One of the reasons for hoarding old iPhones could be the relatively low prices offered by the "buyback" companies.
The Apple approved reuse and recycling programme in the UK offers £27 for a pristine 32GB iPhone 3GS.
It's a struggle to buy any new phone with the features of even the old 3GS for £27.
Therefore if there's any chance of needing a spare handset, e.g. when travelling, it makes more sense to retain the iPhone than purchase a basic phone at a higher price.
I keep every iPhone model since 3GS but that is not mean they are collecting dust. They are being put on my bookcase people collect all kind of things this is how economy keep on going.
There are trillion dollars worth of oil painting collecting dust everywhere, why not write about that?
We still have our old iPhones lying around, but in our case you can blame the @#$% carriers!
It occurred to me that an old iPhone would make a perfectly good iPod for my grandson and another could find renewed life as a point-and-shoot camera, but we'd have to pay the carrier $75 each to unlock them!
How the hell legislators continue to allow carriers to lock a device that belongs to the user completely mystifies me.
As much as I like the 4S for its glassy solidity, I also look forward to a time when I can snap up a 5s cheap, mostly because of the camera, but also because of its weight and thinness. Minimum mass needed to get the job done is always the best engineering principle.
I had the 4s in fact still do as an iPod, and now my wife's cast off 5 as I got her the 5s for Christmas. I think it is the weight of the 4s I liked and that's what gives that feeling of solidity. The 5 seems too light in a strange way. Maybe it's a 'man' thing.
We still have our old iPhones lying around, but in our case you can blame the @#$% carriers!
It occurred to me that an old iPhone would make a perfectly good iPod for my grandson and another could find renewed life as a point-and-shoot camera, but we'd have to pay the carrier $75 each to unlock them!
How the hell legislators continue to allow carriers to lock a device that belongs to the user completely mystifies me.
That's not true. Unlocking or giving them a new SIM card is not required if you don't wish to use them as cellular phones. The carriers you spoke to should have explained this.
You don't need cellular to have a perfectly good Wi-Fi enabled iPhone act as a perfectly good iPod. Just switch off cellular and you are good to go. I have every model iPhone since day one all working as Wi-Fi enabled iPods. Just realize they can't make calls! BUT ... they can use Face Time, access iTunes Match, the App Store, receive Mail, surf the web, use Maps... need I go on? You just need a Wi-Fi connection.
Edit: Ok, really old iPhones have a limited use since they can't run newer versions of iOS and hence iCloud features but they can do many things.
I keep every iPhone model since 3GS but that is not mean they are collecting dust. They are being put on my bookcase people collect all kind of things this is how economy keep on going.
There are trillion dollars worth of oil painting collecting dust everywhere, why not write about that?
LOL, so true, try charging up an old oil painting and using it by the pool to listen to iTunes Match!
I had the 4s in fact still do as an iPod, and now my wife's cast off 5 as I got her the 5s for Christmas. I think it is the weight of the 4s I liked and that's what gives that feeling of solidity. The 5 seems too light in a strange way. Maybe it's a 'man' thing.
Hey, watch it buddy.
Actually, I haven't lived with one of those light 5-type phones, so I can't really compare. But the lighter-is-better idea also applies to the use of the phone as a camera. You can do some interesting video when you can put the acquisition device in strange places, like at the end of a long stick looking at the entrance of a wild bee nest, that sort of thing.
That's not true. Unlocking or giving them a new SIM card is not required if you don't wish to use them as cellular phones.
I don't remember the exact message anymore, but I when I powered it up all I could get was a screen telling me "It ain't gonna work without a SIM." 3G non-S.
I use my old 4S as a bike computer. GPS app pre downloads the maps via wifi. Front facing camera and mic don't work (washing machine... Do'h!) Works great though! Also, I can use to call if I have an emergency... even without a plan Perfect! KRR
I gave my 3GS to my dad years ago, and he uses it to listen to podcasts. After that, though, I sell each version to Gazelle, to fund my (now) yearly upgrade.
What Apple does is not planned obsolescence. You can't float that idea here. Go over to MacRumors if that's how you want to make noise.
You're acting like 'planned obsolescence' is bad. I'd much rather know how long I can expect a device to receive updates and be supported than to be caught off guard.
And that’s anything but the opposite of planned obsolescence… how?
