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Original poster

Please talk to me about iphones

37 replies

sparkle101 · 18/04/2012 16:18

Hi

At work I am due a bonus and was thinking about treating myself to a new phone, everyone I have spoken to suggest an Iphone 4s.

I have always had nokias, even from 3210 time and get on really well with them, although they are getting really rubbish now with battery life, and the phones are really unreliable. I have tried a razr in the past and hated it but that was 6+ years ago.

So, I want to get an iphone but am confused as to what they do, what I would need with them etc

I don't often phone anyone (got 100 mins at mo and never use them) I text all the time and with the iphone I would be hoping to mumsnet use it for the internet about two hours a day, how many gb do I need?

I know nothing do I? Please help.

OP posts:
Ryoko · 18/04/2012 16:38

Don't waste your money, pretty much any smart phone now days will do the job for you, I'd advise focusing on the cheapest contract for mins, texts and internet then the handset. then pick the cheapest handset from the providers list of ones offered with the contract really.

But you are opening a massive can of worms by having internet where ever you go, I have tonnes of annoying friends who endlessly mess with their phones checking their FB to see if anyones liked their comment, replied to their posts etc.

2plus3 · 19/04/2012 15:36

I have just got an iphone4s it's replaced my old android phone. The two are chalk and cheese. The iPhone being loads betterGrin I love having all the apps I have on my iPad on my phone, I prefer the app store to Google play as well. Mine came 'free' with a 24 month contract with Orange which gives me 100 mins of calls, unlimited texts and 1 gb of Internet, just what I need, all for £31.00 per month. By the way you can't really have a smartphone with good battery life they use too much juice. But you get use to charging a lot Wink

2plus3 · 19/04/2012 15:38

And Siri is the best thing since sliced breadGrinSmileWink

amicissimma · 19/04/2012 15:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

susiedaisy · 19/04/2012 15:52

I love my iPhone 4s, I get free unlimited texts and phone calls and 1 gb of Internet a month and I didn't have to purchase the phone it came for free as part of the package for £36 a month deals are changing all the time so what's was a good deal 6 months ago may not be now but that's just the way it goes!

redlac · 19/04/2012 15:56

My iphone4 battery has never let me down in the nearly 2 years I've had it whereas DHs HTC has gone through 4 batteries. I do love my iPhone

Ryoko · 19/04/2012 18:30

I think my boyfriend pays £18 a month for his contract with Virgin and his HTC

befuzzled · 21/04/2012 15:08

You can get cases with built in spare battery for the iPhone ( and probably other smartphones I'm sure)

I've also got a handy little widget that I got at a conference that you charge up via your laptop USB and then carry around with you and can then discharge it into the iPhone for extra juice, also has solar panel I you're getting really desperate - think you can buy them now.

Probably getting ahead now Smile get an iPhone

Toughasoldboots · 21/04/2012 15:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TrinityRhino · 21/04/2012 15:11

IPHONES ARE THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD EVER, EVER, EVER, YOU HAVE TO GET ONE, THEY ARE AMAZING. I LOVE MINE COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY.

hope that helps Grin

YouveCatToBeKittenMe · 21/04/2012 15:15

I have an iphone. I love it. I rely on the calendar to remind me about appointments and I love that the map can guide me to where I want to go. The other apps I love are Shazam, Action Movie FX and TvCatchup. I read a lot of ibooks on it too before i got my Kindle.

I bought mine outright and pay £15 a month for unlimited texts, 300 minutes and 500MB of internet. I have never gone over and I use it a lot.

I worked out that paying £35 a month with a fixed contract of 18 months worked out more than buying the phone out right and only paying £15 a month.
Although I probably would have got free upgrades with the contract.

niceguy2 · 21/04/2012 18:52

Cattobekitten.

You should check out Giffgaff. For £10 a month you get 250 mins, unlimited texts and unlimited data.

ChamberPotOfDestiny · 21/04/2012 18:59

I have an iPhone 4 and get 2000 mins, unlimited texts and 1gb of data for £40 per month. I love it, there was an option to up the Internet allowance and lower the mins but I use more mins than Internet.

MedusaIsHavingABadHairDay · 21/04/2012 19:53

If you can buy the phone outright.. get your iphone from Apple and go with Giffgaff (who use the o2 network)... can't beat their deal! I pay £10 a month and never ever use up my minutes!

