[jrebman]

Thanks for the heads-up on Sprint, and I do plan to take a closer look, plus ask my friends in the area what their experiences are.  My wife's phone is verizon, so maybe we can get a slightly better deal, but ATT is really poor in this area.

As to battery life, it does indeed look like it should last longer on a charge as the audio playback spec is now given as 40 hours, which is the same as the Touch, and what seems to be much longer than the previous iPhones, certainly the 3gs.

I don't travel much, so I'd mostly use the phone in this areaa, so not sure if that will influence my choice of carriers too.

-- Jim

[chgolatin2]

What area is that?  Look at Sprints website coverage map and make a wise economical decision, I did and I had AT&T and Verizon, now I'm w Sprint.  No problems whatsover and for $70 per month!  I am saving almost $60 per month, now multiply that by 24 months on a 2 year contract equals $1,440 if that's not saving than I dont know what is 

[JDUBS]

Iphone 5 will have some key upgrades for some like larger screen and possibly even replaceable battery.

I read today that the Iphone 4S uses battery moreso than the Iphone4...but it has a larger battery so in the end, I don't know how much of a difference it is. The 4S is a top phone at the time of release, the Iphone 4 stayed at the top for about a year. I don't think the 4S will be able to do that, but could be wrong.

How do you know what the iphone 5 will have?  Are you Steve Jobs resurrected?   

-Jim

[cujobob]

For what it's worth, if you're paying the full $70, look into discounts...you can get a cell discount for just about anything or for working at many jobs...probably obvious stuff here, but if you do some googling and look on cellphone forums, there are people willing to make your account a corporate account and get you a 25% discount on Sprint. Less for the other carriers...last I checked, TMobile had the lowest discounts at like 12% max. Not trying to knock Sprint, but it has many flaws...for many, the price outweighs those flaws, for power users I don't really think they do (even though they do offer unlimited...it's unlimited with poor 4G coverage and sketchy 3G speeds). If you want to check coverage, go here http://sensorly.com/

And Jim, no sarcasm necessary, Apple let's things slip intentionally sometimes IMO and I do believe the screen that's been talked about will be used. It was Steve Jobs' last project with the company from what I've read and I would expect something worthy of being called the next Iphone to truly emerge. If they had called the 4S the Iphone 5, I think you'd lose credibility as a brand and less excitement would exist when the successor came out. All my opinion, but....this is a forum...a step below wikipedia as a source 

[jwes]

Does anyone know what the DAC is in the 4s and how it performs relative to previous models?

[cujobob]

From another forum:

"The iPhone 4 uses the Apple branded 338S0987 B0FL1129 SGP Cirrus Logic chip. It's better than the Cirrus Logic chip used in the iPhone 3Gs. I'm not certain if it is better than the Wolfson DAC but one poster suggested that to be the case. The 4s apparently uses the same chip. The Galaxy S2 uses a Yamaha chip."

http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone-4S-Teardown/6610/2

[jwes]

Thanks very much!  Sometimes it's just not feasible to set up a traveling DAC and volume control.  I'll look for more.  My 3Gs is falling apart - the top power button no longer works, and the volume toggle switch fell off.  Was hoping for the 5, but now I have to look at 4s vs. competitors, and audio quality is obviously a factor.

[cujobob]

Yeah...I purchased a buyback from Best Buy when I bought my Evo 3D thinking I'd probably upgrade when the next super phone came out (my old phone became unusable and I couldn't wait longer)...I'm not sure how smart it was, but it is an option. Maybe you can find an Iphone 4 regular cheap while people are upgrading? Buy it used and simply re-up the contract when the 5 comes out. Just wishful thinking on a day bored online...forgive me 

The Best Buy Buyback is like $60 for phones and gives you 50% within six months of the retail price...so a $700 retail phone would give you $350...so an actual profit of $290 which...is why I'm not sure how smart it was for me, haha.. but it's guaranteed money.

As for phones as DAPs...  it's not all about the DACs, I think there are a few issues at play.
 I honestly didn't care for my Ipod Touch 4G but loved my IPhone 3G...so do try it out first. The last Ipod Touch was too warm for me...balance was off somehow.

