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I'm still rocking my first gen iPhone (4 GB, no doubt) and, even with the release of the 4th version, I'm not quite convinced that I want to upgrade. Here's why:

1) My contract has unlimited data, enough minutes and enough texts. If I upgrade I pay more and get less. Plus, I risk signing on for two more years with AT&T when there seems to be a chance for an iPhone on another carrier. Not that I think others are any better, but I do think that competition will bring plan pricing down.

So the primary reason you didn’t upgrade was to save money?

The irony is that it’s always financially foolish not to upgrade as soon as a carrier lets you. The price of the 3G was $599 (you pay $199 and AT&T subsidizes the rest). AT&T makes up for it by charging more for service so you are essentially paying for the whole phone anyway. Since you don’t get a discount for service if you don’t upgrade, you are paying for a new phone even if you didn’t get one.

IIRC, AT&T allowed 2G customers to upgrade to the 3G at launch. If you had upgraded, you could’ve sold the 3G for at least $600 (more if you got it on launch day), made $400+, and kept your 2G with the same plan. And you would’ve still been out of contract now.

If you plan to stick with AT&T, I would definitely get a new phone, even if you continue to use your 2G. If you are waiting for another carrier, I would still get the new iPhone. The rumor is that Verizon is getting it in six months. AT&T Early Termination Fee is $325 - $10 for each month. $325 - $60 = $265. If you get a phone for $199 and sell it for $599 (they're going for much more than that on ebay), you would make $400 - $265 = $135.
 
OP, whatever floats your boat. Enjoy it kickin' it old school. Three years is like a decade in this market, it seems.

I think the 4 is the best iPhone Apple ever made inside/out. The best looking, IMHO. But I do believe the 2G was the most durable of them all. I dropped it on concrete a couple times caseless, and never got a scratch on the screen or worry more about it shattering. The chrome and the aluminum did scratch though, but better scratches than having shattered glass.

I would have kept the OG as a back-up, but needed to sell it to get the 4. And the internal hardware was just too damn weak for me. Constant Safari crashes whether it was JB or not. My younger bro was the first to own it, and preferred his 3G better. Less problems, no real lag. Audio speaker sucked on the 2G. Could hear the hiss at full volume and it was too quiet. The camera and audio speaker already makes the 4 a worthy upgrade alone for me. And now that I have 512 of RAM (4x more on the 4), my Safari experience is worry-free and blazing FAST! My old 2G was jailbroken and I do miss some of the things on it. But as a phone/internet device, I don't really miss it all that much after 1.5 years with it.

Enjoy your 2G. Classic iPhone. It started it all. Just not fast or polished enough to keep up with my current needs.

I think the crop of 2007 look very dated now. Nokia N95 and iPhone 2G look long in the tooth if you compare it with the current crop of phones.
 
I love the original, but the speed as compared to a 3GS (to say nothing of a 4) is pathetic. I couldn't go back now.
 
I still have the 16GB iPhone 2G and I like it a lot, but as soon as I get a reasonable chance to upgrade to an iPhone 4, I will do it :) The speed (CPU, GPU and Network) + screen will more than make up for the upgrade.
 
i sold my 3g to make way for the 4. i got the 4, but returned it due to lack of coverage with the new provider (wasn't too fussed about the signal drops at the time).

i now have to use my old 2g for the time being and can't say i noticed a massive amount of difference when using it just for the more mundane tasks. it's a bit slower loading games and stuff, but as the phone etc it's fine.

it's got me thinking about skipping the 4 altogether because of the problems it's having and using the 2 for my phone needs and buying an ipad for everything else.
 
I recently got an iPhone 3G because of the following reasons:

-I got a little crack in the top left of the iPhone 2G screen which rendered the very top insensitive.
-I lent my iPhone to my sister after misguidedly getting a Nokia N900.
-When I asked for it back she said it 'fell' under a bus :rolleyes:
-I bought an iPad, so giving Apple £1000 in a month kind of doesn't sit well with me.
-I'd rather wait for this antenna thing to die down.

If it wasn't for my sister breaking it, I would've gone back to the iPhone and saved a while for the iPhone 4.

Hardware wise, the 3G (and 3GS) feels like a downgrade apart from one key thing: the Loudspeaker. On my old 2G those holes would get clogged and become even quieter, but on the 3G there is no such problem.

I feel like the 3G and 3GS didn't have enough compelling reasons for upgrade, but the iPhone 4, after seeing it and using it, that is getting towards being a much worthier device to upgrade to, the feel of it is so much nicer.

Saying that, I'm putting £50 away each month so that when it gets to iPhone 4S or 5, whatever it is next year, I'll be able to buy that unlocked.
 
i dont know how contracts work in the USA but here in the UK if u threaten to leave your contract....the carrier seems to try anything to try and keep you....

You live under a free market economy, we live under a plutocracy. When we want to get out of our agreements, we are forced to pay lots of money. We sign restrictive gouging contracts before we buy the phone so that if we have any complaints, we have to stuff them for the amount of time it says on the contract. See?
 
I'm still rocking my first gen iPhone (4 GB, no doubt) and, even with the release of the 4th version, I'm not quite convinced that I want to upgrade.

