Nearly 30% of Apple's first-gen iPhones are still in use - report

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 74
    williamgwilliamg Posts: 322member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Smiles77 View Post


    Wow. I have to say, it is pretty amazing that Apple has gotten all but 5% of their users to upgrade to 3.x. Imagine any platform trying to get their users to upgrade to a new version (OS, web browser, or otherwise). 5% is pretty incredible.



    The study also found that 44 percent of iPhone OS users are running version 3.1.3,
  • Reply 22 of 74
    aaarrrggghaaarrrgggh Posts: 1,609member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by WilliamG View Post


    According to the article, only about 40 percent of the devices run the latest software.



    That might be a non-sequitur; many of the people that still use an Edge phone wouldn't upgrade the point releases because of unlocking issues.
  • Reply 23 of 74
    I love my 4GB iPhone 1g.

    in daily use and profoundly changing my digital-mobile life since the summer of 2007?

    [works flawlessly and even my battery still lasts more than 24hrs]



    *yet, since OS upgrades end it might be time to upgrade to apple's latest iteration of it's iPhone, so splendidly showcased on gismodo.com :-)
  • Reply 24 of 74
    FYI: I have the 3gs but had the first generation iPhone for over two years....was using it as an alarm clock but recently sold it for $80 to www.SellYourOldiPhone.com (no affiliation) Got a check in a week! Pretty cool!





    Love the 3Gs, btw. Would find it very hard to go back to Edge type speeds!
  • Reply 25 of 74
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lantinian View Post


    These statistics are very telling. I can see why Apple would not support my iPhone 2G any more.

    Those 1G survivors have not upgraded because of they lack money and their trusted iPhone still works.



    WTF?!?!?! "Lack money"?!?!?!

    Bull F'ing Sh¡t buddy...



    I was all set to get the 3GS last summer, but something told me to hold out for Gen4.



    I am a PROUD 1st Gen'er! I have more respect for those that I see holding an Aluminum backed iPhone to their ear than all the fricking teeny boppers running around with their 3GS iPhones in their neon colored cases.
  • Reply 26 of 74
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Mine is now an iPod Touch as we got new iPhones. I set to Airplane Mode and it is great for around the house.
  • Reply 27 of 74
    chronsterchronster Posts: 1,894member
    If I paid as much as it cost, yeah, I'd use it for a while.
  • Reply 28 of 74
    tammyttammyt Posts: 20member
    So where are the remaining 70%-98% of those iPhones?

    Even if they are 'sold' they are still in use somewhere.

    Did they all get thrown in the garbage?

    Did they all get damaged and are not worth repairing?



    If so... contact me... I'll *DEFINITELY* take one!



    Just because it's from a couple of years ago... doesn't mean it's no longer still and AMAZING device.
  • Reply 29 of 74
    bageljoeybageljoey Posts: 2,004member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by KindredMac View Post


    I am a PROUD 1st Gen'er! I have more respect for those that I see holding an Aluminum backed iPhone to their ear than all the fricking teeny boppers running around with their 3GS iPhones in their neon colored cases.



    I am so proud for you. I will try to keep my phone out of sight so as not to diminish your unique coolness... \
  • Reply 30 of 74
    cgc0202cgc0202 Posts: 624member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aaarrrgggh View Post


    Bought an iPad, and might just couple that with a no-frills phone if I can't unlock the phone. Disappointed Apple doesn't sell unlock codes for a premium after 3-12 months of service...



    I am considering the same strategy. iPad and another "simple" smartphone or even the cheap phones to make calls. I am mulling whether to still buy an iPad 3G eventually, instead of just the wifi. You never know when the 3G might come in handy.



    I read somewhere that you can tether the iPad to a non-iPhone smartphone 3G(???). The guy used that strategy because the plan was cheaper, even for an unlimited plan. Not sure if this is true though.



    I would still prefer to have an iPhone (plus an iPad), once the rates go down. Lower rates may happen only when an iPhone for Verizon might be offered, in the future.



    I'm in Boston, where Verizon is very big, but I had bad experiences with their customer service. So, I do not think they would be my preference as a carrier.



    CGC
  • Reply 31 of 74
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    Which phones lasted forever?



    I probably still have a pair of tin cans and a string in my attic from when I was a kid. I guess that's close enough to 'forever'.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SFSwitcher View Post


    This analysis includes only people that have accessed AdMob through Apps or web sites I believe. I'm sure there are a significant group of users that just use their iPhones for cell phone, email and calendaring so this number could be even higher.



