Why did I get a 3GS on launch?!

[ah123]

You will always be buying 'dated tech'. No matter when you buy something, there will be something newer, faster, flashier, 'cooler', etc. available. Will you always complain?

What's wrong with just accepting what you have and using and enjoying it until something new comes out and not getting so worked up over it...

If you really can't enjoy it, then buy something else. Nobody's 'forcing' you to stay with Apple.

Edit -- By the way, I have a 3GS from July 2009 so I sort of get where you're coming from. I just don't share the stress of it... I am pretty excited to hear what Apple do come out with, though.

 

[S.B.G]

My problem with the "buying 3GS on release date" is if the new iPhone is some garbage spec bump 4S model, it'll mean that 3GS owners will be locked into an upgrade cycle where they are always getting dated tech. That sucks.

That's not entirely true. I bought my 3GS on launch day and it works just as good today as it did on launch day. Oddly enough, AT&T granted a lot of early upgrades to folks last year when the iPhone 4 came out. I was eligible after 12 months to get the new one. I chose not to, and kept the 3GS. So in fact, at least a certain number of people will not be locked into the "S" upgrade cycle.

 

[eawmp1]

My problem with the "buying 3GS on release date" is if the new iPhone is some garbage spec bump 4S model, it'll mean that 3GS owners will be locked into an upgrade cycle where they are always getting dated tech. That sucks.

Because the current form factor is a disaster, with the fragile glass construction and antenna issues. The iPhone 4 is garbage -- if it hadn't had an Apple badge on the back and iOS loaded, it would've been a tech blunder that couldn't find shelf space 6 months later.

So what would make you less unhappy, being the guy with the proven "1 year-old technology" with the tweaks, or the "beta tester" of a new form factor?

 

[theking79]

why not just get a Galaxy S2 on an 18 month contract, it will be cheaper than an iPhone and by the time you upgrade there will be a Galaxy S4, no more dated tech.

 

[ajcadoo]

Do you not realize that those contracts aren't with Apple? Or that not everyone is stuck in a 2 year contract? Some places offer yearly contracts while other offer only 3. Heck, some people simply buy their iPhones outright and avoid contracts in general. Then, there are still the people who pay the extra fees to get out of their contracts early or pay the early upgrade charges so they can get a new iPhone yearly regardless of what their contract says.

...and then there are the people who sign a contract, wait for it to expire, and cry about how Apple doesn't care about them since they haven't released a new phone when their contracts were up.

The majority of the US population gets a 2 year contract for their cell phones. This majority must be on the minds of Apple? Am I not correct?

 

[Applejuiced]

The majority of the US population gets a 2 year contract for their cell phones. This majority must be on the minds of Apple? Am I not correct?

And just like any other cellphone company or wireless provider they must wait till they're eligable for an upgrade.
The upgrade subsidy is paid by the carrier to the phone manufacturer.
What is there to be on the minds of Apple? Give away phones for free to people not due for an upgrade cause they will complain?
That's how the cellphone industry works, is this the first time you're getting a wireless device on contract?

 

[Ayman250]

Can you call people using your phone? If yes, then how is your phone bad, at all? Makes no sense aha.

According to that logic people should still be usong candy bar phones with 2 color creens. Point is phones get replaced with better phones that are more useful and the result is a need to upgrade.

 

[rockyroad55]

Your contract doesn't automatically end at the 2 year mark. They will still charge you month to month.

 

[z3r0inc]

I'm still rocking the 3G iphone too. It will all be better soon. I promise?

 

[AmereckanPsycho]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (device; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)

"I bought a 3GS on launch through ATT in July 2009. 2 year contract expired July 2011 and I have been waiting since WWDC11 for this darn iPhone 5!

I was confident an iPhone 5 was going to be announced then, but I have had to hold onto this piece of crap since the event listed nothing but software, software, software... "

I'm in the exact situation as you are.

 

[Airforcekid]

The 4 is far from dated it still beats every other phone out there even if having to choose between any other phone out today I would take the 3GS over them it's still a great smartphone. The cracked screen can easily be replaced.

 

[Eddy Munn]

The iPhone 3GS a 'Piece of crap'? I bought a new one last week from Apple for £40 after my old one served me well for 18 months of accidental torture in my life.
Does everything I want to well, runs iOS5 smoothly, and £10 a month contract at 3,000 texts, 300 minutes and 1GB internet is a laugh!