From my experience as an old guy having switched shifted to my wife’s old iPhone last year after my flip-phone died, I would suggest spending some time testing options before switching an old-timer from a landline to an iPhone. A smartphone is an elegant technology but a very complex one, and learning how to use it requires a lot of time. Assess what your limitations are before you buy an iPhone. I find it hard to use because I can’t read the screen without my reading glasses, which I only use when I’m reading. By the time I get the phone out of my pocket and my readers on, the call is switched to voice mail or cut off. I don’t use the smart features because I’m a touch typist and it’s much easier to work on desktop or laptop screen. I’m trying to learn how to use the thing, but so far if I lost this iPhone I would go back to a flip phone because I find its tiny type and complexity are much more trouble than it’s worth.
1 Like
I fully agree. In the example I gave, the person specifically wanted to retire the landline, and it wasn’t her first iPhone. She wanted something portable, and she didn’t want to change the phone number on all of her various bills and shopping accounts. The iPhone service from Consumer Cellular actually was less expensive than her old landline.
At the same time, I know people for whom keeping a land line or switching to a flip phone would be much better choices than switching to a smart phone. It is imperative to consider the user’s interests and capabilities when choosing a phone. Thanks for raising an important point!
2 Likes
4 posts were merged into an existing topic: Porting phone numbers