New iPhones/Apple Watch?

[Katsmeow]

Anyone order?

I ordered an iPhone XS Max (gold 256) which will be delivered on 9/21. This was a year where I think a lot of people will skip upgrading as it is a more incremental year. Next year is probably a "better" year to upgrade.

I upgraded for 2 reasons. First I do the Apple upgrade program. I have to pay the sales tax on an upgrade but otherwise the monthly amount doesn't change much. Of course, I was halfway through paying for the Apple X and now I have a new 2 year agreement so I understand that I am paying for it.

If Apple had only offered the iPhone XS for this year I don't think the upgrade would have been worth even using the upgrade program.

But, I did decide to go for the bigger screen of the XS Max. It was a bit debatable because I did like the X being smaller in width/length than my 7 Plus had been. That said -- the extra screen real estate on the Max is attractive. I particularly was swayed by the option of a split screen in horizontal mode for some apps. That is very, very attractive to me.

Still - if I hadn't been on the upgrade program I might have waited for next year's model.

I also today decided to order an Apple Watch 4. I have been on the fence about the Apple Watch ever since it came out. I have long used a Fitbit and been happy with it. In fact, I have the Fitbit Versa smartwatch which is only a few months old. (DH will likely inherit it from me).

I felt that the Apple Watch fitness stuff wasn't as good as on Fitbit and I didn't like that it didn't measure heart rate continuously.

Also, battery life isn't as good and many people have to charge the Apple Watch overnight. I would want to use it at night with sleep tracking apps.

But -- I finally decided this was the year to switch. The big draw for me was couping the Apple Watch with cellular with the iPhone Max.

Currently with my Fitbit, it doesn't measure calorie burn/heart rate very well when I am at the Y doing strength training. So I use a chest strap heart rate monitor. Fitbit won't allow the chest strap to directly attach to it. Instead the chest strap has to talk to an app on my phone and then that app sends the heart rate data to Fitbit and I get better calorie burn data.

The negative is that I have to have my phone with me while exercising. That is tolerable with the iPhone X but I don't look forward to it with the iPhone Max.

The Apple Watch 4 solves this problem. No -- it isn't any better at measuring calorie burn and heart rate during weight lifting. But -- it will let you directly sync a chest strap monitor with it. So, I don't have to have my phone there. Now -- I like having a phone available however.

That is why I am getting the cellular version of the Apple Watch. It will act as a phone in the absence of my actual phone. That way when I am places where a large iPhone would be inconvenient to use I can just use the Apple Watch.

I think the battery life will be OK. I can charge it when I am getting dressed, showering in the morning and then charge again in the evening when getting ready for bed. That should be enough to get me through most days.

The Watch isn't scheduled to be delivered until 10/12 to 10/19 but maybe it will arrive earlier....

 

[zinger1457]

Some watches are definitely better than others when it comes to the built in heart rate monitor. I had a Samsung Gear S3 and the built in heart rate monitor was terrible and it had no ability to use a chest strap so I got rid of it. Picked up a Garmin Vivoactive 3 because it could be paired with a chest strap if needed but surprising to me the built in heart rate monitor works very well so have not had to use the chest strap. Use it when jogging, biking, and golfing (has a golf app) and the HR monitor seems to be right on. Wish you didn't need to spend $1K on an iphone just to be able to use the Apple watch, probably would have considered it.

 

[braumeister]

These are great devices, and we'll definitely go that route eventually (watch for the ECG, phone for the better camera), but my iPhone 7 and Apple Watch 2 certainly have another year or two of life in them.

 

[LastOfTheBoomers]

I’m getting a new battery in my iPhone SE - then use it until it is no longer supported by an IOS release. I am bummed there is no more small phone - but I do like how they dropped the price of the iPhone 7
This will sound funny - but I would get an Apple Watch if I was still working - for the notifications and other alerts

 

[REWahoo]

I am bummed there is no more small phone - but I do like how they dropped the price of the iPhone 7.

Yep, Apple found a way to make a $750 price for a phone sound like a bargain. Marketing genius.

 

[Sunset]

OP - I hope you enjoy it.

I'm too frugal (cheap) to spend more than $200 for a smartphone, so I won't be buying one. These things are just too easy to break, crack, drop in toilet, lose, or get stolen for me to invest a bunch in them.

Currently we have Lumina 640 phones that cost me $30 total, but MS is ending their phone updates, so I'm looking to get an Android phone.
Most apps these days produced by companies are made for Android and Apple.

