Currently Using iPhone 6S...Should I Upgrade?

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Jul 8, 2012
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Dickson, TN.
I'll start by saying I've had only iPhones since 2008, when I bought my first smartphone - the iPhone 3G. For a few years, I upgraded every 2 years, when the big updates occurred. in 2010 I got the iPhone 4, then, in 2012, the iPhone 5. I didn't upgrade again until September 2015, to the iPhone 6S, which is what I'm still using today. For a while, it seemed that it just wasn't worth upgrading. And, I know that phones are much more expensive now. I paid $350 for my iPhone 6S back in Sept. 2015.

I really like my iPhone 6S - the internet speed and website processing is very fast, and I really like some of the features, such as the fingerprint ID, ApplePay, iMessage, and FaceTime, which I use all the time.

I've never used the Android devices, but it seems to me that the Apple apps are very seamless and well-done, for the most part. Rarely have experienced any problems.

I did take advantage of Apples's offer for a free battery replacement a couple of years ago when the battery started acting wonky in cooler weather, so, my battery is still in pretty good shape. I don't use my phone that much through the day at work, and I'm usually able to plug in when I get into the truck, or, when I get home. So, battery life, while it could be better under certain circumstances, I don't consider it horrible.

One thing I do think is starting to show its age, especially compared to newer offerings, is the camera system. It's good, but I hear there are so much better phone cameras out now.

Anyway, my current iPhone 6S is still working very well. Text alert volume seems to have diminished quite a bit, and speaker volume has never been very good, but, otherwise, I'm pretty content to keep using it until it dies, at which time I'll consider that I've pretty much extracted my money's worth. But, still, lately, I've been thinking more about what's out there now. One thing that is intriguing is that I've heard that many of the newer phones have pretty good water resistance. That would be nice to have, even though I've never dropped a phone into water or had any moisture-related problems with any of my 4 iPhones.

A buddy of mine at work recently bought a new phone. It's not an iPhone, but he said it has a reputation as being a "giant-killer" - he said it has better specs than most of the top-end smartphones but only cost half as much. He said he paid $700. I can't remember the brand. It does look very nice, and has the built-in fingerprint reader on the screen instead of it being on the Home button like on my iPhone 6S.

I like the size of my 6S. I might not mind going slightly bigger (I understand there are a few different size iPhones now - one that is only slightly larger than my 6S, and then there's one that's MUCH larger), but, I carry it in my front pants/shorts pocket, and I don't want to switch to belt carry.

Anyway, should I upgrade?

Any of you guys replace your smartphones lately? What do you like and dislike?
 
The iPhone 6s was, in my opinion, the first of the really "good" iPhones. Capable of doing everything a modern smart phone can do. I have a 6s, 8 and Xs max. The new ones are waterproof and you won't lose data if it gets wet.

Clearly, the Xs max is an incredible device. It's not too big either.
 
I recently rebatteried my 6S for 50 bucks.

The phone was previously throttled because of battery demand and it woke back up after a new battery.

The only downside to this phone is the near required apple smart case. Its a must have for an all day run and long phone battery life.

This is especially true while running concurrent real time apps like running Waze and say a streaming and a bluetooth app while driving.

Im probably a year away from an upgrade with continued support from apple.

UD
 
I liked the size of the 6S also, but went with a 7 when I had to retire my 5S, and its actually been great. Just about flawless, once I got a case on it so it didn't squirt out of my hand like a wet bar of soap... :p Wife went with an SE to keep the same size... don't do that. Hers has been very buggy.

If your 6S is keeping up with the current OS and app software, then I'd re-battery it and keep going.
 
Originally Posted by UncleDave
I recently rebatteried my 6S for 50 bucks.

The phone was previously throttled because of battery demand and it woke back up after a new battery.

The only downside to this phone is the near required apple smart case. Its a must have for an all day run and long phone battery life.

This is especially true while running concurrent real time apps like running Waze and say a streaming and a bluetooth app while driving.

Im probably a year away from an upgrade with continued support from apple.

UD


I also run Waze as well as the Escort Live app for my Max 360 radar detector. But I just keep it plugged in while in the truck and it's fine.
 
Originally Posted by FA_WRX
My suggestion would be to give the Iphone Xr a look.


OK...

Why do you suggest looking at that model iPhone in particular?
 
If you're upgrading primarily for the camera, I say don't bother. I've been upgrading phones every 2 years thinking the next one I buy will have a camera that will satisfy my expectations. None have, and I'm currently on the Iphone XS Max (I've used Andriod devices before this one). I've come to the conclusion that the sensors on phone cameras just aren't big enough to capture fine detail in photos. For general purpose shots, Facebook uploads and such, they're fine. But I doubt you'll see a huge improvement between the 6s camera and Apple's newest offerings. From my observations most of the improvements have come in the way of filters, "cool" special effects, and post image processing. Don't get me wrong, the XS Max takes a decent photo, but if you take the image and view it full size on a high resolution screen (4k or something), you'll see just how awful they are compared to any $100 dedicated digital camera.

