Need Help Between Choosing Between Iphone 4 Or Iphone 4S

[submaniac]

Okay folks, I am getting a new phone and wanted some opinions and advice.

I am in the States now. I currently have a blackberry storm 1 (junk) and it has been two years since I got it so I am eligible with my carrier (Verizon) for an upgrade phone at a discount. I can either get a brand new iphone 4 8gb for $49 (which would bring the total to around $99 with tax) or I can get a new16gb iphone 4s for $193 (or around $250 with tax, they tax the prediscount rate).

I don't care about all the little features and applications and whatnot about the iphone. I just want to do one thing: tether it to my laptop so I can have 3g internet access on my laptop. I signed up for my dataplan when it was unlimited data, and verizon changed its policy (no more unlimited), but I am grandfathered into unlimited data. My carrier charges $30 a month to add a hotspot feature to the phone, and it is only limited to something like 2gigs a month. I was going to use itether or datapilot to avoid the fee and limit (since I have unlimited data).

It appears that either the iphone 4 or iphone 4s are both capable of what I want and are 3g (the blackberry isn't 3g). The advantage of the 4s is the dual core processor and the dual antennas. What I would *like* is to be able to use the phone in Thailand whenever I go. But it appears that the iphone 4 is a single antenna and I have to get a new sim card when I go to Thailand, whereas the iphone 4s also has the gsm capability. If it wasn't so much more, I would just ge the 4s, but the thing is like over 100% the cost of the iphone 4.

I guess the second big issue for me is whether or not I can use it in Thailand. Would love opinions, thank you.

[nikster]

The Verizon iPhone is an oddity in that it supports CDMA (the old kind).

But the good thing about it is that it also takes SIM cards and works on GSM networks, and Verizon will unlock the GSM unit for you. Ask about it! I believe it's either free or pretty inexpensive, like $30 or so. Policies on this vary wildly from carrier to carrier - AT&T won't unlock it at all (and being in the USA, they get away with that); in Europe my mom's carrier wanted 150 EUR for the unlock.

I'd get the 4S if you ever use it as a camera - the camera is much better. The antenna is also better but I doubt you'll notice that unless you spend a lot of time in an area with bad reception.

Both phones can do 3G tethering, and here in Thailand this is included in the data plan. Use it every day on my iPhone 4, the 3G connection is pretty fast on True-H.

The most important thing is, ask Verizon whether or not they can unlock it for you and how much it costs. You don't want to go the jailbreak / unlock route, and it's a huge pain, and it doesn't currently work on the latest models.

Edited May 19, 2012 by nikster

[submaniac]

Hi Nikster, thank you for the response. I appreciate it. Well, I went and checked today. There are several other places that are offering the iphone 4S for $149, not $193, so all in, with taxes, the 4S will run about $200, while the 4 will run $100. That's still 100% of the price, but I think I will probably spend the $100. Talking to the sales girl, the 4S is more likely to support the 4g than the 4. The camera probably justifies the difference in price, as I was thinking of getting a new camera anyways and this saves the price. Thanks again for the help.

[nikster]

Just make sure they'll unlock it for you, or your plan of using it in Thailand will be a no-go...

Found this

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/story/2012-02-26/pegoraro-iphone-world-travel/53234322/1

sounds like it's not super straightforward, best to just ask the VZ rep... Sprint looks to be a bit easier.

[2008bangkok]

I'd get a 4s if I was you, why buy a phone and get a older model, you won't be able to use a 4 in Thailand as it is a CDMA phone and none of the networks are CDMA For voice but the 4s is a world phone so you can use on GSM or CDMA, camera better processor better just a better phone and for the sale of a $100 u might as well do it.