Be honest: Do you tend to buy Apple Products through FOMO, or do you genuinely "need" them?

[Ollé]

I used to buy out of FOMO, especiall in the Jobs era Apple, but now my purchase patterns are pretty well governed by need or utility.

My recent purchase history:

M1 12.9" iPad Pro -- could have waited for the M2 but needed it to return to study as I can't lug my 16" MBP around at the moment.

iPhone 12 PM upgrade to 14PM -- My 12PM was an absolute beast workhorse and treated as such (ie. not well) and was starting to become flaky and unreliable.

MacBook Pro 16" 2020 -- again could have waited for the M1 release but my 2015 MBP bit the dust and I needed a replacement ASAP.


The only things I have even slight FOMO over at the moment are the Apple Watch Ultra for the battery life and the Mac Studio M1 Ultra as I'd like to have more power than my 16" MBP has, now that it's a sole desk queen. But this is all balanced out by waiting for a need to upgrade to arise.

 

[JustAnExpat]

It doesn't progress as much for as it did in the past (in my opinion) and they don't bother to change the designs much anyway to keep it fresh.

You're right, Apple's products don't progress as much as they used to, because all the "low hanging" fruit has been picked.

Let's look at the progression between iPhones:
iPhone -> iPhone 3G: Ability to use the much faster 3G network and assisted GPS
iPhone 3G -> iPhone 3GS: Ability to record videos
iPhone 3GS -> iPhone 4: Front facing camera, more microphones, Retina display that's easier on the eyes.
iPhone 4 -> iPhone 4S: Siri, allowing a person to give voice commands to the phone.
iPhone 4S -> iPhone 5: Larger screen, Lightning connector.
iPhone 5 -> iPhone 5S: TouchID, increasing security
iPhone 5S -> iPhone 6: Larger display, support for NFC, better cameras
iPhone 6 -> iPhone 6S: Better camera, faster processor.
iPhone 6S -> iPhone 7: Water resistance (IP 67)
iPhone 7 -> iPhone X (Remember, the iPhone 8 and iPhone X was released at the same time): Face ID for security, new form factor
iPhone X -> iPhone XS: Improved water resistance (IP 68)
iPhone XS -> iPhone 11: Ultra wide broadband hardware? Better front camera (from 7MP to 12 MP)
iPhone 11 -> iPhone 12: Magsafe to charge the phone without cables?
iPhone 12 -> iPhone 13: Smaller Face ID camera and new camera mode.
iPhone 13 -> iPhone 14: Satellite Connectivity. Autofocus front facing camera

The jump between the iPhone to iPhone 3G was huge. The jump between the iPhone 13 to iPhone 14 is almost minor. I can see why a person would upgrade from an iPhone, to an iPhone 3G, to an iPhone 3GS, but what's the purpose to upgrade from the iPhone 11 to the iPhone 12 to the iPhone 13? I can't see it.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

Do you still have either one of them? I still have my first run 1040ST and I recently upgraded the squishy keyboard to a more tactile one. I posted a couple of photos of that mod in progress.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/i-visited-the-apple-store-today-and-tried-out-the-new-macbook-pro-keyboards.2379350/page-3?post=31935121#post-31935121

I remember selling my ST (520FM) but believe I still have an Amiga. The Lemmings pack .

I'll have a look at your link, thanks for sharing.

 

[maflynn]

When I was younger, certainly, but now that I'm older, not really. Especially now with money so tight and its getting more difficult to make ends meet, material possession have lost some of their luster.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I lost the interest in having the latest and greatest around 2016 when prices started creeping up and it made me realise i'd rather buy older models when my upgrades were due. I broke that trend once with the iPhone 12 but picked this back up when I got the 13PM in September.

None of my work colleagues are into phones and nearly all use older models and I find this sort of attitude is very common these days. I think it will become the norm going forwards and probably why manufacturers are upping their prices to make up for the shortfall. Nobody seems to care what phone you have these days and smartphones are so mature at this point.

 

[calliex]

What does FOMO mean.

 

[DaveEcc]

Definitely not FOMO.

I got an iPhone SE 2022 to replace an iPhone 7 with a dead audio chip and horrendous battery life.
I got a MacBook Pro M1 to replace a MacBook Pro 2013.
I plan to get an M2 Pro Mini or something to replace an iMac 27" late 2012.

As you can see, I upgrade when devices are ancient.