Right there with you on not upgrading. I have a feeling that most of the people who are saying you are nuts fall into these catagories:

1. They never travel outside the city, where 3g is not available. I drive a truck, and am not in 3g service areas a lot of the time. (these are the same people who think ATT coverage is GREAT.)

2. Most probably don't have other expenses (ie. live with mommy/daddy) and attached to someone elses plan so they are willing to spend $400 every year for a new phone. ($200 subsidy savings plus extra $10/mo plan)

I had thought about upgrading, but then to be told, after roughly 18 months, we will no longer be supporting the hardware you bought, not even the option of paid upgrades; I think has done it for me on these products.
 
The original iPhone is simply unusable as a smartphone... Notice how everybody who still rocks one always says "I wouldn't use all those features" or "my wife is happy with it"... These are the people who would have never bought a smartphone if apple didn't make one. I know a few people who got an iPhone when it first came out, then as they held it in their hand they had this look on their face like "Now what?" they don't know what to do with it or how it could help them with life. Typically these are the people who don't use email regularly or don't use the Internet (short of facebook). And I guess that's all good, but why even have a smartphone at all? I used my 3G and 3GS and use my ip4 literally 50 times a day for non-phone (not calling or texting) purposes.... I guess if u don't need a smartphone, the first iPhone is a great phone for you because nobody that is sane that actually wants to use their smartphone could deal with it's shortcomings.
 
The first iPhone is a classic. It's one I should have kept instead of selling. It was an icon and a revolution in tech.
 
if you don't want to sign a new 2yr, just buy a used 3g or 3gs from craigslist, there are a ton of them for sale right now. I sold my 16g 3gs jailbroken for 220. I'd keep the first gen though, Someday there might not be many of them left and it could become a collectors item.
 
I love it when posters get worked up with all the"I don't care what you do" stuff. Of course you don't; it's a board. It's for the sake of conversation.

And my original iPhone is in cherry condition. I threw an otter box defender on it and there isn't one scratch on it.

I'm thinking I'll upgrade if I can keep my original plan, as some have said is possible.
 
I'd have to disagree with this, I've been using my original 8g iPhone for 2 1/2 years, I use it constantly for non-phone uses and it still chugs along fine.
Edge is slow at times especially if emails have large attachments, but for 90% of what I do on a daily basis it works really well.

Although with that said, the changes in the camera and the battery have convinced me it's time to upgrade. But I could get along just fine if I had to.

The original iPhone is simply unusable as a smartphone... the first iPhone is a great phone for you because nobody that is sane that actually wants to use their smartphone could deal with it's shortcomings.
 
But why not upgrade? Seriously it's only $200! I'm strapped for cash yet I have no problem shelling out the money for a new phone. It's a fact of life when it comes to technology that some people here have to learn to accept.

Protip: if u sell the phone u are currently using, u will have more than enough money to upgrade
 
I'd have to disagree with this, I've been using my original 8g iPhone for 2 1/2 years, I use it constantly for non-phone uses and it still chugs along fine.
Edge is slow at times especially if emails have large attachments, but for 90% of what I do on a daily basis it works really well.

Chugs along is the key... My old sprint phones could go on the Internet and what not just fine too, but it was a PITA and the 3G was such a big upgrade that it was almost unbelievable. Why pay for something that just chugs along when for the same money you could be having the best mobile Internet around... Reminds me of the terrible blackberry Internet experience (I don't know how those people can stand it)
 
I'm still rocking my first gen iPhone (4 GB, no doubt) and, even with the release of the 4th version, I'm not quite convinced that I want to upgrade. Here's why:

1) My contract has unlimited data, enough minutes and enough texts. If I upgrade I pay more and get less. Plus, I risk signing on for two more years with AT&T when there seems to be a chance for an iPhone on another carrier. Not that I think others are any better, but I do think that competition will bring plan pricing down.

2) Although I have 4 Gb, I haven't had any desire for more. I have pages of apps and I have enough music on it for my workout every day. When I want to change it up, I just sync some different tunes. And movies? Tried to watch a movie once. Terrible. I don't see the point. Too small. No need to have them on a phone.

3) "New" features. Ya, I can't send photo texts. How many would I send? Probably none. I only get one every couple months and it's usually just a drunk person making a face. Home screen wallpapers, etc.: who cares. Face time? Don't know enough people with iPhone 4's to make it worth it, although if my lady friend got one I could see the benefit. Others? Why would I want to see you?

I do dig the better camera, the multitasking, and 3G (nope, still on edge), but is it enough?

I guess what I'm saying is that I don't think most people even use most of the features added since iPhone 1. Am I nuts?

I had the same phone and all the same arguments for not upgrading to the 3G, or the 3Gs. Then the ip4 was announced. And I caved. I have been hearing the Verizon rumors for years and I have always held out hope. Finally I have given up and I do love the new one (except the part of not really being able to use it a phone. :( )

The screen is clearer and easier for me to read. It is much faster even though I do not live in a 3g area. The video and flash on the camera are nice.

But no, I do not think you are nuts and if the Verizon rumors prove true come January, I will really wish I had done the same thing.
 
