Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Other How do you justify, and pay for, an iPhone upgrade each year?
- Thread starter Cromulent
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I get it, but still, the notion something as an iPhone adds value to you as person, beyond ridiculous.
I really don't think this is true at all. I am in my seventies and upgrade every year.
i don't know of course, but pretty sure most people in this thread who have said they upgrade every year are not status obsessed twenty somethings.
what do you do for that one month a year without a phone?
i think everyone is different, in some ways i am apples best customer in that ive got imac, iphone, ipad, apple watch, homepod, but in some ways im the worst. i really have to be convinced to upgrade anything. i even find myself hankering to buy something and i cant persuade myself to.
2017 imac, will get years out of it, it replaced 2011 imac only cos it died.
iphone XS, replaced iphone 6 which replaced 3gs.
ipad air 2, was actually wifes but she got a work one, my old one passed down family.
apple watch 3, i covet more faces, thats it.
2017 imac, will get years out of it, it replaced 2011 imac only cos it died.
iphone XS, replaced iphone 6 which replaced 3gs.
ipad air 2, was actually wifes but she got a work one, my old one passed down family.
apple watch 3, i covet more faces, thats it.
I have been buying an iPhone every year. I sell the previous one. For me it's a small problem. I don't need to do it, I don't want to do it, but I always get tempted. My house is paid off, car paid off. It won't break the bank for me but I still want to stop wasting my money on phones that all do the same thing basically.
I have right now an iPhone 13 pro, Pixel 6 and Samsung S22 plus. I shouldn't have purchased the Samsung. It's a big phone, the 13 pro is a more manageable size.
I'm going to try to stop upgrading. It really is a waste, I think.
I have right now an iPhone 13 pro, Pixel 6 and Samsung S22 plus. I shouldn't have purchased the Samsung. It's a big phone, the 13 pro is a more manageable size.
I'm going to try to stop upgrading. It really is a waste, I think.
I have a 7+ And Android phones as a developer, I’ve got access to many different models ?
I DON'T upgrade every year. I only upgrade when the old one dies or becomes otherwise (killed by iOS upgrades, for example) unusable. Wife is the same way.
My path so far...
Newton
Palm Pilot Plus
Palm IIIC
Blackberry (from work) first device with inbuilt phone
4
5s
8
My path so far...
Newton
Palm Pilot Plus
Palm IIIC
Blackberry (from work) first device with inbuilt phone
4
5s
8
Wearing YEEZYs that cost 5x more than regular trainers don’t add anything to your value as a person either but they still sell by the boatload. Shiny new and expensive things are viewed as status symbols. This includes smartphones.
Nothing sad about status signifiers, they do serve an evolutionary purpose.
What can be saddening is the appropriation of said signifiers by corporations and the ensuing symbolic engineering.
That's why I would trust someone sporting loafers with a swatch much more than any moron with sneakers and a bargain basment submariner.
I wouldn't anyone is "missing out" by not upgrading every year or three. Plus, if affordability is even in question whatsoever for someone—I actively advocate they don't buy a new gadget (or anything else meeting that threshold).
My internal justification is simple:
For the device I use on a daily basis way more than anything else I can think of, having the latest and greatest is worth it to me for the "quality of life" improvements.
My internal justification is simple:
For the device I use on a daily basis way more than anything else I can think of, having the latest and greatest is worth it to me for the "quality of life" improvements.
- The performance increase(s)—however incremental—add up. Milliseconds 100x a day turns into minutes, then hours and so on...
- My iPhone is my only camera. As such, I want the highest quality camera available for posterity.
I was a longstanding "if it ain't broke don't fix it" iPhone user, usually keeping a phone about 3 years. I got tempted by the 12 Mini, though, which I got through their iPhone Upgrade Program thing. And that led me straight to getting the 13 Mini. I justified that with the fact that it had a camera on par with the 12 Pro, plus the battery life was much improved over the 12 Mini -- and also all the rumors suggested this would be the last Mini model. I like the size a lot and figured I might as well have the best version of it. Unclear where I'll go from here if they only offer huge phones. I guess I'll just milk this 13 Mini as far as I can?
most probably will say because the trade in on apple products is good ....
to be honest ill go back to 2 years cycle ...
