Will you pay a premium for an iPhone 8 (X)?

[TheForce]

Is your phone the best place to put all your eggs when it comes to doing these formats? You've voted no up to now.

Not sure I understand the question. FYI- when I shoot projects during my travels my kit has 13 cameras in 3 camera bags now. The iphone is just something that I would carry like most people but the X with it's 4K format and OIS now would qualify to use the video in my high end projects. The OIS really excites me as well as the ability to correct for back lighting. I jumped for joy when I heard that announcement and that alone pretty much sold me. Still I would need to pack my Panasonic 3D1 for 3D shooting. When I was in Yellowstone, shooting with the 4K camera, I saw a couple places that I wanted a 3D still and having the little 3D1 on my belt came in handy. Now when I'm out shooting 3D in 1080p, the X can be my backup for a quick 4K shot.

Is that such a bad thing to want something simple and not have to learn all new gestures (or assimilate new functions for old gestures)? Graffitti is arguably what killed Palm and you're giving Apple kudos for dinking with gestures?

Swiping is used now. Adding another function isn't going to tax my brain that much. Learning to use all the new camera AI features, a little more time, I'm sure.

If Apple allowed you to do what you needed or wanted, it would no longer be Apple. The other guys have been there for a while now and the question remains whether or not you should be paying for all that stuff together on your phone (otherwise known as jack-of-all-trades -- master of none).

Perhaps its time you helped us out with a short explanation of the difference between AR and VR and which you would use where.

Look, you obviously don't like Apple almost to the level of a zealot. Your attitude and I ave no problem with that. I don't care about all that. If the thing works, I'm in, if it sucks, I will be the first to complain. I don't worship the company as some do. You won't find me camping out at the store to be the first one in the door. But, when the Apple watch came out I ordered one as soon as it was available. I did the same with the ipad. Zero complaints on both. On the other hand, I took my $5000 investment in a loaded MacBook with Final Cut Pro back and told them it was garbage. Returned to Sony Vegas Pro. They wanted nothing to do with the return so I sold it to another video production company. The editor was OK it was the file structure that sucked.

This is neither the time or thread to discuss AR and VR. It is new and content creators are just beginning to experiment with it.
I will tell you that VR allows the viewer to be in control of what can be seen in the image. The viewer is in the center of a sphere and can look all around, up and down. In addition if shot in 3D the VR becomes a real world. I am now creating content in 360VR 3D with 8 cameras in 4K.
AR is augmented reality. The first popular use of AR is Snapchat. I'm not interested in that use but it is quite popular and a real fad right now. Another use was shown in the demo of the X where they allow you to animate an emoji by making faces for the front camera using it's 3D capturing in real time. If you ever tried to create 3D animation in something like 3D studio, AR is a whole new paradigm shift in animation.

The iphone x does not create VR that I know of, but it does create AR. Even the iphone6+ can display VR, but the quality is limited.

 

[lparsons21]

For those wanting a Watch 3, it seems all the carriers in the US are going to charge $10/month for the LTE version. They are adding in a very few free months and waiving or reducing the activation fee.

This alone is enough for me to yet again not buy an Apple Watch.

 

[TheForce]

My point was that not every watch that looks like an Apple Watch is an Apple Watch. A lot of people are into costume jewelry and for as low as $30 you can have something that looks remarkably similar to an Apple Watch and it might even be able to make phone calls and take pictures.

Yeah, got that! I do appreciate you finding those and was fascinated at the likeness.

While I have the SS model I had fun with my own attempt at a fake 18K Gold Edition model that sold for $20,000. It fooled a few people, but only those who didn't own the watch.

 

[klang]

For those wanting a Watch 3, it seems all the carriers in the US are going to charge $10/month for the LTE version. They are adding in a very few free months and waiving or reducing the activation fee.

This alone is enough for me to yet again not buy an Apple Watch.

I wonder if there is an option to not turn on the LTE and not pay the fee? I don't think I will have any use for LTE but it might be nice to have the option if I change my mind at some point.

 

[TheForce]

For those wanting a Watch 3, it seems all the carriers in the US are going to charge $10/month for the LTE version. They are adding in a very few free months and waiving or reducing the activation fee.

This alone is enough for me to yet again not buy an Apple Watch.

Thanks for the info. I just got off the phone with Verizon rep and they didn't have any updates yet on the monthly charge. It looks like they will charge the same as an ipad with cellular. I'm thinking of getting the watch from Apple and not activating the cellular account right away. I wonder if that is possible??? I'd hate to buy one without and later decide I wish I had it. When all the details are known, I can then decide.

I can tell you that switching from my share data plan to unlimited for the household was way too expensive. Unlimited would cost me an additional $120 with the taxes.

 

[lparsons21]

If you buy the watch from Apple you should be able to buy it without activation. But going forward, if you wanted to activate it might not be such a 'deal'. But the really crappy part of this is that those same carriers charge $5/month for android watches.

On the phone front, it appears that the trade-up deals are nowhere near as good as when the 7's came out. Verizon's is $300 paid out over 24 months but only IF you get their unlimited plan. I don't have a need for that plan at all, and as you noted, it kicks the bill up. In my case, nearly $70/month more if I'm remembering right.

