# Angry Birds possible on old iPhone? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 31, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943 "2011-07-31T18:37:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HotDogWater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/35a633/32.png) [@HotDogWater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HotDogWater)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/1 "2011-07-31T18:37:09Z")
(my very first OP…kinda scary 🙂 ) So I bought an old iPhone off of a co-worker for cheap money. She told me she was keeping the sim card, which made no difference to me because I was just going to use it as a iPod, anyway. So I got it home and started playing with it and realized the I could pick up the home WiFi. So now it’s a music player and internet browser. cool. Now comes the problem. My son is a video game freak, and wants to play Angry Birds on it. His “enthusiasm” is relentless. I cannot figure it out. I’ve tried loading the game thru iTunes on the PC, but it won’t push it thru to the phone over the USB. I tried downloading it from the app store thru the WiFi, but it won’t load onto the phone because the IOS is too old (3.0.3 i think). help please? Young Mr HotDogWater can be very insistant… ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/3 "2011-07-31T19:04:13Z")
WELCOME!! First question: did original iPhones have simcards? I’m pretty sure they did not. Anyway, I digress. So are you planning on getting AT&T and using the phone? The reason I ask is you will have to make it your own to be able to use iTunes. And while in iTunes you ought to upgrade the IOS to the latest version for that phone. Then simply synch it and you are good to go. Being an Angry Birds freak, I understand your dilemma. However, as for specifics as to whether or not you can actually do it…yes, I think you can, but you have to update it first. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/4 "2011-07-31T19:11:59Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#): > > First question: did original iPhones have simcards? I’m pretty sure they did not. They certainly did over here (UK). OP, have you looked up what is the absolute latest iOS for your model phone? Check [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS_version_history#1.x:_Initial_release_of_the_OS). If you can, try to upgrade to that using iTunes, then try Angry Birds again. Failing that, install Google Chrome and [play in on your PC for free](https://chrome.google.com/webstore?hl=en-US&utm_source=chrome-ntp). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/5 "2011-07-31T19:21:42Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#): > > First question: did original iPhones have simcards? I’m pretty sure they did not. I’m pretty sure they did. So far as I know, the Verizon iPhones are the first ones _not_ to have simcards. ---
**Author:** ![HotDogWater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/35a633/32.png) [@HotDogWater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HotDogWater)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/6 "2011-07-31T19:28:22Z")
This IPhone did have a simcard, my co-worker was very clear that she was taking her “identity” with her. I am not planning on getting AT&T, I already have a verizon phone and merely wanted this handset as a toy. And Lil’ HotDogWater will not be satisfied with playing Angry Birds on the PC (nice idea, tho, **jjimm** , thanks for that). He wants the portable, touchscreen experience. I will compare the model and iOS version when I get home tonight, and keep y’all in the loop. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/7 "2011-07-31T19:52:27Z")
Per iTunes, Angry Birds requires iOS 4.0 or higher. So unless you have any iPhone other than the very first model they put out, you can download it. ---
**Author:** ![Aestivalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aestivalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aestivalis)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/8 "2011-07-31T19:58:06Z")
I have a first generation iPod Touch, and with this device I have to be content with playing Angry Birds Lite. At least it’s free! Luckily it plays without a hitch on my Android phone… ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/9 "2011-07-31T19:58:06Z")
Angry birds at the app store says it only requires iOS 3.0 or later, so you should be good. I don’t understand the problem. You may have to jailbreak it. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/10 "2011-07-31T20:09:31Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > Angry birds at the app store says it only requires iOS 3.0 or later, so you should be good. I don’t understand the problem. Ah - I was looking at Angry Birds Free. That requires 4.0 or higher. Regular Angry Birds, Angry Birds Rio, and Angry Birds Seasons only need 3.0. I’m guessing the OP just hasn’t set up their iTunes account onto their iPhone yet. Jailbreaking won’t be necessary at all. ---
**Author:** ![HotDogWater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/35a633/32.png) [@HotDogWater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HotDogWater)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/11 "2011-07-31T20:19:08Z")
My iPhone will not “connect to the app store”…I’m guessing because it has no phone service (simcard). I can connect to my iTunes account via WiFi, but it won’t download; it says because the correct operating system is not installed. Yet I cannot download 4.0 either. Jailbreak sounds FUN…what is it? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/12 "2011-07-31T21:04:07Z")