    Good point - those people would be more heavily represented on the original iPhone - quite a few people who upgraded to 3G or 3GS are probably using their original iPhone for voice only - so it wouldn't show up here. When I buy my new iPhone this summer, mine will get passed to my daughter - who has only cell phone and texting service, no internet browsing, so she won't show up in AdMob.
  • Reply 32 of 74
    cincyteecincytee Posts: 403member
    The article touts 30% as though that's miraculously high. I see it as a sad reflection of society's spoiled attitude that material goods are disposable as soon as any improvement comes along. *Most* original iPhones should still be in service (unless, of course, one means to imply their construction was shoddy and that they don't hold up).
  • Reply 33 of 74
    I think that number will drop much lower when the 4G launches. At least the 4G's design is worthy of an upgrade, IMHO. It's a real upgrade in terms of design *and* speed.



    I love my first-gen. The battery still lasts a day, and it's extremely hardy. Also feels a lot less "disposable" than the 3G/3GS.
  • Reply 34 of 74
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by chronster View Post


    If I paid as much as it cost, yeah, I'd use it for a while.



    I believe the initial prices were $499 for a 4GB and $599 for an 8GB. I bought my 1st Gen a few months later when Apple dropped the price down to $399 for the 8GB. I'll take as long as I can to amortize down the cost of the phone. And then will probably give this one to the wife when the 4G comes out.



    I also like the fact that I am still on a $20 unlimited data plan with 200 text msgs. AT&T now charges $30 for the 3G data plan and ~$5 for 200 text msgs.
  • Reply 35 of 74
    How does one unlock the original iPhone? Is ATT required to let me do it if I ask?
  • Reply 36 of 74
    I still use my 1st Gen. The data plan is $15 cheaper per month. I don't do a lot web surfing with it. So, I am happy with just EDGE. The design is a Classic.



    I may, however, upgrade to the next version.
  • Reply 37 of 74
    I used to have the first gen iPhone. I was #43 in line at the Alderwood Mall store. I waited for the 3Gs to come out and then upgraded. I handed-down my first gen iPhone to my best friend that wanted an iPhone, but didn't have the money to jump in with the 3Gs. The price was right, at free, and he transferred his line over to it.



    I've gotten most of my family to use Macs by doing the same thing, whether it be iBooks, Powerbooks, MBP's, iMacs, Mac Pros or iPhone. I'm the oldest brother so they always stand there with their hands open. I'd rather hand down a perfectly fine computer or iPhone when I upgrade. I gave my 600MHz G3 iBook to my Aunt because I knew full well that she wouldn't do more than write letters, email, and read Wikipedia. AppleWorks works fantastically for her, and that laptop still works fine for her running Panther. Not bad for an 86 year old that had never touched a computer before. I see no reason why the iPhone should be any different. Just like the iBook, the first gen iPhone will have to remain where it is regarding updates, but so what? There are lots of people out there that are just fine with the functionality it does have. I still have, and use, my first gen iPod. Still works, and it still plays music, just like it's supposed to.



    I'm proud to see 30% of first gen iPhones still in use.
  • Reply 38 of 74
    The real question is: what percentage of popular older phones (Razors, Ericsons, etc as of pre-2007) were still in use three years later? Does a better designed, more capable phone such as the iPhone keep it's value for longer than other phones?



    Is there a way of finding out how those other phones panned out?
  • Reply 39 of 74
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Brian Green View Post


    I used to have the first gen iPhone. I was #43 in line at the Alderwood Mall store. I waited for the 3Gs to come out and then upgraded. I handed-down my first gen iPhone to my best friend that wanted an iPhone, but didn't have the money to jump in with the 3Gs. The price was right, at free, and he transferred his line over to it.



    I've gotten most of my family to use Macs by doing the same thing, whether it be iBooks, Powerbooks, MBP's, iMacs, Mac Pros or iPhone. I'm the oldest brother so they always stand there with their hands open. I'd rather hand down a perfectly fine computer or iPhone when I upgrade. I gave my 600MHz G3 iBook to my Aunt because I knew full well that she wouldn't do more than write letters, email, and read Wikipedia. AppleWorks works fantastically for her, and that laptop still works fine for her running Panther. Not bad for an 86 year old that had never touched a computer before. I see no reason why the iPhone should be any different. Just like the iBook, the first gen iPhone will have to remain where it is regarding updates, but so what? There are lots of people out there that are just fine with the functionality it does have. I still have, and use, my first gen iPod. Still works, and it still plays music, just like it's supposed to.



    I'm proud to see 30% of first gen iPhones still in use.



    Was your friend able to get the $20 data plan with 200 texts with the 1st gen phone?
  • Reply 40 of 74
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SFSwitcher View Post


    Was your friend able to get the $20 data plan with 200 texts with the 1st gen phone?



    To be honest, I'm not sure. I don't think he texts more than ten times a month, and that's just to see if his wife needs anything from the store while he's out. He has a bare-bones plan I think. Either way, he likes it and is happy with what he can do with it. The thing he likes most is Maps, Safari, and the iPod being in one phone. He's a pro at getting lost, so that helps him. The first gen iPhone is more than enough for him, but I don't know what plan he has. Regardless, he got the phone for free.
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