Where do we stand on these phone subscriptions?

[Poof]

For the phone itself. It's like you pay by the month and you can basically always upgrade to the latest flagship model as they come out. Technically legally you're paying off a loan on the phone you get but that's not the point since theres better financing options if you're trying to buy the phone and you wont ever pay it off if u keep upgrading. It's like leasing the phone.

I'm thinking about doing it for either Samsung or Apple.

It's like paying 600-800 / year to always have the latest phone. Their insurance plans are included which gives it a bit more value.

Idk.. You think it's dumb? If I don't do it I'll buy a phone for about the same between $600-800 but then probably keep it for at least 2-3 years.

I feel like it's dumb... But on the other hand it'd be nice to never have that old phone feeling.

[rpgamer]

If you can actually use a flagship model to its fullest capabilities, sure. But I'd wager most people that buy them don't even need half of that, and wouldn't even notice the difference with a mid-range model.

[Naraku4656]

if you do the yearly upgrade thing then, assuming you pay off half the phone before you trade it in, a $800 would really be $400. but over three years, you'd spend $1200 by spending $400 each year upgrading to the next phone. if you bought a $800 phone this year and put about $200 insurance on it, and paid it off in two years but kept it for three, you'd really only spend $1000 and then get a new phone that really feels like a new phone. So it's really up to you if you feel like saving that $200 is worth it. Personally, I'd go without insurance unless you're prone to breaking stuff. Then you're only spending $800 over two years, having no payments for a full year, and saving a lot more. Plus then after those two years, you can sell/trade in your phone and get a little money back. But then you have that "old phone feeling" for a whole year. I don't really think it's necessarily a good idea from a cost perspective for that reason, but you're not me so idk that might not be as important.

[HardcoreHunter]

I bought an s7 it's close to 5 years, so like $120 a year. I'm probably going to replace it this black friday. The battery for it is nearing death. I'm going to try and replace the battery myself since it's not too expensive when I have another phone. Either use it as a media player, or set it up with google voice to be a home phone since google voice is free. If it weren't for the s7 losing it's water proofing after changing the battery I'd be fine though with keeping it as my main phone. I've dropped this fucker over a dozen times in water since I've had it. The only other alt I can think of is buying a full waterproof case, but I don't feel like spending another $60 ontop of buying a battery. 

[katt_goddess]

I feel like I'm echoing what has already been said. But, basically, if you are going to get absolutely everything out of it that you possibly could than the subscription might be worth it because it'll be like you are using up the phone and just getting a refill of 'phone' . 

I'm can't really go any further than that because I have no fancy cell phone experience. I'm on the record as having one of those dollarfones that only cost about $6 a month to keep going and is used mainly for emergency texts, the rare long distance call, and trolling board members. 

[tsar4]

Agree with the other posts.  I've never rented a phone, always opting to buy it outright.  I became disgusted with the planned obsolescence and this time bought a subsidized (under $200) Moto G Power through Google Fi.  Does everything I need and I've yet to drop below 90% battery life in a day.

[new_disease]

I was thinking about doing that but since I got my phone on an installment plan I didn't want to have another extra charge on my bill on top of the installment payments. I'd say go for it if you use your phone for a lot and think you could use any hardware upgrades. I decided against it and will just trade in my phone for credit when I want to upgrade. Always having the new model as it comes out sounds neat though 

[Poof]

6 hours ago, rpgamer said:

If you can actually use a flagship model to its fullest capabilities, sure. But I'd wager most people that buy them don't even need half of that, and wouldn't even notice the difference with a mid-range model.

the camera quality is def a practical use for me. I've been getting by w/LG burners the past 4 years, but my benefactors have complained about selfie and video chat quality. Kinda wanna see about augmented reality too. I only tried pokemon go once. Trying to talk myself into this...

[Poof]

6 hours ago, Naraku4656 said:

if you do the yearly upgrade thing then, assuming you pay off half the phone before you trade it in, a $800 would really be $400. but over three years, you'd spend $1200 by spending $400 each year upgrading to the next phone. if you bought a $800 phone this year and put about $200 insurance on it, and paid it off in two years but kept it for three, you'd really only spend $1000 and then get a new phone that really feels like a new phone. So it's really up to you if you feel like saving that $200 is worth it. Personally, I'd go without insurance unless you're prone to breaking stuff. Then you're only spending $800 over two years, having no payments for a full year, and saving a lot more. Plus then after those two years, you can sell/trade in your phone and get a little money back. But then you have that "old phone feeling" for a whole year. I don't really think it's necessarily a good idea from a cost perspective for that reason, but you're not me so idk that might not be as important.

curse you and your sensible fiscal responsibility naraku... I want it 

but you're probably right

[Naraku4656]