 

[TrvlBug]

DH and I will be upgrading our Apple watches. I want the bigger screen as well as the ECG capability. I'll continue to get the cell capable one as I have a tendency to leave my iphone on the kitchen counter . DH has never used the cell capability in the almost one year we've had the watches, so we'll not only be saving the $100 cost on purchase, but also the $18 monthly AT&T cost.

 

[TrvlBug]

Katsmeow...how difficult is is to port the phone numbers assigned to the watches? They don't do a thing, but AT&T assigns new numbers to the watch.

 

[FIREd]

I have no interest in the Apple Watch, but the new iPhone XS is tempting. However, my iPhone 7 performs very well still and I will keep it at least one more year.

 

[COcheesehead]

I love my Apple 2 watch, but until it dies, I see no need to upgrade to the 3 or 4.

 

[RockyMtn]

I will stick with my Iphone 6. It is in impeccable shape and used rarely. It was such a huge jump from my motorola flip phone I still marvel at it. Plus I can't see spending more on a phone than my hp laptop cost.

 

[mh]

I will stick with my Iphone 6. It is in impeccable shape and used rarely. It was such a huge jump from my motorola flip phone I still marvel at it. Plus I can't see spending more on a phone than my hp laptop cost.

Makes sense if you don’t use it much. I use my phone and iPad a lot more than a conventional computer these days, do i’m willing to spend more on them. That said I usually don’t upgrade my phone until the camera improves enough for me and I’m going on a trip where I’d like the improved camera for pictures.

 

[aja8888]

Everybody in my family and extended family have iPhones and some have watches to go along with them. On my 4 person, $100/month Cricket unlimited plan, there are three 6S+'s.

I'm the only outlier with a Nexus 5X Android. But I do have a few hundred shares of Apple st0ck in my IRA.

 

[Lsbcal]

I use voice recognition a lot on my phone. It seems that Google Assistant is very much superior to Siri. I have both on my iPad and Siri misses phrases a lot.

On the iPhone I could use Google Assistant as an app but it's not as good as being in the operating system. So I'm waiting for the Pixel 3XL in early October to pull the trigger on an upgrade.

 

[Katsmeow]

OP - I hope you enjoy it.

I'm too frugal (cheap) to spend more than $200 for a smartphone, so I won't be buying one. These things are just too easy to break, crack, drop in toilet, lose, or get stolen for me to invest a bunch in them.

Currently we have Lumina 640 phones that cost me $30 total, but MS is ending their phone updates, so I'm looking to get an Android phone.
Most apps these days produced by companies are made for Android and Apple.

When you use the Apple Upgrade program you do have to get Apple Care so that helps with the damage issues. This year for the first time, you can get Apple care that will cover loss of the phone itself. That is an addition $4 a month as I recall. My son recently lost his Apple X and that was a real ouch moment for him as he still has to complete paying for it. If he was getting it this year that wouldn't be as much of an issue as he could set the Apple Care that covers loss or theft.

That said -- he replaced it with a $168 LG Android phone which he likes. I did once get an Android phone but for the apps that I use I constantly found that the app didn't come in Android.

But, I don't rule out going to Android at a later time. While I am upgrading this year and probably will next year if it is a big upgrade (which I expect it will be) I imagine the next phone I will keep for several years...

DH and I will be upgrading our Apple watches. I want the bigger screen as well as the ECG capability. I'll continue to get the cell capable one as I have a tendency to leave my iphone on the kitchen counter . DH has never used the cell capability in the almost one year we've had the watches, so we'll not only be saving the $100 cost on purchase, but also the $18 monthly AT&T cost.

It is really the cell capability that caused me to switch from Fitbit to the Apple Watch. Just being able to not have to take my Phone with me to the gym or when I go out walking is a big draw. And, being able to go outside to the back yard and not have to have the phone is very attractive to me. Today, I went to the store and I was wearing jeans where it is hard to put a phone in the pocket and I didn't want to bring in a bag or carry it so I left it in the car. That is a situation where the watch with cellular would be beneficial.

Katsmeow...how difficult is is to port the phone numbers assigned to the watches? They don't do a thing, but AT&T assigns new numbers to the watch.

Huh. I didn't know that. I don't know. I have Verizon.

I love my Apple 2 watch, but until it dies, I see no need to upgrade to the 3 or 4.

I have looked at the Apple Watch every year and it always had enough negative to it that I wasn't quite ready to switch from Fitbit. Adding the cellular capability last year and the new updates (such as automatically recognizing a workout) are enough to push me into getting it.

 

[mpeirce]

Katsmeow...how difficult is is to port the phone numbers assigned to the watches? They don't do a thing, but AT&T assigns new numbers to the watch.

