Prediction of future complaint about iPhone 2

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Here's a bit of speculation about a future point of contention with iPhone 2.



Scenario: You bought and currently use a first generation iPhone. It suits your needs and you enjoy all its various functions. Sometime in 2008 the second generation of iPhone comes out. Great! You buy it, activate it, and... wait, what about your original iPhone? Without its SIM it's useless, right? You certainly don't want two active accounts (and the costs associated), so you consider selling the old iPhone. But what's the market for old-gen iPhones going to be?



Jailbreaking is always an option, I suppose. But each successive generation of firmware seems to be locked tighter and tighter.



So what do you plan to do with your first-gen iPhone if and when you get the second generation?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 16
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    First; if you purchased an iPhone and it does what you need why would you update it?



    Second; the iPhone like any other product eventually finds its price level in the used market. Also at some point AT&T will have to unlock the phones anyways. I don't think one should assume that there is no market for used iPhones.



    Frankly I've never gotten this need, some seem to have, for the latest and greatest even when they can't put a finger on any real need for the latest and greatest. Lets face it if you are a knee jerk consumer then you deserve problem like "what to do with my 6 months old iPhone". Plan - Buy and Hold should be your matra. That is plan for your needs, make a timely purchase and hold the product for as long as you can.



    Now I know this goes against the mass consumerism that seems to infect America right now but lets face it the gravy train won't last forever. Sooner or later the environmental and social impact of this mentality will have to be dealt with.



    Dave
  • Reply 2 of 16
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post


    First; if you purchased an iPhone and it does what you need why would you update it?



    Se



    3g and bigger flash
  • Reply 3 of 16
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Joe_the_dragon View Post


    3g and bigger flash



    Then it wouldn't be doing what you need done. What I'm arguing against is the people that make a big stink about new hardware and can't comprehend what they currently have. If you don't have a need then why offer up a thread (in this case) that pertains to hardware that doesn't even exist yet.



    Dave
  • Reply 4 of 16
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ryancawdor View Post


    So what do you plan to do with your first-gen iPhone if and when you get the second generation?



    Sell it.



    No phone has been holding resale value like the iPhone. People are selling iPhones with cracked screens for nearly $300. I sold my 8 GB iPhone for the price I paid to buy my new 16 GB iPhone. Even when the new model comes out the current generation will still hold value among buyers who aren't comfortable spending the highest price. I suspect they will continue to update the current models with new features as possible and that the only thing left behind will be in terms of hardware differences (storage, 3G).



    But why hold on to it if you have a new phone and nobody to give the old one to?



    Whatever it is worth, it will be going down in value slowly as time passes. Might as well sell it.



    Edit: I should note that I wouldn't even be considering a second generation iPhone unless I had a practical reason to upgrade. 3G and increased storage alone will not suffice in doing this. It will have to be a justifiable expense when weighed against the cost up upgrading after selling the current phone. I would not have paid much to upgrade from 8 GB to 16 GB, but I was willing to do it for a very small fee.
  • Reply 5 of 16
    I had a reason for starting the thread other than just idle speculation. I'm suggesting that Apple and AT&T allow full media functionality of a SIM-less iPhone after satisfying the initial 2 year contract.
  • Reply 6 of 16
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post


    First; if you purchased an iPhone and it does what you need why would you update it?



    You're posting here and you ask that?





    ....Because it has teh shiny and bigger megagiggas.
  • Reply 7 of 16
    shetlineshetline Posts: 4,695member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post


    First; if you purchased an iPhone and it does what you need why would you update it?



    There are plenty of things I buy which are better for my needs than a competing product, and better than not having the thing at all, but for which I can still see ample room for improvements that would lead me to want to replace that thing later, even before the current item is "used up".



    If I thought I had to wait until consumer electronics items were perfect for my needs, I'd never be able to buy anything. Practically everything you can buy is a mixed bag of pros and cons.



    Besides, what do you mean by "does what you need"? Need for what? Need to remain alive? Need to keep my job? Need to enjoy myself?
  • Reply 8 of 16
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    I don't get it... wouldn't swapping the SIM cards be the solution?
  • Reply 9 of 16
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by shetline View Post


    There are plenty of things I buy which are better for my needs than a competing product, and better than not having the thing at all, but for which I can still see ample room for improvements that would lead me to want to replace that thing later, even before the current item is "used up".



    That I understand, some things can be improved on constantly. The problem is do you look at purchasing new product because you need the product or because of a desire to have the latest and greatest for show and tell? Spending money recklessly is OK if you have lots of it, but even those sorts of people realize that having a grip on ones self is advantageous in this world.

    Quote:



    If I thought I had to wait until consumer electronics items were perfect for my needs, I'd never be able to buy anything. Practically everything you can buy is a mixed bag of pros and cons.



