I've been mulling over a quandary and I'm just going to throw it out there to see what the hive mind thinks.
The backstory: I'm a long term iPhone user, starting with the 3G back in 2008, then 3GS, 4S, 5, and then last year I picked up a 6S. Like many people I bought these all on contract, subsidised, and helped pay for each new phone by selling the old one. I'm not poor but by no means rich, I have a young family to support, so try to be sensible with money - but at the same time I do like gadgets and apple stuff particularly. I also own an iPad Air and 2009 MacBook Pro that's still going strong, whatever Sierra thinks.
I'd really like an Apple Watch, but can't justify the cost, particularly as I'd much prefer the stainless steel which starts at about twice the price as the base aluminium series 1 (I'm also in the U.K. where everything is more expensive, particularly after brexit).
Anyway, to cut to the chase - last week my 6S started developing battery problems, with unexpected shutdowns etc - it literally has a few days left on the warranty and I can't get to my local Apple Store, so I decided to post it in for repair. In the meantime I picked up my wife's battered old 5S (she recently upgraded to an SE) gave it a DFU restore into iOS 10, and set it up as my new temporary phone.
And here's the thing - I really like it.
It has the same A7 chip as my iPad, so while it's certainly slower at some things, it's still a familiar speed if that makes sense. I like the feel in the hand - there's no getting around that it's a more comfortable size, and slips into a pocket that much easier (and I have the iPad for screen real estate). The Touch ID - which I couldn't be without after the 6S - still works here. The camera is still nice and not greatly different to the 6S as far as I can see - I have a real camera for decent pictures anyway.
The phone and screen are totally scuffed up and scratched all over (it spend two years just banging around my wife's handbag) but all that really means is - no need for a case! No more babying my phone as I have always done in the past, trying to protect the resale value.
It's only 32gb vs the 128gb of my 6S. I thought that would be the big kicker and maybe in time it will, but actually - because this time I haven't restored the same iPhone backup that has been accumulating cruft since 2008 - it's actually ok. At a stroke I've dispensed with literally hundreds of apps and games I simply never used. All the important data - contacts, email, calendars, photos, documents - are all in the cloud and I only access what I need. I've been stricter with my iTunes sync and again - that's ok, it just means less skipping when I shuffle.
The point is, all of this raises an interesting question. I only have a year until I'm out of contract and can grab an iPhone 7S or 8, if I want to. Right now my 6S is worth an easy £450 on eBay. If I can genuinely live with this 5S for the next year, then that's my Apple Watch right there.
Thoughts?
The backstory: I'm a long term iPhone user, starting with the 3G back in 2008, then 3GS, 4S, 5, and then last year I picked up a 6S. Like many people I bought these all on contract, subsidised, and helped pay for each new phone by selling the old one. I'm not poor but by no means rich, I have a young family to support, so try to be sensible with money - but at the same time I do like gadgets and apple stuff particularly. I also own an iPad Air and 2009 MacBook Pro that's still going strong, whatever Sierra thinks.
I'd really like an Apple Watch, but can't justify the cost, particularly as I'd much prefer the stainless steel which starts at about twice the price as the base aluminium series 1 (I'm also in the U.K. where everything is more expensive, particularly after brexit).
Anyway, to cut to the chase - last week my 6S started developing battery problems, with unexpected shutdowns etc - it literally has a few days left on the warranty and I can't get to my local Apple Store, so I decided to post it in for repair. In the meantime I picked up my wife's battered old 5S (she recently upgraded to an SE) gave it a DFU restore into iOS 10, and set it up as my new temporary phone.
And here's the thing - I really like it.
It has the same A7 chip as my iPad, so while it's certainly slower at some things, it's still a familiar speed if that makes sense. I like the feel in the hand - there's no getting around that it's a more comfortable size, and slips into a pocket that much easier (and I have the iPad for screen real estate). The Touch ID - which I couldn't be without after the 6S - still works here. The camera is still nice and not greatly different to the 6S as far as I can see - I have a real camera for decent pictures anyway.
The phone and screen are totally scuffed up and scratched all over (it spend two years just banging around my wife's handbag) but all that really means is - no need for a case! No more babying my phone as I have always done in the past, trying to protect the resale value.
It's only 32gb vs the 128gb of my 6S. I thought that would be the big kicker and maybe in time it will, but actually - because this time I haven't restored the same iPhone backup that has been accumulating cruft since 2008 - it's actually ok. At a stroke I've dispensed with literally hundreds of apps and games I simply never used. All the important data - contacts, email, calendars, photos, documents - are all in the cloud and I only access what I need. I've been stricter with my iTunes sync and again - that's ok, it just means less skipping when I shuffle.
The point is, all of this raises an interesting question. I only have a year until I'm out of contract and can grab an iPhone 7S or 8, if I want to. Right now my 6S is worth an easy £450 on eBay. If I can genuinely live with this 5S for the next year, then that's my Apple Watch right there.
Thoughts?
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