New iPhone questions

[seannx]

I agree that the Apple Watch is okay for a daily workout, but it needs to be charged every night. It also doesn't have anywhere near the features as the Garmin, but most people wouldn't need them anyway. I'm really liking using my new 5X for a week now, with a few long runs and some hikes, with over 50% battery left.

[Chicago Sandy]

You're not gonna believe this. I ordered my iPhone 8 Plus in the wee hours of last Friday, with a promised pick-up date (with a precise appointment time) of tomorrow 9/22. I went to my Order Status page and it still says "Order in Progress--being readied for shipment and will notify you when it arrives." (Talked to the store this aft.--I was assured it'll be there for my 2pm appt. tomorrow, regardless of what the web page says. We'll see).

Meanwhile, I walked into Best Buy on Wed. night and ordered my husband an unlocked iPhone 8 (to be used with Verizon). Just got the e-mail: it's waiting at the store. They will contact Sprint to transfer his acct. to Verizon. Because his is unlocked and purchased via lump sum, he can do what he wants with his iPhone 6. I couldn't do the same with mine, because I still had $250 left on my AT&T contract for the 6S (and I'm sticking with AT&T). So I put a bit more than that down on the 8 Plus, on the "upgrade every year" plan (no-interest, all comes out the same). But once I get the 8 Plus up & running, I have to wipe the 6S and send it back to AT&T.

[Murphy Slaw]

That's turning into work......

[Chicago Sandy]

Well, we've upgraded. Slowest part of mine was un-pairing the Apple Watch from my 6S and pairing it with the 8 Plus. But everything runs beautifully now, and I can't wait to find stuff and (consenting) people to photograph so I can play with the lighting and faux-depth-of-field effects. And in its slim case it still fits in my small purse. (So did the 6S, but sometimes it'd get lost in there and I'd panic that it was lost or stolen). The "gold" color is actually rose gold, and the glass back is off-white. Pairing it with my AirPods and my car was a snap.

Bob, meanwhile, had a longer time setting up his 8 over at Best Buy, since the Geek Squad guy had to do the paperwork & such to ditch Sprint and get him on to Verizon. He called me twice in a panic. First time was to ask how to pair the phone with his car, but I couldn't remember off the top of my head because it's been 3-1/2 years since I gave him my Fusion after I got an Outback. I asked if Best Buy could do it but he complained that they wanted $15 to do so, and the branch down near his hospitals had paired his 6 for free (even though he bought it at an Apple Store). I pointed out that he just dropped seven bills on a new phone and needed to put things into perspective, but that I would do the deed when he gets home tonight. Got home, printed out the instructions from Ford's website, and called him. He replied from his car--Best Buy, when they found out how far he was going to have to drive to get to his hospital, waived the pairing fee and did it for him after all.

Second panic call was made from the hospital (a two-hour drive due to three accidents), where the phone was in his pocket and the screen would not go dark. He feared the battery would die, the phone was defective and he'd have to return it. So I walked him through Settings and Display, and asked him how many minutes appeared after "Lock Screen After..." He replied, "Never." So we fixed that problem. (He'd never ever gone into Settings on any of his phones).

I've got a lot of teaching to do this weekend....

[AX17609]

Initial reports are that sales of the 8 have been tepid. There's suspicion that people are waiting for the X to be released, but we'll see.

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by AX17609

Initial reports are that sales of the 8 have been tepid. There's suspicion that people are waiting for the X to be released, but we'll see.

What did Apple expect by releasing a phone that’s basically an iPhone 7 with a slightly better camera and wireless charging, and announce that the real upgrade is going to be released 2 months later? I’m one of those waiting for the X. I want a phone with a screen that’s bigger than the 8+, but physically smaller in size.

[Herb Hunter]

Originally Posted by 1neeto

What did Apple expect by releasing a phone that’s basically an iPhone 7 with a slightly better camera and wireless charging, and announce that the real upgrade is going to be released 2 months later? I’m one of those waiting for the X. I want a phone with a screen that’s bigger than the 8+, but physically smaller in size.

I can’t agree that an iPhone 8 is but a 7 with only better photography processing and wireless charging capability.

It is expected to be 25% faster at maximum speed, as much as 70% faster at idle, 30% faster when processing graphics and 70% faster when it comes to multitasking. It also charges more quickly – capable of gathering a 50% charge in 30 minutes.

