Galaxy 7 or Iphone 6

[Irish#1]

Why don't you like "constant updates to apps"? What apps do you use that crash or spin out? How's your WiFi? I'm on a Note 4 and I don't have any of those problems.

For me, I find that Apple products are much more dependent on the infrastructure. In other words, I'd use an iPhone if I also used iTunes and a Mac and an Apple TV. As a stand-alone device, I much prefer Android.

Not true. I've used Crackberry's, Androids and Apple phones. While Apple would like for you to get ingrained in their other products like iTunes, iCloud, etc., it's not necessary at all. I have had the iPhone 4, 5 and 6. I like the simplicity of the iPhone and how you don't have to dig extra layers to find something on your phone. I use iTunes once in a blue moon to back up the phone, but other than that, I don't use any other Apple products or services.

Androids and iPhones work great and also have the occasional problems. Get what you feel most comfortable with.

 

[Irish#1]

I bought some shares years ago for my son's college fund.

It split two for one.

It split two for one again while he was in school.

When he graduated from a private university there were still 100 shares in "his" portfolio.

It then split seven for one soon after he graduated in 2009.

It was one helluva graduation present.



My parents fronted me the cost of a suit to "get a job" when I graduated ND in '74.

Accounting for inflation, I'd say that my lad got one helluva deal.

I still hold some shares, so I vote for the whatever the current iteration of the iPhone is out there.

Even though I'll probably never own one.*



*I'm an old fart cheapskate with no interest in 24/7 connectivity and all that bullshit jazz.

That's nice, but do you still have the suit? lol

 

[wizards8507]

And why is it always smart to buy a phone in cash? Most people don't have an extra $800+ to thrown down on a new phone.

First, what phone has ever been $800? None. An iPhone 6 was $650 unlocked at launch. If someone doesn't have $650, they should probably focus on paying for rent, groceries, and electricity. A brand new, state-of-the-art smartphone shouldn't be too high on that person's priority list.

Their is no incentive to buying a phone in cash other than you can throw down another $800+ sooner than the next person.

The same reason you should buy a car with cash. No monthly payments, no commitments, and you're buying something you can actually afford instead of tricking yourself into buying something you can't afford but use sketchy math to make it look reasonable. People who pay cash for their devices actually replace them less frequently because they value them more and they don't get tricked into the "I'm eligible for an upgrade!" trap.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

I know there's a move away from 2-year deals. But, as I understand, you can still get them through Target or Best Buy and get a phone that is highly discounted or nearly free. It's usually the previous "latest" model (Samsung s6 or Note). Is there any reason not to do that if you know that you'll be with the same company for 2 years? Am I missing fees that they tie into the contract that are not there when you buy the phone outright or pay over 30 months?

 

[koonja]

I know there's a move away from 2-year deals. But, as I understand, you can still get them through Target or Best Buy and get a phone that is highly discounted or nearly free. It's usually the previous "latest" model (Samsung s6 or Note). Is there any reason not to do that if you know that you'll be with the same company for 2 years? Am I missing fees that they tie into the contract that are not there when you buy the phone outright or pay over 30 months?

You can either buy like a new Galaxy 7 for $200 total up front, or you can do the Verizon 'edge' agreement, where you pay the whole phone off over 2 years in monthly installments of ~$30 a month. That's obviously more, but for being on 'edge' Verizon gives you a bill credit of either 15 or $20 a month I believe.

I'm going to do the ~$200 route, though, because Verizon employees are not eligible for the 'edge bill credit', so paying ~$30 a month over 2 years would be a bad choice. I don't work for Verizon anymore, but they still haven't cut off my employee discount from my bill.

 

[wizards8507]

Is there any reason not to do that if you know that you'll be with the same company for 2 years? Am I missing fees that they tie into the contract that are not there when you buy the phone outright or pay over 30 months?

No, the math works out the same. My decision to buy versus lease is due to the psychological benefits that lead to better decision making. It's not beneficial from a strictly mathematical perspective.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

No, the math works out the same. My decision to buy versus lease is due to the psychological benefits that lead to better decision making. It's not beneficial from a strictly mathematical perspective.

So, if I sign on for 2 years, I'll save a few hundred dollars ($1 for an s6 and $99 for an s7 through Best Buy) as long as I'm comfortable with being one phone model behind (and likely 2-3 models behind when my 2 years runs out)...

I currently use an s4 that does nearly everything I want. There are 2-3 apps that no longer run because of updates, but that's about it.

 

[wizards8507]

So, if I sign on for 2 years, I'll save a few hundred dollars ($1 for an s6 and $99 for an s7 through Best Buy) as long as I'm comfortable with being one phone model behind (and likely 2-3 models behind when my 2 years runs out)...

No. You save by buying the old model phone. But you'll still be paying for the device with your monthly payments. The contract doesn't save you any money (like it does with cable), it just takes you two years to pay them back for the amount they're subsidizing upfront.

