I'm a retired geezer who has absolutely no use for a smart phone. I did buy a base trac phone to make calls with. This simply because there aren't any pay phones these days. I buy $100 worth of minutes annually, never use them all. I call it my $8.33 per month plan.

Seriously, I feel sorry for people so addicted to their phones...

You would be surprised, Paul, at the uses you do have for a smart phone you just aren't aware of.

My phone gives me a freedom of maneuver and insight impossible for a business owner 15 years ago. I am not addicted to it, I appreciate it. I also turn my phone off before I go to bed. Anyone I care about still has my land line number.

Manage technology, don't let it manage you.

I have a feeling the 5s will become the G50 Carrera of smartphones. It's an iconic brand, does everything it ought to do reliably, it's issues are well known by now, the models that followed don't offer enough new to the basic concept to be worth changing.

Also another Apple iphone 5s user here. The 4s would take forever to upload updates. Also the fitbit app slowed it down and battery needed to be charged too frequently.

The 5s is not much more expensive per month. I text my daughter in Ireland on the unlimited texting plan. Flat fee per month. I use it for phone calls, fitbit app, the weather, emails etc. No point in getting an iphone 6/s. They were wanting a $1000 can a few months ago for one. :)

Every 2 years for me. 4.5,6 and now a 7+ has been pre-ordered.

+1. I purchased one smartphone from ATT (iPhone 3GS) so far. The rest are from local Craigs list.

You have a point. My kids and even my wife are totally addicted to social media and news. I have none of that on my phone. Beyond basic phone OS functions the only apps I have installed on mine are Pandora, Paypal, Uber, Waze, and Zillow. Built in GPS, particularly Waze, has proven invaluable for me as I travel often between SD and Santa Barbara and most trips are updated in route due to traffic patterns. Awesome.


I'm going to need a ton more innovation, or hardware failure, to be convinced of an upgrade.

With smartphone repair easily available now, I'm finding the life of these phones can be extended a lot. $80 to replace battery, $100 for a screen. No longer do my kids get new phones when they break theirs.

I only buy when my old one breaks.

2010 was my first smartphone. It was a Motorola Atrix that I only got because it was free, and was given to all employees at that company. It broke in 2013 so I got an iPhone 4s, which broke this year, so I got an SE.

I still have my 5S, 64bit, and very little use (was my company phone for the bed biz, and not good Sprint coverage in Naples ) keep as a backup, but my daily phone is a Galaxy 5S, with a Zerolemon battery. Too damn cheap to buy a new phone, even waited till they offered the $95 upgrade before getting it.
The iPhone is the only phone bought when it came out, my former partner had the business buy all new phones when we switched services, he and I got the fully loaded ones (he chose em)
When sprint offeres me another deal where a new phone is the same cost as replacing the battery, if my battery is going bad, I might upgrade again.

I agree that upgrading has slowed, partly because of the phones but also because the payment options / plans have changed. How in the world the phone companies let that happen is beyond me. You'd think they had enough influence on the carriers to lobby to continue "free" upgrades and have the cost of the phone hidden in the monthly fee.

Personally, the only reason I need to upgrade soon is the fact that my old eyes will enjoy the larger screens available. I would like the 7 plus because it is water tight, but not sure if it will be a big advantage compared to the deal you'll get next spring on a 6S plus ...

G

I wonder about that too.

$700 iPhone - $200 upgrade fee = $500 cost to carrier. $500 / 24 mo = $20/mo. Seems ATT could charge $20/ mo more if they still offered phone upgrades.

Suppose the carrier doesn't sell, but leases the phone to the customer for 2 years. Can the carrier then take the depreciation? Depreciation on all the iPhones sold each year in the US would be something like $40BN. Or like $15BN of tax deductions.

Bought my daughter a new phone for her year overseas, she chose an iPhone SE because it is small, looks just like the 5S, and cheaper. Basically the same internals as the 6S in a 5 size package.

By the way, Apple probably can't believe it's luck. Right when you launch the iPhone 7, Samsung has to recall its Galaxy Note 7, which it rushed to get out before the new iPhone. Its Christmas in Cupertino.

The SE is the best bang for the buck hands down and would be my choice if I didn't want a larger screen.

No kidding on the Samsung - that is a nightmare to happen at launch. Doesn't speak well for their quality control. It sure isn't turning me on to a Samsung ...

G

Both my wife and I have had Bluetooth issues. Not sure why. Mine started off fine, but recently (past couple of months) has been dropping the connections, until a reboot. I've been considering upgrading to a 7 to regain the micro-SD card and the water proofing.

A note on waterproofing. My IP68 Gear S stopped working after a swim. I suspect that the SIM card area was not quite sealed. The newer phones do not have replaceable SIM cards.

I don't think any of these smartphones are waterproof enough for swimming, regardless of what IP rating they claim.

Smartwatch: Samsung Galaxy Gear S

iphones are amazing but this was the bomb....http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1473792699.jpg

^^^I actually have one of those! Obviously not active, but I should dig it out just for grins!

Or the top of the line cell phone for $50.

I always buy last years model, price is always knocked down while everyone clamors for the latest/greatest, plus that gives them a year to work the bugs out.

We try to hold on to out phones for around two years (presuming I don't forget it in my pocket and it goes through the wash... yes I know the rice trick but it doesn't always work).

Seeing as we are now paying $300-$600 for a phone it seems prudent to try to get as much life out of them as possible.

I'm still using a Galaxy S3 and see absolutely no reason to "upgrade".
It was a replacement for my Blackberry 890, which was a replacement for my LG flip-phone.

And I still have a Western Electric 2500 series connected to my land line. Best damn desk phone ever made.