Upgrading to Verizon smartphone: iPhone SE or...?

seeker

Mon, May 16 2016, 10:11 pm

Please opine.

I'm seeing option to upgrade to iPhone SE for $0.99 with a 2-year contract. That sounds like an amazing deal. Not 100% sure I'll be staying with Verizon for 2 years but the odds are pretty high and I can probably transfer it to someone else in the family if needed.

On the other hand I wasn't at all sure I was leaning toward Apple in the first place.

There are various Android phones also on sale with contract, several in the $20 range. I could handle that if they're good phones. I have no idea if they're good phones.

I also wonder how the deals work - do they have a different $.99 phone at different times, does it pay to choose which phone I want and wait for it to go on sale, or is that a gamble and I should just take whatever's good while the opportunity lasts?

According to Verizon I haven't upgraded since 2010 (didn't want to get locked into a contract, but here I am on the same plan 6 years later with a dinky old phone. Bah.) so my phone is doing its last dying gasps while I am totally absent from the phone-shopping world. I eagerly await your enlightenment.

TIA!

seeker

Mon, May 16 2016, 10:21 pm

PS I happen to have an Apple iPad but I don't maximize its functionality anyway - I think no matter what phone OS I get I would just switch over to using the phone exclusively without caring if the ipad works together with it. I use the iPad for random apps, email, google docs, etc and if I had a smartphone I would probably just stop using the apple calendar and task lists and just use my phone instead.

seeker

Mon, May 16 2016, 10:32 pm

The other contenders seem to be:
Galaxy S4 (pre-owned)
HTC desire (a few different models - 526, 612, 626)
Galaxy core prime
LG Lancet
LG K4 LTE

Anything else is more than I ideally want to spend but could be considered if it is THE phone, or if someone tips me off that I might get a deal if I wait. I can deal with a few more weeks of crummy phone but only if I know that more deals will ultimately come.

seeker

Tue, May 17 2016, 1:10 am

Siiiiigh so it turns out it looks like there are actually added fees other than what they made me think... going to go back to the rep a different day and see if I missed something or if that's it. Because I decided I could pay what they said I would have to, but I don't want to pay what the website says I'll have to. Back to the drawing board. And the breaking old phone, for now.

Amarante

Tue, May 17 2016, 12:15 pm

If you have an iPad definitely go for the iPhone because they work together really well. My emails are perfectly synced as I prefer to use the iPad at home. Also stuff like notes is synced so if I write a grocery list on iPad, it is also synced to the iPhone. There is also other functionality like photos syncing etc.

I also have an iMac so my universe is completely synced as I do things on my desktop and they appear on iPhone and iPad.

The only issue is whether the 5 is getting to be obsolete as Apple will be releasing the 7 in the Fall and the 5 is several years old so you might really be left behind in terms of updates. I have an ancient iPhone and it is somewhat limited. Since I use my iPhone only for telephones and emergency emails, it's okay but I would probably upgrade if it were more of my main device for Internet, etc. I do enjoy reading books on the iPhone ensues it's so light and I don't have to worry about good reading lights. I bought my iPhone in 2011 so I certainly got my money's worth as it still works fine although I can't use newer software. My iPad is a few months old as I guarded that because I use it quite a bit.

Merrymom

Tue, May 17 2016, 12:39 pm

I hate Iphones. I had one and gave it to my dh. I hear they're improving to be more like the Samsung now. I LOVE Samsungs though and would just choose that instead. They're light, user friendly, etc. etc.

carrot

Tue, May 17 2016, 12:43 pm

Dare I post this under my screen name? I have the apple SE and I'm quite happy with it.

It it smaller than most other smart phones. Better for one-handed typing, worse for if you want a big screen for other reasons. For me it's good (also cheaper).

Even if you don't have an iPad or Mac, iPhone is also good if others in your family, especially distant relatives, have iPhone too, because you can FaceTime.

It's a 6 not a 5 and I would be surprised if they stopped releasing updates for it anytime soon.

seeker

Tue, May 17 2016, 4:17 pm

Merrymom, I know Samsung is like the holy grail of smartphones but I highly doubt there will ever be a deal on it good enough for me. As it is, it seems the fee for adding the smartphone is going to be more than I anticipated so I will probably have to pass on it altogether Sad