 

[dshans]

That's nice, but do you still have the suit? lol

I did until I left it behind when I sold my house in Minneapolis last July.

 

[GoldenDome]

First, what phone has ever been $800? None. An iPhone 6 was $650 unlocked at launch. If someone doesn't have $650, they should probably focus on paying for rent, groceries, and electricity. A brand new, state-of-the-art smartphone shouldn't be too high on that person's priority list.


The same reason you should buy a car with cash. No monthly payments, no commitments, and you're buying something you can actually afford instead of tricking yourself into buying something you can't afford but use sketchy math to make it look reasonable. People who pay cash for their devices actually replace them less frequently because they value them more and they don't get tricked into the "I'm eligible for an upgrade!" trap.

The 128gb iPhone 6S+ is $950 retail.

My 64gb iPhone 6S + is $850 retail.

The subsidy plan is by far the best value if you want a new phone every two years.

 

[wizards8507]

The 128gb iPhone 6S+ is $950 retail.

My 64gb iPhone 6S + is $850 retail.

calvegas04 was making the argument that people don't have $800 to buy a phone. When you're talking about the affordability of a product, you don't pick the most expensive, premium model available as your point of reference. Saying "people can't afford phones because the 64GB iPhone 6+ is $950" is like saying "people can't afford cars because the Mercedes-Benz E Class is $60,000."

Regardless, you're making my point for me. If the only way you can "afford" an iPhone is to lease it, you can't actually afford the iPhone. Leasing is a way for people with zero financial discipline to satisfy their need for instant gratification instead of, you know, saving their money.

The subsidy plan is by far the best value if you want a new phone every two years.

That's absolutely incorrect. The "value" is exactly the same. You're not just locking yourself into a contract, you're paying for the phone over the course of the two years with higher monthly bills.

Example: My Note and my wife's Galaxy are both paid for and our combined monthly bill after all taxes and fees is $80 for talk, text, and data.

 

[Irish Insanity]

I don't know if the S6 has a lithium-ion battery like the iPhone, but if it does, then the batteries do not have "memory". So the method of charging has no effect on it.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1629531?start=0&tstart=0

That's odd, even the Apple Store has told my GF the same with battery memory. Where it shortens the life if you shirt charge it. And specifically to the generic charging attachments, that they may not charge with the same specs thru the cord to the battery causing it to fail. Basically burning it out.

 

[Irish Insanity]

You can either buy like a new Galaxy 7 for $200 total up front, or you can do the Verizon 'edge' agreement, where you pay the whole phone off over 2 years in monthly installments of ~$30 a month. That's obviously more, but for being on 'edge' Verizon gives you a bill credit of either 15 or $20 a month I believe.

I'm going to do the ~$200 route, though, because Verizon employees are not eligible for the 'edge bill credit', so paying ~$30 a month over 2 years would be a bad choice. I don't work for Verizon anymore, but they still haven't cut off my employee discount from my bill.

Still stealing from Verizon even after you pulled the con job getting your degree paid for ....

 

[wizards8507]

That's odd, even the Apple Store has told my GF the same with battery memory. Where it shortens the life if you shirt charge it. And specifically to the generic charging attachments, that they may not charge with the same specs thru the cord to the battery causing it to fail. Basically burning it out.

I believe that's old information that no longer applies to the current generation of devices and batteries. The chargers don't need to be OEM, but they need to have the same specs as OEM at a minimum. There's no "high end" cap, since the devices are smart enough to only draw the appropriate amount of power.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

calvegas04 was making the argument that people don't have $800 to buy a phone. When you're talking about the affordability of a product, you don't pick the most expensive, premium model available as your point of reference. Saying "people can't afford phones because the 64GB iPhone 6+ is $950" is like saying "people can't afford cars because the Mercedes-Benz E Class is $60,000."

Regardless, you're making my point for me. If the only way you can "afford" an iPhone is to lease it, you can't actually afford the iPhone. Leasing is a way for people with zero financial discipline to satisfy their need for instant gratification instead of, you know, saving their money.


That's absolutely incorrect. The "value" is exactly the same. You're not just locking yourself into a contract, you're paying for the phone over the course of the two years with higher monthly bills.

Example: My Note and my wife's Galaxy are both paid for and our combined monthly bill after all taxes and fees is $80 for talk, text, and data.

What provider? How much data?

 

[wizards8507]

What provider? How much data?

T-Mobile, but we've had similar setups with Sprint and AT&T (Verizon is much more). Unlimited data (1GB high speed, which is more than enough when the whole world has WiFi).

 

[IrishJayhawk]

T-Mobile, but we've had similar setups with Sprint and AT&T (Verizon is much more). Unlimited data (1GB high speed, which is more than enough when the whole world has WiFi).

Yeah. I had a much better price with T-Mobile, but they're horrible in my area. Verizon was about the only reliable service 2 years ago. Maybe I'll investigate again.

 

[calvegas04]

Yeah. I had a much better price with T-Mobile, but they're horrible in my area. Verizon was about the only reliable service 2 years ago. Maybe I'll investigate again.

