So, a long time ago I used to have Android phones. Unfortunately, they always failed on me, broke, slowed down, etc. I have had iPhones for the past 4 or 5 years and they have never broken, never had any problems with them. I will say I never got the newest one, I am now still rocking the 6s and it works perfectly still. Now I am in the market for a new phone (simply because I feel like it), and even though I like the iPhone Xs or Xs Max, I cannot justify the price point. It is just ridiculous. So I've been looking at the Samsung S9+ now. Much better price. Does anyone feel like Android or Samsung, in particular, has been improved a lot over the past 5 or so years? Are iPhones really worth their price?

I've had iPhones for the past 10+ years and love them. My brother has Samsung and loves it. I guess its really just what your use to

I've had an iPhone 6 for 4 years now, and my only issue was that I needed to replace the battery as its ability to hold a charge for more than a couple hours had been shot. It had been causing weird things to happen. But once I got it replaced at an Apple store, no problems since.

 

I also want to upgrade to one of the new iPhones. Probably an XS, I don't know that I care for such giant phones like the Max series of iPhones or giant other Samsung phones.

 

Technical specs have improved dramatically since our phones came out (Yours is only 1 year younger than mine). Most notable is the screen quality. Much much more vivid. It has faster processers and more memory as well, so it should run apps quicker.

 

It also doesn't have a home button, just using facial recognition to unlock for you. From what I've read, this came out last year with the iPhone X and actually works really well.

 

Other big difference is no aux cable for headphones. Gotta use Bluetooth connected ones, or buy a little adaptor. That's the position I'll be in - Though I think that they do come with a pair of the new Apple earbuds that are Bluetooth. I'm not sure I'd use them though, most all earbuds end up hurting my ears pretty fast.

 

Obviously the price is the big point. They are expensive. My advice is look at your carrier and see what deals they run. Arguably, AT&T has the best with their NEXT plan - that allows you to trade in your current phone and get a new one with no money down, other than paying taxes for the sale price of the phone right then. You pay for the phone over a period of 18 to 24 months, nothing extra. So depending on the size of the phone, it's anywhere from 27 to 45 a month for the phone itself.

 

Sprint is doing a switch promotion deal where when you switch to Sprint, you can trade in your current phone and get a new iPhone for no down and no first month payment, which probably works out to about as much per month as AT&T, but their wireless plans are slightly cheaper - 60 a month unlimited plans versus AT&T's 75 and 85 unlimited plans.

 

T-Mobile would let you pay a smaller portion of the phone up front (as would Sprint if you can't be a new customer) and then pay the rest of it over time, but you'd have to qualify for credit.

 

Of course that's all USA based, and I think your profile says you're from Liverpool so I have no idea what UK Wireless providers might be offering.

 

 

 

My plan is to just save up and buy the phone outright. For me, the reason is that I'm on Sprint's kickstarter wireless plan, which gives me unlimited talk, text, and data for 25 a month. I was only able to get on this plan cause my current phone is paid off. So if I upgraded to any new phone that I had a payment plan for, I'd lose the kickstarter plan and be paying 60 a month for Sprint's regular unlimited plan. But if I buy the new iPhone upfront, I can switch my devices and keep the plan. So that's what I'm gonna do.

 

I'd look at it like this - You've had the 6S for awhile now and iPhones in the past. So you know you're comfortable with them - If you know what you like, just stick with it and take care of the phone so it lasts you several more years. No need to upgrade every year like some of us nerds do, just keep it, pay it off, and relax for a couple years. When I upgrade, I plan on keeping my new phone for another 4 years or so, as long as nothing screws up with it or an accident occurs. So in my eyes, it's worth it.

@Zack T What a thorough explanation! I especially agree with your last paragraph. I prefer comfort and certainty, so I don't see myself leaving iPhones unless I find some amazing deals. I still recommend 6S to my friends who want to get the taste of Apple.

 

A jump from 6S to XS brings a lot of hardware and software update which makes it an amazing choice. If you want a cheaper alternative, you can get the iPhone 8 or iPhone X from last year. You can also wait for XR; I expect it to rock the market quite good.

UK providers are usually so expensive. I don't spend a lot of time texting or calling, so I'd only need data. The cheapest option for me would be to get a SIM only contract and just purchase the phone. I might wait until the next Samsung comes out and compare the newest iPhone to that one.

I use an Android, but it's inexpensive and not new at all. I'm not really a phone person, even though I like tech. I'm guessing I would go with a Samsung if I decided to buy new. In your particular case, I say buy what you really like. Phones are a necessity, not a luxury (even though certain phones can be considered luxury items), so the price can be justified a little bit, especially if you plan on keeping the phone for a long time.

You know what, I use my mobile phone for communications, and sometimes for video watching or for gaming. I don't use it for prestige or for raising my social status. I use Samsung at the moment, but if someone will give me an iPhone, then I will take it in a heartbeat.