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turbulentfurball
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Québec
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2015-09-10, 18:52

There's no thread for these yet?!

I'm pretty sure I'll be picking up a 6s. I'm still on my 5 from 2012 so it's time for an upgrade. I'm bummed that they didn't go with a 4" model. I'm with Steve Jobs in that regard. I tried playing with a 6 in my local store last year and I didn't like that it's almost impossible to use with one hand. I was holding out for a 4" model this year - even a 6C at 4" would have been great, but it seems that big is the new normal.

(That's what she said)


3D touch looks interesting. I think that many people won't use it as it's such a big change from how people use touchscreens at the moment. It's good that old ways of working remain the same for those that don't want to use it. Some of the actions from 3D touch look good, but honestly, some of the peeks don't seem to have a faster workflow than the way they work now. I'm thinking specifically of viewing photos attached to an iMessage that was shown in the keynote. The actions from app icons look great though.

I'm a bit concerned about the space requirements of 4K videos especially on the 16GB base model. With 4K as a feature they really should have gone to 32GB as the base. I'm pretty sure I'll be going for a 64GB, somewhat begrudgingly as 64GB is too much for me, and 16GB isn't enough. Oh well.
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709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2015-09-10, 19:36

I was really hoping for a 4" option as well, but so it goes. I can't hold off anymore either so I kind've have a conundrum myself. My other factor is that I was thinking about upgrading my original iPad mini this year (has it been 3 years already? !!) and I love that thing more than any Apple product I've ever owned. I use my iPhone as pretty much a talk-phone or to tether my mini to when traveling. That's it. I don't write emails on it, I rarely text from it, and it just really is more of a hub for me working on my mini.

The downside to all of that, of course, is that I'm always carrying 2 things around. So my conundrum is, do I abandon my precious iPad mini and go for the the iPhone 6S+ to consolidate all of that into one kit? Or do I go for the 6S/new mini combo and still be able to live with a somewhat reasonable sized phone in my jeans?

On the one hand a 6S+ is the best of both worlds because 1 device, upgrading from old iPad mini screen to higher pixel count, and seriously, it really would be nice just to have one thing to carry around. On the other hand it's the worst of both worlds because even if you people don't think you do you really do look fucking ridiculous with that monstrous thing at your ear.

I don't know. The deciding factor just might be that the optical image stabilization is only on the 6S+, and that it applies to the 4K video as well, so I might just justify it on purely technical grounds.

So it goes.
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addison
Formerly “AWM”
 
Join Date: May 2009
 
2015-09-10, 21:20

I originally thought I wanted a 6 but every time I went to the store to look at it I kept ending up playing around with the Plus and ended up getting it. I couldn't be happier. You really get a much better user experience plus battery life is better too. Does it look silly against your face? I don't think so but I really don't care. If you ask me it looks sillier trying to shove it in your front pocket!
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kieran
@kk@pennytucker.social
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
 
2015-09-11, 06:34

I'll be preordering the 6s this weekend.

I've been tempted to get the 6s Plus, but I'm concerned about how big it actually is. My concern is trying to carry the damn thing around.

No more Twitter. It's Mastodon now.
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Chinney
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ottawa, ON
 
2015-09-11, 21:30

Quote:
Originally Posted by 709 View Post
...because even if you people don't think you do you really do look fucking ridiculous with that monstrous thing at your ear.
I use my regular-size iPad as a VOIP phone. And often I do not bother with an earbuds/mic setup, but just hold the whole iPad up to my head. Talk about looking ridiculous. My family laughs. I refer to to it as my shoe-phone. It 's great.

When there's an eel in the lake that's as long as a snake that's a moray.
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kieran
@kk@pennytucker.social
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
 
2015-09-12, 02:45

Just pre-ordered the 6S Plus.

Going big with this one. Interested to see if I like it.
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2015-09-12, 11:26

Yikes. Against my better judgment, I scanned some tech blogs and Tweets this morning.

Right on schedule, the parade of entitled, first-world twat-knobs whining and bitching about the "horrible" experience they had, trying to pre-order their phones.

Two words: no shit.