I held off on the laptop for years because of the keyboard nightmare (I could not find a single device in the Apple store that I could type "The Quick Brown Fox" statement without errors, and that's a fairly clean environment.) When they finally fixed the keyboard, the Arm rumours started to circle, and I held off again to avoid having the last Intel device, and the truncated support that would incur.

The iMac is fine. I'm actually replying on it right now... but it's getting slow, won't get security updates soon enough, and will stop having apps work for it soon after that. It's had a good run.

 

[DaveEcc]

What does FOMO mean.

Fear Of Missing Out.

 

[solq]

I haven't heard the acronym FOMO until this thread. Live and learn!

And no, I don't buy anything out of fear of missing out. I tend to buy tech that's state-of-the-art at the time (usually max processor/memory/display etc upgrades or close to it) and then use it for many years, until it breaks or it becomes obsolete or in some other way no longer fit for use (e.g. because of missing connectivity or some essential capability), and then I buy the new state-of-the-art thing.

This strategy has always served me well, I generally have very good tech for a reasonable yearly average outlay.

 

[izzy0242mr]

I buy all my Apple products used because it saves money and is better for the environment. And because Apple makes such high quality products, many used devices are still in amazing condition.

I didn't absolutely need my 14" M1 MBP, but I've been using a 2014 or 2015 (I forget the year now) 13" MBP for the past several years and probably would have stuck with that but for Apple Silicon. Can't beat that efficiency and power combination. M1 Pro refined M1 and I knew my purchase, while more expensive than any Mac I'd bought before, would last me likely longer than any of my prior Macs. So I plan to use the 14" until I can't anymore.

So, partially fomo, partially I wanted a proper upgrade that'll make my life easier overall. I could have kept functioning with my Intel Mac for a few more years probably, but the experience really is so much better now. And I use the extra ports and know the higher power vs an M1 Air or something will make it last longer overall.

 

[ipedro]

I'm a fan of good design and user experience. Back in the early 2000s, I worked at a software company that produced solutions for Windows. As I got to know my colleagues, it always seemed odd that so many of them had PowerBooks. We were a Windows company!! The iPod was announced and I fell in love with it. I then understood why everyone in the office was using a Mac. So I got my first PowerBook and haven't looked back.

I don't buy Apple products to keep up with the Jones's. I buy them because (most) Apple products are beautifully designed and provide a nice user experience. I wouldn't say I need these products but they sure are insanely great, and I can't resist.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I think FOMO dies with age. I'm in my late 30's and I'm just pretty much over Apple's new stuff. It doesn't progress as much for as it did in the past (in my opinion) and they don't bother to change the designs much anyway to keep it fresh.

People get tired of hearing this, but I think Apple has become boring. Some of that is Steve Jobs being gone and the lack of excitement twice a year a keynote would bring, but some of it is they just don't do enough to satisfy my interests anymore. I like Mac OS X and I hate Windows 10/11, so I keep up in that sense.

I just replaced my OG iMac 27" Retina (2014 or 2015 maybe?) with a Mac Studio. I'll be using this thing forever. I only tend to upgrade my main desktop or notebook when either 1) there's a hardware issue or 2) Apple stops supporting it with operating system updates. Although I'm so over the yearly OS update cycle, I may just keep this thing forever.

As for iPhone, I'm on an every two year release cycle because of AT&T Next (and the fact that I just don't care much anymore).

As for iPad, it's whenever it stops holding a charge. So I finally retired a OG iPad Pro from 2017 or so and replaced it with an M1 iPad Pro. It's fine. It's hard for me to use it as a productivity tool. I find iPad OS so limiting.

Apple Watch - My least favorite product, I think I have the 4th generation with the ECG. I have no desire to upgrade until it it can check your glucose level (which has been rumored is in development for a few years).

As a weekend hobby, about a year ago I started buying up Macs I've had in the past.

I've pretty much collected every Mac product I've owned that I loved and didn't keep (Apple IIc, iBook G3 Dual USB, iMac Core Duo, Mac mini Core 2 Duo, etc.) or I've always wanted (Apple IIe Platinum, iBook G3 Clamshell, Power Mac G4 Quicksilver, etc.).

It's been a fun hobby. Apple actually keeps the software update servers active for 10.4 and above. However, their support pages are full of dead links to firmware updates and most articles are a joke.

I agree that FOMO dies with age. These days I honestly only buy things when I need to or if I've had the device for some time and can justify an update.