Just upgraded from the original iPhone, and it is worlds better. The iPhone 4 is well worth the upgrade.
 
I guess what I'm saying is that I don't think most people even use most of the features added since iPhone 1. Am I nuts?

I stuck with my 4 GB first-gen phone until my recent upgrade to the 4. Like you, I had no compelling reason to upgrade and was quite happy with it. Finally decided to do an upgrade with the 4. The 3G network is, for me, the biggest improvement, though since I tend to do most of my iPhone web surfing when I'm around Wi-Fi, it wasn't a huge deal. I liked the looks of the first-gen phone, too, and at least it wasn't extraordinarily sensitive to being held, er, wrong.

Loving the new phone, too, but, yeah, if you're happy with what you have, stick with it. I did for a long time and it worked just fine for me.
 
I made the switch for the original to 4g. And I did it just for the sheer fact that my battery was dying on me. Couple that with the fact that EDGE blows. I didn't feel like I was using my iPhone to its fullest capacity. I never saw the need for 3g or 3gs. But I really love that I made the switch to the 4g. It's exactly what I wanted.

And yes, I think you're a little crazy for wanting to keep your original. But it's your phone not mine.
 
get at least the 8GB 3GS model, the speed increase from the original iphone and the 3G data support is worth it 100 times over.
I agree with this post and most everybody just wanting to spread the good news and get an upgrade! I too have a first gen iPod touch, and it can be terrible at times when it comes to browsing. Crash to reboot city, and I took very good care of it with a silicone case. Just like I felt about dial-up after using DSL speed back in the early century, I never ever want to go back to EDGE after being spoiled by wifi speed. I just took a tour at UC Berkeley, and the photos on the iP4 were fantastic.

The 3GS goes for $99 if the 4 is too much for you. The iPhone 2G might be pretty and durable to look at, but most of us here feel the hardware is just unbearable to use. We use it as a tool and not some center showcase for our living rooms that will collect dust. When 4G is soon to be coming by next year on AT&T, at least grab a phone for 3G! A 2.5G phone just won't cut it with RAM like that. Ancient. The battery is also DYING on it as years go by. Replacing one on a 2G cost nearly as much as buying a brand new 3GS.

You will thank many of us later if you know how awesome the more recent iPhones are compared to Episode 1 of iPhone hardware. If not, to each their own.

Get a 3GS at least. Get with the times. New decade. New start. New hope and dreams. Enjoy how far we've gotten in a span of three years... :cool:
 
I'm still rocking my first gen iPhone (4 GB, no doubt) and, even with the release of the 4th version, I'm not quite convinced that I want to upgrade. Here's why:

1) My contract has unlimited data, enough minutes and enough texts. If I upgrade I pay more and get less. Plus, I risk signing on for two more years with AT&T when there seems to be a chance for an iPhone on another carrier. Not that I think others are any better, but I do think that competition will bring plan pricing down.

2) Although I have 4 Gb, I haven't had any desire for more. I have pages of apps and I have enough music on it for my workout every day. When I want to change it up, I just sync some different tunes. And movies? Tried to watch a movie once. Terrible. I don't see the point. Too small. No need to have them on a phone.

3) "New" features. Ya, I can't send photo texts. How many would I send? Probably none. I only get one every couple months and it's usually just a drunk person making a face. Home screen wallpapers, etc.: who cares. Face time? Don't know enough people with iPhone 4's to make it worth it, although if my lady friend got one I could see the benefit. Others? Why would I want to see you?

I do dig the better camera, the multitasking, and 3G (nope, still on edge), but is it enough?

I guess what I'm saying is that I don't think most people even use most of the features added since iPhone 1. Am I nuts?

No and I am also rocking the 2g because my 3g broke and my cousin gave me it. I use it as my primary cellphone and the build quality of the 2g in my opinion is better than the rest of the iphones.
 
Just about to retire my original 2G after 3 years of great service, never felt the need to upgrade to the 3G or 3GS as it's the OS that makes the iPhone so great IMO and I could always update when a new version came out.

Obviously that's not possible this time round, and all I wanted anyway was the folders and integrated mailbox. Had a look at the 4 but fancied a real change so have jumped shipped to a HTC Desire:eek:!!!

Gonna keep my 2G though and keep it next to my 25 year old Mac Plus (which still works!!!). One day they'll be worth thousands:rolleyes:
 
Was searching for a present for the lady friend at the mall and saw some commotion at the Apple Store. Walked over and it was because they had a ton of iPhones. Snatched one up. It's great. You all were right. Speed is phenomenal, it's really sleek, and ios 4 has some great features. Camera is amazing. Didn't even bother bringing a camera to the Chicago bachelor party I went to this weekend. Just used the phone. Note: don't take pictures of strippers. They don't like that.

The reception issues are real and very obvious, but if a free case fixes it, it's a non issue for me.

My buddy had a droid x there. Consensus was that the iPhone was much more intuitive to use by the guys that tried them both out.

Also, my original is going to bring in more from ebay than the new one cost since it's in pristine condition and I have everything with it. Save your boxes people - I think that thing will get me much more money than it would have without.

I know - cool story bro.
 
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