Forum Discussion
less complicated?
My wife, now 76. is having all kind of difficulty operating her iPhone 15 plus. In spite of what she keeps thinking there is nothing wrong with the phone it is just too technical and does more functions than she can cope with. Is there a iPhone option that I could get her that is more basic or would I have to look for a older refurbished model
Older models don't function as well and are a lot slower and sluggish with the latest version of iOS. iPhone 14's as far back as the X's mostly have Intel modems, which have very poor reception. You might want to look at the iPhone SE 4, which is coming out soon if she wants to stay with Apple. Personally, my grandmother uses a Pixel 6 and she will be 89 years old in January. Pixels, including the A-series, are good alternatives if she isn't opposed to trying Android.
The 15 isn't any more "technical" than older iPhones. The Plus is nice for seniors. If her previous iPhone had the home button, there is a little bit of a learning curve, and it's a good idea to set up Face ID. After that, and with a little practice, it is actually easier to navigate to what you want.
Remove the apps she doesn't want, or put them into folders so she's unlikely to accidently open them. Even with that, the number of icons can seem overwhelming, and perhaps that is her frustration. There is a Search button just above the four icons at the bottom. Tap that, and the first few letters of what you're looking for.
There are You Tube channels for senior tech. One is Rich Bowlin.