[Imbler]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

I'm afraid I won't be of much help. I have a 6 and don't have great battery life, but I'm not wasting anymore money on phones than I have to.

The fact that carriers are now forcing me to finance a phone is just ridiculous, and phones are getting so expensive they are forcing the issue. It's like the incredible increase in car prices.

So I plan to use my phone until I can't charge it period. My wife used an iPhone 4 and just paid for a 6s last year. We paid $700 for the phone and if you think about what you are paying with the financing plan over 5-10 years, it's sickening.

No more for me. I'll use it until I can't:

Oh and I'm so freakin deep in the Apple ecosystem that the thought of changing to Android is mind boggling. Add to that the loss of a headphone jack and I'm content with what I have.

My wife and I just had our batteries replaced in our Iphone 6's for 35 each while we waited (about 10 -15 minutes).

No reason to suffer with poor battery life, or to get a new phone when the battery dies if you still like the phone.

I'm getting the new LTE watch, but we still love the iphone 6 for our purposes, and expect to get many more years out of it.

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by Imbler

My wife and I just had our batteries replaced in our Iphone 6's for 35 each while we waited (about 10 -15 minutes).



No reason to suffer with poor battery life, or to get a new phone when the battery dies if you still like the phone.



I'm getting the new LTE watch, but we still love the iphone 6 for our purposes, and expect to get many more years out of it.

That's a great idea. I'm thinking about a watch as well, but only if I don't have to sign a new contract for it lol

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by Herb Hunter

I can’t agree that an iPhone 8 is but a 7 with only better photography processing and wireless charging capability.



It is expected to be 25% faster at maximum speed, as much as 70% faster at idle, 30% faster when processing graphics and 70% faster when it comes to multitasking. It also charges more quickly – capable of gathering a 50% charge in 30 minutes.

Yeah on paper it seems like a much better phone. But things like processing power are trivial when in real time those differences are marginal at best. When you put both phones side by side, you’ll have a hard time telling them apart. It’s all about the features and innovations, the X will use its whole real estate as a screen, no physical buttons and overall a completely redesigned phone. The 8 is just basically a souped up iPhone 7 by comparison.

I think Apple should’ve hold off the X until maybe early next year, that way the 8 would sell much better and people still would go on a frenzy about a new iPhone a few months later. They shot themselves on the foot by announcing both phones at the same time.

[Chicago Sandy]

The X is the milkshake that'll bring all the (fan)boys to the yard, but the 8 and 8 Plus are gonna be the cash cows. Apple's lower-than-expected sales, now that the 8 series is in stores, is due to news that they are having difficulty completing manufacture of the 256GB models--shipping estimates have slipped to mid-October arrival dates, just in time for pre-ordering for the X to begin. And I suspect that those willing to pony up >$1K for it aren't going to settle for the 64GB model--they'll want to go big or go home. (Personally, anyone who needs 256 or even 128 GB of storage in a phone is either managing their apps and files poorly or has given up using laptops. Heck, even my iPad has only 32GB). BTW, there are now Lightning thumb drives that can be used as externals for iPhones & Pads. One's coming out with a USB-C connector at the other end (in the meantime, a female USB-A to male USB-C adaptor works fine).

Bob & I have noticed huge improvements in both our phones over their predecessors--mine has about twice the battery life and charges very quickly; I love the camera options; and vocal clarity through the speaker during phone calls is so crisp as to be disconcerting to those used to telephone sound. And Bob is fascinated by that charging mat. Now to get him some apps and teach him to use them. (As for music, Apple Music gives me the option to share songs from my Library with him so he needn't pay to download them from the iTunes store nor get his own Apple Music account unless he wants to stream). Texting is much easier for me--the onscreen keys are bigger. That's Bob's only regret about not having gotten the 8 Plus, but it'd never have fit in any of his shirt or pants pockets. I was surprised to find last night that the 8 Plus fit into my evening bag. (It wouldn't fit into one of those tiny expensive designer minaudieres, but then again neither do my inhaler, pocket mirror/brush and other essentials--nor even my 6S).

