Other What’s the real reason for upgrading?

[TgeekB]

Interesting thread.
I think someone else mentioned but back in the day (yes I got the original iPhone) it was exciting because the technology was advancing at a quick pace. It made getting a newer device a vent into something new.
Today, to me, it’s the same old same old. The technological advances from one year to another are minuscule and I don’t have the same pull to upgrade. My 12 Pro does everything I need and the newer models have nothing to sway me. I do feel it’s important to be on the latest OS and security upgrades so when it’s time I will make my next move.

 

[ShadowGuardian87]

I traded in my iPhone 14 Pro Max for the 15 pro max 256 GB model. I still had to pay like 600 for the phone.

iPhone 15 pro max trade in value ( in excellent condition) will probably net around 400-500 dollars at the Apple Store once the 16 models launch if I had to guess.

I don’t do the upgrade program or cell phone carrier deals and just pay for my phones outright when I upgrade. Since I upgraded back to back I won’t be upgrading this year. Plus the 17 seems to be the better option for me.

But I am excited for all those that are upgrading this year!

 

[Surfsalot]

I just wait till people that have bought them that can't afford them have to sell, got my 15 pro max 512Gb 2 weeks old for $1KAUD cash, retail is $2550AUD.
Just got my 11" 256GB cellular iPad pro for $1KAUD, retail $2,069.
S9 cellular was $270AUD new off retail.
Might have to wait a month or 2 but happens every year..
Forget giving Apple full price lol

 

[decafjava]

Wow it's ten pages of people answering this LOL. The reason people upgrade falls into a few categories

1. Some people have disposable income and are hardcore Apple fans and MUST have the latest and greatest.
2. Some are tech junkies and Apple fans who treat themselves to the latest and greatest iPhone.
3. Some have older phones or their current phone is on it's death bed and want to upgrade.
4. They are upgrading to pass along their current phone to a family member who needs a newer phone.

This pretty much covers all the reasons people upgrade lol.

Yup, but would add to no. 3 phone is busted and non repairable or no. 5 phone was stolen (still pissed about that) and have insurance to cover a new phone.

 

[Nicj56]

I pass my old phones/watches on to one of my parents, but not every year.

 

[TgeekB]

I just wait till people that have bought them that can't afford them have to sell, got my 15 pro max 512Gb 2 weeks old for $1KAUD cash, retail is $2550AUD.
Just got my 11" 256GB cellular iPad pro for $1KAUD, retail $2,069.
S9 cellular was $270AUD new off retail.
Might have to wait a month or 2 but happens every year..
Forget giving Apple full price lol

This is exactly what I do. I got my 12 Pro for half price and 100% battery. Still using it.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Wow it's ten pages of people answering this LOL. The reason people upgrade falls into a few categories

1. Some people have disposable income and are hardcore Apple fans and MUST have the latest and greatest.
2. Some are tech junkies and Apple fans who treat themselves to the latest and greatest iPhone.
3. Some have older phones or their current phone is on it's death bed and want to upgrade.
4. They are upgrading to pass along their current phone to a family member who needs a newer phone.

This pretty much covers all the reasons people upgrade lol.

I upgrade when I decide I want to. There is no pattern, or system, or designated amount of time. I don't trade in or sell my old phone; just pay out-of-pocket price directly from Apple, and refuse to be tied to any provider, so no carrier "deals".

We have plenty of disposable income, but neither of us (wife and I) care about new and shiny. She used a Pixel 2 until this spring and now has an 8. I have a 13 Pro and have zero interest or care in newer models.

New phones are academically interesting, but not enough to bother buying.

🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[H. Flower]

With innovation plateauing , there really isn’t much reason to upgrade. It’s all marketing and gimmicks now (Titanium! New button! Etc)

 

[4sallypat]

SOS emergency feature (fishing off grid areas).

14+ has had 2 years at no charge.

Getting 16PM this time around to extend another year or 2 of SOS texting.

 

[Chuckeee]

SOS emergency feature (fishing off grid areas).