> [@HotDogWater](#): > > My iPhone will not “connect to the app store”…I’m guessing because it has no phone service (simcard). Nope - it’s because you didn’t register your iPhone on iTunes on your home computer. You don’t need a sim card, but you need to tell iTunes who you are, and what account to use. > [@](#): > > Jailbreak sounds FUN…what is it? Something else you’ll need to register on iTunes for, so that you can not have to use iTunes again. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/13 "2011-07-31T21:30:41Z")
> [@HotDogWater](#): > > My iPhone will not “connect to the app store”…I’m guessing because it has no phone service (simcard). I can connect to my iTunes account via WiFi, but it won’t download; it says because the correct operating system is not installed. Yet I cannot download 4.0 either. It sounds like you’re trying to connect wirelessly to the App Store. Do you have the iPhone cable? It should have a USB connector on one end (which plugs into your PC) and a dock connector at the other end (which plugs into the iPhone). You should be able to upgrade to iOS v3.1.3 if you connect via the cable. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/14 "2011-07-31T22:22:24Z")
Yes - to make that clear, there are an App Store and an iTunes application on your phone. We are NOT talking about either of those. We are talking about the program you need to download for free from Apple. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/15 "2011-07-31T22:31:48Z")
Edit: We are talking about the program you need to download for free from Apple _onto your home computer_. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/16 "2011-08-02T11:23:01Z")
> [@Aestivalis](#): > > I have a first generation iPod Touch, and with this device I have to be content with playing Angry Birds Lite. Why’s that? I have a first-gen iPod Touch (purchased August 2008) and I can download pretty much any Touch app. I just installed the latest Angry Birds update last week. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/17 "2011-08-02T11:47:42Z")
When you start up iTunes on your computer, AND connect the iPhone to your computer with a USB cable, does the iPhone show up in the left-hand pane of iTunes? If so, you should be able to click on it and ask to download the latest version of the operating system for the iPhone. I’m assuming that when you click on “iTunes store” in the left-hand pane of iTunes, you actually see items you can buy at the store. This would indicate that you have an apple ID registered with iTunes and can therefore get things from the iTunes store. Which version of iTunes are you running? ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/18 "2011-08-02T13:12:08Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Why’s that? I have a first-gen iPod Touch (purchased August 2008) and I can download pretty much any Touch app. I just installed the latest Angry Birds update last week. I don’t know how it is with iPod Touch, but Apple is slowly dropping support for the first-gen iPhone - the processor doesn’t keep up as well with recently-made programs, and it does not support iOS 4.0, which I suppose keeps it limited to apps it might actually be able to run. The speed bump I noticed going from the original to 3G was far more noticeable than I thought it’d be, and going from 3G to 4 was night and day - I didn’t realize that games weren’t designed to lag 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/19 "2011-08-02T13:19:14Z")
> [@chaoticbear](#): > > I don’t know how it is with iPod Touch, but Apple is slowly dropping support for the first-gen iPhone - the processor doesn’t keep up as well with recently-made programs, and it does not support iOS 4.0, which I suppose keeps it limited to apps it might actually be able to run. The speed bump I noticed going from the original to 3G was far more noticeable than I thought it’d be, and going from 3G to 4 was night and day - I didn’t realize that games weren’t designed to lag 😉 The first-generation iPod Touch can’t run iOS 4 either (mine is running 3.1.3), but that doesn’t stop you from running Angry Birds in any incarnation, so I was puzzled why **Aestivalis** said he/she couldn’t. Yes, I do notice the occasional bit of lag, but nothing too bad (I don’t think Angry Birds is particularly processor-hungry). It is somewhat annoying that a device less than three years old is considered obsolete, but I suppose that’s progress for you… ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/20 "2011-08-02T15:12:26Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > The first-generation iPod Touch can’t run iOS 4 either (mine is running 3.1.3), but that doesn’t stop you from running Angry Birds in any incarnation, so I was puzzled why **Aestivalis** said he/she couldn’t. > > Yes, I do notice the occasional bit of lag, but nothing too bad (I don’t think Angry Birds is particularly processor-hungry). > > It is somewhat annoying that a device less than three years old is considered obsolete, but I suppose that’s progress for you… Actually, I never went and checked the Apple Store, turns out either version only needs 3.0+. Never mind on my part! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943/21 "2011-08-02T16:14:25Z")
I gave my daughter my 3G phone. I also took out the sim card. She just uses it to play her games, including Angry Birds. So it it possible. I have a Mac, for what it’s worth, and I sync it through iTunes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/angry-birds-possible-on-old-iphone/590943.md?page=2)