iPhone 8/Plus Apple hasn't earned my upgrade: Returned iPhone 8+ to stay with my 6s... anyone else do the same?

[trigonometry]

And I will probably go back to my 7 rather than the X (tried and returned) or the 8 (trying now).

Honest question, what is difference you’re expecting to see between the 7 and 8? To me, it’s basically the same phone with upgraded internals and a glass back. I upgraded from the 6 to the 6S to the 7 but I knew what I was getting. And do you think you’re abusing the return policy?

 

[HallStevenson]

some people even bought the 8/8+ while fully knowing that they would buy the X 6 weeks later, just because they always have to have the newest iPhone.

Yeap, I saw plenty of posts about people doing that. That is truly sad, odd, etc !!

 

[AmazingRobie]

Congratulations. Still on an SE with a Mophie battery case. No battery problems. Great size for the hand. Ios is squirrely, but thats not the phones fault. Answers and makes calls fine, texts great with gifs/emojis, streams music and movies to projector using airvideo HD. Couldnt ask for more from a mobile phone as i have a camera for taking photos as it takes suck pictures. Dont need a large screen or bezel-less display to make calls. 4 stars.

Actually, i take that back...i would like a replaceable lithium battery pack which could be easily replaced by taking the back off with tiny screws.

 

[biracialfamily91]

I went from the 7 plus to the 8 plus for only one reason; wireless charging with 3 small kids the less wires I have, the better it is, But even I had trouble justifying my purchase this year.

 

[Jimmy James]

I bought a 6s shortly before the new phones came out, knowing it was sufficient for my needs, and not wanting to spend the cost of a new release model. A practical mindset like this is why Apple started crippling their hardware to drive sales.

 

[joeblow7777]

I went from the 7 plus to the 8 plus for only one reason; wireless charging with 3 small kids the less wires I have, the better it is, But even I had trouble justifying my purchase this year.

If that’s all you wanted, aren’t there cases that allow for that?

 

[thadoggfather]

The iPhone lineup is a cluster and phones have gotten competent enough

More options means More confusion

SE
6s/6s+
7/7+
8/8+
X

As current line up.

I feel OP When it comes to bloat. If you had to hand off a device it becomes an easier purchase because you need a phone but otherwise things are getting quite iterative

I reached this realization that to me X wasn’t worth $1100 And In return hell, when my 7+ worked well enough. Had it not, I could more easily rationalize the price

I still have my 7+ bc I want a p3 LED screen around to fiddle while other device is charging, for jailbreak tinkering once that comes for 11.1.2 but


I tried my luck one more time $549 w 2 year on att since I’ve been in there forever and it’s a good unit and I’m happy

But I can’t justify the orbit pricing phones are getting in. Especially when the quality control remains shoddy, and perhaps even worse than ever!

I have se 7+ and X

Don’t wanna let go of 7+ as a modern backup, and a phone with gen 2 Touch ID and the SE on 10.2 is classic. And not worth getting like $100 for it I love the device ever since I got it in 2016

It’s excess but now it all makes sense. And I paid out of pocket for 7+ last year and esstnualyl 50% our of pocket after selling 6s plus to upgrade. I still debate if it was REALLY worth it despite me liking dual cams and that matte black and p3 screen

My whole family is still happy with their 6s+ and don’t see a ton of reason to upgrade

Outside of an iPad caliber True Tone plus screen, I’m not st all torn by not having 8+ and happy as heck with my matte Blsck 7+

Also dont prefer added weight with the glass to virtually the same exact body

 

[akash.nu]

Honest question, what is difference you’re expecting to see between the 7 and 8? To me, it’s basically the same phone with upgraded internals and a glass back. I upgraded from the 6 to the 6S to the 7 but I knew what I was getting. And do you think you’re abusing the return policy?

If the internals ain’t the same then it’s not really the same phone, is it?

 

[thadoggfather]

If the internals ain’t the same then it’s not really the same phone, is it?