9 minutes ago, Poof said:

curse you and your sensible fiscal responsibility naraku... I want it 

but you're probably right

I can't count the number of things I've impulse bought. I sort of impulse bought myself a phone back in June because my Pixel 2 was basically dying. The battery didn't last more than a day and change, and Google wasn't releasing a new phone for a while. So I jumped to the newer iPhone SE. It can pretty much do everything that I need to do but I still like Android better than IOS but I can still get done most of what I got done on my old phone. I jumped from a $50 Verizon plan to a $30 MetroPCS plan. In December, I'll get an extra $100 back from a promotion and then go to Spectrum Mobile that will be $14 a gig. Since I use less than a gig a month, and have for the majority of the last ~7 years I've had a smartphone, I'll be saving way more than if I had gotten the same phone on my old Verizon plan, even if I got the phone for cheaper.

Edited August 17, 2020 by Naraku4656

[Poof]

6 hours ago, katt_goddess said:

I feel like I'm echoing what has already been said. But, basically, if you are going to get absolutely everything out of it that you possibly could than the subscription might be worth it because it'll be like you are using up the phone and just getting a refill of 'phone' . 

I'm can't really go any further than that because I have no fancy cell phone experience. I'm on the record as having one of those dollarfones that only cost about $6 a month to keep going and is used mainly for emergency texts, the rare long distance call, and trolling board members. 

I've been using cheap LG phones for awhile and my service is only $35/month. I feel u. I make it work, but I need to have a mega phone again. The thing is that I might go w/apple and I won't do that until the 12 comes out in the next couple months. I'll need to get something dirt cheap until then since I absolutely need a new phone now.

[Poof]

6 hours ago, tsar4 said:

Agree with the other posts.  I've never rented a phone, always opting to buy it outright.  I became disgusted with the planned obsolescence and this time bought a subsidized (under $200) Moto G Power through Google Fi.  Does everything I need and I've yet to drop below 90% battery life in a day.

How never below 90%? impossible

[lupin_bebop]

I pretty much always buy my phones outright. I don't like dealing with all that other bullshit. It cuts out the middle man.
I also can keep the phone for as long as I want, and take it to any carrier I want. I can slo travel with the device without consequence (if I ever get a chance to do so).
It is the same cost upfront as it is if you pay the plan out, and is actually less for me to do it that way. You can also take full advantage of trade in values.

[RainyDayJizz#35]

As long as my phone texts and calls I'm fine with it, everything else is bonus to me. Having little games on it means I don't need to drag my Switch around. It's probably all about what you want your phone to do. Right now phones are enough for me so I doubt I'll be spending more than 100 bucks on one until I die. The phone I'm waiting for is the scroll phone, can't wait until I can get a phone that takes up the pocket space of a lighter.

[Doom Metal Alchemist]

6 hours ago, RainyDayJizz#35 said:

As long as my phone texts and calls I'm fine with it, everything else is bonus to me. Having little games on it means I don't need to drag my Switch around. It's probably all about what you want your phone to do. Right now phones are enough for me so I doubt I'll be spending more than 100 bucks on one until I die. The phone I'm waiting for is the scroll phone, can't wait until I can get a phone that takes up the pocket space of a lighter.

I was actually thinking about this recently.... Do a lot of people still play games on their phones, or is it all about social media and youtube now? I haven't heard of people playing things like Candy Crush, Angry Birds, or Words With Friends or any new(er) games in a long time.

[RainyDayJizz#35]

2 hours ago, Doom Metal Alchemist said:

I was actually thinking about this recently.... Do a lot of people still play games on their phones, or is it all about social media and youtube now? I haven't heard of people playing things like Candy Crush, Angry Birds, or Words With Friends or any new(er) games in a long time.

I dunno, some people I know game, some socialize, and some watch youtube. I kinda hate having a phone game I like cause I could do like 4 hours of it a day with all the daily play bonuses they include.

[Sawdamizer]

2 hours ago, Doom Metal Alchemist said:

I was actually thinking about this recently.... Do a lot of people still play games on their phones, or is it all about social media and youtube now? I haven't heard of people playing things like Candy Crush, Angry Birds, or Words With Friends or any new(er) games in a long time.

I started playing Xbox gamepass on my samsung... its pretty rad

[RainyDayJizz#35]

1 minute ago, Sawdamizer said:

I started playing Xbox gamepass on my samsung... its pretty rad

One guy I work with was playing League of Legends and I didn't notice much difference from the PC. Dunno what all he plays but it looks at least PS3 quality.

[Sawdamizer]

I'm currently playing sea of thieves on my cell phone with a Bluetooth controller... in my office on conference calls lol

[RainyDayJizz#35]

Ah, mine doesn't use a controller, it was designed for phones. It's also the best phone game.

