When the iPhone 5 was announced I could see how good it was, but hadn’t expected to be able to upgrade until next year. But several things ran through my mind. I was talking to Ben Weston, and he pointed out that these phones, and not just iPhones, are updated in one way or another about once a year. If you wait for six or seven months after the release date before upgrading, you will probably only have the phone for about five months before a new one comes out. Better then to get in at the start, if possible, and enjoy it before it’s old!
But even if it has been replaced by a slightly newer one, the phone you bought still does what it did when you got it, so there is no problem with that, it’s just that you might want the new things that come with the new phone, that’s up to you. In reality now, I’m in a good place with this. I intend to keep it for two years anyway, so will be looking for my next upgrade just about when the iPhone 6 will be making an appearance.
Apple’s history of the iPhone shows that they bring out a new iPhone approximately every two years, with an upgrade after a year that adds new features. iPhone 3, 3GS, iPhone 4, 4S, for example. I looked at the prices with my provider, Vodafone, and discovered that if I buy the iPhone outright from the Apple Store and take out a sim only contract with Vodafone, over two years I am £90 better off. The other advantages are that I have an unlocked iPhone 5 and I can decided when I want to upgrade, not when Vodafone tell me I can. Also I can have it now, on the day of release. The downside, of course, is that I have to pay for the iPhone now, rather than spreading the payments over two years with Vodafone. Do the maths, you decide.
When you think about your iPhone, it’s probably the object you use most in your life – Jonny Ive.
I had to queue for five hours at the Apple Store Metrocentre to get it. Had I know it was going to be that long, I would have waited till next week, but it’s done now and I’m not sorry. It’s a great phone. Thank you Jony Ive, picture above, Senior Vice President Design, at Apple. It’s a lovely phone, Jony, really great. If you’re ever back in Newcastle, Jony was at Uni in Newcastle, I’ll buy you a drink, that’s for sure. Facetime me or call my iPhone 5, +44 (0)7703 168305!