I have a functional iPhone 3Gs in a drawer. Every now and then I charge it up just for nostalgia and to marvel at how far we've come. I can't imagine why you prefer it to a modern iPhone though. Even ignoring the inferior performance and lack of features, the non-retina display is archaic.
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iPhone 5 or earlier Does anyone here still use an iPhone 2G, 3G, or 3GS?
- Thread starter albertfallickwa
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I have a functional iPhone 3Gs in a drawer. Every now and then I charge it up just for nostalgia and to marvel at how far we've come. I can't imagine why you prefer it to a modern iPhone though. Even ignoring the inferior performance and lack of features, the non-retina display is archaic.
I have my old 3GS in my car as an iPod. I use my old old 2G as an iPod to carry around with me.
My father still uses a 3GS as his phone, but his smartphone needs are very simple.
My father still uses a 3GS as his phone, but his smartphone needs are very simple.
haha, i bet!
Just out of curiosity, what is your reasoning for using it as your daily driver? Have you used it since it came out in 2009?
With a laptop, I can probably still use a MacBook Pro from 2008. I think the 2008/early 2009 MBP were the greatest MacBook models ever because it had a disc drive and had this critical feature...
Oldie but still a goodie after nearly NINE years...
![macbook-pro-retirement-03-100598305-large.jpg]()
For a smartphone, nothing older from 2013 when 720p/1080p and quad core CPU on Android became standard. I would love updated versions using the same shells of the HTC One M7, Moto X, Moto G, and Nexus 5. I think the Note 4 was the last great Note phone until Samsung decided to remove features in 2015 including user-replaceable batteries. Both iOS and Android matured by 2013 with iOS7 and KitKat and got better again in 2014.
Tried using an iPhone 3Gs briefly in 2015 and it is like torture. Some devices might age well like those 2008 MacBook Pros but most of them don't. Most smartphones in the pre-2010's decade with their single core CPU, awful resolutions which is half the Retina ppi, 3G speed, and much slower Wi-Fi "g" before "n" really made browsing fast.
The best small iPhone ever is still the SE followed by the 5s. And even going back to a 4" screen is kinda pushing it for me as my ideal minimum is about 4.5" and nothing taller than 130mm in height. I basically would like the same dimensions of the 2013 Moto X and G. The best year for smartphones for me was 2014. We had the Note 4, Nexus 6, OnePlus One, iPhone 6 Plus, HTC One M8, and LG G3.
We started to decline by 2015 with controversial omissions. First with Samsung in 2015 shooting for cosmetic gimmicks and removing useful features like removable battery and IR blaster and last year with Apple shooting for "donglegate" with the iPhone 7 and MacBook Pros.
Oldie but still a goodie after nearly NINE years...
For a smartphone, nothing older from 2013 when 720p/1080p and quad core CPU on Android became standard. I would love updated versions using the same shells of the HTC One M7, Moto X, Moto G, and Nexus 5. I think the Note 4 was the last great Note phone until Samsung decided to remove features in 2015 including user-replaceable batteries. Both iOS and Android matured by 2013 with iOS7 and KitKat and got better again in 2014.
Tried using an iPhone 3Gs briefly in 2015 and it is like torture. Some devices might age well like those 2008 MacBook Pros but most of them don't. Most smartphones in the pre-2010's decade with their single core CPU, awful resolutions which is half the Retina ppi, 3G speed, and much slower Wi-Fi "g" before "n" really made browsing fast.
The best small iPhone ever is still the SE followed by the 5s. And even going back to a 4" screen is kinda pushing it for me as my ideal minimum is about 4.5" and nothing taller than 130mm in height. I basically would like the same dimensions of the 2013 Moto X and G. The best year for smartphones for me was 2014. We had the Note 4, Nexus 6, OnePlus One, iPhone 6 Plus, HTC One M8, and LG G3.