It's only been this way, for what...6-7 years? Every year? Without fail? Or was this year supposed to sprinkled with some pre-order iMagic? Because I missed that rumor.

Hard to feel sorry for some folks.
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kscherer
Which way is up?
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2015-09-12, 11:35

I can always count on Grey to call it like it is!

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drewprops
Space Pirate
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2015-09-12, 12:31

Seeing Pscates posting and using words like "twat-knobs" made me very happy today


...
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2015-09-12, 13:54

Just tough for me to get my head around grown men(?) acting that way.
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surjones
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: In the hands of Apple.
 
2015-09-12, 19:25

QUESTION: With the new iPhones, and I have 3 upgrades available..

I have AT&T and curious if anyone has moved over from Contracts (cheaper phone) to the NEXT plans (pay for the full iPhone price)...

Do I renew with a contract, or go that next plan crap?
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2015-09-12, 19:41

Quote:
Originally Posted by surjones View Post
QUESTION: With the new iPhones, and I have 3 upgrades available..

I have AT&T and curious if anyone has moved over from Contracts (cheaper phone) to the NEXT plans (pay for the full iPhone price)...

Do I renew with a contract, or go that next plan crap?
I think you have to go with the Next option now, but in most cases it was a wash in cost anyways, and it's more flexible.
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Eugene
careful with axes
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hillsborough, CA
 
2015-09-12, 19:49

Quote:
Originally Posted by surjones View Post
QUESTION: With the new iPhones, and I have 3 upgrades available..

I have AT&T and curious if anyone has moved over from Contracts (cheaper phone) to the NEXT plans (pay for the full iPhone price)...

Do I renew with a contract, or go that next plan crap?
Go with the Apple Upgrade Plan. It's cheaper than Next, allows for the same yearly upgrade and includes AppleCare+. You basically perform an online reservation and then go through the credit check, financing process at your local Apple Store.
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2015-09-12, 19:50

Oh yeah. I forgot about Apple's plan. If you think you're going to be upgrading your phone every year, do that.
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2015-09-12, 22:31

I'm unclear on this. Am I no longer able to just go into the AT&T store, lay down my $199 and sign a new two-year contract (which I have zero problem with*) and leave with my new phone? Is it Next or nothing at this point? If so, where's all the $199, $299, etc. talk coming from?

I'm a two-year guy, so I have no interest in Apple's plan (plus, I have no Apple Store within 100 miles, and I'm not driving to Knoxville or Atlanta - sorry Drew - just to buy a phone).



*Been with AT&T since spring 2004 and I'm happy (I'm not a "carrier jumper"/churner).
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2015-09-12, 22:46

You can still do two year contracts at an AT&T corporate-owned store. They're phasing them out, though. I know you can't do them at a "partner" store like a Best Buy or a Target or a store like that. I think you can still do them at Apple Stores, but I'm not sure for how much longer.

They'll probably keep giving existing users the option, though. Verizon has totally phased out two-years for new users but existing users can still do them. So you're safe Paul, at least for this time, and possibly for a good while.

Sprint has also committed to eliminating two-years by year's end. So it was maybe a little disingenuous for Apple to put the "typical two year pricing!" prices on their slide, since they're no longer, you know, typical.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2015-09-12, 23:18

Thanks for the info. It's been three years since I last bought a cell phone and I don't keep up with that end of it as much. I paid $499 for that first one in 2007 (before the subsidies were part of it), then $199 in 2010 and $299 in 2012. I've never done one of these other things, so it's all changed and the carriers are going that way. I'll see which option shakes out best for me after talking to someone in person.

I still can't seem to grasp it all just yet, and work out the numbers myself (if anyone can, and wants to do so, be my guest).

Their site just doesn't make anything super clear or obvious (to me, anyway).

I'd like to know what I'm looking at with Next at the 24-month plan (I certainly don't need, or want, a new iPhone every year), for both the 16GB and 64GB. If I can figure that out sometime in the next several weeks, that'll give me something to think over.
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Eugene
careful with axes
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hillsborough, CA
 
2015-09-12, 23:49

If you intend to buy AppleCare+ and upgrade every year, go with the Apple Upgrade Plan. It's cheapest for yearly upgraders.

