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Which iPhone? struggling

B

bitteorca

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 15, 2010
4
0
Hey,

I am a student with a part-time job. I obviously have limited moneyz!

I was wondering whether you could help me. My friend has offered me his white iphone 3g 16gb for £180. At first I thought that this would be a good idea. Cheaper than iphone 4, and I can use it as an ipod as well (my ipod is in need of upgrading!).

Pro's of getting the old 3G:

Cheaper

Can be on pay-as-you go (if I am short of money one month, I'm not locked down)

Cons:

I've heard massive problems with IOS4 being installed on it. Thankfully he hasn't done it yet so I could just leave it

Related to above, would staying on IOS3 prohibit me from doing things in the future? Would my iphone become obsolete in too short of a time period?

Battery life: I want to use it as an ipod as well sometimes, but is this realistic? My friends with one tell me the battery life is basically useless if you are going to be using it for ipod use and phone use. I could just buy a dock to easily place it in and charge when I get home but still.

Iphone 4:

Cons:

Its way to expensive. I don't even have a full time job. It would sap quite a lot of my money (initial cost, monthly cost, phone insurance)

Pros:

It's obviously better (But, do i realllyyyy need the additional pro's when I haven't got the cash to back it up?!)


There's also another option: just get a cheap rubbish phone. Material wealth and chasing products doesn't result in happiness haha. I'm also not a point in my life where I'm away from home much, and hence do I really need the features on the iphone?! I'm sure I'd appreciate it if I worked full time etc but i'm not at that stage in my life

If you could point me in the right direction and offer advice it would be much appreciated

Thanks guys
 
It's hard not to recommend that iPhone 4 but in your financial situation I'd say an iPod touch and whatever phone doesn't require a data plan would be the way to go.
 
Go with the less expensive option. Sure the I4 is pretty awesome, but the 3G is no slouch either. You still get most of the same functionality, and at a price you can afford.
 
Centient said:
Go with the less expensive option. Sure the I4 is pretty awesome, but the 3G is no slouch either. You still get most of the same functionality, and at a price you can afford.
Click to expand...

This is if you avoid updating. Future updates may help a little but the 3G is a hog on 4.0.

Watch this if you haven't already.
 
lostprophet894 said:
This is if you avoid updating. Future updates may help a little but the 3G is a hog on 4.0.

Watch this if you haven't already.
Click to expand...

That's correct. Don't update at this time, or perhaps ever. Having read his post, I think the OP understands that.

I never said he'd have the bestest, top of the line iPhone in the 3G. However he'd still have a perfectly functional phone that still does most everything you and I can do. I really don't see future OS updates making his phone obsolete in the near future.

Put it this way, to the OP just having an iPhone, regardless of the iOS version will be a treat.
 
I would go for the iPhone 4. The iPhone 3G might be nice, but we are already 2 generation further. When iPhone 5 is released next year, there will be no new software (firmware) updates for you. Next to that more and more apps need extra power and use new functions (gyroscope (iPhone 4), compass (3GS) etc.)

The iPhone 3G only has a 2 megapixel camera. It will not support multitasking if you update to iOS 4 (which is by the way not a problem, I've seen a number of iPhone 3G models without problems running iOS 4.0 - the heck, they were all faster than a 3GS running iOS 3.1), no background or something, no screen rotation lock, out-dated apps (every day less apps will support the iPhone 3G)).

I would certainly go for the iPhone 4, or at least for a 3GS. Sure, it costs a little bit more and that's not not nice but than you are certain you will get updates up to iOS 6.0 (whereas the iPhone 3G only goes to iOS 4.* and iPhone 3GS to iOS 5.*).

I would at least go for a 3GS which naturally has a better battery life than the 3G and will support all new software features like multitasking. You need the extra horse power.
 
Hi guys,

Thanks a lot for the responses!

I have actually considered getting an ipod touch and then just a cheap mobile, but when I think about the cost combined it would probably get to around £180 and would be 2 items in my pockets! I like the way the iphone combines the two, one of the main reasons for me wanting one (my 1gb old skool ipod needs updating and I need a new phone).

I understand people are saying opt for the iphone 4, especially regarding the longevity of it. but when I think about it, it would prevent me from doing other things in life (i'm getting deep now!). Would I rather be sat inside with the iphone 4 because I can't afford to go out, or would I be better with the iphone 3g, which isnt as good, but gives me a lot more free cash. I suppose I can always change the situation when my situation changes (when I get a full time job after graduating from my Masters)

I think my decision is to opt for my friends 16gb 3G. He's selling it to me at the price he would get for sending it to one of those phone recycling places, so I'm getting it slightly cheaper than eb*y price, and I also know where it is from. I can handle the short battery life, I will buy a dock and just put the iphone in that when I am at home. I'd love an iphone 4, but semi-beggars can't be choosers. I'm still going to have an iphone right?! like Centient pointed out :)
 
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