Anybody upgraded an iPhone lately?

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by Neil K Walk

You guys know that Apple purposely slows down your phones as the battery ages right? Check your settings. It will tell you what your battery capacity is. If you phone is slowing down, it's time to replace the battery.

I've recently seen batteries for sale that include the kits you need to open up the phone yourself. One of the tools looks conspicuously like a nylon guitar pick. That's something that's new to me; I'd thought that you had to have Apple or a certified tech with a static mat and special tools to do it. If it's 2 years old though and the battery is not holding a charge as long and on the charger every day then what's the harm to go the DIY route? Just make sure that you've backed your phone settings and files to the cloud.

My previous comments about planned obsolescence aside though, if your phone is 5-6 years old it's just not going to run well at all. The way I see it, you should get a maximum of about 3-4 years out of a phone. If you can't buy a case for it without going online that should be a sign.

On DIY repairs: Newer phones have water resistance that is lost with some DIY and third party battery and screen replacement. Also, some discount batteries are not comparable. From iPhone 7s on I've stopped doing my own repairs. I don't view this as don't do DIY as much as know it.

On the SE rumors..... In the meanwhile carriers and retailers have promomotions on iPhone 8 that are attractive. Our kids who does little but phone calls, text messages and camera got a great deal on an 8.

It would be super if they had a bargain model with smaller size and all-screen design. An economy and non-premium materials X.

I've posted about eating my words when I first got a Plus and the XS Max. You pay for it but I've loved the all screen design and large screen more than expected. You don't need a fat carry case. I've hardly touched my Kindle since the XS Max, and I do Office 365 and other work things on phone that used to be go to the laptop or desktop.

How much the new Pixel 4 looks like an iPhone further settles how much this is a mature product market now. Microsoft is probably onto something making a hinged Android dual screen vs flexible plastic big screen. The other sign of market maturity is I noticed the person I report to has kept his Apple Watch 5 and makes calls on it.

[AX17609]

The size issue wouldn't be a problem if the designers of male pants would commonly include a cell phone pocket. Only a few lines have such a pocket. I don't understand why they aren't more popular and, hence, more common. The Levis I have on at the moment have a change pocket, and I can't ever remember putting change in it. Please, Levi designers, dump the change pocket and add a cell phone pocket. Problem solved.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by AX17609

The size issue wouldn't be a problem if the designers of male pants would commonly include a cell phone pocket. Only a few lines have such a pocket. I don't understand why they aren't more popular and, hence, more common. The Levis I have on at the moment have a change pocket, and I can't ever remember putting change in it. Please, Levi designers, dump the change pocket and add a cell phone pocket. Problem solved.

I'm sold on Kuhl pants. They're among the crazy spots where I'm either total cheap or go premium. They have the phone pockets, they're cut for different shaped people so they fit husky and skinny people. They come in different weights, with water resistance, and my new thrill - some have some stretch.

[Lauren_WarEagle]

I bought the XS Max last year (LOVE it, btw) and I’m going to see how long I can keep it before buying another new iPhone. But I almost always give in to the new upgrades at least every two years!

[ChrisE]

We upgraded two phones from Sprint. They had a special where you could get two Xr’s for $31.95 a month. Not a bad deal. EXCEPT—THEY KEEP CHARGING ME FOR BOTH EVERY MONTH!

Every month my wife calls me screaming, “YOU LIED TO ME! YOU SAID YOU GOT THIS FIXED AND THEY’RE STILL CHARGING US YOU”

Which results in me calling SPRINT again and spending a lovely afternoon telling the whole story AGAIN. They transfer me to only to have them tell me, “It’s fixed now. You won’t have the problem any more.”

Won’t have this problem any more UNTIL NEXT MONTH is what they should say!

[Murphy Slaw]

Originally Posted by ChrisE

We upgraded two phones from Sprint. They had a special where you could get two Xr’s for $31.95 a month. Not a bad deal. EXCEPT—THEY KEEP CHARGING ME FOR BOTH EVERY MONTH!

Every month my wife calls me screaming, “YOU LIED TO ME! YOU SAID YOU GOT THIS FIXED AND THEY’RE STILL CHARGING US”

Which results in me calling SPRINT again and spending a lovely afternoon telling the whole story AGAIN. They transfer me to only to have them tell me, “It’s fixed now. You won’t have the problem any more.”

Won’t have this problem any more UNTIL NEXT MONTH is what they should say!

That's why I always buy phones outright.

No payment plan.

I even make them take a check. Made from paper....

[Neil K Walk]

Originally Posted by Murphy Slaw

That's why I always buy phones outright.

No payment plan.

I even make them take a check. Made from paper....

Yup. We bought 2 XRs and an 8 directly from the Apple Store with my wife’s bonus. No new contract necessary.

[M Hayden]

Upgraded my wife’s phone to the 11 pro with triple camera last weekend, as her old 6S was dying. She loves it and finds the non-button interface amazing.