If you intend to keep your phone for 12-24 months w/o AppleCare+, then Next will be little cheaper. If you go to an AT&T corporate store, the 2-year contracts are still a slightly better value if the subsidies are the same as before. About a $90 difference after 2 years, but plans like Mobile Share are trying to force you to go Next or full-price.

If you intend to hand your phone down to a relative, then buy outright if you can.

Last edited by Eugene : 2015-09-13 at 03:20.
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2015-09-13, 00:59

Quote:
Originally Posted by pscates2.0 View Post
I'd like to know what I'm looking at with Next at the 24-month plan (I certainly don't need, or want, a new iPhone every year), for both the 16GB and 64GB. If I can figure that out sometime in the next several weeks, that'll give me something to think over.
Next Primer

Okay, so, first, everything I'm going to say applies to AT&T's current "mobile share value" plans. (They're called "mobile share" even if you only have one line with AT&T.) Next is a device payment option on these plans, but Next is not the same thing as these plans. If you have an older "nationwide" plan, or an Alltel plan or something weird like that, this may not apply to you. But if you're on an old plan, chances are good you could get more data at the same price by switching to a "mobile share value" plan, and then you would have the option of Next.

The way that Next works is that you pay the full price of the phone (so $649 or $749 for a 16GB or 64GB iPhone) divided into interest-free installments that are added onto your bill. Why would anyone want to pay $649 instead of $199? Because you get a discount of between $15 and $25 on your service cost, depending on the amount of data your plan has, for paying for your phone this way.

The way to think about it is that your monthly plan already has a phone subsidy baked into it—AT&T discounts each iPhone $450 when you sign a contract, and they make that back by marking up your plan—and Next just takes that and breaks it out into its own line item, lowering the service cost but adding a (roughly equivalent) device cost. If it seems like six of one, half dozen of the other, well, it sort of is. Next is really about making everything more flexible. Rather than having to be stuck with an expensive service charge with a baked-in $450 subsidy, someone who only wanted a $50 phone could just buy one and have a lower rate. The old way incentivizes users to "max out" their phone subsidy by buying expensive phones, since they were essentially paying for it (in the form of uniformly higher service costs) either way. That's a good arrangement for Apple—one of the reasons the mobile market has been so good for them—but maybe not for carriers or for users who want the option of a cheaper phone and cheaper rates.

But we all want iPhones, so let's look at that. There are several different Next installment options, based on how soon you are able to upgrade: Next 12, Next 18, and Next 24. The first thing to remember is that Next 24 is actually a 30-month installment plan. If you take the device price and divide it by thirty, that will be your monthly payment. It's called Next 24 because you have the option of turning in your device and upgrading after 24 months. They take the phone back and waive your last six months of payments. If you would rather keep or resell your phone at the end of two years, you'd want to go with the Next 18 plan, which is a 24-month installment plan that (you guessed it) gives you the option to upgrade at 18 months with device trade-in. After 24 months, however, the device is yours to do whatever you want with, and you can upgrade whenever you wish without trading in your device. Since Next 18 has fewer installments, the cost of each installment is higher.

Let's say you're getting a 16GB iPhone 6s, and you're cool with skipping the Craigslist game and just giving your phone back to AT&T at the end of two years. Then you can go with Next 24, and 649 / 30 = $21.63 is your on-paper device cost. But your bill isn't actually going up $21.63—you get that Next discount, remember? The smallest discount (which you will get on plans up to 5GB) is $15, so with that in mind you're really paying $6.63 more each month. And you're not paying $199 upfront for the phone. Your 24 "real" payments of $6.63 equal $159, so in this theoretical example, you're actually coming out ahead by taking the pay-over-time option (though you don't get to keep your phone). If you paid all 30 installments of $6.63 so that the phone was yours to keep or resell, that would equal $199, because the $15 Next discount over 30 months is exactly equal to the iPhone's $450 contract subsidy.

