Which iPhone...??? Help...

[swatski]

Need to get an iPhone for one of my teen daughters... (17yo), her last iphone lasted surprisingly long - 3years or so. So, I'm okay sticking with the brand.
I have not looked into this in a while, so I need help deciding what is the best "value" model, currently?

(I hate shopping for those things, even the idea of the Apple store visit... so I need to educate myslef before I get humiliated too too badly by one of their tattooed associates)

TIA!

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[Need A Vacation]

I’m not sure if the exact differences if the recently released iPhones other than a little faster processor, but both my wife, twin boys, and myself have been happy with our IPhone X.

My wife and I got ours the Mon after Thanksgiving, so we’ve had them almost a year. We got the boys theirs in late June just before their July birthday.

Wish I could help more on the differences between the models, but like you I’m not sure what they are.... I do know my wife originally wanted the 8+ (or whatever the newest large 8 was), but I figured if I was stepping up from my 7, I was getting the X!!! She ended up doing the same.

Good luck shopping!!!

 

[Whisky]

Honest truth (and i really don't want to be one of "those" guys) is that I would probably be looking at the new Google Pixel phone if it was for me.

That being said, I have a company paid phone, so I don't get to pick and won't look a gift horse in the mouth. iPhone wise I think the xR is the cheap version of the new ones, but I'm pretty sure the 7 and 8 are still available.

I'd say try to find an original iPhone X still in stock somewhere, lots of the flagship features beyond what the xR has, but I suspect it should probably be cheaper.

 

[Peelz]

6s if you can find one. Its the only one Ive had that stands up to my abuse...almost.... and still keeps ticking. I havent found a reason to replace it yet....

i say almost... i had to replace the front camera-it went wonky. (easy job 20 bucks) then another issue, because had it on my motorcycle handlebar mount but not clipped in, as I was putting the bike away, turned too sharp, hit my elbow and popped off. rolled right over it *crunch-crunch* lol still works, but the screens a spider web right now.

MY son, 15, has had his 6s since day one, still rockin it. quite surprised really. My other son demolished the screen on his 8 after just a month or so.

Ill fix them both when I have time... but they work so.... meh.




Full disclosure, We've been complete iphone users since the 4. Mostly for IOS and itunes/storage etc. Im just used to it. easier to manage multiple devices. when the kids have a problem, its simpler.

 

[Julian]

I'm not an iphone guy, but they do have a good compare tool on their site:

https://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/

I'd look at the 8 Plus vs and X or XS.

@Whisky neighbor has a Google Pixel and is having all kinds of problems with it.

I have an old Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and am getting ready to go get the new Note 9....only because the battery life on my 5 is getting shorter, and I've got the $ to buy a new phone vs replace the battery on my old one! I do miss Samsung having replaceable batteries....but I get that they don't due to their IP water resistance ratings.

 

[2kwik4u]

I've been rocking an Android for years. Had an iPhone 3G and hated it. I can't type harsh enough words to express my hatred for that POS device. That turned me off to the Apple brand years ago. I have some very good friends that work there, and I still won't use one......I performed the wedding ceremony for two of them.....it's that bad.

SO.......I highly suggest a Samsung phone. I have a Note 4 which is humming along nicely after 4+years of use. Replaced the battery twice and a MicroSD card once. Otherwise it's rock solid. Wife has a S7 Edge I think. Also somewhat bulletproof. Been going for a few years now with no issues.

Regardless of what you choose, I HIGHLY recommend buying a used device from www.swappa.com I've been buying devices there for years now. Just bought my son a Samsung Tablet S2 9.7 for $200. It's "last years premium device", and fills his needs extremely well. Didn't break the bank either. Got her phone and my phone from there as well. Easy to deal with, easy to find phones, and typically some quick shipping. Saves a bundle off buying new.

 

[Julian]

I HIGHLY recommend buying a used device from www.swappa.com

Interesting site....never gone there....might sell my Note 3 and Note 5 there!

 

[Bluewater272]

Swappa is great. I'd get her the X, or if you want to go new, XR.

 

[Whisky]

@Julian Good to know on the Google Pixel, it's interesting you say that, because I seem to have in the back of my mind that I've heard that before from other owners!

I wish I could be an android guy just because we are Google Assistant powered for the smart home, so it would be handy!

 

[swatski]

Swappa is great. I'd get her the X, or if you want to go new, XR.

So... I looked... And now I want one, lol. Those X iPhones are just crazy slick.

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[Betik]

The real question is why are you shopping for your daughter phone ? If she does not drive yet, you give her a ride at the mall and wait in the car while posting on jetboaters.

