Resolved Question about iPhone 4

[evilpgmistress]

Edit: My questions have been answered, so thank you everyone who provided useful advice I've got a 3GS now, but I'll keep this thread bookmarked for when I do upgrade to a 4.

Thanks again!

 

[Mic'sBook]

For the 'mini-SIM to micro-SIM' problem:

- Use a pair of sharp scissors or a micro-SIM cutting tool to cut the mini-SIM card into micro-SIM. (be careful though)
- OR contact your mobile network service provider and tell them you need a micro-SIM card. They should give it to you for free for the first time.

iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S use the micro-SIM card. You can take the micro-SIM from iPhone 4 and insert it into iPhone 4S without any problems. All the contacts saved on the micro-SIM will be there.

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For 'contacts':

(1) On your iPhone 3G, go to 'Settings' -> tap 'Mails, Contacts, Calendars' -> scroll down to Contacts and tap 'Import SIM Contacts'
(2) After step 1, sync your iPhone 3G with your Windows-PC.

Having done the above, when you get an iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S later, you can just sync it with your PC and you're good to go. No need to type all the contacts from scratch.

'iOS: How to transfer or sync content to your computer'
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1296

 

[evilpgmistress]

For the 'mini-SIM to micro-SIM' problem:

- Use a pair of sharp scissors or a micro-SIM cutting tool to cut the mini-SIM card into micro-SIM. (be careful though)
- OR contact your mobile network service provider and tell them you need a micro-SIM card. They should give it to you for free for the first time.

iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S use the micro-SIM card. You can take the micro-SIM from iPhone 4 and insert it into iPhone 4S without any problems. All the contacts saved on the micro-SIM will be there.

----------

For 'contacts':

(1) On your iPhone 3G, go to 'Settings' -> tap 'Mails, Contacts, Calendars' -> scroll down to Contacts and tap 'Import SIM Contacts'
(2) After step 1, sync your iPhone 3G with your Windows-PC.

Having done the above, when you get an iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S later, you can just sync it with your PC and you're good to go. No need to type all the contacts from scratch.

'iOS: How to transfer or sync content to your computer'
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1296

I'm not sure if the company I got my SIM from will have micro-SIMS available, but I'll be sure to ask! I'd rather not do it myself, in case I mess up! But at least if I do switch to a 4S in the future, at least all my contacts will be there

So when I do get an iPhone 4, I can restore from the last backup I did to my iPhone 3G, right? (please correct me if I'm wrong!) (I'm already familiar with syncing and backing up, having had a 3GS in the past, so that part will be simple).

Thanks for the help!

 

[Mic'sBook]

But at least if I do switch to a 4S in the future, at least all my contacts will be there
Thanks for the help!

That's true, provided that you have the very same SIM card (cut your mini-SIM to micro-SIM) OR on your iPhone 3G, you have imported contacts from the SIM card and synced your iPhone 3G with your Windows-PC before switching to iPhone 4S.

So when I do get an iPhone 4, I can restore from the last backup I did to my iPhone 3G, right? (please correct me if I'm wrong!) (I'm already familiar with syncing and backing up, having had a 3GS in the past, so that part will be simple).

I'm not sure about this but I think you can.
'If you upgrade or otherwise replace your device with a newer device, you may be able to restore the previous backup to the new device.' (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1414)

 

[evilpgmistress]

That's true, provided that you have the very same SIM card (cut your mini-SIM to micro-SIM) OR on your iPhone 3G, you have imported contacts from the SIM card and synced your iPhone 3G with your Windows-PC before switching to iPhone 4S.

Well, I've discovered my provider does have micro-SIMs, so I can at least have one on standby when I do upgrade eventually (though I don't think I'm quite ready for a 4S! I might start with a 4 and see how I go with that XD).

I'm not sure about this but I think you can.
'If you upgrade or otherwise replace your device with a newer device, you may be able to restore the previous backup to the new device.' (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1414)

I'll ask when I get it, and take it from there In any case, I'll definitely back up the 3G, so if i can restore my latest back up to a 4, I'll have the newest back up there to make it work.

 

[0m3ga]

Hey, folks!

I currently have a secondhand iPhone 3G and am thinking of upgrading to either a 3GS (I've had that model before, and found it to be pretty good!), or possibly an iPhone 4. Now, I know the iPhone 4 only takes microSIM, so if I was to get an iPhone 4, I'd obviously have to add all my contacts from scratch from my current SIM. So if I did get an iPhone 4, and then changed, say, to an iPhone 4S, would I be able to take the microSIM out of the iPhone 4, put it in the 4S, and have all my contacts there? Or would I have to sync the contacts to my computer first (running Windows Vista), and then sync them back to a 4S? Thanks in advance, and I hope I don't sound too noobish!

I an't recall if the iPhone3 can do this, but open iTunes, do a backup of the phone, get new phone and restore. Should automagically put all your apps, icons, contacts, calendar and so on to the new phone.

Also, once you get an iphone on ios5 or higher, everything can be backed up to icloud and restored to a phone whenever you have the need.

 

[evilpgmistress]

I an't recall if the iPhone3 can do this, but open iTunes, do a backup of the phone, get new phone and restore. Should automagically put all your apps, icons, contacts, calendar and so on to the new phone.

Also, once you get an iphone on ios5 or higher, everything can be backed up to icloud and restored to a phone whenever you have the need.

At the moment my plans for an iPhone 4 may be shelved due to price, so I'm going down the 3GS route. However, I'll keep this information on hand for when I do eventually get the 4, so thanks for this tip

 

[Mic'sBook]

Well, I've discovered my provider does have micro-SIMs, so I can at least have one on standby when I do upgrade eventually (though I don't think I'm quite ready for a 4S! I might start with a 4 and see how I go with that XD).

I'll ask when I get it, and take it from there In any case, I'll definitely back up the 3G, so if i can restore my latest back up to a 4, I'll have the newest back up there to make it work.

Glad to hear that! But make sure you've done the 2 steps: (1) import SIM contacts on your iPhone 3G (2) sync & back up your iPhone 3G with your Windows-PC.

And then when you get an iPhone 4, you can have the contacts with you aftering syncing it with your Windows-PC, and have all the settings and apps after restoring the iPhone 3G backup on your iPhone 4.

 

[CSMchris376]

Just so you understand, the iPhone does not store ANY contact information on the SIM. The contacts are in the OS, and are designed to be synced with a supported application on your computer, depending on the computer OS as to what application that is. You also have the option of using an OTA, like Google. However, if you back the iPhone up, the contacts are supposed to be stored with the backup and will move over if you restore the new phone. Trouble is on occasion, that doesn't work and contacts can be lost if one is only relying on the backup. Better to have them synced to the computer or something like Google.

 

[evilpgmistress]

Just so you understand, the iPhone does not store ANY contact information on the SIM. The contacts are in the OS, and are designed to be synced with a supported application on your computer, depending on the computer OS as to what application that is. You also have the option of using an OTA, like Google. However, if you back the iPhone up, the contacts are supposed to be stored with the backup and will move over if you restore the new phone. Trouble is on occasion, that doesn't work and contacts can be lost if one is only relying on the backup. Better to have them synced to the computer or something like Google.

Got it. I'll definitely keep that in mind when I do eventually get an iPhone 4 I bought a 3GS today, so that'll keep my happy in the meantime.

@Mic'sBook: I always sync and back up my iPhone on a regular basis, so when I get the 4 later on down the track, I'll make sure the 3GS is backed up, so I can then restore my settings. Contacts will definitely be synced across