    Yeah but again are we going out and buying the latest cell phone simply because it is expected of you. I look at it this way I can go out and buy a new pickup today that is feature rich relative to my old one. But the flip side of this is that the current one is paid for. So I pocket my money. Not because the new trucks aren't attractive or have desirable features but rather it is better to have your money working for you than the other way around.

    Quote:



    Besides, what do you mean by "does what you need"? Need for what? Need to remain alive? Need to keep my job? Need to enjoy myself?



    Well this is an obvious sign we are on different wave lengths, probably at different ends of the spectrum. The question is simple does your current device do what you need done? If it does then you really should look into why you would run out and putchase new again.



    Dave
  • Reply 10 of 16
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post


    Then it wouldn't be doing what you need done. What I'm arguing against is the people that make a big stink about new hardware and can't comprehend what they currently have. If you don't have a need then why offer up a thread (in this case) that pertains to hardware that doesn't even exist yet.



    Dave



    needs change as capabilities of hardware change. using your argument we could all still be using mac IIs. at the time they did what they were supposed to and as long as you define your needs as that specific set of functions then you'll never "need" anything else. sure there's always a point of diminishing returns, but that doesn't mean that the hardware's capabilities aren't taken advantage of by some consumers. compared to what we did with our computers only 3 years ago, nobody needs an 8-core machine, but if it makes your life easier and more productive, then who cares about "needs"? as long as they're not spending an exorbitant sum of their income on technology fetishes it's hard to question other people's needs.
  • Reply 11 of 16
    shetlineshetline Posts: 4,695member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post


    Well this is an obvious sign we are on different wave lengths, probably at different ends of the spectrum. The question is simple does your current device do what you need done? If it does then you really should look into why you would run out and putchase new again.



    The word "need" does not exist in a vacuum. You failed to answer my question, as if "does your current device do what you need done?" has a clear meaning that doesn't have to be explained further. It doesn't have such a clear meaning, so your question isn't as simple as you imagine. Your unspoken concept of "need" and someone else's aren't necessarily the same. (And no, I'm not defining "keeping up with the Joneses" as a valid "need".)



    At any rate, since I have good money saved up in my 401k, I'm maxing out my 401k contributions, I have no debt other than my mortage (I bought my last car cash), mortgage payments only 1/6 of my net pay, someone else in my life helping to pay that mortgage, since I regularly make extra payments against the principal of my mortage debt, and have more than one year's gross salary sitting in the bank (more than is left to pay on my mortgage), I'm certainly not spending myself into oblivion to get the latest and greatest toys.



    So, yeah, if a 3G iPhone comes out, I'll probably upgrade, whether I "need" to or not.
  • Reply 12 of 16
    If I wanted to buy a used iPhone, how does the contract with ATT work out? Do I have to start a new 2 year one myself, or can I take over the original owners?
  • Reply 13 of 16
    shetlineshetline Posts: 4,695member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jasonfj View Post


    If I wanted to buy a used iPhone, how does the contract with ATT work out? Do I have to start a new 2 year one myself, or can I take over the original owners?



    That's what I'm most wondering about, except from the standpoint of being the guy selling a used iPhone because I bought a new one. I want to know if my new iPhone will add an additional two-year commitment to AT&T beyond the end my current commitment , extend my current commitment two years from when I buy the new iPhone, or not affect my commitment at all.
  • Reply 14 of 16
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by shetline View Post


    That's what I'm most wondering about, except from the standpoint of being the guy selling a used iPhone because I bought a new one. I want to know if my new iPhone will add an additional two-year commitment to AT&T beyond the end my current commitment , extend my current commitment two years from when I buy the new iPhone, or not affect my commitment at all.



    I've bought phones on ebay before and all I've done in the past is just throw in my old sim card and the new phone starts working with my phone number immediately. When I have bought phones in the past, I just make sure the one I buy is compatible with the network I am on. i.e. I bought a Sony Ericsson once that was only available in the UK but it was GSM and fully compatible with my AT&T sim card.



    -K
  • Reply 15 of 16
    shetlineshetline Posts: 4,695member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kristokn View Post


    I've bought phones on ebay before and all I've done in the past is just throw in my old sim card and the new phone starts working with my phone number immediately. When I have bought phones in the past, I just make sure the one I buy is compatible with the network I am on. i.e. I bought a Sony Ericsson once that was only available in the UK but it was GSM and fully compatible with my AT&T sim card.



    I've done SIM card switching too, with unlocked cell phones. But with a locked iPhone, which has a special SIM that I believe ties the activation to one particular iPhone, things might not be so simple.
  • Reply 16 of 16
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jouster View Post


    You're posting here and you ask that?





    ....Because it has teh shiny and bigger megagiggas.



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