I hope you are not trying to be cost effective on her phone. Her having a top of the line phone is more safety related than half the stuff you have on your boat

 

[swatski]

The real question is why are you shopping for your daughter phone ? If she does not drive yet, you give her a ride at the mall and wait in the car while posting on jetboaters.

I hope you are not trying to be cost effective on her phone. Her having a top of the line phone is more safety related than half the stuff you have on your boat

We have three of them, teen females, living in our house! so we need to be careful! lol. They can outsmart us so easy like it is not even funny.
We had to set up some (unnecessarily complicated) ground rules and now are trying to make it into a rational decision making process/purchase while instilling some "value of money" ideas... Not easy, my friend!

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[2kwik4u]

We have three of them, so we need to be careful, lol.
We had to set up some (unnecessarily complicated) ground rules and now are trying to make it into a rational decision making process/purchase while instilling some "value of money" ideas... Not easy, my friend!

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We're fighting a similar slippery slope with the 7yr old and his tablet. It's a blessing and a curse. He loves playing on it, and with Google Family Link I can set limits, and content filtering and such really easy, however he's missing out on other things because he's so worried about the dang tablet. We started to lay down ground rules that we hadn't even considered. Some obvious ones like "chores have to be done first" came easy, but other ones like "If it's nice outside you have to ask 3 friends to play before you can resort to the tablet" and crap like that.......We're seriously just winging this parenting thing, there should be a manual or something.

 

[Need A Vacation]

So... I looked... And now I want one, lol. Those X iPhones are just crazy slick.

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It isn’t too bad to get used to how you close the open apps on the X.

And having the larger screen, but still keeping the overall phone size similar to the 7 or 8 is very nice!!!

What about upgrading your phone to the X, and giving her your old one if it’s still in good working condition??? That’s what we have done I the past, until we got our boys their Xs last June for their birthday.

 

[biffdotorg]

Honestly, we did the pre-black friday sale at Sam's club last year. My (then 16 year old) and I both got new phones. We were watching the X, but realized our money would go further if we got 8's. I got the 8 and she got the 8 plus.

It was the best decision we made, as we spent way less money, and got way better battery life out of the 8 over the X. And we had no need for the features of the x, as there were very few that mattered at all. That being said, the new lines of X have more, but he price is stupid expensive to the point that you could buy two 8's for the price of one of those $1500 models.

To a teenager, battery life and screen size will be what they want. Sure they all want what their friends have, but many parents of their friends will not drop $1000-$1500 on a phone. So there are tons of 8's out there. My daughter loves hers for those reasons, Battery and screen size. My wife still rocks the 6. And the only reason we have had such good life is the battery replacement. $40 and it performs better than it did when new.

So good luck, but watch the sales in November pre-BF and BF. As the wholesale clubs gave us like $250-$300 gift cards with purchase if I remember right! And don't forget to wipe the old phones and put them on C-list. They are stupid easy to sell, and hold their value more than you could ever expect.

 

[Trevor Shipman]

The great debate. If you’ve always had iPhones I’m with you. I can’t make switch even though what Apple is putting is a snooze-fest. Like I always tell my friends, no one likes getting a green text.

I’m going with the iPhone XR. Only real downside is the camera. It’s a little less than the brand new ones but I don’t work for National Geographic so it’s more than perfect for me. Not to mention it’s battery is touted to last 90 mins longer than the other iPhones. Oh and it’s the cheapest iPhone they offer. Has the same A12 chip, upgraded face recognition. It does have a lcd screen on it but again, I’m not watching movies on my phone.

 

[2kwik4u]

Like I always tell my friends, no one likes getting a green text.

Whats a green text?

 

[Trevor Shipman]

iPhone uses iMesseging for their texting. Which allows you to see when someone is typing and if they have read your text or not. Those text come through blue. When someone from an android phone texts you, it comes though green. It’s completly silly but I can’t stand a green text. The blue is just easier on the eyes

 

[2kwik4u]

Hilarious. Never knew that was a thing.

 

[Betik]

We have three of them, teen females, living in our house! so we need to be careful! lol. They can outsmart us so easy like it is not even funny.
We had to set up some (unnecessarily complicated) ground rules and now are trying to make it into a rational decision making process/purchase while instilling some "value of money" ideas... Not easy, my friend!

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I am sure I will singing a differnt tune in 10 years, but for now my approach is here the money you have earned and you can do whatever you want with it that will not have a lasting negative effect. Ie tatoos