I also updated my Apple Watch 2 to Watch OS 4; it does a heck of a lot now than it did before--even the Heartbeat app now uses a graph of recent result and has a sensor that detects abnormally rapid pulse at rest. And the Music app can now more easily control the volume on AirPods (you previously had to tap the top of one earbud and ask Siri to adjust the volume--I got some weird stares in the cardio room at the gym).

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by Chicago Sandy

The X is the milkshake that'll bring all the (fan)boys to the yard, but the 8 and 8 Plus are gonna be the cash cows. Apple's lower-than-expected sales, now that the 8 series is in stores, is due to news that they are having difficulty completing manufacture of the 256GB models--shipping estimates have slipped to mid-October arrival dates, just in time for pre-ordering for the X to begin. And I suspect that those willing to pony up >$1K for it aren't going to settle for the 64GB model--they'll want to go big or go home. (Personally, anyone who needs 256 or even 128 GB of storage in a phone is either managing their apps and files poorly or has given up using laptops. Heck, even my iPad has only 32GB). BTW, there are now Lightning thumb drives that can be used as externals for iPhones & Pads. One's coming out with a USB-C connector at the other end (in the meantime, a female USB-A to male USB-C adaptor works fine).

Bob & I have noticed huge improvements in both our phones over their predecessors--mine has about twice the battery life and charges very quickly; I love the camera options; and vocal clarity through the speaker during phone calls is so crisp as to be disconcerting to those used to telephone sound. And Bob is fascinated by that charging mat. Now to get him some apps and teach him to use them. (As for music, Apple Music gives me the option to share songs from my Library with him so he needn't pay to download them from the iTunes store nor get his own Apple Music account unless he wants to stream). Texting is much easier for me--the onscreen keys are bigger. That's Bob's only regret about not having gotten the 8 Plus, but it'd never have fit in any of his shirt or pants pockets. I was surprised to find last night that the 8 Plus fit into my evening bag. (It wouldn't fit into one of those tiny expensive designer minaudieres, but then again neither do my inhaler, pocket mirror/brush and other essentials--nor even my 6S).

I also updated my Apple Watch 2 to Watch OS 4; it does a heck of a lot now than it did before--even the Heartbeat app now uses a graph of recent result and has a sensor that detects abnormally rapid pulse at rest. And the Music app can now more easily control the volume on AirPods (you previously had to tap the top of one earbud and ask Siri to adjust the volume--I got some weird stares in the cardio room at the gym).

I'm glad the purchases are working out.

I'm sure it's smart phone ubiquity and the ways people have different work flow and need that has some of the improvements to be big news and others laughed at.

It's rare when charge time is much of a problem for me but I listened to a contractor acquaintance be excited about that. Forgetting to charge at end of shift or day at work creates a mess where each location and the delivery division count on a bunch of devices.

Yes, the watch got some polish and feature fix up that is pretty good. I'm noticing around 5-20% more battery use but it's totally manageable leaving me with plenty power to get through the day. Some of that might be the Abvio (Cyclemeter, Walkmeter, Runmeter - really the same app) update that was really good.

I don't think the watch is anything to laugh at as some do. It's a really nice aid for my work day and being no natural athlete but have become one. On a far more serious note I've seen revolutions and changes quite like Apple's recent ads for them.

[AX17609]

Not that anyone cares, but I ended up buying an SE...primarily for portability.

[Nama Ensou]

Originally Posted by AX17609

Not that anyone cares, but I ended up buying an SE...primarily for portability.

I care, because that's what I'm going to be buying too. Would be nice if the manufacturers realized that there will always be a market for those of us who want power, and as much screen as possible, but at the same time, in as compact a form as possible, and an SE with no buttons or holes on the front could have a lot of edge-to-edge screen if they follow with what Samsung has been doing too.

[AX17609]

Originally Posted by Nama Ensou

I care, because that's what I'm going to be buying too. Would be nice if the manufacturers realized that there will always be a market for those of us who want power, and as much screen as possible, but at the same time, in as compact a form as possible, and an SE with no buttons or holes on the front could have a lot of edge-to-edge screen if they follow with what Samsung has been doing too.

That's what I expect the next release will be. They're discounting the SE so heavily that its days are surely numbered. But, its diminutive size has a loyal following. I expect what we'll see next is an SE-sized phone that's full screen...a sort of X jr. The Samsungs are real beauties and make anything with a surround seem old fashioned.