I bought the 15, the bigest one, when they were shutting my flip phone I loved off. I would not pay any extra for the 16.

I need a new phone soon and my grandson was telling me the 17 is due to drop soon. Since I don’t need the latest and greatest, he suggested waiting to get a 15 or 16 untill the 17 is on the market; I guess the older models then drop dramatically in price. Maybe you already know this.

When my credit card companies offer Apple Gift cards at a discount I use AmEx or Visa points to buy them. Over the years I've traded in Apple devices and treated myself to new equipment or given the GCs to my kids. I've had my iPhone 15 Pro for over a year and a half and really like it. DH has an SE and I think the screen is too small. I was in the Apple store last week getting my Belkin screen protector replaced under warranty and I asked about the 16. The SA said it isn't much different from my 15. I'm not interested in a new phone for me - but I may trade DH's in (although it isn't worth much) - and I'd opt for the 16 Pro for him.

" and I think the screen is too small. "

Ha! My sister's partner saw my phone and asked why the screen was so small. I told her it was because I wanted it that way but, alas, I now have to go a little bigger.

I think there's a lot of misunderstanding about size - best to look up specs if it matters. Go to a store and hold one up against another.

I originally switched to an iphone not because of features but because they'd gone from being larger than the better Android models to being smaller.

At the time, I chose the basic iphone 11. There were a few more recent models too but the added features provided no added value to me. It was about the size of the Android phone I wanted to replace but smaller than what at the time were the larger, more up-market Android models. And also a bit cheaper.

Last year, my cell service provider offered me a new iphone 16 for free-the only stipulation was that the cost would be amortized monthly with no interest charge (at zero cost to me) and any unpaid amount before 3 years had elapsed was due. As I've had the same company for over 30 years, that was no issue.

The iphone 16, again the basic model and not the Pro or the others), is the same size as the iphone 11 I had. The screen resolution is a bit better, it has 5G at the top end instead of 4G (which makes no difference to me), but it otherwise seems to be the same phone.

The SE models were smaller, similar to what used to be sold as Minis. I also have an SE model I use for one particular purpose and because it is a few years older, its processor is a bit slower and of course the screen is smaller but it is about the same otherwise.

“offered me a new iphone 16 for free-the only stipulation was that the cost would be amortized monthly with no interest charge (at zero cost to me) and any unpaid amount before 3 years had elapsed was due.”

“Free” or you pay for it with zero interest over three years? Or is it free as long as you stay for three years, prorated if you drop? Just clsrifying as I'm possibly looking at upgrades and wondering what deals I should be looking for, as we both have Verizon.

We’re all on 13’s, two regular and 2 Max. From a pocket perspective, I’d prefer to stay small. My eyes say differently though. I begrudgingly admit that my wife’s Max is a breath of fresh air to look at.

SE 2020 still handles ios updates ok? I’ve got a remanufactured one I’ve never so much as turned on, that I should probably do something charitable with before it’s too late.

I thought that was clear, maybe not. I just signed on and looked at my bill. I confirmed it's 36 months. Each month there's a charge on my bill for 1/36th of what would have been the new purchase price of the iphone 16. No interest added on. Then there's a promotional credit for the same amount. Net charge = $0. They said at some point, maybe it was after 24 months but I honestly didn't pay much attention, I'll be able to get another free phone with the same deal. I can afford to get a new phone when I need or want to, with or without a deal.

The reason why I took the deal that was essentially free with a trade in was because of the timing - I got an email with the offer when I had been already been thinking about and had decided to get a new one.

My SE is a remanufactured one that I bought from and use limitedly on one of the el cheapo MVNO secondary providers. I got it used (of course) in 2021. It still gets OS and app updates. It's on ios 18.5, like the 16 is. I think it was something like $125. I got it because the Android phone I'd been using for that service was painfully slow, and I figured getting it it was a painless and commitment free way to try out an iphone and see if I could stomach using one.

I found I could. I'm on to my second iphone as a main phone and I think I still don't prefer it over Android but it's acceptable. I continue to dislike how unintuitive it and the apps are to use. Maybe after these few years Android os is now more iphone like, I don't know.

So the last one. Thanks.

Before Apple lovers throw rocks at me, I get how all Apple products seamlessly interact and automagically form their own family, such that putting something on one device is like putting it on all of them.

I use Windows PCs. I tried an Apple watch, hated it, and returned it. I hate iPads and won't use one unless there's no alternative. So, the capabilities that Apple products can offer SOLELY because it makes all the devices in the system and controls the operatings systems, are not of any value to me. That, by the way, is why Apple products are able to do that - the competing products, software and systems are not all from the same company and so it's not possible. It's not because of any notion of superior technology. Both sides of the border do essentially the same things, just in different ways.

" Both sides of the border do essentially the same things, just in different ways. "

They each do some things better than the alternative, which may be important if you specifically need those things. Most people don't (my sister started with Macs because of their superior capabilities for digital art projects, for instance, but that was unimportant for me).

I've had the basic Iphone 16 for a few months. Basic 16, not the larger 16 Pro. The basic is the right size for my hand (DH's Samsung Galaxy is what I consider 'too big'.) Was a huge upgrade over the Iphone 7 that it replaced. Notably the sound quality and camera quality.

I didn't 'shop' it vs the 15. Just got the latest because it was the one being promoted and because, obviously, I replace a phone only when I absolutely have to. The 7 had aged out & battery life sucked.

" my sister started with Macs because of their superior capabilities for digital art projects, "

The one area where Macs had (I think past tense) an edge over Windows PCs was in some of the creative arts - visual art and music too. Macs and iphones still come with Garage Band, which is very decent, entry level music recording software. An example of what I explained before, Apple initially had all the bats and balls and developed (and continues to be the only company involved with) the operating system AND, in the early days, developed all the programs and apps.

I think that gap in the creative endeavors has narrowed.

The Apple and Mac world has always been deficient in business and finance software. And still is. Some software developers don't write Apple versions or do so with half-hearted efforts because of focusing on Windows versions. The Mac world is a small percentage of PC users and doesn't warrant as much of an effort.

I have the basic iPhone 16. I specifically chose it for the compact size. If I am doing anything substantial online I tend to use a laptop, the phone is mostly for texting/calls and I prefer a smaller portable phone that fits in pockets. The 16 fits in most of my pockets. Barely.