Sweet-spot iPhone for Noob?

[monkey man]

I'm being forced to get a mobile 'phone due to authentication issues with my provider, PayPal, Gmail and various online purchases.

Swore I'd never buy one but my hand has been forced. Figured I might as well use it for a few things I currently can't do (never even owned a camera).

So, I need to find that sweet spot that allows reasonably-up-to-date OS upgrades but doesn't cost the earth. I'm thinking $200 US or less but of course I'm a fish out of water so who knows?

Requirements:
Able to receive authentication codes / text messages (duh)
Able to copy files including 'photos to my desktop Mac without having to use iPhoto or iTunes
Able to record music ideas with built-in mic and copy them to my desktop Mac without having to use iTunes
Be reasonably up-to-date OS-wise so I can run basic apps such as one to control my fishtank lights (proprietary app)

I know nothing about these 'phones. Wouldn't even know how to make a 'phone call.

Any and all advice will be extremely-appreciated. Thank you all!

[Tidwells@aol.com]

Hi, Monkey-Man!

I use an iPhone 6 which I purchased refurbished on eBay for about $90. iPhone 6 was the last generation with the headphone jack, which I find useful for connection both to my living room stereo and car stereo. It can only be upgraded to OS 12.5.7 which is not the latest. The built-in voice memo app will let you record musical ideas and then you can easily e-mail them to yourself so they will go to your computer. Same for photos. No need to use iTunes or iPhoto for that. In the settings for the Mail app, I set it to "always blind cc myself". So when I have a lyric idea or need to send myself a reminder to buy something at the grocery store, I hit "compose" in the Mail program, then tap on the subject line and hit the dictation button, dictate a message to myself and hit send. No need to type in an e-mail address because it automatically sends it to me where it can be accessed from my computer or phone.

Doug

[bayswater]

We have an iPhone 8 running the latest OS version, bought used over a year ago for considerably less than US$200. I don’t know if it will update to the next version. As above, email or message attachments is probably the only way to avoid using the apps via an Apple account.

[rickorick]

I have an iPhone 8 Plus I bought from 1 of my students for $200. Works fine latest OS. There are a lot of used ones out there. Very handy for keeping in touch with my students.

[stubbsonic]

Have you considered an Android phone? I suppose you'd just need to see what kind of apps you need access to.

I just switched from using Android for many years, and got my first iphone. I like it (and won't bore you with a review)-- but the Android phones I've used have worked well.

[monkey man]

Thank you Doug, Stoivo and Rick!

Yeah Steve, I've "considered" Android, but thought seeing as I'm a Mac guy there might be unforeseen benefits to sticking with Apple?

Also, I've only ever owned 2 Samsung products besides SDD's and RAM:
TV - picture started degrading within a month and was unfixable (long story). Watched B&W for 5 years. Wasted 2 grand.
Blu-ray player - sat in my home-stereo rack for 5 years and then when I finally tried to use it it was dead. Bought brand-new.

So yeah, Apple OTOH, I've owned a crap-tonne of gear and never had an issue, so it's 2-for-2 with Samsung (which I now call DumbSung) and 0 for probably 20 with Apple and for the record 0 for a bunch with Sony. Guess I'm an Apple-and-Sony guy.

Thank you again all for the advice. I literally know nothing about these things. Promise to absorb everything you say.

[HCMarkus]

Definitely nice is the Apple ecosystem. Calendar, Contacts, Passwords, Mail, Text Message and more all share between a Mac and an iPhone. Apple provides small but useful free cloud storage. The challenge may lie in coordinating OS/iOS versions when using older pieces of kit. I'm no expert; my last iPhone, a 7, drowned in a swimming pool incident. My current device is an 11, a hand-me-down from a tech savvy son.

I can heartily recommend befriending a tech savvy youngster. Probably would also recommend an iPhone.

[bayswater]

I’d go for the all Apple setup too but if you don’t use the apps like photos etc to move things then maybe not worth any extra expense.

[bayswater]

I’d go for the all Apple setup too but if you don’t use the apps like photos etc to move things then maybe not worth any extra expense.

[mikehalloran]

To stay in the Apple ‘verse, having an iPhone is essential. Once you discover how much of what you do on your Mac can continue over iOS, you will be glad you made that choice.

