Filed under: iPhone
What will you do with your old iPhone?
So like a gadzillion people have asked me: "What do I do with my old iPhone now that I'm upgrading to a spiffy new 3G unit?" I thought about doing a top ten list. I thought about clever and amusing ways to use an old iPhone. But seriously, it just comes down to this. So read my lips.
Jailbreak it. Unlock it. Give it away or sell it. The end.
Get yourself a copy of iLiberty+ or ZiPhone or whatever tool you like. Once unlocked, you can sell it for a badzillion dollars on eBay, because contrary to what I originally thought, AT&T isn't going to let you walk away with a new 3G iPhone without signing over your first born, your personal bank account and possibly your soul. So the demand for 1st gens is going to go through the roof (as will the demand for posthumous mobile air conditioning units once AT&T is through with you). Over at Google, those $250 refurb iPhones from a few weeks back are going for $500 and up. Ebay has relative bargains at $350 and up.
If you have a child, a spouse, a dog or any other loved one, you can now give them the phone with a T-Mobile or AT&T SIM and they're good to go. If any of these loved ones are foreigners ("votre chien", for example, in the case of those north of the border but within the Quebecois borders), they should be able to use a non-US SIM in the unlocked unit (i.e. "Le Rogers Fido").
As we've posted before, AT&T says it will reset your contract to 2 years once you get the new iPhone, so your old one will be completely free, clear, and contract-free. No one (except, perhaps, your dog) will sanction you for unlocking it.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Chad Zeluff said 2:38PM on 6-20-2008
I'll keep it because my $60 plan includes the T-Zones hack, so I get everything I need, for $10 less than the BASE AT&T monthly option.
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Hecktic said 3:07PM on 6-20-2008
hey this is what i was really looking for to comment on, i had an 8 gig since july 1st of last year, i had it nicly protected for 6 months but over time the phone got naked on me and started its usual wear and tear, 2 days ago i noticed a dead pixel on it, Score! TOOK IT TO APPLE AND GOT A BRAND NEW ONE(REFURB BUT JUST AS IT WAS OUT OF THE BOX) got home and put it on ebay to make some money for the new one, the thing sold in 5 min for 400$ plus 20 sipping, after paypal and ebay fees i made 400$, exactly for what i paid for the phone last year with my 100 credit back from apple. sell ur iphones ASAP!!! and get the money for a new one... no joke these things are still hot cakes
Kory said 3:30PM on 6-20-2008
Well, let's see here... What's a better idea?
1. hide it under your pillow and pray for the iPhone fairy to drop $400 and take your old iPhone.
2. Buy 10 more dirt cheap EDGE iPhones on craigslist, and make a hut for your new 3G iPhone.
3. Blend it!
Cynthia said 2:44PM on 6-20-2008
How would this work - would I activate my new 3G phone, then jailbreak this one? or jailbreak it and then deal with the new phone?
Thanks in advance.
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Joseph said 2:54PM on 6-20-2008
just ebay it, they can jailbreak it.
dNick said 2:57PM on 6-20-2008
Doesn't really matter.
After your phone number gets switched, your first gen will probably 'die', but, like Erica said, either of those programs will jailbreak your phone and turn it into a 'Touch'.
It's possible that even with a jailbroken phone, after your number is ported, you may have to restore and re-jailbreak.
Bottom line is that either is fine.
Mark said 2:52PM on 6-20-2008
OOh! OOH! Give it away to me!
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Joseph said 2:53PM on 6-20-2008
This same phenomenon happened when i sold my Powerbook G4 & G4 MDD. It was the fastest laptop & desktop to run OS 9 natively & henceforth Quark 4 and there was still a huge demand. Because no one wanted to rock "Classic." This was around the time of 10.3.
their new slogan should be.
Apple - Because our outdated hardware is worth more than new.
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Scott said 2:54PM on 6-20-2008
Just to clarify. If I buy a used 1st gen iPhone and then sign up for an ATT contract and take a free phone from then. Can I put the sim card in the iPhone and still use it for voice only, ipod features and wifi?
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Adam S said 3:34PM on 6-20-2008
Almost definitely not. You will need an iPhone plan from AT&T, or you won't get data, probably not visual voice mail, maybe more?
Ravi said 2:06AM on 6-21-2008
Yes, you can do that -- it's exactly what I did. Take advantage of the AT&T subsidy on a new phone (to later be eBayed), then swap out the SIM and drop it in your iPhone (after its unlocked/jailbroken -- see ziphone.org). You won't get EDGE (data), but it doesn't sound like you wanted it anyways. Perfectly functioning iPhone at a heavily discounted price -- win, win, win.
Scott said 10:12AM on 6-21-2008
That is exactly what I wanted to hear. Will that work with iphone 2.0 software or will we have to wait for someone to come up with a new jailbreak for that?
thezonie said 2:55PM on 6-20-2008
I hadn't thought about the demand for 1st gens going through the roof on eBay ... I thought I was just going to add it to my scattered collection of iPods (and iPhones) that I no longer use.
Thanks! :)
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Alan said 2:56PM on 6-20-2008
I will keep mine and skip this new model. I will continue to keep it unlocked as a "GoPhone" and a jailbroken phone. Yes, I'm a fanboy, but I'm not a lemming.
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rawhead said 3:36PM on 6-20-2008
You may not be a lemming but you sure sound like a douchebag by implying that anyone upgrading to the 3G is, automatically, a lemming. For someone like me, who was a Cingular customer from before the iPhone and have no reason switching to another carrier, selling the 1st Gen and getting the 3G with double the GB + GPS + 3G speed for less money than I can sell the 1st Gen for, is a no-brainer, and has nothing to do with lemming-like behavior.
tevetorbes said 12:59AM on 6-22-2008
@rawhead:
"You may not be a lemming but you sure sound like a douchebag by implying that anyone upgrading to the 3G is, automatically, a lemming. "
Wow, chief, takes one to know one eh?
"...selling the 1st Gen and getting the 3G ... for less money than I can sell the 1st Gen for, is a no-brainer, and has nothing to do with lemming-like behavior."
Um, it has *EVERYTHING* with lemming-like behavior! Have you not been paying attention, or are you too busy insulting people on blogs?
The new 3G iPhone is many things, but CHEAP(ER) is *NOT* one of them.
I for one agree with GP: I'll be holding onto my current gen iPhone until my contract runs out. Have fun with your new toy for everyone looking to upgrade: I'm sure it will be great!
JK said 2:57PM on 6-20-2008
Hm, I was going to give it to my parents, but if I can make that much back, I might consider it. Thanks for pointing this out! My original assumption was that the resell value would flop.
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EBone said 3:00PM on 6-20-2008
It will be my new iPod Touch.
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(01) said 3:02PM on 6-20-2008
Would it be possible for me to use either a "virgin" or unlocked old phone in Bangkok? I'd love to be able to gift it to my roommate (who bought me the phone in the first place; go figure) but am not really sure to verify if it will work.
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Jens said 4:52PM on 6-21-2008
As long as the phone company in Bangkok is using a GSM network, a jailbroken/unlocked phone will work just fine. You might even be able to use edge when you sign up for their dataplan.