WWYD? iphone 5 or 4s?

[Globug]

just a quick question for everyone...

My mom currently has a 3gs and wants a new iphone. She's a very casual/lowkey user, so technically the 3gs will STILL suit her needs but its just too slow/ old to use. She usually just uses it for calls, texts, a few medical apps and some very casual browsing.

If this was for me i wouldn't have any issue and would def get an iphone 5, i currently have a 4s and am sticking with it for now, but i'm just not sure my mom NEEDS the iphone 5 and the iphone 4s might be more then enough for her. Yet my mentality of latest and greatest is preventing me from seeing which iphone i should get for her. I think the 5 will be wasted on her, but maybe it does make sense to buy it for the long term since next year the iphone 4s will be low end and the 5 will be mid range.

What would you guys do? help!!!

 

[tann]

Get the 5, give her your 4S and you can have the 5!

Your hunger for the latest and greatest is fed and your mum's need for something a bit better (that will last her a few more years) is also solved

 

[greytmom]

Get the 5, give her your 4S and you can have the 5!

Your hunger for the latest and greatest is fed and your mum's need for something a bit better (that will last her a few more years) is also solved

I completely agree with this.

 

[KPOM]

What network are you on? If you are on AT&T or Verizon I'd get lean toward the 5 since NYC networks are crowded, and having LTE support will make whatever browsing she does do that much better. It's also lighter than the 4S, which could be a good benefit in and of itself.

 

[djransom]

Get the 5, give her your 4S and you can have the 5!

Your hunger for the latest and greatest is fed and your mum's need for something a bit better (that will last her a few more years) is also solved

Good advice

 

[Globug]

as much as i would love to do that, i can't

My 4s is unlocked and jailbroken and i'm moving to Australia in January and planning on taking the phone with me. My mom would have a locked phone, so yeah, unless you guys can figure out how i can get her phone unlocked as well, and convince her to let me swap phones .

 

[tann]

as much as i would love to do that, i can't

My 4s is unlocked and jailbroken and i'm moving to Australia in January and planning on taking the phone with me. My mom would have a locked phone, so yeah, unless you guys can figure out how i can get her phone unlocked as well, and convince her to let me swap phones .

Maybe just go with the 4S then. $100 more for the 5 though...

I'd go 4S if she doesn't need the 5. But the 5 has all the new features so it might last longer (in terms of updates/usability when more apps are updated to take advantage of bigger screens?).

 

[SavoryDave]

I'm of the belief that the one-digit iPhones (ie; 3, 4, and now 5) are worth skipping in favor of the multi-digit iPhones (3GS, 4S). I would have been more tempted to get the iPhone 5 if it connected the Thunderbolt port on my MacBook Pro. That'll come in the iPhone 5S next year (probably in June instead of September).

 

[Globug]

Maybe just go with the 4S then. $100 more for the 5 though...

I'd go 4S if she doesn't need the 5. But the 5 has all the new features so it might last longer (in terms of updates/usability when more apps are updated to take advantage of bigger screens?).

the longevity is the only plus i see to the 5 for her. Its a dilemma. I would have loved to make her the 5 and steal it, but how do i unlock it without paying a fortune for it. Also is the 5 going to be any additional benefits to me in Australia? I'm not sure if they even have LTE, so maybe a 5 would even be overkill for me there.

We are currently on ATT in NYC.

 

[greytmom]

the longevity is the only plus i see to the 5 for her. Its a dilemma. I would have loved to make her the 5 and steal it, but how do i unlock it without paying a fortune for it. Also is the 5 going to be any additional benefits to me in Australia? I'm not sure if they even have LTE, so maybe a 5 would even be overkill for me there.

We are currently on ATT in NYC.

Ok, so get her the 4S. The 5 is overkill for her, and sounds like she won't mind waiting another couple of years or more for another upgrade.

Then when you move to Australia, you can check into upgrading there if you so desire.

 

[Globug]

I'm of the belief that the one-digit iPhones (ie; 3, 4, and now 5) are worth skipping in favor of the multi-digit iPhones (3GS, 4S). I would have been more tempted to get the iPhone 5 if it connected the Thunderbolt port on my MacBook Pro. That'll come in the iPhone 5S next year (probably in June instead of September).

i agree with you as well BTW. Personally i went from a 3gs to a 4s, and am waiting for the 5s. But my moms phone is still useable but just painfully slow. My stepdad is still on the 4 too. its still good enough for both of them, but almost no point to pay for 2nd best since its only 100$ diff and a year or more diff.

 

[madsci954]

Unlocked 4S and going with Straight Talk. I ordered the phone with a black bumper shortly after the Apple Store came back up. It should be here tomorrow. But I have no idea when my ST SIM will arrive, so I'll probably have the iPhone before I can activate it. #firstworldproblem

 

[nostresshere]

You could also get the 5, leave her on the 3 and sell the 4 to help pay for the latest greatest gotta have it wiz bang phone fo you.

 

[acuriouslad]

the longevity is the only plus i see to the 5 for her. Its a dilemma. I would have loved to make her the 5 and steal it, but how do i unlock it without paying a fortune for it. Also is the 5 going to be any additional benefits to me in Australia? I'm not sure if they even have LTE, so maybe a 5 would even be overkill for me there.

We are currently on ATT in NYC.

Australia's two biggest telcos have LTE as of last week, however we run on different LTE frequency to the US, so if you want an iPhone 5 wait till you get to Aus.

 

[Globug]

You could also get the 5, leave her on the 3 and sell the 4 to help pay for the latest greatest gotta have it wiz bang phone fo you.

how can i sell the 4, and why? its not my phone, there is someone using it and i have no authority to take it from them. wtf? The money isn't an issue, the issue is whether it makes sense for her to get the 5, only positive being the longevity, or 4s.

I can't leave my mom on the 3, its barely functional. i don't really WANT the 5, i rather wait for the 5s. My 4s does everything i want at the moment, but if i can get the 5 for free/swap with her i might do so.

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Australia's two biggest telcos have LTE as of last week, however we run on different LTE frequency to the US, so if you want an iPhone 5 wait till you get to Aus.

didn't they say the new iPhone will work on ALL LTE frequencies worldwide? So in theory shouldn't the American one work on the Aussie frequencies? This might make it a little more interesting for me to acquire the 5.