Are you about ready to upgrade your iPhone or Android smartphone?

NorthStar

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For what and why?

Let me guess first; the vast majority of members here @ Audioshark are in the Apple 🍎 (iPhone) ecosystem. And, anything older than the iPhone 12 is doomed to be upgraded to the new iPhone 13 family. Makes sense?

Is your battery satisfying?
About the improved cameras?
120Hz refresh rate?
Smaller (20%) notch on top of the screen?

What sez you, including Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra owners. ...Or any other Android brands from China.

This is it, 5G and 6G and all the world inside our pockets; from Bangkok to Kathmandu in 4K Dolby Vision (HDR10+), Dolby Atmos and Cinema mode to Pro Res video mode in Ultra high definition. ...8K? That's for another future in few more years.

Are you experienced? Are you knowledgeable? Are you a professional? Are you open to the next evolution in mobile phones?

I want to hear your stories first, your aspirations second, and all that jazz you wish to share. :) What's the first feature/priority you're looking for in a mobile phone?
 
I have an IPhone SE (hey, at least it's not a flip phone). I've been wanting to upgrade for a while and now seems to be the time to do it as my battery life is currently limited and failing.
As I carry the phone in my pocket, two of my concerns are size and weight. The screen on my current phone is too small for my aging eyes yet some of the phones are too large and heavy.
I am curious as to how much longer some of the models will still be supported I.E. series 11 or 12.
Battery life is also high on my list.
So mid sized, light weight with good battery life and sufficient length of Apple support lifespan.
Any recommendations?
 
One of these years I will upgrade my iPhone 7. Currently, the front has come unglued in the middle, and now the front panel is elevated so you can see under the screen and inside the phone. The 3rd party phone case cover seems to be keeping the phone together, and it still works fine. Hopefully I can get another year or two out of it.

6D544A11-26CD-499F-8BA3-B602AE796EB0.jpeg
 
If you enjoy taking photos, the camera on the 12 is really fantastic. Apparently the 13's camera is even better. People I know who ALWAYS traveled with a 'real' camera have gone to leaving that camera home a lot in favor of the iPhone 12.

I'm going from the 12 to the 13 mostly because I'll give the 12 to one of my kids just to be a nice dad. (He's my only kid with an Android phone and lack of iMessaging has been inconvenient.)
 
I have an IPhone SE (hey, at least it's not a flip phone). I've been wanting to upgrade for a while and now seems to be the time to do it as my battery life is currently limited and failing.
As I carry the phone in my pocket, two of my concerns are size and weight. The screen on my current phone is too small for my aging eyes yet some of the phones are too large and heavy.
I am curious as to how much longer some of the models will still be supported I.E. series 11 or 12.
Battery life is also high on my list.
So mid sized, light weight with good battery life and sufficient length of Apple support lifespan.
Any recommendations?

iPhones are supported for five years, no less.

Treat yourself right with a larger screen for your older eyes, and if you can handle one ounce heavier roughly (174 grams), and if you can afford it (I'll lend you the balance), plus you'll get money from Apple for your SE (trade exchange plan), ...I think you fit into the iPhone 13 with a 6.1" screen, with much improved battery life (larger and way more efficient), the latest A15 Bionic chip (super duper best in the whole world inside a mobile phone), and with two excellent improved cameras on the rear...among the best in the world, plus a much improved one on the front too.

* The 13 mini is 5.4" ... your eyes would love that extra .7" with the 13, and from your SE you'll be saying "wow!"
Support again is for 5 years, guaranteed by Apple; you will get iOS 20.

P.S. If your iPhone SE is the 2016 model, then yes you might consider the iPhone 13 mini...5.4" is larger than 4".
• There is the iPhone SE (2020) model ... 4.7" screen (you didn't mention which one you have).
 
If you enjoy taking photos, the camera on the 12 is really fantastic. Apparently the 13's camera is even better. People I know who ALWAYS traveled with a 'real' camera have gone to leaving that camera home a lot in favor of the iPhone 12.

I'm going from the 12 to the 13 mostly because I'll give the 12 to one of my kids just to be a nice dad. (He's my only kid with an Android phone and lack of iMessaging has been inconvenient.)

Yes :thumbsup: ... Rankings - DXOMARK

Cameras? You may want to consider going Pro ...
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Camera review: Outstanding video
 
One of these years I will upgrade my iPhone 7. Currently, the front has come unglued in the middle, and now the front panel is elevated so you can see under the screen and inside the phone. The 3rd party phone case cover seems to be keeping the phone together, and it still works fine. Hopefully I can get another year or two out of it.

