iPhone 7

[EJT86]

Originally Posted by jtodd_fl

Just be aware that if you do that, you may end up paying for the 18 year AppleCare+ plan...

Yea but you have I think 3-4 months to abort the AppleCare plan

[rohitsja]

I ended up buying an iphone 7 in flat black color today even though I had voted against it in the poll lol, broke my iphone 6 in two yesterday evening RIP !

[Ali Shiralian]

Just picked up a jet black 7, looks good. Music sounds much better due to having two speakers. Camera seems to take better pictures but other than that seems identical to the 6 I had before...

[kscarrol]

Picked up a jet black 7+ today to replace my 6. Intentionally waited for the sim-free version...

[M_Six]

Why sim-free?

[InternetFame]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Why sim-free?

Probably resale.

[InternetFame]

God dammit this bitch takes forever to charge, though. Thought it was just the 7 Plus until I looked online and saw that it was an issue everyone faced.


I don't mind though, my charging usually happens overnight since I use my 6 as an iPod during the day.

[kscarrol]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Why sim-free?

Free to switch carrier should I feel like it (currently AT&T), easier use while traveling abroad and ultimately resale value...

[M_Six]

We just switched SIMs in the UK and were able to use their network.

[kscarrol]

Originally Posted by M_Six

We just switched SIMs in the UK and were able to use their network.

Right, been doing this for years now. The biggest driver for me was the ability to switch providers should I want to. Been w/ AT&T for years but we are spending more and more time in the mountains of western NC and the AT&T service there is not great. Verizon's service is much better so might make the jump to Verizon. Buying the early iPhone 7's locked you into the provider you selected...

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by kscarrol

Right, been doing this for years now. The biggest driver for me was the ability to switch providers should I want to. Been w/ AT&T for years but we are spending more and more time in the mountains of western NC and the AT&T service there is not great. Verizon's service is much better so might make the jump to Verizon. Buying the early iPhone 7's locked you into the provider you selected...

I love how Sprint uses their marketing words wisely. The whole everyone's network is within 1% of each other. * In terms of reliability.

In terms of coverage, i don't think anyone beats verizon. ATT is likely second, but if you venture off of the interstate by a few miles in many places, no service with ATT. Verizon was pretty reliable in terms of coverage when i was in Montana back country for a week. I had service the majority of the time and wasn't anywhere near interstates, or towns for that matter. Wife just traveled to Spain and had no issue using her phone. $10/day give you access to your normal plan.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by kscarrol

Buying the early iPhone 7's locked you into the provider you selected...

How "early" was that? I just got mine last week. Are you saying I won't be able to pop in a SIM from ee next time we visit the UK?

[kscarrol]

Originally Posted by M_Six

How "early" was that? I just got mine last week. Are you saying I won't be able to pop in a SIM from ee next time we visit the UK?

No, you're likely still good. If you are AT&T or T-Mobile, they use the GSM cellular system as does Europe so simply swapping the sim works. Verizon and Sprint use a different system (CDMA I think) that is not compatible w/ the European system. If you bought an early iPhone 7 for Verizon, your phone only works on the CDMA so you can't switch the sim.

Up until a couple weeks ago, you either got the GSM phone (AT&T/T-Mobile) or the CDMA phone (Verizon/Sprint). Now Apple is offering a "sim-free" phone which works with both GSM and CDMA so I can use it in Europe (GSM) OR switch to Verizon (CDMA) if I want to! And as InternetFame points out, that might make the phone a bit more valuable should I want to sell as the target market is simply bigger.

[M_Six]

In Sept when we were in the UK, I had a Verizon iPhone 5s and Wifey had the 6s. We were able to pop in SIMs from the British carrier called ee and they worked fine.

I've read that the LTE system uses SIMs and ee was using LTE, so maybe that's why things worked.

[kscarrol]

Originally Posted by M_Six

In Sept when we were in the UK, I had a Verizon iPhone 5s and Wifey had the 6s. We were able to pop in SIMs from the British carrier called ee and they worked fine.

I've read that the LTE system uses SIMs and ee was using LTE, so maybe that's why things worked.

Got it somewhat wrong. The AT&T version only works on GSM so you can't switch to Verizon or another CDMA carrier. The Verizon phone can work on both GSM and CDMA. Being AT&T, I wanted the sim-free variety to have the same flexibility as the Verizon phone which works on both systems.

http://www.macrumors.com/2016/09/08/...els-lack-cdma/

[M_Six]

Ah, ok. Makes sense now.

Although now that I'm thinking about it, I don't recall ever making an actual phone call on the Brit system. We just used the phones for texting, surfing, and navigation.

[kscarrol]

Yes, if you're traveling with your wife you're likely always together so little need for the phone other than emails and maybe some navigation as you walk around. We have the kids with us and frequently "divide and conquer" so actually have phone capability helped.

Also helped with dinner reservations at some places which require a local phone number!

[ORIGIN M.]

I am going to wait until the 8 !

[EJT86]

Here's a tip. Buy yourselves a 12W apple charger. I'm not sure where mine came from it must be from one of the iPads but it looks like a white rounded square and the prongs flip into the lil brick. Charges the 7+ waaaaaay faster than the lil charge brick it comes with

[M_Six]

Putting your iPhone in airplane mode will allow it to charge faster as well. Or so I've read. Haven't tried it yet.

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Ah, ok. Makes sense now.

Although now that I'm thinking about it, I don't recall ever making an actual phone call on the Brit system. We just used the phones for texting, surfing, and navigation.

Mark, call Verizon and tell them what countries you're going to. I'm pretty sure most of the EU support their travel pass program. Then you'll call their Intl. department and sign up for "Travel Pass" You pay them $10/day and you can use your phone, on your plan, as if you were home. It basically enables your phone to work in any country that supports the travel pass. They will send you an email explaining everything including dialing instructions for the country you're in. It stays dormant and charge free until your phone is detected on a foreign network. Once detected, you get the $10 charge for every day your phone is detected in such network.

It was seamless on the last two trips to Spain/France and Barbados.

No need to change sim in that scenario.

[EJT86]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Putting your iPhone in airplane mode will allow it to charge faster as well. Or so I've read. Haven't tried it yet.

That makes sense too