It can be tho if some don’t actually perceive the speed difference outside of benchmark tests

Some S cycles are more visible than others. Even tho this is 8. It’s still a 7s

My X doesn’t feel THAT much faster if at all than my 7+ Tbh. Cameras I see it but speed, eh

 

[macTW]

Well... today I made the tough decision to return the 8+ and stick with my 6s

I appreciated all of the improvements the 8+ had such as:

• Bigger screen
• Brighter screen
• Longer battery
• Better camera
• Stereo speakers
• Faster processor

... but in the end I just couldn't justify spending $900 on a new phone when my 6s still gets the job done and I'm content with it. It didn't help that I learned about Apples throttling scandal after I purchased the 8+, along with a few other annoyances below.

Early on, some of the main reasons that I was leaning towards keeping the 8+ was the fact that it will be the last great phone which has 1] TouchID 2] IPS screen, and 3] notch-free design. The 8+ also had iOS 11.1.2 so it didn't have Apples throttling "feature" (unlike my 6s which has 10.3.3 and will eventually be throttled). Also next years iPhones, according to Ming-Chi Kuo, will all have AMOLEDS / no TouchID / Notches *bleh*

I kept switching back and forth between the two and seeing if the 8+ was truly a big enough difference to justify spending that amount of $ on something instead of sticking with the phone I have that's already paid off and I still was content with.

I'm also a minimalist by nature and tend to over analyze any buying decision that might possibly create unnecessary waste / excess. It's funny because if a family member lost their phone and needed my 6s it would have made the decision a lot easier. I would have given them my 6s for free and simply have kept the 8+. No one I knew needed a free 6s though, so it felt like a waste having a perfectly good phone sitting around the house doing nothing.

In addition to the whole $ wasting aspect + not creating unnecessary technology clutter around the house... Apples recent actions with their throttling scandal left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. I've been an pro-Apple consumer ever since the iPhone 3Gs days. Most of the technology I have at home is Apple technology as well: MacBook Air, AppleTV, Apple Watch, and iPhone 6s because the main feeling I had about Apple was one feeling in particular: trust. That feeling has now taken a hit (on the software side of things, hardware support is still top notch) and makes me question if I want to support a company willing to act like that.

At least one positive came from the whole "throttlegate" situation in the form of battery replacements being temporarily cut down in price to $29 through 2018. According to CoconutBattery my 6s hovers between 92-95% and has 278 charge cycles after 16 months. Also the Geekbench app currently shows me no slowdown ATM, so I think I'll simply wait until the end of 2018 to get a battery replacement... then ride that new battery as many years as I can. If my battery degrades to the point where the throttling is severe I'll simply do some research on the smartphone landscape at that time and switch over to whatever phone (Android or iPhone) fulfills my requirements.

P.S. one of the most annoying parts of the 8+ is just how amateurish Apples software keyboard is. I mean it's tiny and right in the middle of the damn screen! At least on the iPad you can split the keyboard to the left and right corners... but you can't with the plus for some stupid reason. In addition to not being able to split the keyboard, in iOS 10 you at least had other useful keys (such as undo, left and right arrows, etc) on the left and right side of the screen so the space wasn't wasted. In iOS 11 though Apple removed the useful keys for... drum roll... NOTHING! Now it's just blank space on the left and right of the keyboard for no good reason I tried using a third party keyboard app for a split keyboard option but the trade offs, namely terrible auto-correct and having to grant them access to view every single thing I type, made the 3rd party options not worth it at all to me.

To summarize: I had a very enjoyable experience with the 8+ but not enough enough to justify the $900 price tag when my 6s still gets the job done. Both phones sizes have their advantages. While I'll miss the advantages of the plus, I'll also enjoy the 6s for its pocketability, being able to reach most of the screen without having to stretch my thumb or constantly use reachability, and of course the huge the $ savings / not rewarding Apples bad behavior.