14+ has had 2 years at no charge.

Getting 16PM this time around to extend another year or 2 of SOS texting.

How expensive is it to renew SOS texting on your 14+?

 

[4sallypat]

How expensive is it to renew SOS texting on your 14+?

That's a good question!

I haven't seen any posts on how much an SOS subscription would cost...

 

[davidg4781]

For me, I had about 3 GB of storage left on my iPhone 11 Pro that I ordered very close to launch day. Taking several pictures would cause it to freeze up while it reorganized everything.

I installed iOS 18 public beta and that freed up some space. Getting excited by that, I backed up and restored and now I have about 15 GB free. I still get some stuttering and small freezes. I don't know if it's the beta iOS, maybe the SSDs are still full (not sure if that's possible or makes sense), or something else.

I was really set to get the 15 Pro but I think I can live with this storage another year. I still have apps set to auto-offload and that gets annoying but I guess I really don't use most of those apps.

If I could find a really good/clean 11 Pro with 128 or 256 GB at a good price, I'd probably just buy that.

 

[gary77]

My main reason to upgrade would be either the iPhone no longer supporting new iOS versions or there’s a new feature that I want in using an iPhone 13 can’t see any reason to upgrade anytime soon

When I do upgrade I’ll buy directly from Apple can’t remember the last time I got an iPhone from a phone company

 

[a-m-k]

My main reason to upgrade would be either the iPhone no longer supporting new iOS versions or there’s a new feature that I want in using an iPhone 13 can’t see any reason to upgrade anytime soon

Have you ever had an iPhone that was discontinued a year or so after release? Mine is. I am called crazy because I am hanging on to it until September's iPhone 16 is set for pre-release. You didn't mention a discontinued iPhone model.

 

[TgeekB]

Have you ever had an iPhone that was discontinued a year or so after release? Mine is. I am called crazy because I am hanging on to it until September's iPhone 16 is set for pre-release. You didn't mention a discontinued iPhone model.

Are you saying your reason for upgrading is because a model is discontinued?

 

[blairh]

The reality is that people are replacing their phones purely because they want something new and for no other legitimate reason. Much of the time they’re forced to replace the battery or replace their phone and they use the cost of the battery replacement as an excuse to replace their entire device. I have been guilty of this many times in the past because of my love of new technology.

I regularly use an SE1 and 6S (with fresh OEM batteries) and they perform well in 2024.

My iPhone 8, which received an Apple battery replacement last week, is very slick on iOS 16 and can do pretty much anything an iPhone 15 can do without much of a noticeable difference in performance.

An iPhone 12 is as good as anything that’s available today and will be until around 2026.

The consumer based society in which we live is a throwaway and shallow world view which results in so much needless waste.

I shake my head every time I see someone claim that they need a slightly better camera module as the camera in an 11/12 is as good as a regular person will ever require. If you’re not a professional photographer then you should learn how to use a camera properly before using it as a throwaway excuse to spend $1200+ on a marginally better phone. Some of the best photos I’ve ever seen were taken on an iPhone 12 or prior. This includes 4K video footage as proven by top YouTubers such as Marques Brownlee.

The user is almost always the limitation, not the technology. Learn to use what you have rather than purchasing something that’s better. If your photographs are not good, you are the problem.

I used to get excited when purchasing a new phone but when I got my iPhone 13, in Jan 2023, it was a shallow and mundane experience as it replaced an iPhone 12 Mini which was identical in every way other than in size. I just popped on the new case, spent 10 minutes setting it up, and got on with my day. The same would be true if I were to replace my iPhone 13 with an iPhone 15 or upcoming iPhone 16.

We’ve reached peak smartphone now so just learn to use what you’ve got and don’t replace anything unless it’s a necessity to do so.

If you genuinely love new tech and get a buzz every time you unbox a new device, keep on doing what you’re doing… just don’t upgrade because you’re going through the motions and you feel like “it’s time” to upgrade.