What if you wanted to be able to resell your phone after two years? If you went with Next 18 and paid for the full 24 months, you would have effectively paid $289 for the same phone, and your bill would have been $12.08 higher instead of $6.63. But the phone would yours to keep at the end of the two years. (It's $90 more than with Next 24 because we're assuming only 24 months have passed instead of 30, and you aren't getting those extra six months of $15 Next discounts. You'll still keep getting those after getting the new iPhone 7s or whatever, provided you use Next.)

There are a few other little things that may push the needle in Next's favor. When you buy a phone with Next, the bullshit activation fee is $20 less. Also, whenever AT&T or retailers do promotions like free gift cards or what have you, those are almost always for Next activations only. So even if you are paying a little bit more for the phone over time, if you're paying nothing up front for the phone, and a smaller bullshit activation fee, and getting a free $100 gift card or whatever, you might decide Next is still a better deal.

I know this is too complicated, but I hope this helps. Honestly, in my experience with plans with the $15/mo Next discount, it usually ends up being more or less a wash in total cost, and it usually ends up being things like the presence of Next-only promotions or the convenience of paying over time that is the deciding factor in terms of which is the better deal. (If you have a big enough data plan to get the $25/mo Next discount, you're crazy not to use it. That's $750 over 30 months!) And again, this all is only for the so-called "mobile share value" plans. If you have an old plan, there might be a better option for you, but I don't know what your plan is. HTH!

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
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drewprops
Space Pirate
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2015-09-13, 01:02

Robo: THANK YOU.

I have not read this yet because I'm sleepy now, but I *will* read it, knowing that it will be VERY thorough.

...
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2015-09-13, 02:02

Robo, that's exactly the sort of "break it down so my dumb ass can understand it" explanation I've been wanting. A thousand thank-you's for taking the time to write all that up.

I knew you'd be the one to do it, since you seem to grasp/follow this stuff. I was *this close* to shooting you a PM and asking for your assistance/explanation.

I am indeed on the Mobile Share thing, having switched to it earlier in 2015. My monthly bill actually decreased by $5, my 450 voice minutes and 1,000 texts both went to "unlimited" and my 200MB data went to 300MB (I have the lowest data plan they offer, since I'm surrounded by wifi, I don't do "heavy" things via cellular, etc.).

I fulfilled my contract from October 2012 a year ago, so I've spent the past year as a "third-year/off contract" type of user, which might be why those were offered to me, I don't know.

I did pay $299 in October 2012 for my 32GB iPhone 5, so I guess I spent those two years paying that off. My cell bill used to be around $66/month. These days it's somehow in the low/mid-$50's.

In the past, I sold my iPhone to pay for my next one. That's the plan this time. But, going forward, if I just turn my phone in after two years and get a new one, that's great. All my friends and family have newer iPhones than I do, so I'm not going to be handing it down to anyone.

Basically, as long as I can keep the same plan I have AND my monthly bill doesn't go up by more than a couple of bucks, I'll go with whatever makes that happen.

I do like the idea of not having to fork out the cash upfront ($199-299), and just have it all start ticking off monthly.

Hmm...

Thanks again for the write-up.
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Eugene
careful with axes
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hillsborough, CA
 
2015-09-13, 03:20

I don't think the Next/BYOD discount w/Mobile Share offsets a typical single-user 2-year contract completely. It was about $90 cheaper after that period in favor of the contract when I made comparisons last year.

I think most people would be happiest with the Apple Upgrade Plan. You'll still be able to get the Next/BYOD discount and it's simpler to understand than Next. You pay for your phone over 24-months, and you are eligible to upgrade after 12-months. You don't have to pay $129 up front for AppleCare+ either.

Last edited by Eugene : 2015-09-13 at 05:00.
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2015-09-14, 21:58

I asked this in another thread but no answer so far. Anyone know what, say, a minute of 4K video takes up, files size-wise? And this new 12-megapixel camera...what would that be for a single image, ballpark? Under 1MB? Over? Under 5MB? Over 5MB?

My storage concerns won't be based around my own app/music/podcast usage (I'm currently at just around 3GB total on my iPhone 5). It's pics and video that I wonder about. Just curious how much I'd be able to hold on a 16GB iPhone (knowing I'd only have about 12-13GB available and around 3GB or so will be taken with my modest collection of third-party apps and some audio files).

