Phone Recommendation for First-time Smart Phone

howareyoudoin'

Due to a change in work role & increasing need for personal connectivity on Viber, Messenger, etc, I've decided to take the plunge, give up my work phone (my indestructible Nokia 208) & go for a Smart Phone.

Currently I manage my online life using my iPad mini, but that requires wifi connectivity which isn't always available, particularly since we are not allowed to connect to our work wifi on personal devices. Since changing role, my traditional phone usage is low as I make less & less work calls & rarely need to do so outside of work hours. On the personal side, I'm more of a texter than a caller.

So....this is what I think I need...
Decent internet/wifi/ whatever-it's-called-on-a-phone speed / coverage / access
Bluetooth
Decent audio (to listen to podcasts, radio, etc)
OK camera
SIM-free
Bill-pay
The kicker is...Compatibility with my iPad???? Do I have to get an iPhone for this? I still want to be able to use my iPad when I'm at home.
And if I do have to get an iPhone, what should I opt for? Buy an older reconditioned one or go newer so that the iOS or whatever else will keep working as they release newer versions, etc? I don't have the budget, the fashion-drive, or the ability to care for & look after something that will cost me much more than €150.

ED E

howareyoudoin' wrote: »

SIM-free
Bill-pay

Which is it? Are you looking to change provider and separately get a new phone?

Davy

The main question is how far do you want to link items on your iPad with your new phone. If you want to sync all apps etc then the iPhone would be the best option.

If you are open to other options then you will have a lot more options for a lot less money. You can sync photos and similar using other cloud services that run on different platforms like onedrive and google.

bee06

How do you mean compatible with your iPad? How do you want them to work together?

howareyoudoin'

ED E wrote: »

Which is it? Are you looking to change provider and separately get a new phone?

Not sure I get your question. Current handset belongs to my employer & is billed on the company billing rates. So, I need a new handset & I need a new billing tariff. I don't want to go pre-pay, so bill-pay. And I don't want to sign up to a contract that will keep me stuck with one provider, so I'm thinking buy my own handset.

howareyoudoin'

Davy wrote: »

The main question is how far do you want to link items on your iPad with your new phone. If you want to sync all apps etc then the iPhone would be the best option.

If you are open to other options then you will have a lot more options for a lot less money. You can sync photos and similar using other cloud services that run on different platforms like onedrive and google.

Other options.....This is where my lack of knowledge comes in....from back in the day when Apple was the only game in town for music, all of my own music is on iTunes...so I want to keep that. And my photos are all currently on the cloud. Beyond that, the main apps I use are travel apps on which my membership flight, hotel & car points are tracked, a few fitness apps, bank, utilities, grocery, weather, etc. But I'd like to be able to use the phone & iPad interchangeably for all of that....does that mean I have to go with an iPhone?

howareyoudoin'

bee06 wrote: »

How do you mean compatible with your iPad? How do you want them to work together?

Basically I want to be able to listen to a podcast on my iPad & have the phone pick up from where the iPad left off when I leave the house. Or continue a Viber or messenger conversation while switching from one to the other. Does that mean that I have to get an iPhone?

It sounds like you have to stick with iPhones, I'm afraid.

bee06

Agreed, iPhone is the way to go but you won't be getting one for 150 Euro sim free.

howareyoudoin'

Thanks all! Next up, advice on what the oldest model of iPhone still worth using is!

QueenRizla

If you are bill pay with work surely that plan is well overdue an upgrade for the Nokia 208?
Just get an upgrade to an iPhone 5 which would be free on most plans. Anything newer there might be a payment but 150€ would go good way.