 

[tsar4]

10 hours ago, Poof said:

How never below 90%? impossible

Been up since 6:30 am, time is now 10:40 am - phone battery at 100%.  Yes, I'm not on it very often other than to check notifications, but by this time my Sam 7 Edge would be at about 80%.

[Poof]

14 hours ago, new_disease said:

I was thinking about doing that but since I got my phone on an installment plan I didn't want to have another extra charge on my bill on top of the installment payments. I'd say go for it if you use your phone for a lot and think you could use any hardware upgrades. I decided against it and will just trade in my phone for credit when I want to upgrade. Always having the new model as it comes out sounds neat though 

Itll help me be trendy on social media

[Poof]

12 hours ago, Naraku4656 said:

I can't count the number of things I've impulse bought. I sort of impulse bought myself a phone back in June because my Pixel 2 was basically dying. The battery didn't last more than a day and change, and Google wasn't releasing a new phone for a while. So I jumped to the newer iPhone SE. It can pretty much do everything that I need to do but I still like Android better than IOS but I can still get done most of what I got done on my old phone. I jumped from a $50 Verizon plan to a $30 MetroPCS plan. In December, I'll get an extra $100 back from a promotion and then go to Spectrum Mobile that will be $14 a gig. Since I use less than a gig a month, and have for the majority of the last ~7 years I've had a smartphone, I'll be saving way more than if I had gotten the same phone on my old Verizon plan, even if I got the phone for cheaper.

I think im gonna wait for the iphone 12 to come out the do the subscription. In the meantime I will have to get something dirt cheap bc this phone doesnt charge right anymore

[Poof]

11 hours ago, lupin_bebop said:

I pretty much always buy my phones outright. I don't like dealing with all that other bullshit. It cuts out the middle man.
I also can keep the phone for as long as I want, and take it to any carrier I want. I can slo travel with the device without consequence (if I ever get a chance to do so).
It is the same cost upfront as it is if you pay the plan out, and is actually less for me to do it that way. You can also take full advantage of trade in values.

Well part of the value in it to me is applecare+ and the loss and theft for only $4 more. So then I don't have to worry when I travel w/it. Buying it w/o insurance seems like more of a liability not less.

[Poof]

11 hours ago, RainyDayJizz#35 said:

As long as my phone texts and calls I'm fine with it, everything else is bonus to me. Having little games on it means I don't need to drag my Switch around. It's probably all about what you want your phone to do. Right now phones are enough for me so I doubt I'll be spending more than 100 bucks on one until I die. The phone I'm waiting for is the scroll phone, can't wait until I can get a phone that takes up the pocket space of a lighter.

The fuck is a scroll phone

[Poof]

1 hour ago, Sawdamizer said:

I'm currently playing sea of thieves on my cell phone with a Bluetooth controller... in my office on conference calls lol

WHY DONT WE EVER PLAY SEA OF THIEVES ANYMORE

[Poof]

1 hour ago, tsar4 said:

Been up since 6:30 am, time is now 10:40 am - phone battery at 100%.  Yes, I'm not on it very often other than to check notifications, but by this time my Sam 7 Edge would be at about 80%.

No

[Naraku4656]

5 minutes ago, Poof said:

I think im gonna wait for the iphone 12 to come out the do the subscription. In the meantime I will have to get something dirt cheap bc this phone doesnt charge right anymore

I'd offer you my old Pixel 2 but it hardly really holds a charge much anymore so I don't think it'd do you any good

[Sawdamizer]

Just now, Poof said:

WHY DONT WE EVER PLAY SEA OF THIEVES ANYMORE

You aint ever on... i see you just watching movies

[Poof]

2 minutes ago, Naraku4656 said:

I'd offer you my old Pixel 2 but it hardly really holds a charge much anymore so I don't think it'd do you any good

It's nothing personal but I dont want anyone's old phone. Not into scraping the semen out of the seams w/my fingernail

Edited August 17, 2020 by Poof

[Poof]

2 minutes ago, Sawdamizer said:

You aint ever on... i see you just watching movies

Lately yea I've been marathoning star trek voyager but that doesn't mean I wouldn't be partial to an interruption to play sea of thieves again. You never used to care about what I was doing

[Sawdamizer]

1 minute ago, Poof said:

Lately yea I've been marathoning star trek voyager but that doesn't mean I wouldn't be partial to an interruption to play sea of thieves again. You never used to care about what I was doing

I've been playing a lot of GTA, just playing sea of thieves on my ohone because I can 

[RainyDayJizz#35]

2 minutes ago, Poof said:

The fuck is a scroll phone

Someone designed one as a piece of future tech, where your phone screen is bendable piece of plastic and all the hardware is in the two pieces that telescope out to make it a phone. I think the guy might have called it The Papyrus? I think it cut smart phone size by 2/3? The actual working electronics for it are probably 10 years away though, possibly even 30.