[seannx]

Have been very satisfied with my 10XS. I upgraded last year from a 6s+. It was a huge step up, the camera is great (way better), and if there is enough cost savings compared to the new 11 models it could be a good way to go.

I’m planning to stay with it until 5G arrives on iPhones, and it actually looks like there will be some practical advantage to upgrade. My phone is plenty fast now, and more than fine for my needs.

[Kerbie]

Thanks for those opinions on the 11 Pro and the XS. I think the 11 Pro is still leading in my thoughts, but I can hardly imagine spending so much money on a phone.

Thanks to everyone! I've learned a lot here.

[Murphy Slaw]

You can always buy the last model, or 2nd to last model for HUGE discounts after the new ones come out. You always catch up and will save thousands of dollars (over time) in the process.

It's just a phone. It's not a status symbol.....

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by Murphy Slaw

You can always buy the last model, or 2nd to last model for HUGE discounts after the new ones come out. You always catch up and will save thousands of dollars (over time) in the process.

It's just a phone. It's not a status symbol.....

Several years ago, these things were improving so fast that there was some benefit to being on the bleeding edge. Now, they’re so good, and improving so incrementally, that I agree it makes more sense for most people to buy at least one model behind the newest one. And keep it a good long while. You save a lot more than you lose that way. But, hey, if you have the money and REALLY want some feature(s) only available in the latest model, knock yourself out...

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by Kerbie

Thanks for those opinions on the 11 Pro and the XS. I think the 11 Pro is still leading in my thoughts, but I can hardly imagine spending so much money on a phone.

Thanks to everyone! I've learned a lot here.

I was at an adult birthday party last night in a circle of associates mostly not so into technology as many I know and surprised. First there were people I never expected including an antique watch collector with the Apple Watch and one couple who went for the latest cellular watch and kept 6S phones. Mostly I was surprised by others who last year or just recently got the all screen and premium models.

My daughter is getting the 11 mostly because of budget and not the XR because of the dual cameras.

The biggest surprise in that group was a couple I'd never think of having XS Max and one considering the big 11 Pro for that triple camera and all they came to appreciate with the XS Max screen. They are 1 retired and another still working librarian who like me value the reading quality. The photographer hobbyist among them wants that triple camera.

I keep using this site with Tapatalk of mobile and forgot to look, but the forum where I'm a moderator is responsive design now so I don't even wait to be at a larger device for admin tasks. Even not a responsive design site, turning the large phones sideways makes a desktop site quite manageable.

An associate using the 13.2 beta said she would not advice beta for all but she said 13.2 will make the Pro's camera system even more impressive. IIRC, the 2nd or 3rd 13.2 beta is out so any Pro buyer will get that feature set very soon.

Loving the screen and camera quality was no surprise at that birthday party of people mostly ages late 50s to 93. How many in that age bracket had the watches and with cellular feature was.

[imwjl]

FWIW, my daughter was home from college over the weekend and she got the 11.

When set with a Max, XS, 7 Plus and 8 you see how nice it is for the price point and how good the display is though not OLED. All the reviews saying it is a worthy upgrade and tremendous for most people are spot on.

With all those on the next to each other you also notice the LTE radio performance against the older models. We have Verizon where her new 11 and the two XS series perform so well you know the right thing to do is wait for 5G to be ready for prime time.

With a friend's 11 Pro, her 11 and my XS Max you notice the 11 doesn't have the physically telephoto but it like the Pro is tremendous for wide angle, portrait and low light photos. If you zoom your expectations cannot be same as older digital zoom but if you spend the money the Pro camera system really is tremendous.

The lower pixel per inch count was not noticeable with a basic look but the OLED screen phones have display that's just gorgeous and you pay for it. The XR and 11 screens deserve a lot of credit for how good they are for saving a lot of money.

One criticism for sure goes to all the new models and it's missed by most users. That's the pressure sensitive screens. A long or timed press schema replaces the menu options you got with a harder and not just longer press on the screen. My daughter said she was getting over it fast.

If you use a Mac computer and have all your software in the 13.x and 10.15 versions you'll find the ahead of everyone integration features are better than ever. More and more third party software uses all that. Now even Google Maps as an example will copy and paste between the two. For a power user or person with a complex job it's no doubt the better mouse trap, and if you have an Apple Watch you can also leave your phone and computer home still having a lot of communication and compute power with you.

Bottom line is all around me I see people who are really happy with their 5, 6 and 7 series upgrades to the 3 new 11 models. People who don't value all the power available or much more than mobile basics are really happy with a basic 8 model. The rumored SE2 are not here but the bargains on 8s probably get you that now.

[CoffeeFan]

A few years ago I read somewhere that an iPhone has more computing power than every computer used to put a man on the moon combined.

And they let us have it!

LOL!