new iPhone after 5 years

[mrbadger]

I tried to make it last longer, but today I finally had to admit that my iPhone 5 just wasn't going to consistently charge any more. So I backed it up. Being somewhat relieved it managed to stay connected long enough to achieve that, and bought an iPhone SE direct from Apple to replace it.

Bit sad really. I've been getting it repaired for the last two years, but now the touch screen is failing, and one of the things I had repaired is failing again, or has failed, being the power connector.

At least I don't have to get a bigger phone, the SE is the same size as the 5, so it'll go in my old case.

I can't be doing with this massive phone lark, or this thing about needing the latest gadget. I would have kept my 5 for another two or three years if possible, but I suppose even five years was pushing it.

[Morkonan]

I have a tiny Android-based phone. It fits easily in any pocket. But, it has limited memory/storage for stuff and that is its only downside, really.

Aside from privacy concerns, the thing I dislike about most modern phones is that they're yuuuuuuge. I don't want some giant walloping piece of hardware clunking around in my pants! Uh... well, aside from what I've already been blessed with!

...

(Oh, come on! I'm talking about my key-fob for my car! )

[felter]

I don't even have a smart phone, don't get me wrong I do have a mobile phone, it's just a small flip phone, that I have to charge once a week. It makes and receives calls and it can send a text. While it only cost a fraction of the price of a so called smart phone.

[pjknibbs]

I have a Nokia e63 that still manages to go days without a charge despite being a good 8 years old now. Guess not having a massive battery-sapping touchscreen helps a lot there!

[mrbadger]

we are an Apple household, albeit not an up to the minute Apple household.

I am about to update my wifes iPhone 5 early next year to a 6s, she does need a bigger screen, and her phone at four years is starting to have some issues. And my step daughter from a 4s to the same, although we got her 6s for free.

I don't like the short battery life of iPhones, but I use the thing for texting, mobile banking and audiobooks only. Given the serious nature of my epilepsy I need to stay in touch constantly when I'm not home to keep my wife from getting anxious (and if I'm honest, to keep me from getting anxious sometimes too, you'd understand if you were epileptic), and the ICE features of the iPhone are good.

They may be good on android too, I don't know, but I like iMessage's integration with our other devices, and I can't stand the Android OS.

A decent charge pack deals with the poor battery life issue to some extent. I'm hoping they will get to grips with it before I have to upgrade again, and that there will still be a four inch screen option in the Apple lineup when they do.

[Chips]

I can't stand the Android OS.

It'll simply be a case of what you've gotten used to, no-one likes change...

5 years is a great return, albeit with fixes. Issue for me these days is that phones are starting to get exceptionally expensive, so if they only last 2 or 3 years then you're looking at £300 a year contract costs on top.

That's just OTT for what is, essentially, a non necessary liveable. If it keeps going up and up (albeit cheap alternatives are sure to arise) then it'll be a luxury to ditch.

And for those stating they cannot live without one, that's demonstrably bollocks.

[mrbadger]

I can't stand the Android OS.

It'll simply be a case of what you've gotten used to, no-one likes change...

Not quite, oh I admit it's partially that, but I mean the design as well. It's a badly designed OS, and while they have improved it, it's been a case of fixing broken stuff and slow improvements, not the fundamental ground up redesign it needs to really pull ahead.

If they did that, and someone produced an equivalent quality laptop/tablet/phone ecosystem I might be tempted to switch.

And they need to bite the bullet and accept that Apple were right to insist on retaining central control of IOS and do the same thing themselves, even if it causes issues to start with.

The mere fact that so few Android devices have the latest Android OS on them is a joke. Only joke is the wrong word, because it's a security nightmare when you're latest build will only reach at most 10-20% of your customer base. Those numbers are an optimistic guess, I fear it might be as low as 2% after a year without new phone purchases.

When I last investigated it for a lecture the numbers were pretty low, but that was two years ago.

[Stars_InTheirEyes]

In my experiences iPhones are terrible for long term use. My first; a 3GS back in the day, was pretty decent but I bought it second hand and eventually got a 4S on contract. That thing after about 2 years left me stranded on several occasions when it decided to just give up and turn off until I could fully recharge it and I could no longer access the app I used for bus travel.

Then I got a 6 and that did make it to two years without issue although my mum's now had it for a year since then and its starting to have some existential crises, but nothing a restart wont fix.

I've changed to Sony and while I do like the design of that new iPhone X and how the screen fills the front of the phone, I find Android is so much more user friendly and customisable. Mine now actually uses the Microsoft launcher which automatically changes the background daily to some very nice pictures. Its the small things that make the difference for me.

[Morkonan]

I charge my phone about once a week. One reason is that I don't use it that much, certainly not for websurfing, videos, pictures, etc. The mad scrambles people go through trying to find a place to charge their phones is very similar to the behavior of a smoker who is on their last cigarette...

"Addiction" behavior is the same across a broad spectrum of addictions.

[silenced]

I used my iPhone 3GS from 2009 - 2015, then replaced it with a iPhone 6+ which is still in use today and will be for at least 3-4 more years.

Best thing was: loading the 3GS backup into the 6+ was wonderful. All contacts, all mails, messages, setting (except new ones the 3GS did not have), background images, brightness settings, well, just everything I had set in the 3GS was at the same settings now on the 6+. I like it.

For the size: you get used to real quick and you don't want to miss it. Although, using the 6 and following generations without a case = these things are slippery! Get a heavy case for, much better handling that way.