We started to decline by 2015 with controversial omissions. First with Samsung in 2015 shooting for cosmetic gimmicks and removing useful features like removable battery and IR blaster and last year with Apple shooting for "donglegate" with the iPhone 7 and MacBook Pros.
Old thread I know, but I just bought a decent condition iPhone 3GS off Swappa to use for some time to detox from the modern smartphone life of checking social media and being connected and on the web all day.
I kid you not it still had iOS 4.0 installed. I managed to update it to iOS 4.1 via a Mac Mini G4 that I installed Tiger on thus letting me update to the still signed 4.1 IPSW I downloaded via iTunes 9.2.1. I could go to iOS 6 but that would defeat the point of why I'm using it and slow the phone down with it's older hardware. iOS 4 runs amazingly well despite being native to the iPhone 4. And unlike iOS 3.x you can download older versions of apps if you need them, I downloaded FB Messenger for the few people that only contact me though there, Opera if I need web access in a pinch, and a radar app for when it's stormy out. And that's it.
Phone, messages, photos, camera, contacts, mail, all work just fine still. Moved contacts via vCard to the mail app and imported all 200 something contacts perfectly since it doesn't support Google contacts or iCloud. Turned off iMessage on my iPhone 7 beforehand and it seems to be okay for the most part. It also gets better reception than my 7, including my fiancées basement where i usually get no service to having 1-2 bars of 3G and can even make calls there now. Go figure.
I'll probably only use it for a week or so or whenever I want to unplug. The battery is now almost 8 years old (2009 build date via serial number) and could use replacing some time if I could find a decent third party one but it's not shot by any means surprisingly.
I also know two people who still use the 3GS as their only phone. One is in his 50s and is a heavy equipment operator that swears by the thing as it's been run over by all sorts of equipment in an otter box and works just fine for him. And the other is a guy in his 20's that's had it for who knows how long but still works for him.
I also knew a lady with an iPhone 3G, but she eventually gave it up because it was too slow for even basic tasks on iOS 4. I offered to downgrade it back to 3.1.3 like I did for a few friends back in the day but she went to some android phone.
I have also seen two 2G iPhones but it's been a few years now. Zero in recent times. Just a few 3GS and many 4/4S still in use.
I kid you not it still had iOS 4.0 installed. I managed to update it to iOS 4.1 via a Mac Mini G4 that I installed Tiger on thus letting me update to the still signed 4.1 IPSW I downloaded via iTunes 9.2.1. I could go to iOS 6 but that would defeat the point of why I'm using it and slow the phone down with it's older hardware. iOS 4 runs amazingly well despite being native to the iPhone 4. And unlike iOS 3.x you can download older versions of apps if you need them, I downloaded FB Messenger for the few people that only contact me though there, Opera if I need web access in a pinch, and a radar app for when it's stormy out. And that's it.
Phone, messages, photos, camera, contacts, mail, all work just fine still. Moved contacts via vCard to the mail app and imported all 200 something contacts perfectly since it doesn't support Google contacts or iCloud. Turned off iMessage on my iPhone 7 beforehand and it seems to be okay for the most part. It also gets better reception than my 7, including my fiancées basement where i usually get no service to having 1-2 bars of 3G and can even make calls there now. Go figure.
I'll probably only use it for a week or so or whenever I want to unplug. The battery is now almost 8 years old (2009 build date via serial number) and could use replacing some time if I could find a decent third party one but it's not shot by any means surprisingly.
I also know two people who still use the 3GS as their only phone. One is in his 50s and is a heavy equipment operator that swears by the thing as it's been run over by all sorts of equipment in an otter box and works just fine for him. And the other is a guy in his 20's that's had it for who knows how long but still works for him.
I also knew a lady with an iPhone 3G, but she eventually gave it up because it was too slow for even basic tasks on iOS 4. I offered to downgrade it back to 3.1.3 like I did for a few friends back in the day but she went to some android phone.
