My 3GS got slightly damaged 🙂 when I left it on top of my car and drove off
it still switches on and iTunes still sees it etc. but it’s otherwise u/s

Anyway, I have a brand new 3G that’s been gathering dust unopened in a drawer but can’t see a way of transferring the apps/settings from the GS to it
I’m guessing that the S/W version on the GS [5.0.1] isn’t compatible with the G and there’s no way back to a compatible version

If you plug your phone

Ignore- thought I knew the answer but not so sure.. Was gonna suggest syncing the phone then just adding the new phone and syncing that with your purchases but unsure if that would work.
Think it might be one for one of the apple folk in the shop!

cheers

I may be able to jailbreak the u/s one and downgrade it to 4.2.1 – just need to do some more reading
Chances are I’ll just forget it though, I don’t have any paid for apps so not a massive deal, I was just hoping to avoid the set up

can you not restore the new phone from a backup of the old one?

Or just change the screen from the old one into the new one. Easy to replace. If the phone still ‘works’ it could be a loose connection.

can you not restore the new phone from a backup of the old one?

No that option isn’t there – only restore to factory settings – presumably because OS5.xx is not compatible

Or just change the screen from the old one into the new one

Lots of damage to the screen and case unfortunately and I don’t fancy doing a full swap over of the internals

Fitted a new screen and case would be easy for a repair store.. I was quoted £20 to fit a new rear case to an old 3GS from an independant apple repair store in glasgow and that involves ripping everything out…

Surely it’s all tied to your iTunes account? Just sync it with iTunes and tick all the boxes next to the apps?

Does that swap all the settings over, phone book, notes etc?
I have a couple of apps but nothing to bother about

I don’t have any music or video on it at all

Yep, it’ll swap everything; messages, contacts, the lot.

Lots of damage to the screen and case unfortunately and I don’t fancy doing a full swap over of the internals

Case is a bit more complex, but screen really is straightforward. 20 minutes tops.

Does that swap all the settings over, phone book, notes etc?

I don’t think it will swap over the iPhone settings, but it will do the app data, as well as phone book, notes, etc (so long as you’ve chosen to sync them in the past).