YouveCatToBeKittenMe · 21/04/2012 20:15

I'll have a look into that niceguy thanks

Original poster
sparkle101 · 22/04/2012 17:21

Wow, thanks ladies, sorry I've been away from the computer, having been away with friends who have all got iphones I think I'm going to go with one of those as I am very much in love with it and everything it can do! Just have to look for best deal, going to go to orange shop (with them at mo) and find out how uch cancelling my contract is or whether they can offer upgrade to that and go to the apple shop and phones 4 u and see what happens.

I am very poor at knowing what I need and what I want and so worried they'll see me coming but we'll see what happens!!!

OP posts:
SweetTheSting · 22/04/2012 17:42

Sparkle, how long have you been on your current contract? Contracts are normally 12, 18 or 24 months so you may well be out of contract anyway if you haven't upgraded for a bit. If you're worried about them 'seeing you coming' Smile, you can find out loads on the web first.

You usually get a better deal by changing network than by staying on the same network (as the new network has more marketing budget to 'tempt' you in!) - when I upgraded from a Nokia to an iPhone 4S, I was on Orange like you but when I rang customer service they couldn't match the T-mobile deal I was looking at so I switched. It's easy to keep your number too. But ask Orange, you never know!

I got the £31 per month T-Mobile deal just a couple of months ago but I see it has got even better now with £20 cashback and a free phone when I paid £70 for my phone! GRR!!

iPhone 4S deal

Finally I think I read somewhere that usage of mainly text sites like Mumsnet normally comes in at 500 MB per month or under, it's only the heavier duty stuff like downloading video and music I think that uses lots of MB. Can't remember where I read that though. If you have Wi-Fi at home you can use that to get apps and things so it doesn't count on your allowance.

Good luck!

politico · 22/04/2012 21:02

I second the advice about giffgaff. They use O2 for the coverage so the reception is good, and at 10 quid / month (pay as you go, no contract) for unlimited texts and web, and enough calls, it's the cheapest in the market. You have to buy the phone up front but it works out cheaper over the course of another network's contract.

Original poster
sparkle101 · 25/04/2012 10:12

Thanks ladies, have been working so unable to reply (hence iphone need). I have two contracts running side by side as I needed a new phone as mine broke and only way I could get a half decent one was taking another contract out. (My colleagues at work have very kindly told me that I was mugged off!)

Contract one expired last week (15 a month) and contract two expiresjuly 13 (10 a month).

That's really good advice about changing networks, I was worried about call costs as it seems everyone in my family is on orange but I don't use all my 100 free mins so don't think too much of an issue.

Going to look at giffgaff now - sounds intriguing!

OP posts:
Chubfuddler · 25/04/2012 10:18

iPhone 4s is beyond fabulous. FaceTime (basically like Skype but actually works) is amazing. And free.

CarpeJugulum · 25/04/2012 10:58

iPhone 4s. Just upgraded from an iPhone 3Gs and it's blooming marvellous!

Also on £36 unlimited minutes and texts plus 1gb Internet from O2, but then I like that as it means any calls to my work don't cost me anything (WAH).

SweetTheSting · 25/04/2012 15:23

I don't think it's generally cheaper any more to call your own network, though there may be specific plans that have this option. Worth checking!

carrielou2007 · 26/04/2012 12:32

Sorry to jump in, so if I buy an iphone (how much are they to just buy then??) and order one of these giffgaff things it's only 10 a month aside from the cost of the phone initially

niceguy2 · 26/04/2012 12:44

CarrieLou. In essence yes.

Your cost of the iphone.
Plus £10 per month for 250 crossnetwork mins, unlimited text & data.

The only thing to be wary of though is where you get your iphone from. The safest bet is of course to go to somewhere like the Apple store and plonk down £500 for a brand new Iphone 4S. But if your budget doesn't quite stretch that far then there are plenty of choices from places like CEX. Even eBay as long as you pay by Paypal and get it from someone in the UK with good feedback.

If you do go for a secondhand option from ebay, make sure you do not get one which says "no service" assuming you can get it repaired. This means the phone has been blocked. And if the phone says unlocked, make sure it's carrier/factory unlocked and not jailbreak unlocked.

PooshTun · 26/04/2012 13:25

carphone warehouse are doing a deal for 16GB iPhone 4S for £31/month plus £29 handset cost. Assuming that you are not a heavy user, the minutes are reasonable and this equals any Gidgaff and PAYG iPhone combo deal I can find. Plus you don't have to put out £500 upfront.

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