iPhone 3GS: Get A 16GB or 32GB?

I’m sittin’ here, transferring over some content to my 32GB iPhone 3GS, and I started thinking about space. Like “Hey, how am I on space?”. And then I realized that I have 32 GBs and that I’m no where close to coming even half way.

And that made me wanna’ share somethin’ with you all. If your considering getting a 3GS from AT&T with a two year contract, besides the color options, you have two options… 16GB or 32GB. I’m gonna’ tell you to go with a 32GB for a number of reasons.

But, let’s first look at some reasons to go with a 16GB iPhone. The majority of people who have iPhones don’t even use 8GBs of data. So 16GBs will be more than fine for you for now. Notice I said for now…

The reason I say go with a 32GB iPhone is the fact that your getting into a two year contract with AT&T. Sure, it’s a hundred dollars more expensive than the 16GB. But your going to have your iPhone for two years. Think about that… two years. You know what’ll happen in two years time? Two, count’em, two new iPhone models will be introduced (and one could be on another network by then). With the 3GS, you’ve got the faster hardware, you got the speed, but the 32GB size next year may be the new “smaller” size and a new “larger” 64GB size will be released… and a year after that, it could be a 64 GB size will be the “smaller” size and a 128 GB size will be the “larger”. iPhones will (hopefully) look the same (just with added features, like 4G network support, front facing video camera, ect). So one of the big things determining “greatness” of iPhones will be size.

There’s no way, of course, to add size to an iPhone. So once you get an iPhone size, your stuck with it. So if you get a 32GB iphone now, it won’t seem so large (and more important, won’t seem so small) compared to new iPhones. And remember, your in a new contract so you’ll have to wait until two years, ’til a fifth generation iPhone, before you can upgrade from your third generation 3GS. 32GBs is a lot smaller than someone’s brand new 64GB or 128GB iPhone, but it will really small if you have a 16GB iPhone.

And then there’s the topic of content. When the first generation iPhone came out, 4GB and 8GB seemed big. There wasn’t even an app store out. But now look, there are apps (such as the Tomtom Navigation app) that are 1GB is size (the biggest app size I know of, most apps are less than 20MBs). A 1GB app, there’s no way anyone could have imagined that back then. That was two years ago, now what will things bring two years from now? Two years is a long time to have a set size.

But then there’s just the vanity issue, which I’m totally guilty of (and proud of it). When someone asks you about your phone, or the size, when you say “I’ve got a 32GB” vs. “I’ve got a 16GB”, it just does something. You don’t have to say “Oh I have a 16GB” with a certain tone of regret. “I only have the 16GB.” But when you have a 32GB, you say it with pride. “I’ve got a 32GB…”

So, what size should you get? Well, it’s up to you, but getting the bigger size is probably your best investment. Plan to sell your iPhone when it’s time to get a new one once your contract’s up in two years? What size do you think will be the most desirable?

I’m so glad I choose the 32GB instead of the 16GB.

Peace, J

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