Hopefully Apple gets a good slap upside the head with all these class-action lawsuits and learns to knock off the Orwellian crap and instead start to provide users with much more transparency / software control options in the settings app.

Anyone else out there decide to return your 8/8+/X and stick with what you had? What were your reasons for doing so?

1) throttling is a nonissue.

2) any 2 year phone difference isn’t much for Apple with the only exceptions being physical changes in size. And with the 6 and 8 sizes being the same...

 

[cyb3rdud3]

I researched before I bought my X. See no reason to get rid of it again to go back to my 7+. It’s better in all ways and I was happy to spend the money.

Can’t say that it ever entered my purchasing decision making process to question whether Apple is worthy of getting my money. Nor that the cost was part of that process. It was purely based upon features.

 

[akash.nu]

It can be tho if some don’t actually perceive the speed difference outside of benchmark tests

Some S cycles are more visible than others. Even tho this is 8. It’s still a 7s

My X doesn’t feel THAT much faster if at all than my 7+ Tbh. Cameras I see it but speed, eh

I agree on the 8 being a 7S but I guess you’ll only see the speed difference if you use the device for things that actually tax the processor and ram. In day to day usage it won’t make much of a difference really.

 

[trigonometry]

If the internals ain’t the same then it’s not really the same phone, is it?

True but my point is the user experience is not going to be dramatically different, or different enough to justify trying it out. I can see trying out a X. But the differences between a 6,7, or 8 isn’t going to be anything revelatory.

 

[DNichter]

Nope, very happy with my X and wouldn’t want to go back to the Plus size, home button, or Touch ID. Very happy with the phone and feel it’s worth the $500 over the next year. I use it every day.

 

[Puddled]

There has not been a need for any "upgrade" for a number of years on any platform imho. Any improvements now are just incremental. Even the X doesn't really justify dumping last years iphone.

The days of changing phones every 12 months are gone (thank God). Just buy the best phone you can afford, look after it and use it until it wears out or is no longer economical to repair

I think this is why there is such a furore over Apple's throttling and why some users are more upset than others.

If you are uninterested in using an iphone for longer than 12 months, who cares about longetivity?
If you are prudent and look after your things, your phone turning into a pocket potato after 12 months is going to really piss you off.

I think you did the right thing. I intend to use my S6 as long as it still works!

 

[akash.nu]

True but my point is the user experience is not going to be dramatically different, or different enough to justify trying it out. I can see trying out a X. But the differences between a 6,7, or 8 isn’t going to be anything revelatory.

The user experience you’re mentioning is mostly software related and basic operations will generally not change from device to device when the operating system is the same. Also it’s exceptionally difficult to come up with something completely different, that actually works and appeals to the mass, every year. In my opinion there’s nothing wrong with incremental improvement when it’s planned and deployed properly.

 

[tonybarnaby]

I got my 8 Plus to hold me over til the x plus. Now I’m not so sure I’ll upgrade. The 8 plus does everything I need and was a “reasonable” $799. I came from a galaxy s8+, which is basically equivalent to an iPhone X. I don’t need oled, so the 8 plus should last me.

Assuming there’s nothing groundbreaking next year besides the size increase, I’ll ride it out on the 8 plus. Otherwise I’ll get a new one and sell my 8 plus for $5xx.

 

[PickUrPoison]

IDK.

Apple kept the 4s in the model line for longer than most other iPhones up until the 6/6+ launched. Don't think that was a recognition at the time of a longer upgrade cycle. More milking the cash cow of 4s sales for as long as they could.

I'd argue that the sales numbers of the 6 series still justifies the continued production and sale of the phone more than Apple recognizing longer upgrade cycles.

But I appreciate the spin here.

The upgrade cycle is lengthening, but I think it’s mainly because the hardware has reached that “good enough” point where yearly or two-year upgrade cycles aren’t necessary anymore. Unless you want newer features—better cameras, wireless charging, FaceID, OLED display, etc.—there’s really no reason to upgrade.