Edit: so for me, the only thing I'll be doing is getting the ATV 4K. The 8 just isn't enough better than my 7+ and the deals suck!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I dont like they are planning on charging a $30 activation fee on the watch. Seems like it would keep you a more sticky customer just to turn it on for you.

 

[klang]

No idea about android watches but at least with AT&T the $10 is the same as adding an iPad with cellular to my account.

 

[lparsons21]

No idea about android watches but at least with AT&T the $10 is the same as adding an iPad with cellular to my account.

I think ATT charges $10 for all wearables. VZW charges $5 for Android wearables from what I've been told.

For me $5/month would be a strong probably, anything over that is a very strong NO! I mean come on, you are extending the use of your phone's line, not adding a line as an ipad would be doing.

 

[TheForce]

I just looked at the trade deals. They offered $55 for my Samsung 5. I may let it go as I have not turned it on since switching to the iphone. My 6+ is being offered $195 but I may just keep it for wifi use around the house if I get the X.

 

[TheForce]

Anyone know if the watch and the 8 will be in the store tomorrow for demo?

 

[TheForce]

Saw this-
The LTE-enabled Apple Watch will cost $10 a month on US carriers

 

[king3pj]

Has anyone looked into wireless charging options yet? I've never owned a device with wireless charging so I'm not sure how well it works. I think I will stick to using the lightning cable as my main charger at home but I like the idea of wireless charging in my vehicle.

For some reason GM made the decision to put the only USB port in my car inside a second compartment just above my glove box. There is no gap for routing a cable out so my only options are to leave the compartment open when I need it (not great for someone in the passenger seat), close the compartment with my phone inside (blocks GPS signal), or force the door shut on the cable with the phone outside the compartment. Obviously none of these options are great.

My car does have a cubbyhole just in the center just in front of the gear shifter. This is where I usually keep my phone and wallet when I go on longer drives. It's deep enough for the phone to fit without being in the way and it's about 5-6 inches wide. The car also has a cigarette lighter outlet just above this cubbyhole. This seems like a perfect place to keep a smaller wireless charging mat always plugged in since I keep my phone there anyways.

Amazon product ASIN B01FMDQK80
This one on Amazon looks like it would fit and it's only $17.99. The only thing is one of the reviews mentions that phone placement with their Samsung Galaxy is very temperamental on this mat. It has to be lined up properly and if it moves slightly it stops charging. Are all wireless chargers like that? If so it seems like they would be useless in a moving vehicle. I don't mind spending a little more for one that just works when I drop my phone in.

 

[Gobucks]

Does anyone know Why T Mobile is charging $10 a month for Apple watch on your plan?

My Samsung Frontier watch is only $5 a month with LTE and its own number.

 

[dishfan82]

I like what the X has to offer but I hate that it didn't come in a plus size. So I might wait until next year to see what the 8s or x2 have to offer. I feel as though they rushed the x and why not call it iPhone edition? I'm not sure if I'll upgrade to an 8 this year. I'm undecided.

 

[klang]

Some info on Qi chargers: Here's a Look at Discounted and Upcoming Qi Charging Pads for iPhone 8 and iPhone X

 

[king3pj]

Some info on Qi chargers: Here's a Look at Discounted and Upcoming Qi Charging Pads for iPhone 8 and iPhone X

The Anker model in that article looks like it would fit in the cubbyhole in my car and I have been happy with their products in the past. I bought an Anker battery brick about 5 years ago for charging my phone while in the wilderness of Northern Ontario on a fishing trip I take every summer. All these years later the battery still holds a good charge and I still use it every summer.

I'll wait to hear how it works with the new iPhones but I could see myself buying two of them at that price.

 

[TheForce]

dishfan- I did some careful measurements of the various screens and it seems that the real estate lengthwise is the same as the 6+ but the width is narrower. That being said the image should be more detail as the pixel density is measurably greater and much higher contrast ratio.

I think most people will want to see before buying unless coming from a non plus size.

king- the wireless charger options on the market are extensive. The even have a paper thin Qi coil that you can stick to the back of an iphone with a close quarter Lightning plug to convert older models for wireless charging.



There are some rumors on the net now that the carriers will have stock on the cellular version tomorrow. I called our largest Verizon store and they denied it stating only preorder and no deliveries until the 22nd or after. He said they do not plan to have inventory until the end of the month. I'm thinking that the fastest way to get one is to order it tomorrow and then have it shipped to the house. But when I tried that with the Airpods it was a couple month wait. I eventually paid $10 more on ebay and had them in 2 days.

 

[harshness]

If you buy the watch from Apple you should be able to buy it without activation.

Are we to the point yet in wireless technology where the stuff that you buy isn't tied to a carrier? I know you can buy unlocked phones but I wonder if we're at a point where all phones can work with all carriers.

If you have to buy it through your carrier, I'm betting that activation isn't optional.

 

[klang]

Looking at the Apple site where tomorrow the new watch will be available it does not appear you have to select a carrier upfront. Will know for sure tomorrow.

I hadn't noticed anywhere else but specs listed say the LTE model has 16GB of memory instead of 8 GB in the GPS only model.