Going "worst case": I'll have 12GB available to use and 4GB of apps and audio files...so how nice does 4K video and a 12-megapixel camera play with ~8GB of free space?

Except for 1-2 times a year, I'll be a position to offload anything I capture to my iMac, same day. So I'm not talking long-term permanent storage that will "fill up". But I do take a couple of trips a year where I'm away from my iMac for 3-5 days each (and I can get a little camera/video-happy sometimes). Is 8GB going to be okay in those scenarios?

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drewprops
Space Pirate
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2015-09-14, 22:03

If I decide to switch to Apple's plan for my next hardware purchase, there's no chance that I'll get bumped from my Grandfathered Unlimited Plan with AT&T, right?


...

Steve Jobs ate my cat's watermelon.
Captain Drew on Twitter
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2015-09-14, 22:21

I'm not sure. They may try to push you into one of their modern Mobile Share type things (in face, I'd almost wager my lung on it). After Robo's excellent breakdown/explanation above, I went to AT&T's site and was poking around, reading the small print and all, etc. But it could be a case-by-case basis, depending on who you go through, who you talk to, etc. (I like AT&T, but my only real gripe with them is how little on the same page they seem to be, company-wise, based on if I talk to a faceless account rep on the phone or in person at the local big store (always got to the main flagship, have/do everything AT&T location if you have business to take care of, and not the little satellite/indie type places crammed into a run-down strip mall). Definitely something you'll need to have a face-to-face conversation with as high-up an employee as possible. Whatever you do, if you like something the way it is don't ever give it up...you'll never get it back.

I was grandfathered in on my old, modest text plan (200 messages?) six or so years ago (from the original 2007 iPhone data plan). I upped it to 1,000 because this non-iPhone chick I was hanging around for a while just wore my iPhone out, causing me to blow way past my 200 texts for about a 3-4 month period).. Months later, once she was no longer in the picture (summer flings...gotta love 'em), I couldn't go back down to my 2007-era texting plan (which was always plenty for me). So I was stuck paying extra for this 1,000-texts plan, and sending/receiving about 30 a month.

This stuff is so tricky and confusing, I never do any of it over the phone or even online. I go to my flagship AT&T store and try to find the highest-ranking employee available to talk to. I get everything they say repeated, and/or in writing. I've learned the hard way it's best to do so.
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addison
Formerly “AWM”
 
Join Date: May 2009
 
2015-09-15, 00:00

Maybe I'm old fashioned but I'm not that thrilled with always having a charge on my credit card each month for a mobile phone. I know it's a 0% loan but I would rather pay it up front and be done with it.
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2015-09-15, 00:04

Quote:
Originally Posted by addison View Post
Maybe I'm old fashioned but I'm not that thrilled with always having a charge on my credit card each month for a mobile phone. I know it's a 0% loan but I would rather pay it up front and be done with it.
You can.
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2015-09-15, 11:47

I assume this iPhone 6s doesn't shoot video only in 4K, right? 1080 is more than enough for me, so I assume that's probably the default and you can select 4K if you want? Or even if 4K is the default, you can select another, lower mode? If so, then I'm not worried as much about space.

By the time 4K truly becomes common and standard, it'll be time for a new iPhone anyway (and surely, come fall of 2017, Apple still won't have 16GB as the entry-level).
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Eugene
careful with axes
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hillsborough, CA
 
2015-09-15, 17:16

There's pretty much no reason to stick with an unlimited data plan with AT&T. Going with a 10GB Mobile Share plan with 2 other users saves me almost $30/mo, and we don't ever come close to that amount.
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Kickaha
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2015-09-15, 17:51

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eugene View Post
There's pretty much no reason to stick with an unlimited data plan with AT&T. Going with a 10GB Mobile Share plan with 2 other users saves me almost $30/mo, and we don't ever come close to that amount.
Ditto. I clung to the grandfathered unlimited plan for YEARS... turns out the 15GB plan for three phones saves me about $30-35.
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