iPhone 3GS not connecting to iTunes Store

Access on iOS 6 and earlier has been intermittent in recent years, per various reports.

I’d expect a certificate expired somewhere.

Even if you do get access, what’s installed with iOS is basically what you’ll have available.

Little (~nothing?) in the app store will work with iOS 6.

It's been more than 11 years since Apple discontinued the last version of that phone.

It can't run anything higher than iOS 6.1.6. Some widely-used apps now require iOS 15.0 or higher.

It can't use iCloud. Even the iCloud features that have the least demanding system requirements require iOS 9 or better.

It can't use 4G or 5G cellular networks. In the U.S., carriers have shut off virtually all 2G and 3G cellular networks, with the exception of a pocket or two that aren't long for this world. I believe that even outside the U.S., there are places where carriers are in the process of phasing out 3G service.

Redrufusr wrote:

3g still works where I am in Australia

Might want to check with your carrier, then.

Per published plans for major Australian carriers…

Vodafone shut down 3G services back on 15 December 2023.

Telstra expects to shut down 3G on 30 June 2024.

Optus expects to shut down 3G in September 2024.

MrHoffman wrote:

Redrufusr wrote:

Do you know how I can get the Appstore running again?

I’d expect issues prior to iOS 7, IIRC.

If that is what you are running here.

According to MacTracker, iOS 6.1.6 is the highest version of iOS that will run on the iPhone 3GS.

Servant of Cats wrote:

MrHoffman wrote:

Redrufusr wrote:

Do you know how I can get the Appstore running again?

I’d expect issues prior to iOS 7, IIRC.

If that is what you are running here.

According to MacTracker, iOS 6.1.6 is the highest version of iOS that will run on the iPhone 3GS.

Correct. How far back with iOS the app store will still work is not documented anywhere I’m aware of.

And making that determination somewhat more difficult, older iOS versions have also occasionally also had transient access errors. That, and I don’t have an iPhone in the right model range to test with.

Based on complaints posted, and transient access issues aside, iOS 7 has been gotten to work with the app store in recent years, and attempts with iOS 6 have been less than successful.

Retro-computing possibilities get limited and more complex as the iPhone or iPad ages, as even getting home-written apps side-loaded requires an older Mac and older Xcode, too.

And carrier service communications limitations can exist, as discussed above.

Redrufusr wrote:

Do you know how I can get the Appstore running again?

I’d expect issues prior to iOS 7, IIRC.

If that is what you are running here.

And not many apps will download that far back.