View attachment 30411

Bud, c'mon ... get on with the program ...
Compare Apple iPhone 13 mini vs. Apple iPhone 13 vs. Apple iPhone 7 - GSMArena.com

You are ready to upgrade; or the 13 mini or the 13. What applies to David above applies to you too.
You guys have phones that are older than five years; in the mobile world that's a long time.
The iPhone 13 family is perfect for you both; it will inject brand new regenerated power in all aspects in your life, and for less than a pair of high end audio interconnects (1 meter).
 
Good thread. Thanks to all providing input. I've begun to think about an upgrade probably either later this year or sometime early next year. I have an iPhone 7+ and the battery is still good but not what it used to be. I'm not necessarily one to have the latest and greatest (I waited until a new generation came in before I got the 7+) but have read about how much better the cameras are in this new generation. If I see some type of deal, even before I intened to upgrade, I'll certainly consider it.
 
I just upgraded to a 13 Pro Max last night. I usually go as long as I can without upgrading since the entire procedure is a pain in the ass. I spent 3.5 hours at Verizon yesterday because I of course got the “new guy” and somehow, despite me telling him 5 times to make sure this new phone goes with my phone number and not my wife’s, he assigned it to my wife, disabling her phone while she’s at work on the Covid floor. She uses her phone a lot. MORON! He then has to get Verizon support on the line to put everything back the way it was. I had to have my wife paged at work to tell her the shit show that was going on and explain why her phone wasn’t working.

I then got home and started the data migration process, of course, it took about 10 tries and reboots for the old phone to see the new phone and begin the data transfer. It never works as advertised.

Then pairing the new phone with the Apple watch was this morning. Of course, neither sees the other and I had to erase the Apple Watch, pair it as a new phone and then restore its data from a back up. [emoji35]

I left the world of technology for this reason.


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One of these years I will upgrade my iPhone 7. Currently, the front has come unglued in the middle, and now the front panel is elevated so you can see under the screen and inside the phone. The 3rd party phone case cover seems to be keeping the phone together, and it still works fine. Hopefully I can get another year or two out of it.

View attachment 30411

This is usually caused by a swollen battery, which could explode or cause serious hazards. Please change your phone immediately.
 
I’ll stick with my iPhone 11Pro for another year or so. Working good and it fits easily in my front pocket.
 
Thanks Bob for the great info. Looks like a 13 mini is in my near future.
And yes Mike, the PIA in transferring to a new phone is the biggest reason that I have been reluctant to upgrade.
Perhaps for a younger generation it is not such a problem. But I'm fortunate to be able to somewhat utilize some of the functions of the phone.
So I leave well enough alone once it works.
Good thread
 
I just upgraded to a 13 Pro Max last night. I usually go as long as I can without upgrading since the entire procedure is a pain in the ass. I spent 3.5 hours at Verizon yesterday because I of course got the “new guy” and somehow, despite me telling him 5 times to make sure this new phone goes with my phone number and not my wife’s, he assigned it to my wife, disabling her phone while she’s at work on the Covid floor. She uses her phone a lot. MORON!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Just be aware that there are Verizon Corporate stores (not that it's impossible to avoid an idiot) and Verizon Authorized sellers. There's a difference. In my area, there are two corporate stores each about a 20 minute drive (or a hair more). I've been to the local (about 5 miles) Verizon authorized retailer twice and that's enough for me. I gave a friend of mine who's older an old iPhone 4 a few years back as she wanted something other than an old flip phone to text. I told her to go to the corporate store which was about 10 minutes away from her but she didn't listen. They told her they couldn't do something with the phone which took me all of 60 seconds. I'm not saying that every person who works in a Verizon authorized retailer is a moron, however those working for the corporation get training, benefits and other perks that the authorized retailer employees may not and it seems to me that there is less turnover when I visit the stores. If one goes to an unauthorized retailer and has an issue, there is obviously less control that Verizon has over them. For example - Verizon Store Near Me, Verizon Store | Verizon When one clicks on the filter for Verizon Company Store the number of stores goes from 18 to 4. When I enter my zip code the number goes from 9 to 2.
 
Phil, good to know. I just got lucky and it was a company store (on Cattleman), but unlucky when the guy was fiddling with this iPad looking thing for 10 minutes and looks at me and says “sorry, it’s my first day on the job.” [emoji15]

What I found most amazing was that his colleagues were not all that helpful to the poor fellow. At one point, he put the Verizon super tech support lady on speaker phone and I started to trouble shoot with her as this fellow was clearly in over his head.