The 6S/6S Plus are still decent phones. At $449/$549, it’s an attractive price point in Apple’s lineup. The 2015 A9/2GB platform, which includes the $329 iPad and the $349 iPhone SE as well as the 6S, performs very well with iOS 11.

Apple has a wide price range for iPhone, from $349 to 1,149 and customers can choose which is best for them. Apple is ok with whatever the customer decides.

It’ll be interesting to see if Apple drops the 6S altogether when the 2018 X.2 models come out this September. They could keep them in the lineup, lower the price to maybe $399/499 (and drop the SE to $299 and/or have a refreshed SE2 at $329-349).

 

[thadoggfather]

There has not been a need for any "upgrade" for a number of years on any platform imho. Any improvements now are just incremental. Even the X doesn't really justify dumping last years iphone.

The days of changing phones every 12 months are gone (thank God). Just buy the best phone you can afford, look after it and use it until it wears out or is no longer economical to repair

I think this is why there is such a furore over Apple's throttling and why some users are more upset than others.

If you are uninterested in using an iphone for longer than 12 months, who cares about longetivity?
If you are prudent and look after your things, your phone turning into a pocket potato after 12 months is going to really piss you off.

I think you did the right thing. I intend to use my S6 as long as it still works!

Apple broke the 12 mo cycle to all But enthusiasts (us) given 6,6s,7,8 are all so creepy close to one another to the average person haha

 

[newellj]

Apple broke the 12 mo cycle to all But enthusiasts (us) given 6,6s,7,8 are all so creepy close to one another to the average person haha

I would say that the upgrade from the 6 (and 5S) to the 6S was huge. Second Gen TouchID completely changed the feel of the phone for me. For practical usefulness, I think it still beats FaceID (but that's a different thread).

 

[aKansasKid]

OP has raised two unrelated issues: (1) justifying a new, expensive phone, and (2) trusting Apple in the future.

If by justify you mean developing a rational, economic case for the purchase, I would first posit that none of us needs an expensive phone. At Apple-level prices, phones become a discretionary purchase. You buy one because you want one and are willing to pay the price. The price has to be in line with the desire to own, of course. This is entirely personal - a function of your desires and financial status. No one can say others are right or wrong in this regard.

As far as trusting Apple, the cynics among us would question trusting any for-profit business, since it is obligated to shareholders and not customers. Pragmatists would counter with the fact that you're going to buy some phone, and who is it that you trust more than Apple?

 

[pika2000]

How so?

If they ackowledge that then why do they keep introducing new phones each year? Why do that unless they want you to upgrade yearly?

Unless you mean they are recognizing that CUSTOMERS are upgrading later and later?

Why do car companies refresh cars yearly when people don’t buy new cars every year?

While consumers are keeping their phones longer, there are people with even older iPhones looking for upgrades and people that have not had iPhones yet. The market is still growing.

 

[eyoungren]

Why do car companies refresh cars yearly when people don’t buy new cars every year?

While consumers are keeping their phones longer, there are people with even older iPhones looking for upgrades and people that have not had iPhones yet. The market is still growing.

Aside from the fact that a car is a much larger purchase than an iPhone that still doesn't say to me that Apple has acknowledged a longer upgrade cycle.

There's still a difference between that and chasing sales.

 

[pika2000]

Aside from the fact that a car is a much larger purchase than an iPhone that still doesn't say to me that Apple has acknowledged a longer upgrade cycle.

There's still a difference between that and chasing sales.

If car is such a large purchase, then why car companies still refresh cars every year?

 

[eyoungren]

If car is such a large purchase, then why car companies still refresh cars every year?

Because some people can afford and therefore desire to get a new car every year.

While some people can't afford the newest iPhone or to upgrade one every year, getting that iPhone would be far easier than getting the new car.

Those who can afford a new car every year can afford a new phone every year and don't think twice about it.

But again, that isn't Apple acknowledging a longer time between upgrades.