IPhone 4 for a cheap price, is it a good choice over the new ones out in the market?

I'm 20, female & I really want the iPhone, I had a Samsung but it no longer works. A cousin of mine is selling an iPhone 4 for $188, all he has to do is reset it and it can pass for a completely new phone -No scratches, plastic cover still on back and front, he's only had it for 3 weeks, it's 32gb, etc.

Since it's something I can afford now I'm thinking of buying it, the reason he is selling it is because it was given to him but is thinking of getting another type of phone.

Since I haven't had an iPhone I don't know if buying the 4 is a good idea since there are newer versions in stores (which I can't afford at the time of course} I would mostly use the phone for the regular such as calling, texting every now and then, and photos (I take a lot of pictures}.

But I don't know much about Apple and the way it works when it comes to their older phones, does the 4 receive the same kind of software updates as the rest? Or is it no longer taken into consideration?

Your cousin isn't doing any favor for you. You can get an 100% NEW iPhone 4 free (and a warranty to boot) with a new two-year contract.

Unless your using pay-as-go phone cards, there's no point in buying an old iPhone 4. When you sign up for a contract, you can get a free iPhone 4S or even a cheap iPhone 5 right now. But if you are using pay-as-you-go cards & don't want a contract, then buying an old iPhone 4 MAY be worth it. I wouldn't pay for an iPhone 4 though, if it was a iPhone 4S, then that may be worth it but not an older iPhone 4. There's a big difference between an iPhone 4 and a iPhone 4S, in case you didn't know.