I don't currently have an LTE Apple Watch, but I do have a LTE iPad. It's got a number assigned to it, but it's not used for phone calls, just billing. When I get a new LTE iPad I don't need to "transfer the iPad's phone number". It'll get a new number, but again, that number isn't used by me, just the phone company t identify the device. The new iPad will continue to receive calls made to my iPhone's number.

I assume the watch is the same. It rings when you call your iPhone's number. Ignore the number the phone company assigns to it, it's just for their tracking purposes.

 

[TrvlBug]

I don't currently have an LTE Apple Watch, but I do have a LTE iPad. It's got a number assigned to it, but it's not used for phone calls, just billing. When I get a new LTE iPad I don't need to "transfer the iPad's phone number". It'll get a new number, but again, that number isn't used by me, just the phone company t identify the device. The new iPad will continue to receive calls made to my iPhone's number.

I assume the watch is the same. It rings when you call your iPhone's number. Ignore the number the phone company assigns to it, it's just for their tracking purposes.

I'm confused...your comment that "It'll get a new number..." implies I need to spend at least an hour on the phone with an AT&T idiot so that a new number gets assigned to the watch. Or do I simply do nothing once the new watch gets synced with my iphone? With DH's watch, we will simply cancel the cell service, however, he'll still be able to receive text and other notifications that come through via the phone...such as Ring, texts, other. Or does he also need a phone number for those? As this is the first cell capable device synced to the iphone, I'm at a total loss as to how they work.

 

[audreyh1]

I'm confused...your comment that "It'll get a new number..." implies I need to spend at least an hour on the phone with an AT&T idiot so that a new number gets assigned to the watch. Or do I simply do nothing once the new watch gets synced with my iphone? With DH's watch, we will simply cancel the cell service, however, he'll still be able to receive text and other notifications that come through via the phone...such as Ring, texts, other. Or does he also need a phone number for those? As this is the first cell capable device synced to the iphone, I'm at a total loss as to how they work.

No, the watch does not need its own phone number to get rings, texts, etc from the paired phone. We have never turned the LTE option on with our Apple watches.

 

[KB]

I also ordered the Iphone XS 256 in silver. I have an iPhone SE which I love, so I am more than a little hesitant to move to a larger phone. I hope I love the display on the new phone enough to make up for the larger size.

 

[Katsmeow]

I also ordered the Iphone XS 256 in silver. I have an iPhone SE which I love, so I am more than a little hesitant to move to a larger phone. I hope I love the display on the new phone enough to make up for the larger size.

I currently have an iPhone X and I actually think it is a great size for carrying around. I am moving to a Max for the larger screen size but in many ways I really liked the X and it is very similar in size to an XS. Having it go all the way to the sides really adds a lot of real estate...

 

[Scuba]

Interesting thread. We still have iPhone 6’s but it may be time to upgrade. The newer phones take better pics and I’m hoping the battery life is better too.

 

[Katsmeow]

Interesting thread. We still have iPhone 6’s but it may be time to upgrade. The newer phones take better pics and I’m hoping the battery life is better too.

The XS is supposed to have 30 minute more battery life than the X and the XS Max is supposed to have 90 minutes more than the X.

 

[T-Minus]

I ordered the iPhone XS Max. When received, my current iPhone X will then pass to my wife. Her iPhone 7 then goes to our son & daughter in-law to replace whichever device they have that needs updating. The end displaced device gets thrown into a drawer until one of their current devices gets destroyed/broken. Technology trickle down that winds up costing us, as a family, less. When son & daughter in-law earn more money and want newer devices sooner, we can revisit our purchase/redeployment plan.

 

[audreyh1]

My main complaint about the SE is that I can't see the screen well enough to take photos outdoors - it's frustrating composing a photo. DH tells me his iPhone X solved the problem because the screen is much higher in contrast, and it does look that way. Plus 2X mode is very nice. I still like the SE form factor.

Watches - I think DH is going to upgrade because of the larger watch real estate. And now the non-LTE version has just as much memory as the LTE version, so he'd go that route. Me - I'm happy with mine for a while. I'll probably wait a year at least.

 

[braumeister]

My main complaint about the SE is that I can't see the screen well enough to take photos outdoors - it's frustrating composing a photo. DH tells me his iPhone X solved the problem because the screen is much higher in contrast, and it does look that way. Plus 2X mode is very nice. I still like the SE form factor.

Yes, the new ones definitely have much improved contrast, but there are still some things you can do to help.

How to increase contrast for visual accessibility on iPhone and iPad