TLDR; The 5S.

If you didn’t know, two new iPhones were released on the 20th to join the 4S. Since Apple has three iPhones, you may be wondering what’s the difference, which one should I get. Here’s what I think of the three models.

The iPhone 4S

This phone isn’t worth it even when given away for free with a two year contract. The technology is already two years old, which means that by the end of your contract it will be four years old, an eternity. How many people do you see walking around with an iPhone 3GS? And to add insult to injury, it only comes with 8GB.

The iPhone 5C

I’ve seen reviews where the writer raves on how good the plastic feels. It doesn’t feel good, it feels cheap and plasticy. The technology is already a year behind, and the price difference of $100 isn’t enough to justify buying the 5C. (Over two years, that $100 difference is only $4.16 a month). It doesn’t have the better camera of the 5S, or the 64-bit processor.

The iPhone 5S

This is the phone with all the goodies. My usual recommendation when shopping for a smartphone is to buy the best phone they have. The out of pocket expenses is minuscule compared to the amount you are going to spend on your cell phone plan over the next two years. And you want to get your money’s worth from your cellphone plan, don’t you? The capabilities of the 5S make it easy to recommend. Another advantage is that in two years when your plan is up and you’re ready to buy a new phone you’ll be able to 2 to 4 hundred (depending on the color and size) out of the phone on eBay.

Conclusion

It’s really easy to recommend paying the $199-$399 for the iPhone 5S. In two years you’ll still be able to get that amount for it on eBay for your next iPhone. The 5C is… I don’t know why Apple released it. And an 8GB 4S is a joke. If you can only afford a free phone, buy the 5S, sell it on eBay for $600 and use the proceeds to buy a $250 4S. You’ll make $350 out of the process and have a 4S with at least 16GB of space.