[Poof]

1 minute ago, Sawdamizer said:

I've been playing a lot of GTA, just playing sea of thieves on my ohone because I can 

I am intrigued. Flights could be a whole new experience if I could get shit faced and sail the sevens seas

[Poof]

2 minutes ago, RainyDayJizz#35 said:

Someone designed one as a piece of future tech, where your phone screen is bendable piece of plastic and all the hardware is in the two pieces that telescope out to make it a phone. I think the guy might have called it The Papyrus? I think it cut smart phone size by 2/3? The actual working electronics for it are probably 10 years away though, possibly even 30.

Like a snap bracelet

[Sawdamizer]

1 minute ago, Poof said:

I am intrigued. Flights could be a whole new experience if I could get shit faced and sail the sevens seas

Its the open beta for the cloud gamepass... it asked if I wanted to join and its been awesome

[RainyDayJizz#35]

Just now, Poof said:

Like a snap bracelet

Lol, that works as an analogy.

[Poof]

4 minutes ago, Sawdamizer said:

Its the open beta for the cloud gamepass... it asked if I wanted to join and its been awesome

I do have gamepass. Maybe I will have to go w/samsung...

[Sawdamizer]

Just now, Poof said:

I do have gamepass. Maybe I will have to go w/samsung...

If they can keep this going, its a game changer. I can play Grounded too... which is hilarious while trying to manage through an incident call

[RainyDayJizz#35]

Yeah the guy at work games a lot and he's Android. He's living that gamer life and don't give a fuck. 

[Poof]

4 minutes ago, Sawdamizer said:

If they can keep this going, its a game changer. I can play Grounded too... which is hilarious while trying to manage through an incident call

Welp there goes the company

[Distortedreasoning]

i bought my last phone straight cash since i intended to stay with it for at least 3-4 years before i even looked at making an upgrade. but i haven't been kind to my phone and now its got a few cracks. i want to make it to 4 years before i even consider looking at another phone but who knows how long it would last. as far a functionality goes, still feels good and snappy. anyways if the cost is 600/800 a year for a new phone, including the phone bill and having insurance then it doesnt seem that bad. 

[lupin_bebop]

On 8/17/2020 at 12:00 PM, Poof said:

Well part of the value in it to me is applecare+ and the loss and theft for only $4 more. So then I don't have to worry when I travel w/it. Buying it w/o insurance seems like more of a liability not less.

You can get that when buying flat out, as well. I used to work at Apple, and AppleCare+ with theft is a pretty nice add. It also increases resale value on your device.
The overall peace of mind is worth it. I used to work at Apple, so I get the AppleCare+, because I know how much it is to repair these bastards if you don't.

[Sawdamizer]

4 hours ago, lupin_bebop said:

You can get that when buying flat out, as well. I used to work at Apple, and AppleCare+ with theft is a pretty nice add. It also increases resale value on your device.
The overall peace of mind is worth it. I used to work at Apple, so I get the AppleCare+, because I know how much it is to repair these bastards if you don't.

Yeah but did you ever work at apple?

[Poof]

On 8/18/2020 at 12:48 AM, Distortedreasoning said:

i bought my last phone straight cash since i intended to stay with it for at least 3-4 years before i even looked at making an upgrade. but i haven't been kind to my phone and now its got a few cracks. i want to make it to 4 years before i even consider looking at another phone but who knows how long it would last. as far a functionality goes, still feels good and snappy. anyways if the cost is 600/800 a year for a new phone, including the phone bill and having insurance then it doesnt seem that bad. 

Including insurance, but not the phone bill. Idk what I wanna do yet. I think I wanna wait til iphone 12 comes out anyway...

[Poof]

9 hours ago, lupin_bebop said:

You can get that when buying flat out, as well. I used to work at Apple, and AppleCare+ with theft is a pretty nice add. It also increases resale value on your device.
The overall peace of mind is worth it. I used to work at Apple, so I get the AppleCare+, because I know how much it is to repair these bastards if you don't.

Yea I'm not getting an iphone without it

[Distortedreasoning]

11 hours ago, Poof said:

Including insurance, but not the phone bill. Idk what I wanna do yet. I think I wanna wait til iphone 12 comes out anyway...

at that point i think i rather just save the 1k and buy the phone outright vs doing a plan. 

[Juice McKenzie]

i buy one and try to keep it for as long as i can

i would still be using my 4s if i didnt bogg it down with all those updates

[SwimOdin]

I always buy the phone outright.  I really hate a monthly payment.

[lupin_bebop]

On 8/22/2020 at 7:02 AM, Sawdamizer said:

Yeah but did you ever work at apple?

Sorry. I didn’t realize it copy pasted it twice. Yes. I did. For 10 years. Watched a LOT of this shit start.