iPhone 11

[Jay Bee]

I have a 6s with a crap battery. I was thinking I'd just get a new battery because the phone works fine...but.. my 64gb is almost filled.. lotsa apps these days...

Over the years, I've always been able to pay $200 and get a new phone by trading in my old one. Now, it seems I only get $100 credit and have to pay like $749 - $100 to get a 128gb iphone 11.

Should I do it? I've been lucky with phones - haven't had issues with breaking them, losing them, etc...... but dang... that's a decent price tag. Will the new camera(s) help video tape my bball games? (and girls, holla)

I'm heavily leaning toward buying the 11... anyone have reasons I should NOT?

[wadesworld]

I have a 6s with a crap battery. I was thinking I'd just get a new battery because the phone works fine...but.. my 64gb is almost filled.. lotsa apps these days...

Over the years, I've always been able to pay $200 and get a new phone by trading in my old one. Now, it seems I only get $100 credit and have to pay like $749 - $100 to get a 128gb iphone 11.

Should I do it? I've been lucky with phones - haven't had issues with breaking them, losing them, etc...... but dang... that's a decent price tag. Will the new camera(s) help video tape my bball games? (and girls, holla)

I'm heavily leaning toward buying the 11... anyone have reasons I should NOT?

As long as it'll last you like 5 years it's worth it.

[Cheeks]

I have a 6s with a crap battery. I was thinking I'd just get a new battery because the phone works fine...but.. my 64gb is almost filled.. lotsa apps these days...

Over the years, I've always been able to pay $200 and get a new phone by trading in my old one. Now, it seems I only get $100 credit and have to pay like $749 - $100 to get a 128gb iphone 11.

Should I do it? I've been lucky with phones - haven't had issues with breaking them, losing them, etc...... but dang... that's a decent price tag. Will the new camera(s) help video tape my bball games? (and girls, holla)

I'm heavily leaning toward buying the 11... anyone have reasons I should NOT?

I buy last year's model when the new ones come out.  They discount quite a bit

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Buy an android.

[#UnleashSean]

Never buy apple. From compatibility issues, artificial slowdowns, and inflated price tags its not worth it.

Buy a Google pixel or Samsung note. All the features of Apple with none of the bull.

[warriorchick]

Buy a Google pixel or Samsung note.

But then you won't be one of the cool kids....

[#UnleashSean]

But then you won't be one of the cool kids....

You're not wrong. Apple has made a killing with the false info about being better for art and design and ease of access. None of which is true but.......

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I've been happy with my OnePlus phone with Android.  It's the most configurable Android system so you can do I lot of configuring to the layout you like.

[mu_hilltopper]

We're an Android family .. and as my kids get old enough to have phones, it is a struggle in an iPhone world.  Seems like 80% of the kids (in their schools) have iPhones .. and thus, iMessage.

I realize this shouldn't make a difference, texting/MMS with Android phones, but their friends suggest it is and have had issues with being added to various texting groups..

Highly irritating.  Can't we all just pick one damn platform?  I don't care what it is.  WhatsApp, Telegram, Hangouts, Facebook, whatever.

[#UnleashSean]

We're an Android family .. and as my kids get old enough to have phones, it is a struggle in an iPhone world.  Seems like 80% of the kids (in their schools) have iPhones .. and thus, iMessage.

I realize this shouldn't make a difference, texting/MMS with Android phones, but their friends suggest it is and have had issues with being added to various texting groups..

Highly irritating.  Can't we all just pick one damn platform?  I don't care what it is.  WhatsApp, Telegram, Hangouts, Facebook, whatever.

Just Apple being Apple. While the rest of the world is focused on compatibility with anything under the sun, Apple forces their products to only work with their products.

[Cheeks]

Never buy apple. From compatibility issues, artificial slowdowns, and inflated price tags its not worth it.

Buy a Google pixel or Samsung note. All the features of Apple with none of the bull.

I had such a crappy experience with Samsung a few years ago and all the bloatware on it, will take a long time for me to try again.  I know they are much better now, but what a piece of crap back then.

[#UnleashSean]

I had such a crappy experience with Samsung a few years ago and all the bloatware on it, will take a long time for me to try again.  I know they are much better now, but what a piece of crap back then.

If you can, never buy from a provider. They load it with bloatware and lock the phones to only their systems. Buy direct from Samsung or Google etc.

[The Sultan]

We are with iPhone even though we are not really "Apple" people.  It does what I need it to do and for a price I'm fine with.  I will not be upgrading for awhile.  No need to.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

We're an Android family .. and as my kids get old enough to have phones, it is a struggle in an iPhone world.  Seems like 80% of the kids (in their schools) have iPhones .. and thus, iMessage.

I realize this shouldn't make a difference, texting/MMS with Android phones, but their friends suggest it is and have had issues with being added to various texting groups..

^This. 

My youngest has an Android because it was free with the carrier package and is itching to switch to an iPhone, all because of group texting.  While that seems like a minor issue to olds like me and my wife, given that group texts are the primary/nearly only way kids communicate it is a big deal to them.

[#UnleashSean]

Also since we're talking abiut slow phones.


