Skip to Content

Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me convert my iPhone to an iPod touch

by Erica Sadun Jun 27th 2011 at 12:30PM

Dear Auntie,

Is it possible to completely convert my old iPhone 3G into an iPod touch? I don't want it to think it is still my phone and keep trying to backup and restore in iTunes.

Your help would be really appreciated.

Thanks and cookies!

Ryan

Dear Ryan,

Yes, and it's really easy to do. Just "Restore" that phone to factory-fresh and don't restore-from-backup afterwards. Set it up as a new phone instead.

Auntie has a 3GS she uses like that, and it's great. It has all the iPod touch features and works with GPS. That's super for all kinds of run-tracking apps and search-by-location ones, like Yelp.

You can throw in a cheap SIM and use your old unit for phone calls and data, too. So long as it is an AT&T SIM, you don't have to jailbreak or unlock.

Hugs,

Auntie T



View Tags

Related Stories

Categories

iPhone

Dear Auntie, Is it possible to completely convert my old iPhone 3G into an iPod touch? I don't want it to think it is still my phone...
 

Add a Comment

Sign in »
*0 / 3000 Character Maximum Comment Moderation Enabled. Your comment will appear after it is cleared by an editor.

10 Comments

Filter by:
Michael Fryd

Go to Best Buy and get a pre-paid H2O Wireless SIM. It's $10, and works in your iPhone without a jail break. The $10 covers about an hour of calls and is good for three months. It does not include data.

In the US, H2O Wireless actually uses AT&T's network. If your US iPhone is "locked" to AT&T it will also work with H2O wireless.

If you like, you can recharge the SIM for $10 every three months, and you have a spare phone for emergencies. Of course, if you want more airtime, or a data plan, H2O has a number of options to choose from.

June 27 2011 at 2:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dan

Remove the sim, place the iPhone in Airplane mode, and turn wifi back on. Now you have an iPod Touch. I've done this with all of my old iPhones.

June 27 2011 at 2:18 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
Laserheart

Just take out the SIM card, tell iTunes not to automatically sync the phone, and rename it to "Ryan's iPod Touch".

Problem solved.

P.S. iPod Touches stlll need to be backed up and synched to iTunes if you want a backup, or to download apps from the iTunes app store.

June 27 2011 at 2:15 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Vera Comment

"You can throw in a cheap SIM and use your old unit for phone calls and data, too. So long as it is an AT&T SIM, you don't have to jailbreak or unlock."

i thought if ATT detected a iphone w/o @ plan they'd make you get a subscription?

June 27 2011 at 2:04 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
David Villasana

Dear Auntie,

My daughter will be spending her junior high school year in Spain. She has an iPhone that I believe will be cost-prohibitive to use month after month due to data and roaming costs with AT& T. Can you help me find an efficient solution for her phone needs starting in September?

All best,

Dad

June 27 2011 at 1:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to David Villasana's comment
Rdnymllnsktr

Buy her an unlocked iPhone, back up her current iPhone, then restore the backup to the new iPhone.

Then, when she's in Spain, she can get a local SIM.

June 27 2011 at 1:26 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
Leon H.

Either jailbreak and unlock the iPhone and get a local SIM card (all European carriers are supported) or just don't use it. She can probably survive a few months without her precious iPhone. Any 20€ phone does calling and texting just as well.

June 27 2011 at 4:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rdnymllnsktr

Uhhh, these tips are so stupid...my old 3GS does not back up, or restore. And it still has all of the functions that it did as a phone. In fact, if I need a backup to my iPhone 4, I merely need to throw my SIM into it.

Erica, instead of giving out incorrect information, we find out why his phone keeps wanting to backup and restore.

June 27 2011 at 12:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Rdnymllnsktr's comment
Aco-Sir Ratty

Reading the question, Ryan wanted to find out how to use it has a iPod touch and he didnt want to have it sync has is old phone. I think Ryan in this case confused the question by saying backup and restore when in fact he meant he didnt want iTunes thinking it was his phone.... Erica saw this mistake and answered the question with good advice

Granted the Ask Auntie questions have been lame as late and I do think they must have more challenging questions being received, but no need to flame on this one... there is plenty of articles recently that you could have a go at... well 2 in fact

June 27 2011 at 12:42 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Aco-Sir Ratty's comment
Rdnymllnsktr

I still don't get it...why can't he just remove what he doesn't want on it, so that way, it still has all the old information that he wants on it, and none that he doesn't.

The only reason to restore as a new phone is if you don't want any of your old data on it, and in that case, you can just reset all content and settings from the phone itself.

June 27 2011 at 12:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down
Buy an ad here

Tweets

© 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.