Can I Do this with an iPhone ???

[SalandJeff]

I currently have an iPhone 3G. I am thinking of upgrading the phone. If I do, can we still use the old 3G for games/iPod without using the phone or data connection? I assume we would put the 3G sim card in the new phone. So would we put the blank sim card in the 3g, and then add the games, etc from iTunes through the computer?

Would ATT let us do this?

And related to this, can I update the 3G software to the 4 platform, and if so, any reason NOT to?

Thanks for any advice ... have no clue whether there is any chance of this working!

 

[jel0511]

First off the SIM card that the 4 and 4S's use is completely different than the 3gs's, so you will be provided with a new one. We used our iPhone 1 as an iTouch until it broke. I think it had no SIM in it, though it still could had a SIM, I don't remember. The current SIM you have will be deactivated due to the new one, so it doesn't even have to be removed. Once you deactivate the SIM, you'll no longer be able to update the software or sync it to the computer. I can't remember if we were able to add apps or anything over WIFI, but my guess is no.

 

[Kitzka]

The sim in the iphone 4 and Iphone 4s is different from the sim in the 3g and 3gs. the 3g and 3gs use a sim but the 4 and 4s will use a micro sim. but once you activate the new phone you can still use the 3g as an itouch with wifi service. the phone will be deactivated (perhaps will be active for emergency calls) but you can still use the apps and ipod.

Just to say i know this because i use my iphone 3g as my ipod for working out (i have a habit of dropping my iphones into bodies of water, soup, pools, etc. I don't want to drop my iphone in the toilet so i use my 3g as my ipod for the gym).

Not all of the new apps willwork on the 3g and as they are updated more and more of them will not work as the 3g and i assume shortly the 3gs will no longer be supported for upgrades and the newer apps will no longer work. An example is that i use we rule and they recently upgraded their app and for a while i was unable to access it at all from my 3g. it was fine on my 4. i was still able to upgrade apps/download them on the 3g until a few months back.

 

[SalandJeff]

Thanks for all the info. Using the 3g as an iTouch is exactly what I wanted to do.

If they do not put the old sim card in, how do all your old apps/contacts/music get transferred when you upgrade to an iPhone 4?

 

[Anne34]

Thanks for all the info. Using the 3g as an iTouch is exactly what I wanted to do.

If they do not put the old sim card in, how do all your old apps/contacts/music get transferred when you upgrade to an iPhone 4?

I am going through the same thing and was told that I have to back up the phone to itunes and then when I get the new phone I can sync it with itunes and all my info will be there. Hopefully it works! Also, I went through the AT & T store to preorder because when I went online, it tried to change my unlimited internet with their new packages. The store said that I will be grandfathered in, but the online has no way of doing that so some people were getting smaller data packages for the same price.

 

[jel0511]

I am going through the same thing and was told that I have to back up the phone to itunes and then when I get the new phone I can sync it with itunes and all my info will be there. Hopefully it works! Also, I went through the AT & T store to preorder because when I went online, it tried to change my unlimited internet with their new packages. The store said that I will be grandfathered in, but the online has no way of doing that so some people were getting smaller data packages for the same price.

Yep, this is what you have to do. I'm on my third iPhone and it's worked EVERY time!

 

[Mom21]

Here ya go. Look especially at the backup tutorial. This one is for the 3G. Any other device sold by ATT you can also look at by looking in the upper right by the phone selected and hitting the orange button that says "Change Phone". The menu for how to do pretty much anything is in a box on left side.

http://www.att.com/learningcenter/?_requestid=2311938#fbid=08R6_1_5Jtd

 

[Mom21]

I am going through the same thing and was told that I have to back up the phone to itunes and then when I get the new phone I can sync it with itunes and all my info will be there. Hopefully it works! Also, I went through the AT & T store to preorder because when I went online, it tried to change my unlimited internet with their new packages. The store said that I will be grandfathered in, but the online has no way of doing that so some people were getting smaller data packages for the same price.

Anne once you receive your phone call and make sure the rep places notes on the account you need the grandfathered $30 unlimited data plan added back. Do this within 30 days or you will no longer get it. They will be attempting to do this, but some may get missed. I wouldn't want mine to be one of those.

Just to clarify, I see you already had an IPhone, but for those that may be reading this that are on an unlimited grandfathered plan but had a different family of device, it will not be changed for you. For example you have unlimited data grandfathered in on a Blackberry and upgrade to an IPhone you will not be able to get the same plan. You will have to go back to the new plans allowed for an IPhone. Hope that makes sense.