So why do you guys upgrade? Is there a legitimate reason for it given that there are so many great SIM only contracts available? Do you actually still get a kick when unboxing and handling the newest tech? I am only having a rant because I don’t think there is much to add to current smartphones. The AI gimmick people are using as an excuse to upgrade to the iPhone 16 is laughable also. I also saw someone using a “better camera module” as an excuse to upgrade to an iPhone 16 Pro which made me giggle.

I am not telling anyone how to spend their own money because it’s theirs to do with as they wish, I am just genuinely interested in what motivates individuals to purchase the same tech every 1-3 years with no rational motivation for doing so.

I think most people only upgrade when they feel it is necessary. Usually that means their iPhone is getting older and running slowly.

Regarding the lack of hardware innovation, that will change next year with the first iPhone Air. That form factor will be very appealing to many and some people are going to upgrade earlier than they normally would just to have an iPhone that is crazy thin and light.

In addition we should see folding iPhones in 2026, which will of course spur upgrades as well.

I still feel by and large that most people these days hold onto their iPhones for many years and do not upgrade unless they have a specific reason to do so.

 

[a-m-k]

Are you saying your reason for upgrading is because a model is discontinued?

Yes. Mine was discontinued on September 7th, 2022. It'll be discontinued a little over three years before the iPhone 16 will be released.

 

[eyoungren]

When I do upgrade I’ll buy directly from Apple can’t remember the last time I got an iPhone from a phone company

I can. February 2021, upgraded from my Pixel 3a XL to my 11 Pro Max. The carrier rep was pushing the 12 Pro Max on me and I knew the 13 Pro Max was coming. But the 11PM was cheaper monthly (in the max capacity offered) and I don't have to be a lab rat for T-Mobile's 5g rollout because the 11 series is LTE max.

Between then and now though, I've learned that I can just do this through Apple and the next time I upgrade that is what I will be doing.

 

[eyoungren]

Have you ever had an iPhone that was discontinued a year or so after release? Mine is. I am called crazy because I am hanging on to it until September's iPhone 16 is set for pre-release. You didn't mention a discontinued iPhone model.

I have. iPhone 5. It irritated me to no end that Apple continued to sell the 4s while dropping the 5 like it was diseased or something.

 

[kevink2]

The reality is that people are replacing their phones purely because they want something new and for no other legitimate reason. Much of the time they’re forced to replace the battery or replace their phone and they use the cost of the battery replacement as an excuse to replace their entire device. I have been guilty of this many times in the past because of my love of new technology.

I regularly use an SE1 and 6S (with fresh OEM batteries) and they perform well in 2024.

My iPhone 8, which received an Apple battery replacement last week, is very slick on iOS 16 and can do pretty much anything an iPhone 15 can do without much of a noticeable difference in performance.

An iPhone 12 is as good as anything that’s available today and will be until around 2026.

The consumer based society in which we live is a throwaway and shallow world view which results in so much needless waste.

I shake my head every time I see someone claim that they need a slightly better camera module as the camera in an 11/12 is as good as a regular person will ever require. If you’re not a professional photographer then you should learn how to use a camera properly before using it as a throwaway excuse to spend $1200+ on a marginally better phone. Some of the best photos I’ve ever seen were taken on an iPhone 12 or prior. This includes 4K video footage as proven by top YouTubers such as Marques Brownlee.

The user is almost always the limitation, not the technology. Learn to use what you have rather than purchasing something that’s better. If your photographs are not good, you are the problem.

I used to get excited when purchasing a new phone but when I got my iPhone 13, in Jan 2023, it was a shallow and mundane experience as it replaced an iPhone 12 Mini which was identical in every way other than in size. I just popped on the new case, spent 10 minutes setting it up, and got on with my day. The same would be true if I were to replace my iPhone 13 with an iPhone 15 or upcoming iPhone 16.

We’ve reached peak smartphone now so just learn to use what you’ve got and don’t replace anything unless it’s a necessity to do so.

If you genuinely love new tech and get a buzz every time you unbox a new device, keep on doing what you’re doing… just don’t upgrade because you’re going through the motions and you feel like “it’s time” to upgrade.

