Old iPhones?

[NullCipher1337]

Hello,

Does anyone use an old iPhone as their daily phone? In Australia, I know 3G network is shut or shutting down, not sure what old-ish iPhone models are reasonably usable? Any recommendations? I was keen to get an iPhone 5 (eventually) to accompany my 2012 Macbook Pro which I use regularly, but apparently not all bands are supported here and it can't be used for calls. So while it would still be cool as an accompanying device to my Macbook Pro - I really need something practical and useable.

Mostly I use my phone for texting, calls, email, camera, and youtube. Browsing and Social Media I do way to much too, but these are not essential to me... Mobile banking and using my phone as a bank card kind of is though.

Maybe an old iPhone isn't practical? My current phone is an iPhone 14 Plus, its pretty busted up though and I was thinking as an 'upgrade' / replacement I might go backwards instead. Just something I'm thinking about... Appreciate any advice!

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

My approach is if there was one piece of equipment I’d keep as current as I can - that would be my phone. I like iOS so for me it’s an iPhone. I like to tinker obviously but my phone is one thing I don’t mess with - it’s functionality & ease of use is a very high priority for me.

I do have many old iPhones but I use them mostly as display pieces and old low MP cameras when I’m futzing with digital photography. I did set up my moms old iPhone as an iPod essentially because it has a headphone jack so it’s easy for her to connect to speakers/radios vs fiddling with BT which is frustrating and unintuitive for a 78y/o.

Technically I’m pretty sure iphone6 and newer will still work (volte) but those phones are slow and that gen battery sucks ie: I replaced two batteries on my 6 when I was using mine. Also you’ll run into phone app devs beginning to drop support around year 6 from phone release so you get into issues with apps that are broken or wonky and won’t function outside of say side loading apps which is an unvetted crapshoot. I also noticed how bad their antennas are LOL. From dropped calls to dropped internet, I remember experiencing that often when I would really stretch my use before upgrading (like my iphone6).

I’m not saying an old phone can’t be a fun project because it certainly can or can’t be used because technically, yes an old iphone6 or newer likely would still make calls and texts but for me in 2026, I just need them to work reliably & well so yeah - internet & YT on my 25 y/o PPC Quicksilver PowerMac g4? Heck yeah bring it on. My phone? Absolutely not LOL I get a new one every chance I get.

 

[scj312]

I'm still using an iPhone 12 mini.. is that considered "old" yet?

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

Getting there but Apple supports iphones for quite a while - IIRC my iphone6 got 5 major os releases and 12 shipped with ios14 and we're at 26.6 so has gotten 6 major os updates so far. I'd imagine the 12 is getting close to no more os updates but I think will probably still get security updates for quite a few years after that final os update hits.

If I had to go with an old phone (no shame with that as I did take my iphone6 all the way to its last ios update which was like 2019 iirc from getting it new in 2014), I think the oldest Iphone I would go with would be a 12. All this to say that iphone6s are still getting security updates in 2026 which I think is pretty cool and funny lol.

Different strokes for different folks, yanno?