[scp2]

I fell for the same scam from Bestbuy myself. Origanally went in and said I want to buy an Iphone..they talked me in to a Sony saying with their buy back I could always upgrade. I hated the sony and went in to upgrade...now the Iphone I could have got for 199 was going to cost me 350 with their so called buyback.

I pitched such a bitch with At&T they are letting me upgrade early...getting the new Iphone today..for 199.

Lesson learned...don't buy anything from Bestbuy especially phones.

[jwes]

Really helpful thread.  I'm beyond two years on my contract with AT&T (which makes it not a contract anymore), so will get the subsidized pricing, at least with them.  I hope that would also be true if I went with Verizon and Sprint.  Does anyone know how that works?

My iPad uses Verizon, which I tried because I could not get ATT 3G in my home.  Verizon 3G works great, so I'm thinking of moving to them with my phone.

[WC]

If your contract is up with AT&T, you can freely move to Verizon if you would like. Pricing would be the same as on AT&T.

[macrojack]

Since you no longer have a contract, you can enter into a new contract at any time with any carrier. Verizon has best coverage in my area (western Colorado) and I've read that overall their U.S. coverage is the best. If you like what you have with iPad it would make sense to do the same with an iPhone.

They will all be eager to give you a reduced price on your new phone in order to engage you in a fresh 2 year deal. Discounts do abound as someone mentioned earlier. We get 18% off everything by putting it in my wife's name as she is a state employee. If it means signing you, they will find a discount for which you qualify.

[cujobob]

Yeah...seriously if you talk to enough people, someone will surely put a discount on your plan...Verizon and Sprint are probably the best at that. Verizon does have the best coverage and because of the frequency they use, get better penetration in buildings than does Sprint. I would go with Verizon myself except the price is just too high. I'm mostly a wifi person anyways so I can deal with it...but there are times the slow 3G and lack of 4G with sprint irk me greatly.

There are all sorts of tricks to getting phones more quickly on carriers too...always deal with the retention department, for anything.

[jrebman]

I think the issues with Spring may be mostly by location.  I talked to my brother who is a software engineer with Qualcomm -- the guys who make the CDMA chip in the iPhone and iPad2, and his tests show sprint to be the best data service, with Verizon next, and Att -- both data and voice well behind the curve.  I almost never travel so a good continuous coverage blanket is not something that is high on my priority list, but I still plan to check the coverage in the areas that  typically am in.

I also plan to check with my Dad, who also made his career in telecomm, but mostly satellite and transoceanic fiber for military communcations, but has been in the business at one level or another since the 60s.  He has an android and loves it, but my mom has an iPad2 and loves it, so it will be interesting to see what carriers they use.

Anyway, no decisioons yet, but it will be betwen Sprint and Verizon.

Fortunately I'm in no real rush as this will be my first cell phone in almost 6 years.

-- Jim

[wendell]

newzoo,   why the hostility?  I merely suggested that if you have an iphone 4 just stick with it, its mot a justifiable upgrade IMHO. IPhone 4 already has great camera and video,  antenna gate was fixed with newer builds. Siri can be installed on iPhone 4, so why upgrade? I don't fine it lacking in speed either.

as another poster already said, if your coming from a 3gs then it definitely is worth upgrading to the new 4s.

[sl_1800]

I have had Sprint since 05 with very few complaints.  Just got my iPhone 4s today, so far so good.  Switched from a HTC EVO 3D, only 3 months into my 2 year contract on that phone so I had to pay full price, $850.00, but I'm a real Apple fan boy so it was worth it to me, cut me and I bleed Apple juice.

[Crimson]

Ok, cut it kids.

The 4S is head and heals faster than the 4. I know. I have both.

No, Siri is not an app that can be installed on the 4. If it was, there would be no 4S.

Bottom line, if you have a 4, stick with it. Unless you're really curious. If not, upgrade.

Wannabes and haters need not apply.

Thank you.

[cujobob]

I believe they have gotten Siri to load on Iphone 4 but it doesn't run perfectly. I think that's what was being referred to.