read your post and then replied without finishing the thread. Sorry!

Careful, different models of the 5 can operate on different wavelengths (this is usually a discrepancy between countries (US has GSM(?) and blah blah rubbish rubbish forgot-the-name phones)).

Also, importantly, different networks use different bands for their 4G. For instance, my iPhone 5 can see Three's 4G network in Manchester but not O2s. I think. Something like that. Either way, I use 4G when I'm in town on my iP5 16GB factory unlocked, purchased from Apple.

Personally, unless you're dying for the Watch then I would skip buying the iP5, get the 6S and then pick up the Watch2 next Spring. If there's one rule to abide by with Apple, 2nd gen is always a massive, huge, improvement on 1st gen.

 

[AaronM5670]

I'm not too miffed about the whole 1st generation issue, as someone who has had a first-generation iPhone and iPad in the past I well understand the fast-paced development of new technology; I'm very excited about the Apple Watch!

I have bought an iPhone 5 from eBay in perfect condition which I intend to sell in the weeks leading up to the 6S launch. I don't see the advantage of stretching the budget to the 5S when it's a temporary phone which will be on its way in 4 months' time.