iPhone For Seniors For Dummies. Dwight Spivey

non-contract terms.)

TABLE 1-1 iPhone Model Comparison

Model	Storage	Cost (may vary by carrier)	Carriers
SE (second generation)	64GB and 128GB	From $399	AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile
11	64GB and 128GB	From $499	AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile
12	64GB, 128GB, and 256GB	From $699	AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile
12 mini	64GB, 128GB, and 256GB	From $599	AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile
13	128GB, 256GB, and 512GB	From $799	AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile
13 mini	128GB, 256GB, and 512GB	From $699	AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile
13 Pro	128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB	From $999	AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile
13 Pro Max	128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB	From $1,099	AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile

One exciting pricing option is the iPhone Upgrade Program. You choose your carrier, get an unlocked phone so you can change carriers, and receive Apple Care+ to cover you in case your phone has problems, all starting at a cost of $35.33 a month (depending on the iPhone model you select). The price does not include data usage from your carrier. Check out www.apple.com/shop/iphone/iphone-upgrade-program for more information.

Decide How Much Storage Is Enough

      Storage is a measure of how much information — for example, movies, photos, and software applications (apps) — you can store on a computing device. Storage can also affect your iPhone’s performance when handling such tasks as streaming favorite TV shows from the web or downloading music.

      

Streaming refers to playing video or music content from the web (or from other devices) rather than playing a file stored on your iPhone. You can enjoy a lot of material online without ever downloading its full content to your phone — and given that the most storage-endowed iPhone model has a relatively small amount of storage, streaming is a good idea. See Chapters 18 and 20 for more about getting your music and movies online.

      Your storage options with an iPhone 13 or 13 mini are 128, 256, and 512 gigabytes (GB), while 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max are 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB (terabyte, which is 1000GB). You must choose the right amount of storage because you can’t open the unit and add more, as you usually can with a desktop computer. However, Apple has thoughtfully provided iCloud, a service you can use to back up content to the internet. (You can read more about iCloud in Chapter 4.)

      How much storage is enough for your iPhone? Here’s are some guidelines:

       If you simply want to check email, browse the web, keep your calendar up to date, and write short notes to yourself, 128GB likely is plenty.

       For most people who manage a reasonable number of photos, download some music, and watch heavy-duty media such as movies online, 256GB may be sufficient. But if you might take things up a notch regarding media consumption and creation in the future (such as the newest grandchild being on the way soon), you should seriously consider 512GB.

       If you like lots of media, such as movies or TV shows, you might need 512GB or 1TB. For example, shooting 4K video at 60 frames per second will take roughly 1GB of storage space for every two and a half minutes of footage. If you shoot a lot of video, 1TB of storage might be more appealing.

      

Do you know how big a gigabyte (GB) is? Consider this: Just about any computer you buy today comes with a minimum of 256GB of storage. Computers have to tackle larger tasks than iPhones, so that number makes sense. The iPhone, which uses a technology called flash storage for storing data, is meant (to a great extent) to help you experience online media and email; it doesn’t have to store much since it pulls lots of content from the internet. In the world of storage, 64GB for any kind of storage is puny if you keep lots of content (such as audio, video, and photos) on the device.

      What’s the price for larger storage? For the iPhone 13, a 128GB unit costs $799, 256GB is $899, and 512GB will set you back $1,099. iPhone 13 mini with 128GB goes for $699, 256GB at $799, and 512GB for $999. iPhone 13 Pro with 128GB is $999, 256GB is $1,099, 512GB goes for $1,299, and the model tops out at $1,499 for 1TB. Not to be outdone, iPhone 13 Pro Max is the priciest: $1,099 for 128GB, $1,199 for 256GB, $1,399 for 512GB, and $1,599 for 1TB. Note that prices may vary by carrier and where you buy your phone.

Understand What You Need to Use Your iPhone

      Before you head off to buy your iPhone, you should know what other connections and accounts you’ll need to work with it optimally.

At a minimum, to make standard cellular phone calls, you need to have a service plan with a cellular carrier (such as AT&T or Verizon), as well as a data plan that supports iPhone. The data plan allows you to exchange information (such as emails and text messages) over the internet and download content (such as movies and music) without need of a Wi-Fi connection. Before you sign up, try to verify the strength of cellular coverage in your area (ask your local cellular company representatives for more info), as well as how much data your plan provides each month.

      You also need to be able to update the iPhone operating system (iOS). Without a phone carrier service plan, you can update iOS either wirelessly over a Wi-Fi network or by plugging your iPhone into your computer. You would also need to use a Wi-Fi network to go online and make calls using an internet service, such as FaceTime or Skype.

      

Given the cost and high-tech nature of the iPhone, having to jury-rig these basic functions doesn’t make much sense. Trust me: Get an account and data plan with your phone service provider.

      You should also open a free iCloud account, Apple’s online storage and syncing service, to store and share content online among your Apple devices. For example, you can set up iCloud in such a way that photos you take on your iPhone will appear on your iPad. You can also use a computer to download photos, music, books, or videos and