For speed, interface, usability, actual phone stuff, I love my XS Max, so much so that I've pretty much swore off ever going back to Android. The Face ID function is awesome. I'll probably hang onto this phone for awhile, I recently bought an expensive dedicated camera so I won't have an excuse/need to upgrade phones every 2 years.
 
I have a 6 and found out that it won't support iOS 13. If the 6s is in the same boat then that could be something to ponder on.
 
I'd personally wait. The next generation of iPhones are about 3 months away from being announced. This means the iPhone XR -which will be supported for another four years- will be dropping in price shortly. Or you can wait and pick up the next generation iPhone and have a faster and more capable phone that is supported for the next five years at the same price as an iPhone XR if you were to jump the gun and buy one now.
 
My opinion is there really is no need to buy the top of the line phone. This would make the XR a model to consider. Gives you the newer features at a lower price tier. Another poster also had a good sugestion. If you can wait to fall you can save some money.
 
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My daughter had a birthday cookout a while back and nobody had an Apple phone. Kind of curious why that would be the case as there were some high end Android among them. I asked and was roundly dissed and chastised about it. I don't own a cell phone personally but have had some other Apple products over the years and liked their intuitiveness. Why would a dozen 18-21 year old's not like Apple?
 
Originally Posted by sloinker
My daughter had a birthday cookout a while back and nobody had an

Why would a dozen 18-21 year old's not like Apple?


Apples $999 stand snafu makes them "elite"

App availability and mods make Android seem more open and compatible

My personal view is that I dislike "iTunes " but I hate googles vulnerability more
I rather not have my SS# and personal information tied to an insecure 3rd party account I can't delete
Just so micro transactions I don't want, work on my toy phone.


If you search for Apple opinion surveys of Gen z you will find gold like this...

"Do you think Apple is improving or declining and why?
I mean I don't know how they used to be when they first came out, I've watched movies, but I think they're, from my point of view, declining, because all they care about is money and all these new updates that don't really work. And they've found a way to take hold of the customers and kind of use them as a money machine. That's rude. I hate Apple so much, yet I still use it, because I hate Samsung too."

B85E70DE-C8A1-4624-99E0-0A0031141FA9.jpeg
 
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The 6S will be getting the IOS 13 upgrade this fall, the same upgrade the iPhone X will get. Bottom line the phone is far from obsolete imo. I have an SE and have no plans buying a new phone anytime soon.
 
Originally Posted by sloinker
My daughter had a birthday cookout a while back and nobody had an Apple phone. Kind of curious why that would be the case as there were some high end Android among them. I asked and was roundly dissed and chastised about it. I don't own a cell phone personally but have had some other Apple products over the years and liked their intuitiveness. Why would a dozen 18-21 year old's not like Apple?

That's interesting. As I just graduated from ASU and I'd say at least 2/3 of the students had iPhones and MacBooks.
 
There were plenty of smartphones that night that were cost equivalents of the Apple X. My daughter has a Samsung 10 and there were a couple more of those and some Samsung 9's and other brands I don't know of their cost. Their dislike for Apple had nothing to do with cost or Elitism. I got the impression that Apples were for losers and they didn't want to be losers. I would love to have an Apple X to replace the non-existent cell phone I currently don't use.
 
As stated there are surveys of Gen z as to why they like or dislike Apple , read them.


It's as simple as Apple has fallen out of good graces
Some android folks will give a diatribe about open source (I attached a snippet of one from an 18 year old asked this same question)


Different Gen Z'rs will give you a variety of reasons some valid, some stupid.


Also don't try to apply logic to elitism and a feeling of Apple being a big bad manipulator of their customers.
Might as well try to follow the latest meme.

I had a guy in Masserattii say I was elitist for driving my $17,500 Volt economy car, my guess is a guy that laid down $2 grand for a crappy phone can still claim a cheaper one is made by an manipulative elitist company which of coarse makes the customer a fool for buying it.

7C07EDE3-4238-4281-87D0-1924602053CC.jpeg
 
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Originally Posted by demarpaint
The 6S will be getting the IOS 13 upgrade this fall, the same upgrade the iPhone X will get. Bottom line the phone is far from obsolete imo. I have an SE and have no plans buying a new phone anytime soon.


I tend to agree with you that my iPhone 6S is not obsolete yet. It works extremely well.

I will most likely stick with it, especially since the iOS13 update is coming in 3 months or so.

Again, I just don't think it's worth it to upgrade every 2 years anymore.

Maybe when 5G comes out and becomes widespread. But it's hard to imagine a phone that's any faster than this iPhone 6S. It's really snappy to me. I almost never have an occasion where I'm irritated at it for taking a long time to load something, etc.
 
If you love your Apple devices, you likely will NOT like an Android. I started with Androids, switched to Apple, then switched back to android for a year, I hated my Galaxy s8 so much I will never ever go back.

That being said, Apple releases their new phones in September. I'd wait to see what they're releasing this year. That also means the older models will be cheaper. I will likely be upgrading from my iPhone 8.
 
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