Here’s the EOL list

https://endoflife.date/iphone

I wouldn’t buy anything older than the 11 or SE 2 but that’s me. My wife loves her 12 Mini is a great phone and we’re not planning on trading it in any year soon. The phone companies were giving those away when the 13 and 14 came out and I don’t know anyone planning to trade it her’s in.

Your requirements do not include the need for a phone. If that’s the case, the discontinued iPod Touch 7 does everything you want (if slowly) and has an adequate camera (I used mine recently to take pictures during a concert I was recording on my iPhone). No cell plan needed as long as you have good WiFi, I think — you will need to check with your ISP to make sure that you don’t need a cell plan to be able to text over WiFi, however (Apple may know). Normally, texting is controlled by your phone and relayed to your other devices. Its last iOS was 15.7.8. Mine has 256GB onboard. I’m not a fan of the tiny screen with my large fingers but it works well. Besides using it as a background music source at gigs so as to not tie up my iPhone, I use it to control one of these at school and family picnics.

https://www.igloocoolers.com/collections/kooltunes

I have a 13 Pro because I really like the camera. If the camera on the 15 Pro is a significant improvement, I’ll upgrade. If not, I’m fine with what I have.

[monkey man]

Thank you Brother Sir Markus, Steve and Mike.

Now I'm more-confused, if that was even possible.

Can't do Wi-Fi 'cause it really affects me; I have a hard connection to the fibre network for my 'puter.

Bluetooth I can handle (the app for my fish tank lights will use that) but the reason I've never had a mobile 'phone is 'cause if I get too-close to one that's transmitting / involved in a 'phone call I can't sleep for 2 1/2 days or think straight. Figured I'd just cop the hit in instances where I have to receive auth codes.

I assumed you just get "reception" or whatever's necessary sans any fancy-schmancy Wi-Fi thingies. I mean, we're talking about a mobile 'phone here so I made the obvious assumption.

Also, I've no idea how plans work or if I'd even need one. I wasn't kidding when I said I knew nothing.

Thank you for helping me out guys and sorry for my level of "understanding".

[stubbsonic]

I'll push back a little bit on the "All Apple Ecosystem is a Must" rule.

As someone who has had iPads, and MacBook Pros for many years, I had stubbornly stayed on Android phones that entire time. My reason (which is obsolete now) is that I could just connect my Android phone to my MBP had transfer files freely from the phone to the Mac and vice versa. There was a time where iTunes was required to move files around from iOS devices.

That said, now that I've spent a couple months with my first iPhone, there are some things I miss about the Android phone, and there isn't much that would make me say "I never looked back".

Take my opinion with a grain of salt. I use tech in a very limited and controlled way. It sounds like Monkey Man may be even more careful than I am.

As for hardware reliability, Apple is unbeatable. I had a ZTE phone for a long time, that worked very reliably. But due to a loose connection, at some point, if I dropped it I'd have to open it and reconnect the display ribbon connector. My wife has a Pixel, and when we talk via phone, the sound quality from her phone is poor.

[James Steele]

My reason (which is obsolete now) is that I could just connect my Android phone to my MBP had transfer files freely from the phone to the Mac and vice versa.

There may be better solutions, but I got myself one of these a while back:

https://a.co/d/f8e1dRk

It's been a real lifesaver. I'd often be places where someone would say, "Oh... I emailed you the file" and I'm stuck with no Wi-Fi and just my phone. It has an iOS helper app, so I'm able to get the attachment off my phone onto this little USB/Lightning stick, and transfer it to my computer... often I'm using a Windows laptop in those situations, so this works well for that as well provided you don't format it for Mac.

[stubbsonic]

My reason (which is obsolete now) is that I could just connect my Android phone to my MBP had transfer files freely from the phone to the Mac and vice versa.

There may be better solutions, but I got myself one of these a while back:

https://a.co/d/f8e1dRk

Thanks for that tip. I've been pretty happy using the Files app along with free iCloud, and/or nagware Dropbox to move things about.

[monkey man]

You guys are speaking Greek to me, but I'm liking the sound of it!

Essentially, my main concern is just being able to drag-and-drop files of any given type to the Mac tower.

Mike:
You mentioned iPod earlier. Per chance did you mean to say, "iPad"?

Thank you James and Stoivo, yet again...