T Mobile is horrible in a lot of areas

 

[IrishJayhawk]

T Mobile is horrible in a lot of areas

It was excellent for me for about 10 years and in 3 different states. This last move killed that.

 

[GoldenDome]

calvegas04 was making the argument that people don't have $800 to buy a phone. When you're talking about the affordability of a product, you don't pick the most expensive, premium model available as your point of reference. Saying "people can't afford phones because the 64GB iPhone 6+ is $950" is like saying "people can't afford cars because the Mercedes-Benz E Class is $60,000."

Regardless, you're making my point for me. If the only way you can "afford" an iPhone is to lease it, you can't actually afford the iPhone. Leasing is a way for people with zero financial discipline to satisfy their need for instant gratification instead of, you know, saving their money.


That's absolutely incorrect. The "value" is exactly the same. You're not just locking yourself into a contract, you're paying for the phone over the course of the two years with higher monthly bills.

Example: My Note and my wife's Galaxy are both paid for and our combined monthly bill after all taxes and fees is $80 for talk, text, and data.

Example: Verizon offers their monthly payment program where you pay for the phone in monthly installments that equate to the price of the phone. I pay $400 for the phone upfront instead of the $850. My phone bill is the same regardless.

 

[wizards8507]

Example: Verizon offers their monthly payment program where you pay for the phone in monthly installments that equate to the price of the phone. I pay $400 for the phone upfront instead of the $850. My phone bill is the same regardless.

Right, "equate," that's my point. "Equate" isn't "better."

If your phone bill is the same regardless, you're getting screwed. You shouldn't be paying as if you have a subsidized device once your phone is paid for. Unless, of course, you update every two years, meaning you never have the phone paid for. That's the only way your monthly payment should be the same.

 

[calvegas04]

I pay 22 a month for my phone, once I pay it off in 30 months my bill goes down 22 dollars. I could have paid the 650 upfront or spread it out over the 30 months. There is no difference

 

[woolybug25]

I pay 22 a month for my phone, once I pay it off in 30 months my bill goes down 22 dollars. I could have paid the 650 upfront or spread it out over the 30 months. There is no difference

That's good time value of money right there.

 

[wizards8507]

I pay 22 a month for my phone, once I pay it off in 30 months my bill goes down 22 dollars. I could have paid the 650 upfront or spread it out over the 30 months. There is no difference

Right, that's how most new plans look. But on a lot of legacy plans, they don't itemize the amount you pay for your phone and the amount you're paying for service. Those people pretty much have to upgrade every two years because they're paying the higher monthly bill no matter what so they might as well get the new subsidized device. I'm advocating for people switching to the itemized plans where the device is charged separately (or not charged at all if you own it outright).

That's good time value of money right there.

No it isn't. The money would be in a checking account so the applicable discount rate is zero. PV(0,30,22,0) = ($660), no different than if you paid for the device upfront.

 

[IrishLion]

Yeah, my post started all of this haha.

I have the $650 if I wanted to spend it all at one time... but I don't.

I pay for my phone monthly. Once it's paid off, my bill goes down. However, I'll probably switch to an iPhone once this one is paid off, because I do not like this phone.

At that point, I'll try to hang on to my phone for 4+ years if I can like I did with my iPhone 5.

 

[GoldenDome]

Right, "equate," that's my point. "Equate" isn't "better."

If your phone bill is the same regardless, you're getting screwed. You shouldn't be paying as if you have a subsidized device once your phone is paid for. Unless, of course, you update every two years, meaning you never have the phone paid for. That's the only way your monthly payment should be the same.

Well, I pay $205 per month for 3 lines, unlimited everything. I am pretty sure if I paid for the phone outright, they would eliminate my unlimited data (grandfathered) and thus bump my plan even higher because we use about 15 gb per month.

 

[wizards8507]

Well, I pay $205 per month for 3 lines, unlimited everything. I am pretty sure if I paid for the phone outright, they would eliminate my unlimited data (grandfathered) and thus bump my plan even higher because we use about 15 gb per month.

Do you even WiFi bro?

 

[woolybug25]

No it isn't. The money would be in a checking account so the applicable discount rate is zero. PV(0,30,22,0) = ($660), no different than if you paid for the device upfront.

How the fuq do you know where he would hold the money? There's no implicit rate for borrowing the money, so the funds are available for free cash flow. He can use it to improve the value of his home, buy office materials for his job or finally pay back that debt to his hooker. You don't know jack shit about the future value of the funds. So don't get all accounty with me ya smug bastard.

No offense.

 

[wizards8507]

This is old news, but just came up in one of my MBA classes.

It's True: Apple Will Drop Headphone Jack To Make The iPhone 7 Slimmer, Says Source | Fast Company | Business + Innovation

 

[greyhammer90]

Dyson gets better apps on the whole, but Shark you get to change the look of your homescreen. I prefer the open platform of Shark overall.

Just don't get a Swiffer. The wifi is constantly busted.