Hopefully a very simple question, but one that is difficult to fund a good search term for in Google!

I’ve just come to the end of a 24month iPhone contract with Orange and theyve just sent all their upgrade bumpf.

I was going to just hang on and wait for the new one in September or whenever, but as the home button is seriously dying on my current iPhone 4, to quote a certain oderous sidekick, I have a cunning plan…

Anyone know if it would it be possible for me to upgrade on Orange to a 4S and sign a new contract, then when the new phone comes out buy an unlocked handset from Apple, pop my current SIM in and then just carry on the contract with the new handset?

I’m pretty sure I could but don’t want to be stuck with a 4S for a couple of years if I can’t! Will phone Orange at some point to ask, but thought I’d try and get an unbiased opinion!

Cheers!

Of course. You’ve bought the phone, actually using it is optional.

You don’t have to use the phone they send you. It’s yours, you can do what you like with it.

Why not take you current one to Apple and get them to sort it, it’ll be cheaper that buying a 5 when it comes out.

Excellent – what I was expecting but thought it worth a sanity check before signing my life away for another 2 years!

Drac – this is entirely true, but basically I’m a big geek and a moderate Apple ‘Fanboi’ so that just wouldnt hold really!

Why not take you current one to Apple and get them to sort it, it’ll be cheaper that buying a 5 when it comes out.

He’s going to effectively buy one anyway if he’s going to get a contract.
For example, on orange the cheapest iphone contract currently is £36 a month (24 months, plus £50 for the phone), which gets you roughly the same as a £15 SIM only contract.
Thus you pay ((36-15)*24)+50 = £554 for the phone over the 2 years.

Incidentally the same phone is £499 from apple.

Bear in mind that the unlocked iPhones direct from Apple are often in very short supply after launch with people queuing and stuff for weeks.

Might mean you are stuck with a “crappy” 4S while everyone is lording it about with their contracted 5s until you can get hold of an unlocked 5.

He’s going to effectively buy one anyway if he’s going to get a contract.

Yes I know that but getting a 4S because on a contract because of dodgy button and then buying a 5 seems silly. Repairing the 4 at a minimal cost and waiting for a 5 before going back to contract makes more sense to me.

Yeah, the idea would be to sell both my current 4 and then the 4S when the 5 comes out which should net me the majority of the cost of the 5 (based on current pricing). It then works out pretty much the same over the two years.

jFletch – yep, good point – not overly bothered about waiting an extra month or so, it was more being stuck with the 4S for 2 years that I’d be a bit miffed about.

There is that selling them both will earn a tidy sum.

It’ll earn back a tidy sum.

Seems an expensive way of getting a minor upgrade to me.

Well, it will all work out even in the end, just a slightly cack-handed way of doing it! Hopefully the 5 will be a reasonably big upgrade step – historically every 2 years has been the bigger jump in specs. I would usually just hold out, but the home button on my current one is really annoying (taking about 5 hard presses to get it to do anything, if at all) so working 4S for a few months to tide me over would be quite nice!

Taking it to Apple would also tide you over for a few months, and save you a few hundred quid in the process.

Be honest. You’re using the fault as an excuse to justify buying a new phone, aren’t you. (-:

Be honest. You’re using the fault as an excuse to justify buying a new phone, aren’t you. (-:

Totally!

^^^ you have a warranty with Orange for the duration of your contract (24month minimum) which will include the home button fix.

If they pull the ‘wear and tear’ line, remind them your contracted warranty with them covers the phone to be functional for purpose, and if the button has failed due to normal use in that time it is their responsibility to repair/exchange/replace with (most likely) a factory refurb (it’ll basically be a new phone). Don’t settle for anything less!

I’ve just finished arguing with them to get my 20 month into 24 month SGS1 replaced as it has a hardware fault. Was supposed to be a refurb replacement, but when it turned up was a brand new off the shelf job.

I’d say Brickman’s suggestion is the one to look into. Hassle Orange for a repair or replacement, then order a 5 from Apple as soon as it’s announced, then flog your existing phone. I was going to keep my iP4 as a navigation device, just cram all my Viewranger OS maps on it and CoPilot and UK Map, and use the 5 for music, books, etc., but it’s in flawless condition, due to using the free Apple case along with front/rear screen protectors, so I think I’ll flog it to fund the new phone.

It’s also covered under EU law, two year warranty on electrical items.