 

[MisterSavage]

Neither. I buy what I want when I want (since I can afford it). My iPad is from 2018 but I enjoy upgrading on the iPhone Upgrade Program.

 

[Jay-Jacob]

I seem keep all my apple devices quite long time before upgrade them except iPhone. Old late 2013 iMac upgrade to Mac Studio cos I cannot update my iMac new OS. My current iPad is first generation iPad Pro 9.7 and battery really poor, die over night if I don’t charge it every night and I do need do something (replace battery or get new iPad). Keep my first/current Apple Watch until cannot update OS. iPhone is only one I upgrade regularly like 2-3 years depending battery life.

Basically I am not worried about missing out. I look forward get new device when it time and it awesome try out new features not use yet so far.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I would get bored very quickly if I upgraded a device annually. I prefer to see a bigger jump in performance when I upgrade and like to keep my interest fresh.

 

[MBAir2010]

Does anyone still buy FOMO on their older Macs?

well my MacBook Air 2010 needs another power adaptor, the 4th one since 2010
OSC is selling on for under $20,  logo on the adapter.
since buying 1 thing online is a waste of time, energy and money
I might purchase a non-needed ssd drive, on the "not that used much MacBook Air."
but only the 265GB range, I have over 100GB/256GB free now on ssd drive purchased in 2019,
which might fail soon.

 

[millerj123]

Does anyone still buy FOMO on their older Macs?

I’ve never bought any device due to FOMO, but rather what use cases the device fits. I also tend to use them well beyond where many would consider their useful life. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”

 

[StellarVixen]

I am still using XS Max, and if/when notchless iPhone comes out I am buying it in a heartbeat, because I said to myself I won't be upgrading until notch is gone or this one breaks so badly that it's better to buy a new one.

Is that FOMO?

 

[MBAir2010]

Fear Of Missing Out.

I had to check that meaning again
just now....

 

[Pilot Jones]

Wish I had enough spare change lying around so I could just FOMO buy apple products every launch 😆

For me every single tech product I use is purely utilitarian. I buy once every few years and beat it into the ground to maximise the premium asking price. I'm just as excited as most others on this forum for whenever an apple event rolls around, but on 99% of those occasions I'm not even vaguely considering any sort of purchase decision.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Yep other posters hit it. I've been a techie since I was a little kid. Soon as I could afford tech I wanted more and more of it. Once I could afford Apple Products I never looked back. Now that I'm older, I realize that the tiny increments don't justify the significant costs and I am using my devices more and plan on keeping them longer realizing that spending thousands for a few tiny features isn't going to make much of a difference. I definitely see this as a becoming smarter/older thing.

Definitely fear of missing out was a factor when I was younger. Now, I realize that simplicity makes me a lot happier than I thought it would, lol.

 

[eyoungren]

I think FOMO is quite a bit along the lines of using a service 24/7 because you're paying for it. Unless you're superhuman, there's no possible way you can use a service monthly for every second of that month.

So you're missing out. And losing money on the deal.

That's a ridiculous perspective. So is FOMO.

 

[MBAir2010]

now in contemplating getting a 4th charger
and new sad for the MacBook Air 2010 i decided to use all day today.

 

[trevpimp]

I purchase/ upgrade my Apple products because they bring such aspiration of buying them to the table.

I would not blame Apple's strategic marketing for me buying their products- they just make the best technology.

Since my early teens I have been obsessed for everything Apple and to this day I still have the same ambition in buying their so called latest.

You don't have to be a tech engineer to enjoy everything Apple. When you go out to make that final purchase you feel every excitement coming from their latest products. You feel emotions above and beyond for the best of technology.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I purchase/ upgrade my Apple products because they bring such aspiration of buying them to the table.

I would not blame Apple's strategic marketing for me buying their products- they just make the best technology.

Since my early teens I have been obsessed for everything Apple and to this day I still have the same ambition in buying their so called latest.

You don't have to be a tech engineer to enjoy everything Apple. When you go out to make that final purchase you feel every excitement coming from their latest products. You feel emotions above and beyond for the best of technology.

That enjoyment of usage factor is VERY high. I remember my first Dell laptop. I'll always remember my first MacBook Air and really enjoying the Apple "garden" - but my MBP 16 is the most amazing laptop I've EVER used. It can run Windows 11 all day long, dozens of apps, handfuls of desktops with multiple browsers with days of tabs on each and not even break a sweat or spin a CPU fan. It's almost a year later since I've had my MBP 16 and I still enjoy it. That enjoyment factor is insane.