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To buy or not buy: that is the question

G

gtgrad95

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 15, 2007
335
83
Atlanta, GA.
I'm really debating on pulling the trigger now on the existing 3G or wait for the new one. I plan to use the phone on T-Mobile. I would be perfectly happy with the current version. Some points:

1) If Apple plans the get rid of their inventory, they probably will give some sort of incentive as rumored. Free Ipod Touch with the purchase of the 8GB model? I could live with that. The question is where does that leave the AT&T stores? Won't everybody buy it from the Apple store then?

2) Since I plan to use it on T-Mobile, will I have to wait 6 months for the new one to be unlocked? I know the Dev Team is working on a unlock for the 3.0 software right now. But if the new one makes it tougher to unlock (hardware wise), won't it be better for me to buy the current one?

3) However, if I'm going to pay the same ($199) and get more capacity (16 GB vs. 8 GB) and a faster phone, it might be better to wait.

Need some advice...thanks.
 
Wait until June 8th.
You'll kick yourself in the butt if they release a new one and you bought the 3g. At least wait until WWDC.
 
gtgrad95 said:
I'm really debating on pulling the trigger now on the existing 3G or wait for the new one. I plan to use the phone on T-Mobile. I would be perfectly happy with the current version. Some points:

1) If Apple plans the get rid of their inventory, they probably will give some sort of incentive as rumored. Free Ipod Touch with the purchase of the 8GB model? I could live with that. The question is where does that leave the AT&T stores? Won't everybody buy it from the Apple store then?

2) Since I plan to use it on T-Mobile, will I have to wait 6 months for the new one to be unlocked? I know the Dev Team is working on a unlock for the 3.0 software right now. But if the new one makes it tougher to unlock (hardware wise), won't it be better for me to buy the current one?

3) However, if I'm going to pay the same ($199) and get more capacity (16 GB vs. 8 GB) and a faster phone, it might be better to wait.

Need some advice...thanks.
Click to expand...

At the prices of $199/299 you'll have to sign a two your contract with AT&T and/or pay an ETF when you want to switch over to T-Mobile. We don't know if the new hardware will be compatible with T-Mobile; I can see Apple coming up with a solution to prevent this. The new model may also not be able to be jail-broken.

If you plan to use it on T-Mobile, I'd say find one now that doesn't have the 2.2.1 baseband. Also the new iPhone, being faster on AT&T's network, will not be any faster on T-Mobile's. The are two very different 3G networks. Unless Apple "adds" support for T-Mobile's network, you'll be better off buying one now.
 
Revelation78 said:
At the prices of $199/299 you'll have to sign a two your contract with AT&T and/or pay an ETF when you want to switch over to T-Mobile. We don't know if the new hardware will be compatible with T-Mobile; I can see Apple coming up with a solution to prevent this. The new model may also not be able to be jail-broken.

If you plan to use it on T-Mobile, I'd say find one now that doesn't have the 2.2.1 baseband. Also the new iPhone, being faster on AT&T's network, will not be any faster on T-Mobile's. The are two very different 3G networks. Unless Apple "adds" support for T-Mobile's network, you'll be better off buying one now.
Click to expand...

Yep, I realize that 3G won't work on T-Mobile, and I'll be stuck with EDGE. I'm ok with that...I usually find a WiFi signal somewhere. And, I'm also cool with paying the $199+ETF to stay with T-Mobile.

My only dilema was that I didn't want to pay the same price and get lesser technology. But I'm willing to do that if the existing one will be unlocked sooner and/or if Apple offers some sort of incentive to buy the existing one next week.
 
You're better off just waiting, because even with all the "what-ifs" that the above poster provided, given that there will be new hardware will cause the existing hardware to potentially drop in price as they work to move inventory.

And if all those what-ifs come true, theres nothing stopping you from just buying a 3G then. Why pull the trigger now when you could be kicking yourself in the butt in a few weeks for doing so?
 
robothero said:
You're better off just waiting, because even with all the "what-ifs" that the above poster provided, given that there will be new hardware will cause the existing hardware to potentially drop in price as they work to move inventory.

And if all those what-ifs come true, theres nothing stopping you from just buying a 3G then. Why pull the trigger now when you could be kicking yourself in the butt in a few weeks for doing so?
Click to expand...

Yes, very true. But, as a poster previously mentioned, if the new model has hardware that makes it difficult to unlock the phone, then it would better to by the existing one now.
 
gtgrad95 said:
Yes, very true. But, as a poster previously mentioned, if the new model has hardware that makes it difficult to unlock the phone, then it would better to by the existing one now.
Click to expand...

Or... buy the existing one at a lower price when the new ones come out.

It's two weeks before WWDC, just wait and make your decision then.
 
robothero said:
Or... buy the existing one at a lower price when the new ones come out.

It's two weeks before WWDC, just wait and make your decision then.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that's what I was thinking too. Do you think the existing one will still be available (inventory wise) when the new one comes out?
 
I have the same decision with my wife who hates her bb from verizon now and needs a new phone asap. Even if they announce a new iphone at WWDC, did not it another month last year to get the phone in stores? That means a new phone is not even going to be in stores before second or third week in July, which is a 1.5 months from now. That is assuming they will get the new phone in stores in the same time frame.

The second question I have what features possibly can they have in new iphone that will be so critical?

1) better phone camera - we don't care, photography is my hobby and I use DSLRs, and I have 5 cameras, and I hate inferior quality pictures. They can put a 6MP sensor in there, still will be a crappy picture with that lens, no question about it. So that is not a factor. Video capability recording - don't care either, have a camcorder for that.

2) better battery life?? have multiple chargers at home, at office, inside my car. Not an issue.

3) Faster internet surfing speed - now that is something to think about, I could always use faster internet.

4) larger screen area - I doubt they will go larger than current 3.5 inches but if they do - something to consider, larger screen - can read better.

5) Anything else available technology wise they can put in the phone that would truly wow me that I dont have in my current Iphone?
 
We don't know what they will bring to the table since Apple is very good at maintaining secrecy up until the last minute. I'd suggest you to wait 11 more days. Trust me, it will be that good of a wait. If the news isn't good for you, jump gun on a 3G.
 
gtgrad95 said:
Thanks, that's what I was thinking too. Do you think the existing one will still be available (inventory wise) when the new one comes out?
Click to expand...

Inventory is already sparse for the 3G model. If things go like they did last year, there will not be an iPhone 3G avilable prior to the launch of a new model. Last year they ran out of the originial iPhone a little over a month before the launch of the 3G. Ebay and Craigslist were the only places you could buy an iPhone until mid-July.


It's true that there could be some really great features that come out on the next iPhone, hardware wise. I've read the rumors, and there are some features that I would need to see included to upgrade. As with the 3G it didn't offer enough of an upgrade to convince me to swtih from my original iPhone to the 3G.

If you decide to wait, hopefully it works out for you!.
 
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