Systemic obsolescence
"Planned systemic obsolescence is the deliberate attempt to make a product obsolete by altering the system in which it is used in such a way as to make its continued use difficult"
"Planned systemic obsolescence is the deliberate attempt to make a product obsolete by altering the system in which it is used in such a way as to make its continued use difficult"
I know a guy that buys gadgets as they come out, always superseding one with the next, who ends up with piles of gadgets hanging around his living space.
I'm not remotely like that. I have no disposable income, so the only things that are disposable to me are tissues and toilet paper. I use things till they're unusable, recycle every material I can separate, and even take my electronics to electronics recyclers.
Planned obsolescence and systemic obsolescence are pretty much the same thing in the electronics world. There are pros and cons to making things not be backwards compatible, but it's definitely an environmental negative.
Comments
One of the reasons for hoarding old iPhones could be the relatively low prices offered by the "buyback" companies.
The Apple approved reuse and recycling programme in the UK offers £27 for a pristine 32GB iPhone 3GS.
It's a struggle to buy any new phone with the features of even the old 3GS for £27.
Therefore if there's any chance of needing a spare handset, e.g. when travelling, it makes more sense to retain the iPhone than purchase a basic phone at a higher price.
There are trillion dollars worth of oil painting collecting dust everywhere, why not write about that?
We still have our old iPhones lying around, but in our case you can blame the @#$% carriers!
It occurred to me that an old iPhone would make a perfectly good iPod for my grandson and another could find renewed life as a point-and-shoot camera, but we'd have to pay the carrier $75 each to unlock them!
How the hell legislators continue to allow carriers to lock a device that belongs to the user completely mystifies me.
I had the 4s in fact still do as an iPod, and now my wife's cast off 5 as I got her the 5s for Christmas. I think it is the weight of the 4s I liked and that's what gives that feeling of solidity. The 5 seems too light in a strange way. Maybe it's a 'man' thing.
That's not true. Unlocking or giving them a new SIM card is not required if you don't wish to use them as cellular phones. The carriers you spoke to should have explained this.
You don't need cellular to have a perfectly good Wi-Fi enabled iPhone act as a perfectly good iPod. Just switch off cellular and you are good to go. I have every model iPhone since day one all working as Wi-Fi enabled iPods. Just realize they can't make calls! BUT ... they can use Face Time, access iTunes Match, the App Store, receive Mail, surf the web, use Maps... need I go on? You just need a Wi-Fi connection.
Edit: Ok, really old iPhones have a limited use since they can't run newer versions of iOS and hence iCloud features but they can do many things.
LOL, so true, try charging up an old oil painting and using it by the pool to listen to iTunes Match!
Hey, watch it buddy.
Actually, I haven't lived with one of those light 5-type phones, so I can't really compare. But the lighter-is-better idea also applies to the use of the phone as a camera. You can do some interesting video when you can put the acquisition device in strange places, like at the end of a long stick looking at the entrance of a wild bee nest, that sort of thing.
Wait, so planned obsolescence is wasteful somehow? Get. Out.
I don't remember the exact message anymore, but I when I powered it up all I could get was a screen telling me "It ain't gonna work without a SIM." 3G non-S.
Perfect!
KRR
I gave my 3GS to my dad years ago, and he uses it to listen to podcasts. After that, though, I sell each version to Gazelle, to fund my (now) yearly upgrade.
What Apple does is not planned obsolescence. You can't float that idea here. Go over to MacRumors if that's how you want to make noise.
You're acting like 'planned obsolescence' is bad. I'd much rather know how long I can expect a device to receive updates and be supported than to be caught off guard.
What Apple does is not planned obsolescence. You can't float that idea here. Go over to MacRumors if that's how you want to make noise.
Have you tried an iPhone 4 running iOS 7? See any downgrade path, or have those users been intentionally trapped by an upgrade path?
Have you tried an iPhone 4 running iOS 7? See any downgrade path, or have those users been intentionally trapped by an upgrade path?
And that’s anything but the opposite of planned obsolescence… how?
And that’s anything but the opposite of planned obsolescence… how?
Systemic obsolescence
"Planned systemic obsolescence is the deliberate attempt to make a product obsolete by altering the system in which it is used in such a way as to make its continued use difficult"
"Planned systemic obsolescence is the deliberate attempt to make a product obsolete by altering the system in which it is used in such a way as to make its continued use difficult"
YEAH. That sure fits the bill¡
And YEAH. You sure were forced to update¡
I'm not remotely like that. I have no disposable income, so the only things that are disposable to me are tissues and toilet paper. I use things till they're unusable, recycle every material I can separate, and even take my electronics to electronics recyclers.