My biggest reason for upgrading to the 13ProMax was battery life. I don’t care about the camera as no amount of technology can fix my shitty photography skills (Joe teases me about this all the time) or any other new “feature”. Battery life for me is huge and I know that’s come a long way the past few iterations.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
Mike - one of the places I'm retired from is Verizon (it was Bell Atlantic back then - that's what happens when one is ancient). I worked in Corporate (not for the wirless company) but was in the tax department advising them of such issues when the company was formed and known as BAMS (Bell Atlantic Mobile Services). Since I'm technically a retiree, the codes on my service are different than any other customers. For years, I had to go through arranging upgrades via calling the toll free customer service and getting the phone in the mail (and sending back the old one if appropriate). I forget when they changed it but it was quite a bit ago. While, I may not be technical guy vs. the typical technical support, as corporate management and dealing with issues that have financial consequences (or in the event of a union strike for the landlines), I went through training.

It drove me nuts dealing with the local stores and sometimes getting someone an an authorized retailer who was clueless (and just like any other workplace corporate or not, I'm sure both company stores and authorized retailers have their internal politics). Then they had a third party (Prudential) administer pensions (not that I get much). That even drove me crazier. Sometimes multiple times in the same year (since I was previously getting a little discount but that changed about 8 years back when I went to a certain plan for everyone but I'd still get these employment verification requests), they would send me a request to show proof of my current employment (so I can relate to idiots). They finally did it one too many times and would do it more than once per year. So I finally sent a letter in December 2015 where I knew it would get their attention and I'll leave out the parts where I told them they need to provide better service (and all I did for the most part was sent them their own Yelp ratings). I have not received a subsequent request since then.

"To Whom It May Concern:
Reference is made to the above tracking number and five documents, labeled as
follows:
Doc 1- This was a result of an email I received today and the link took me to this site it contains the above tracking number
Doc 2 -1099 and electronic bank deposit info ·This was recently furnished and it was also sent last June
Doc 3 - validation of my eligible employment (via email) by Verizon last June as a result of furnishing Doc 2
Doc 4 - Dec, 17, 2012 letter sent to my former residence indicating Prudential administers the Verizon Mgmt Pension Plan
Doc 5 - Letter (Oct 2012) from Verizon indicating Doc 4 was forthcoming and verifying I've gotten a Verizon Pension since
October 1996 and giving my employment information

With regard to the above information. you seem to be missing the point I've been
retired for19 years, I get an annuity (monthly) from Verizon (as the result of my many years of
service) and don't either have a pay stub or the option to change my annuity status, except in
the event of my death (and atthat point either the account will be canceled by someone else or
due to nonpayment, although I can't say with 100% certainty that my bank doesn't have a
branch in the afterlife),

Doc 2 (the Federal Form 1099 indicating I am retired under the Verizon Mgmt Pension Plan)
was driven over to the Merritt Island, FL Verizon corporate store this past June after I was given
the run around online, at another store and on the telephone, Just the drive and wait time
wasted an hour and a half of my time as indicated above, I cannot change my annuitant status.
That was after another hour and a half was wasted before that. As a result of furnishing that
data, I received Doc 3 a few days later. My status has not changed since I got Doc 3 and
hoping to avoid an hour and a half or so going to the corporate store,I've wasted at least that
with this same nonsense just a few months past June 2015. So much for customer service and
appreciation for service given (I was there before there was a Verizon Wireless and before it
was known as BAMS or Bell Atlantic Mobile Service and it wouldn't necessarily be around
today without help from both myself and my colleagues based at Verizon Corp HQ).

Doc 4 dated December 17,2012, sent to my oid Virginia residence along with a large
information packet indicating Prudential now administers the Verizon Mgmt Pension Plan and
that's why the bank electronic (Dec. 2015) transfer in my account shows it is from Prudential
(and if you multiply the monthly amount by 12 it equals the annual amount in the Federal 1099).

Doc 5 is from Verizon dated October 2012, indicating where I was employed prior to retirement
and that my retirement benefit commenced on October 9, 1996, That's 19 years ago,"
 
Phil, you’ve had some real battles there. I’m not displeased with Verizon or the poor new employee who clearly was staring at his little iPad with the deer in the headlight look. Stuff happens, even when you say 5 times “make sure it’s my 0282 number, not my wife’s!”

What’s sad is that I kind of expected it. No phone upgrade has ever gone smoothly.

They have to come up with a better, easier way.


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One of these years I will upgrade my iPhone 7. Currently, the front has come unglued in the middle, and now the front panel is elevated so you can see under the screen and inside the phone. The 3rd party phone case cover seems to be keeping the phone together, and it still works fine. Hopefully I can get another year or two out of it.

View attachment 30411

You don't want that in your house... If you see swollen batteries, it is a matter of time before it explodes and sets stuff on fire


 
"If you see swollen batteries, it is a matter of time before it explodes and sets stuff on fire" Do need to worry about my belly?:lol:
 
This is usually caused by a swollen battery, which could explode or cause serious hazards. Please change your phone immediately.

I didn’t realize the phone could catch on fire since it has been this way for years. So I am looking at the iPhone 13 Mini.

Do I just need to swap a card between the 7 and the 13 to make it operational?
 
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