Bought an SE in 2020
Bought a 12 mini in 2021 (outright)
2022 - sold the mini because my phone contact was due an upgrade and though id go 13 pro
ill be honest as tempting as the 14 lineup will be may wait for the 15 ...
to be honest ill go back to 2 years cycle ...
Bought an SE in 2020
Bought a 12 mini in 2021 (outright)
2022 - sold the mini because my phone contact was due an upgrade and though id go 13 pro
ill be honest as tempting as the 14 lineup will be may wait for the 15 ...
Phones are too mature now to upgrade every year (from my point of view). I went from the 6 to an X due to battery issues. I went from a 5 to the 6 for the larger screen. I only upgraded to the 13 Pro for the high refresh rate (easier on my eyes). I’ll probably keep this phone for a long time unless USB-C proves to be much needed. I yawn every year when Apple spends about 15 minutes or sometimes more talking about the camera. The camera on my 6 was good enough for my needs.
Just like with computers now, there is no reason to upgrade every year (again personal opinion). Until M1 came around. I upgraded from a 2010 Mac Pro to a 2019 i9 iMac. Mostly due to HEVC work to save on file sizes.
Just like with computers now, there is no reason to upgrade every year (again personal opinion). Until M1 came around. I upgraded from a 2010 Mac Pro to a 2019 i9 iMac. Mostly due to HEVC work to save on file sizes.
Before my son was borned. I always had the reason and money to upgrade. But after my son was borned,i never seem to have the reason to upgrade. And id rather spend the money to buy him new toys.
I make enough where an iPhone is a relatively trivial purchase. I imagine many are in the same boat.
If finances are an issues, I certainly would not splurge on luxuries
Agreed, yet what baffles me are those who don't eat just to have the latest and greatest.
I don't. I use a phone for activity apps and as an actual phone so it is not my main computing device. I used the 6s until earlier this year when I saw my security updates coming to an end and was presented with the opportunity to upgrade to an iPhone 11 Pro. I'll use the 11 Pro until it either dies or I'm nearing an end to security updates.
We've all reached a point in phone tech where very few users actually use the full capabilities of today's smart phones. Upgrading each year is a complete waste even if you can afford it. You're all spending money each year to basically continue using the same device doing the same things you did with your previous phone. For most people who upgrade each year it's more about being able to satisfy the need to say you have the latest iPhone than it is you actually needing what miniscule features Apple decided to include.
We've all reached a point in phone tech where very few users actually use the full capabilities of today's smart phones. Upgrading each year is a complete waste even if you can afford it. You're all spending money each year to basically continue using the same device doing the same things you did with your previous phone. For most people who upgrade each year it's more about being able to satisfy the need to say you have the latest iPhone than it is you actually needing what miniscule features Apple decided to include.
The phone is what I use everyday, I'm definitely treating myself better.
+ I'm selling my old phone for the warchest towards the new one, so the upgrade cost is small.
The same question can be made on:
How do you justify buying new shoes/handbags/earphones/clothes every year?
+ I'm selling my old phone for the warchest towards the new one, so the upgrade cost is small.
The same question can be made on:
How do you justify buying new shoes/handbags/earphones/clothes every year?
I've never obtained a new phone of any sort within 1 year of my last purchase unless my employer paid for it.
We economize everywhere else and kept very frugal habits even as our income rose significantly from our broke newlyweds days. We take cheap big extended family vacations and split costs for rentals, though finally we bought a rental before prices rose and now have equity and a place to vacation that’s no more expensive than staying home.
We have never been to expensive places like Disney. But we got to travel across the country on amazing (group discounted) trips with friends for sports events, so nobody’s complained about missing Disney.
I have had a few expensive hobbies over the years, but to offset, I kept a low profile in other areas that matter less to me. I drove the same car exclusively for almost 25 years. My next car I’m driving now is a 13 year old low mileage hand me down birthday gift from my dad that he passed to me when he bought a new car. I drive a used truck sometimes but that’s now a family vehicle.
Most of my clothes, jewelry and accessories were gifts or hand me downs from extended family, and most of my jewelry is costume jewelry.
We decorated and furnished our house with castoffs and holidays gifts from family and from steep discounts, also craft shows.
So the last few years smart phones have been my splurge. And usually when I buy a new phone, I offset the cost with a trade in.
don't worry about how other people justify it, apart from perhaps education reasons - like studying human behaviours in general.
As long as YOU are happy with your phone that is what most important.
As long as YOU are happy with your phone that is what most important.