Do this:

https://www.reddit.com/r/LifeProTips/comments/d4yqa1/lpt_if_you_have_an_android_phone_go_to_the/

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

If you can, never buy from a provider. They load it with bloatware and lock the phones to only their systems. Buy direct from Samsung or Google etc.

I agree.

[MU82]

We're an Android family .. and as my kids get old enough to have phones, it is a struggle in an iPhone world.  Seems like 80% of the kids (in their schools) have iPhones .. and thus, iMessage.

I realize this shouldn't make a difference, texting/MMS with Android phones, but their friends suggest it is and have had issues with being added to various texting groups..

Highly irritating.  Can't we all just pick one damn platform?  I don't care what it is.  WhatsApp, Telegram, Hangouts, Facebook, whatever.

Totally can appreciate this, 'topper.

I have never had an iPhone and have owned very few Apple products in my life. I am not anti-Apple per se -- I own a decent amount of AAPL stock -- I just always saw it difficult to justify the price premium for their products. Plus, unlike Android, one can't use a mini-SD card to increase memory in an iPhone, and I've never liked that.

Both of my kids -- and their spouses and their in-laws -- all have iPhones. Even my wife has an iPhone that our daughter gave her last year. They all share stuff that I can't get, which as you correctly note is quite annoying. My wife sends the best stuff to me, but again it's irritating.

We both will be in the market for new phones in 2020, and I doubt I'll be able to convince my wife to own anything other than an iPhone for the very reason stated above. So I might end up having to go that route myself, albeit reluctantly.

It is helpful getting to hear the advice and experiences that folks are sharing here. Thanks.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I enjoy being the only Android user in my wife's family.  I dont get a single family iMessage and it's fantastic.

[mu_hilltopper]

Maybe an iPhone guy can answer:  What is the deal with iMessage and not being able / difficult / whatever .. to send to non-iMessage people?

I mean, I know there's a blue or green bubble .. but is there an actual issue?  What stops an iPhone person from adding an Android number to a group chat?

[The Sultan]

Maybe an iPhone guy can answer:  What is the deal with iMessage and not being able / difficult / whatever .. to send to non-iMessage people?

I mean, I know there's a blue or green bubble .. but is there an actual issue?  What stops an iPhone person from adding an Android number to a group chat?

An iPhone guy can send a text to an Android user anytime.  That's not much of a problem.

I believe the issue your kid is dealing with is that an Android user cannot be added to an existing iMessage group chat.  A new group chat would have to be created with the Android user included.  Then all the messages are texts and not iMessages.

[#UnleashSean]

Maybe an iPhone guy can answer:  What is the deal with iMessage and not being able / difficult / whatever .. to send to non-iMessage people?

I mean, I know there's a blue or green bubble .. but is there an actual issue?  What stops an iPhone person from adding an Android number to a group chat?

Apple uses an encryption that secures the message on both ends meaning only another iPhone can decipher the message. They claim its for security but we all know it's to lock out androids.

Which is stupid. Everyone should just use what's app or similar apps because they do the exact same thing.

[wadesworld]

Is it really a big issue?  I use an iPhone so I don't know if it causes an issue for non-iPhone users when they're trying to create a group chat with people that do have iPhones, but when I create a group chat I don't have to do anything differently to make it work with non-iPhone users.  I just start picking out the people I want in the group chat and if everyone has an iPhone it sends as an iMessage and if there are one or more non-iPhone users it automatically just changes to text message.  As far as I know everyone gets all the messages, pictures, links, or anything else I'm sending, and I see everything they send.

[The Sultan]

Is it really a big issue?  I use an iPhone so I don't know if it causes an issue for non-iPhone users when they're trying to create a group chat with people that do have iPhones, but when I create a group chat I don't have to do anything differently to make it work with non-iPhone users.  I just start picking out the people I want in the group chat and if everyone has an iPhone it sends as an iMessage and if there are one or more non-iPhone users it automatically just changes to text message.  As far as I know everyone gets all the messages, pictures, links, or anything else I'm sending, and I see everything they send.

You are right, but the issue is that if you have ten people in a chat, all iPhone users, and you want to add #11 who is an Android user, you have to start over.  That can be a pain.

[cheebs09]

The group chat is a huge reason I went iPhone. Even if you join from scratch, does it show up to an Android the same? Or do they get a single text message and not able to respond to the group easily. That was always my problem, but that was 5 years ago.

[mikekinsellaMVP]

JB-

I've got two quick suggestions for you, assuming you want to stick with Apple.

If you can live with your 64GB for another year, see if you can get a cheap battery replacement.

Otherwise, look into buying one of the "cheaper" iPhones - the 8 or the XR - on either Apple or a carrier's Upgrade Program.  Your phone cost becomes a 0%, 24-month loan.  You then have the option to buy a new phone after 12 months, with the outstanding loan on your previous phone forgiven once you trade it in.  (e.g. You buy a 128GB iPhone 8 for $400 after you trade in your 6S, paid for as $16.67/month.  In September 2020, you buy an iPhone 12 at retail price.  You trade in your 8 that you've paid $200 for, and the remaining $200 is forgiven.)

Key reason I'd suggest avoiding Apple's higher-end phones this cycle is they don't have 5G antennas, making them poor long-term options.  The 2020 iPhones are pretty much guaranteed to be 5G compatible.