Downgrading from iPhone 4 to iPhone 3G. How to do this?

[Eug]

My mother-in-law's old hand-me-down iPhone 4 has apparently died. It was mine until I upgraded to an Android phone back in 2012. I'll get it back in a few days to check myself but I'm assuming it's true, since it's 5 years old.

She wants another iPhone. She's sort on cash so we don't want her to buy a brand new iPhone 5s or something, but all the low end iPhone plans are saddled with the crappy 8 GB iPhone 5c. She likes LOTS of pics and some some videos on her phone, so 8 GB is woefully inadequate.

The original plan was for us to get a 2 GB iPhone 6s in the fall and then hand my wife's old iPhone 5 16 GB down to the MIL, but that damn iPhone 4 died 4 months too soon.

I do have an old iPhone 3G that we have been just using as an iPod but... well... it's ancient. I have most of the contact data on my computer backed up, but it's on 10.9 Mavericks. How do I get that onto an iPhone 3G? What about the pictures and text threads?

We'd just have her use that iPhone 3G until we can get a new iPhone in the fall.

 

[Tyranicus]

Unless the iPhone 4 was running iOS 4.2.1 or earlier, you will not be able to restore the backup to a 3G.

 

[mmntech]

Given how old the phone is, it's likely just the battery that's gone poop. That's an easy and cheap enough fix.

Using the 3G is just painful now. You could probably replace it with a budget phone like a Moto E, Lumina, or Blu.

 

[Eug]

@Tyranicus:

Yeah that's too bad - the iPhone 4 was running iOS 7.

I'm still wondering though if I can get some of the data synced over, from the Contacts application for example. Hopefully iTunes 12 is still compatible with the 3G.

@mmntech

That's a good thought. I'll know more when I get it in hand but if it's just the battery I might be able to get it fixed for say $75. I'm not going to do it myself. Can't be bothered.

Not interested in an Android phone for her. She's not really interested and it took us long enough getting her comfortable with just iOS.

Mind you, maybe a cheap Android phone will be less aggravating than an iOS 4 iPhone 3G for those few months. Hmmm...

 

[Eug]

The local store will do iPhone 4 battery replacements for CAD$45. Hopefully it's that.

 

[JAG87]

The local store will do iPhone 4 battery replacements for CAD$45. Hopefully it's that.

Pmall does it for $25, not sure if it's worth your commute there though.

 

[Eug]

Pmall does it for $25, not sure if it's worth your commute there though.

Good to know. I didn't know Pacific Mall was that much cheaper. I sometimes head up that way. It's about a half-hour drive from my house.

But, it turns out it was a false alarm.

We had her leave the iPhone charging to see if that would help, and then she went to the Apple Store who then just did a hard reset. Now it's working. No need for me to troubleshoot.

Long live that iPhone 4! Or hopefully at least for 4 more months anyway.

My wife thinks her mom has NEVER rebooted the phone herself. So the only reboots that have ever been done with that phone was when I gave it to her, and a couple of times when I backed it up I reboot it too for good measure. (She doesn't live in the same city as I do.)

 

[Tyranicus]

@Tyranicus:

Yeah that's too bad - the iPhone 4 was running iOS 7.

I'm still wondering though if I can get some of the data synced over, from the Contacts application for example. Hopefully iTunes 12 is still compatible with the 3G.

It's been a while since I tested this, and it's obviously a moot point for you now, but it's my understanding that iTunes still supports every iPod, iPhone and iPad model, no matter how old it is.

 

[MotionMan]

But, it turns out it was a false alarm.

We had her leave the iPhone charging to see if that would help, and then she went to the Apple Store who then just did a hard reset. Now it's working. No need for me to troubleshoot.

Long live that iPhone 4! Or hopefully at least for 4 more months anyway.

My wife thinks her mom has NEVER rebooted the phone herself. So the only reboots that have ever been done with that phone was when I gave it to her, and a couple of times when I backed it up I reboot it too for good measure. (She doesn't live in the same city as I do.)

It seems like the old faithful reboot/hard reset will always remain the go-to solution for most that ails your technology.

Maybe the next time you are with her, you can show her how to do a hard reset. Not that she will do it on her own, but the next time she calls with a problem, and you tell her to do it, she will at least have some idea what you are talking about.

Glad it worked out.

MotionMan

 

[MotionMan]

It's been a while since I tested this, and it's obviously a moot point for you now, but it's my understanding that iTunes still supports every iPod, iPhone and iPad model, no matter how old it is.

I can confirm that the current version of iTunes still works with all models of iPhones and all the models of iPods I have tried, which is extensive, but not complete.

MotionMan

 

[Eug]

OK that makes sense... esp. now that I remember that old versions of iTunes actually support non-Apple music players. Eg. Some of the old Creative Labs MP3 players were supported by iTunes.