So why do you guys upgrade? Is there a legitimate reason for it given that there are so many great SIM only contracts available? Do you actually still get a kick when unboxing and handling the newest tech? I am only having a rant because I don’t think there is much to add to current smartphones. The AI gimmick people are using as an excuse to upgrade to the iPhone 16 is laughable also. I also saw someone using a “better camera module” as an excuse to upgrade to an iPhone 16 Pro which made me giggle.

I am not telling anyone how to spend their own money because it’s theirs to do with as they wish, I am just genuinely interested in what motivates individuals to purchase the same tech every 1-3 years with no rational motivation for doing so.

Well, if someone is still using a SE1 or 6s, you are using a phone with no more OS upgrades, so at greater risk of security issues. And likely to have fewer and fewer apps compatible with it.

Also, there are newer tech features coming out older phones don't support, like 5G, additional LTE bands have come out since the 6s, and for many people being able to have 2 lines on a single phone are benefits.

 

[eyoungren]

Are you saying your reason for upgrading is because a model is discontinued?

I know you weren't talking to me on this, but this was one big reason for me that I did NOT upgrade for a couple years. I felt that I'd gone all in with Apple in 2012 and they turned around and told me in 2013 that my iPhone 5 wasn't good enough to keep selling.

A lot has changed since then and while I still harbor some thoughts, I'm not like that (as much) anymore.

 

[kevink2]

I have. iPhone 5. It irritated me to no end that Apple continued to sell the 4s while dropping the 5 like it was diseased or something.

I suspect that the 5 was a special case. It didn't have many bands for LTE, so was essentially replaced with the 5C which had the additional bands. The 4s would have been cheaper. And for its market it didn't matter that it didn't have LTE. Note that iPhone 11 is still available to buy new with some prepaid carriers, even without 5G.

 

[kevink2]

I had my iPhone 6s Plus on iOS 9.0.1 from October 2015 to December 2020.

Jailbroken!

Are you shaking yet?

Alas…no security issues. 🤷‍♂️

So how do you keep it protected against newer security vulnerabilities? I didn't think that jailbreakers could update programs like Safari.

 

[eyoungren]

Well, if someone is still using a SE1 or 6s, you are using a phone with no more OS upgrades, so at greater risk of security issues. And likely to have fewer and fewer apps compatible with it.

Also, there are newer tech features coming out older phones don't support, like 5G, additional LTE bands have come out since the 6s, and for many people being able to have 2 lines on a single phone are benefits.

Some people are unconcerned about the things you mention. My primary phone is an 11 Pro Max though, so I'm still getting updates.

However, my 6s Plus and my 6 Plus do just fine. Believe it or not the stock apps for Messages and Mail continue to work as does older versions of Dropbox apps and a few others I use.

 

[eyoungren]

So how do you keep it protected against newer security vulnerabilities? I didn't think that jailbreakers could update programs like Safari.

Well…

1. I upgraded it to iOS 15 in December 2020, so there's that.

2. It was a secondary phone for about seven months prior to that.

3. I don't use my phones, primary or not, as substitute computers, media devices, game consoles, etc. This means I'm not frequently accessing personal data through my phone.

4. I have about three or four websites which I use consistently over the course of my day. Macrumors, Reddit, Flipboard and Google News. All four are accessed on a computer - not my device. I am surrounded by computers all day, every day and it's more of a hassle to take my hands off my keyboard and my mouse to use my phone. So, sensitive data is typically accessed on a website using my Mac, not my phone.

5. Finally, I am not in the habit of frequenting sketchy websites, answering email from Egyptian princes or responding to text messages or phone calls from people not in my contacts (LEAVE A MESSAGE!).

So basically, not using my phone like everyone else uses their phone and not deliberately exposing myself is how I protect myself.

As to apps, when jailbroken you can update third party apps. You cannot update stock apps and those apps are only updated when Apple releases a new version of iOS. And that's the choice you face as a jailbreaker - upgrade and lose jailbreak, or stay pat and remain jailbroken.