I have also seen two 2G iPhones but it's been a few years now. Zero in recent times. Just a few 3GS and many 4/4S still in use.
I use a 3rd gen iPod Touch for listening to podcasts when I'm doing yard work. It has the same innards as the 3GS iPhone and is awesome with the Downcast podcast app.
I have an iPhone 7 Plus but that phone is so dang big that it doesn't fit in my gym shorts pockets so well. Also, I'd hate to damage a thousand dollar phone while working outdoors. The 3rd get iPod Touch is tiny in comparison and is not noticeable in my pocket.
I have an iPhone 7 Plus but that phone is so dang big that it doesn't fit in my gym shorts pockets so well. Also, I'd hate to damage a thousand dollar phone while working outdoors. The 3rd get iPod Touch is tiny in comparison and is not noticeable in my pocket.
I just like the feel of it (like a Palm Pre 2, which I had PREviously, and I like the skeuomorphic design of iOS 6! I got it Christmas 2016, as a present from my parents, probably the most surprising thing is that I'm 14! Maybe 15 when you're reading this, my birthday is 28th of February!
Just today I have retired my iPhone 3G. I have kept up with releases for my personal phone reasonably promptly (currently a 6+), but my 3G has had a SIM provided by work for the past 6 years or so. Not using data (but wifi is fine) has worked all over the world for voice and SMS. Battery life still 2 days plus. A tiny screen and a little sluggish sometimes, and with a couple of cracks in the back, but has survived well.
Is still use an iPhone 4s and it is fine for me. I am an average smartphone user who does things like watch YouTube and plays the occasional 2D game but does not play demanding 3D games. I am also not a power user either and my phones battery life is poor. Apart from the battery life it is a good phone with a beautiful design.
Yes, the previous owner should probably have gotten a case before he decided to put it in his work jeans. But hey, these phones are meant to be used and cases only cover up the design. I like it this way. Looks way better than a scratched slate iPhone 5 too.
Now back on-topic
Writing this with my iPhone 3g
It has been my main phone from 2009 to 2015, when I bought a 4s. I still use it home as Internet device and occasionally alarm clock. The trick with the 3g is avoiding iPhoneOS 4: version 3 is MUCH faster, Opera mini still provides a workable Internet experience (it's more enjoyable than Safari on my 4s, actually: faster and I can open dozens of tabs).
At the moment my main (in Germany) phone is the 4s, but I use a 32GB 3gs for music and as main phone when I'm in Italy. With iOS 6 and Opera Mini it's quite snappy (I even get facebook messenger notification, even if the app no longerworks since spring, can easily answer from opera) and while both apple maps and google maps lag really a lot map.me still provides a decent alternative for turn by turn navigation.
Given that iPhones 3gs sell for nextto nothing thrycan still be a decent budget alternative.
It has been my main phone from 2009 to 2015, when I bought a 4s. I still use it home as Internet device and occasionally alarm clock. The trick with the 3g is avoiding iPhoneOS 4: version 3 is MUCH faster, Opera mini still provides a workable Internet experience (it's more enjoyable than Safari on my 4s, actually: faster and I can open dozens of tabs).
At the moment my main (in Germany) phone is the 4s, but I use a 32GB 3gs for music and as main phone when I'm in Italy. With iOS 6 and Opera Mini it's quite snappy (I even get facebook messenger notification, even if the app no longerworks since spring, can easily answer from opera) and while both apple maps and google maps lag really a lot map.me still provides a decent alternative for turn by turn navigation.
Given that iPhones 3gs sell for nextto nothing thrycan still be a decent budget alternative.
Own? Yes (original 8gb iPhone and white 32gb iPhone 3GS, kept in original boxes in a drawer in my office). Use? No.
Sometimes I fire up the 3GS just for nostalgic purposes though.
Sometimes I fire up the 3GS just for nostalgic purposes though.
+1. Absolutely the same (in drawer, original box and accessories etc.), black version.