buying first iphone

[Dreamatose]

I'm not a big phone person so I've always used a simple pay-as-you-go phone, but all the picture/browsing features are very limited. Thinking it is time for me to join the rest of the world
I don't know anything about the payments or plans. How does all that work? What would be the best option since I'm on a limited monthly budget? Also, don't really care if I have to get a new number - actually probably prefer that.

Thanks for the help.

 

[chscag]

Is this just an iPhone for yourself or do you need a family plan?

 

[neil.gtis]

Hi
My iPhone is a second hand 8 plus and it’s
On pay as you go so no contract and I still
Have my old number
Neil

 

[IWT]

I don't know anything about the payments or plans.

A lot depends on where you live - country, I mean. I can tell you about the UK, but not elsewhere except in general terms.

Talking of general comments. Personal opinion, of course:

Don't be tempted to go for the cheapest/smallest storage iPhone. There is not much space after the Operating System is included.

Moreover - and I can virtually promise you this - you will become enchanted with the iPhone and start to take lots of pictures, the occasional video, come across apps which you never knew existed, find some reason to put music on the iPhone and before you realise it, your storage space is used up.

Having said that, I note that the starting storage on the latest iPhones is 64GB. But if you were looking for earlier iPhones, which are still available, 32GB might be offered. Forget that. Think future. 64GB is ok, but if the purse can afford it, 128GB is more future-proof.

Keeping your current number is, to some extent, country-dependent. If you are in the UK, you are virtually compelled to be signed up to one of the providers and if you remain with that provider, you can keep the number. Of course, if you want to, you can get a new one with any provider.

Tell us more, and we can be more specific.

Ian

 

[neil.gtis]

I am in the UK and got a second hand 8plus with 256 gb unlocked from cex and I put my EE pay as you go sim in and keep the same number
Neil

 

[Applescrumpy]

Actually there are some good SIM only deals here in the UK.

SIMOnly.co.uk - The best place for SIM Only deals

Find the best SIM Only deals from the UK's leading SIM Only price comparison website. Save today.

simonly.co.uk

Again in the UK, it is possible to take your phone number with you when you change providers.

PAC Codes | How to keep and transfer your old number

Find out how to transfer your old mobile number to your new handset. Save yourself the needless hassle by keeping your old phone number.

www.uswitch.com

Currently I’m using a SIM only deal for £5/month with ID Mobile on my iPhone 11. The deals include a couple GB data with rollover.

 

[IWT]

Ladies and Gents, (I'm being cautious here )

We don't know for sure whether Dreamatose lives in the UK or elsewhere. These posts above have very helpful suggestions, but they may not be relevant.

Ian

 

[Applescrumpy]

Good point. But the info may be useful to other viewers ?

 

[Rod]

I am an Australian and buying an iPhone on a provider plan is something I have avoided like the plague. The end price is always more than the outright price of an "unlocked" device so this is the way I've always gone. This way I'm not tied to a specific provider and can change my provider at will. Currently I'm using Amaysim on a iPhone SE 20 and I love both.
Very wise words from IWT, I have 128GB storage on this phone, I consider that more than adequate but I would never go for less that 64GB these days.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

All major carriers have pay-as-you-go plans, you can also stick with the smaller carries like Cricket and so on and continue with the pay-as-you-go route with access to the latest smartphones (iPhones or otherwise).

You don't need get a new number, the number portability law passed a decade+ ago and allows you to port your number to the device you end up getting.

Start with a website like this: https://www.wirefly.com/guides/compare-best-pay-as-you-go-cell-phone-plans

You can compare and contrast plans, determine what price fits your budget and what that gets you.

Most of these plans will come with capped data and perhaps capped text as well.

 

[chscag]

We don't know for sure whether Dreamatose lives in the UK or elsewhere. These posts above have very helpful suggestions, but they may not be relevant.

As Ian suggests, the OP does not live in the UK. According to his profile, he lives in the US.

The advice given by Ashwin is what he should go by.

 

[Dreamatose]

Thanks everyone for the responses.

iPhone is just for myself, and I live in US. I should have said, the phone/number I have now is with AT&T. Can a number from there be transferred over?

I doubt I will get addicted to all the fancy features, but it would be nice to check email, twitter, or anything that can help me multitask and keep up with the news at work

 

[Raz0rEdge]

If you are happy with the AT&T service/plan/price, then visit your local store and tell them you want a smartphone (your choices are iOS or Android) and a similar plan to what you are on to keep costs down.

They should be able to guide you in what you would end up paying for going to a smartphone.

For example, AT&T has a Prepaid deal with $30/month for 5GB of data, unlimited text and if you wanted to go with an iPhone, they have the iPhone XR for $500.

 

[Mac Man 2007]

I am the same way and so is my wife. Last year just before Covid broke loose we were going to start traveling. So I bought 2 new 1st Gen iPhone SE's for a total of $210 for both phones off ebay. They were brand new, never used (one even had a warranty with it) 32 gb and unlocked so I could go with any plan anywhere or pay monthly like I do now. Covid stopped everything so I never switched the our numbers to the phones. Right now I use one like an iPad and the other my wife uses to take pictures and then dumps them into her Mac Pro. We put a total of 3K miles on the car for the year. We live like hermits. After vaccines are taken and things open up I will move our numbers to the iPhones and hit the road. For a $105 for a 1st gen. SE I couldn't pass it up. Apple still supports the first gen SE. I can learn all about iPhones and then upgrade if I want to in the future.

 

[trevor25220]

I bought a used, unlocked iPhone 6s+ in the UK in 2018 and it has been great. Just 16GB memory though, which is only really for light app users. Apps can be put to sleep to free up more memory. Maps are memory-hogs!

 

[chscag]

I bought a used, unlocked iPhone 6s+ in the UK in 2018 and it has been great. Just 16GB memory though, which is only really for light app users. Apps can be put to sleep to free up more memory. Maps are memory-hogs!

That brings back memories of the first iPhone 5c that I purchased for myself and wife. Remember those? You could buy one with only 8GB of storage. Both of ours were 16GB and at that time it was adequate.

My current iPhone 8 has 64GB but I have used only about ⅓ of available storage.