Member
Apple continues production of the 3GS with 2 million sold this last quarter and expects to sell 1.5 million in the first quarter of 2012. Does not sound obsolete to me, but who knows what Apple will do. My OS is the 5.0.1 (9A405) which is one down from 4S. But that 9A406 release (very quietly done) is ONLY for the 4S to 'fix' a 4S-peculiar SIM-card problem.
Forrest
Contributor
but look at all the features 5.01 did not add to the 3gs. by ios 6 I doubt it will even run that version. apple is bad about not supporting older hardware. a lot of new aps that won't run on the 3gs too.
Steve knight
cnc routing
Member
Oh, golly! I did NOT intend to suggest that the 3GS was equivalent to the 4 or 4S. There are many apps that will not run on my iPhone 3GS - face-to-face and skype are but 2 examples since I do not have a front camera. Will the iOS for iPhone 5 work on the iPhone 4S? will the iOS for the iPhone 6 run on the iPhone 5? Who knows???? My point was that unless you have need for the iPhone 4S capabilities, there is a cheaper way to enjoy the iPhone and still have access to an up-to-date OS. Someday that will change and if that is a problem, then we will buy new hardware.
Forrest
Contributor
what I am saying is saving 100 on buying a 3gs that is over 3 years out of date will cost you more in the long run because you will have to upgrade sooner. going by apples record the 3gs will not be able to run ios 6 or it will be really slow doing it. the 3g will not run ios 5 and is really slow on ios 4 If you buy a 3gs you are buying a non supported phone that has a good chance in a year to be obsolete unless you only do basic things with it. if you spend 100 on a iphone 4 you will get two or three years before you have to upgrade. more if you get a iphone 4s. thats the nature of any computer these days. 3 year old hardware does not go very far.
Steve knight
cnc routing
Member
Windows machines do as well with the iOS5. All our i* devices are on iOS5 now and doing this. Its not 100% reliable, but good enough. Once in a while my iPad or iPhone don't sync but its virtually always one or the other that doesn't, not both at the same time.Originally Posted by Mark Ashmeade
As for roaming it depends on where you go. Big cities in Europe yes, rural areas in the US, maybe not. Co-workers on ATT are regularly sending out emails that they are going to Podunk and won't have cell service. If you want the best US coverage and don't care about foreign travel, go to Verizon.
Yes, but Android spread across dozens and dozens of different phones.Not sure I understand this; Android has way higher market share than iPhone. http://articles.businessinsider.com/...rtphone-market. Or is it an underdog thing?
Contributor
Every statement in this quote is false. The 3gs is only a model and a half ago and still runs the most up to date operating system available. Even if it can't run iOS 6 when it comes out 8 months from now it will still only be one OS behind, I repeat 8 months form now. You also say you will only be able to do basic things with it in a year because it won't be supported. Next year every single app and hardware feature that currently works on the phone will continue to work. A free 3gs does 95 percent of what an iPhone 4s will do and does it almost as good in most cases. I am an admitted Apple fan and have owned every iPhone model the day that it came out. While I would agree, buying the newest hardware is always the best thing to do for longevity if you can afford it getting a free 3gs is still an amazing piece of technology that would fit most peoples needs. Also for anyone saying that Apple is a closed system feel free to point out a single advantage that Android has because it is so called "open". And by the way the lack of flash now no longer matters because 90 percent of Android phones never supported flash and the ten that did won't have to worry about it because Adobe quit developing a mobile flash because even they admitted it is a dead technology. Any smart phone you get Apple or Android is going to be a great addition to your work and your everyday life it just depends on what kind of a system you want to work with.
Last edited by keith micinski; 12-31-2011 at 3:34 PM.
Member
Buy the iPhone strictly out of the "free" upgrade possibilities.
I've had each iphone since the 3G version.
When my 3G was 1 year old, I sold it on CL for $280 within 10-20minutes of listing on CL and bought the 3Gs for $299.
When the 3Gs was 1 year old, I sold it for $320 on CL and bought the Iphone 4 for $299.
When my Iphone 4 was 1 year old, I sold it for $375 on CL and bought the Iphone 4s new for $399.
So, for about the last 3-4 years, aside from my initial purchase, I've had the latest phones, with newer batteries and features AND warranty for basically free.
Android phones have that kind of resale?? I doubt it.
Like Apple laptops, buy one today for $1000 and it'll be worth $650 in 2-3 years. Anybody know of a PC laptop that old worth more than $45-85.00 ??
Lot's of better reasons, but the resale on iphones is phenomenal.
Julian
Member
Not just big cities, not just Europe. GSM serves 80% of the world's population with over 4 billion subscribers, and about 600m for CDMA. Verizon and Sprint just backed the wrong technology horse, but made a decent fist of it in the US.
It's all moot now anyway. The CDMA technology standards group threw the towel in, and 4G LTE is a GSM-based standard. Once voice over LTE hits, Verizon & Sprint will be at the top table.
Member
That 80% of the population stuff is exactly what I'm talking about. It doesn't do you any good if you're in a Nebraska town where 0.000000000000000001% of the worlds population lives. I haven't been to Europe since spring of 1999 and don't have any plans to go (which means this will be the year, right?) but fairly regularly travel to places where there's no GSM coverage here. Like I said, it depends on where you go.
The article I read recently said Verizon is doing VOLTE trials. Won't be surprised at all to see it offered soon the way they are pushing their LTE buildout. I just wish they'd make it here. They are oh-so-close. Just a few miles south of me there's coverage.
Member
iPhone 4s has best camera, easy upload to cloud, sets all pics in folder in your pc.
Carpenter cut- optimize is excellent app for shop.
The voice rec Siri app is wonderfully productive.
Contributor
If you go Android be sure you check and see what operating system they are running and also realize that most of the Android phones can't be upgraded to the newer software as it comes out, they have gotten better on that though.
Member
I have sold totally broken iphones for $180.00 - $250.00 on ebay. Yes broken. Nothing no lights no noise.
AZCRAIG
Member
Ebay's full of idiot buyers who'll pay too much... I don't bother with selling through ebay anymore, seems a pain. I've dumped off all my iphones on CL.
JT
Member
Well, I thank you for informing me that my iPhone 3GS no longer works with iOS 5. It has worked fine and pretty fast for the last 2 months with iOS 5 (9A405), but I will run out now and recycle it. Economics is another matter, but that is for each user to decide. Fortunately, there are alternatives - even alternatives to Apple.
Forrest
Member
He said the 3G doesn't work with IOS5. Indeed it doesn't. The 3GS does, but that has a faster processor than the 3G.
The "problem" is that as soon as a new feature comes out, the other manufacturers introduce phones with that feature. They have to constantly innovate to attract buyers. It's a totally different market dynamic than say stationary power tools, where the same design can be current for decades. Also, there's only a few tens of thousands of a particular tool made, at max, whereas there are tens of millions of phones made.
A mobile phone has a non-obsolescent life of no more than 3 years. That's why there's 2-year contracts on them to recoup the initial loss that got you in the store. After 2 years, you're free to get another with the latest gizmos. Just how the market has worked.
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