Other Why spend $1K every year on a phone?

[Bodhitree]

Yes and no, but I think high spec, late model iPhones are unlikely to end in landfill. Typically people who churn them once a year resell or gift them to others. And Apple provide a recycle program.

I don't think the above people are contributing to e-waste.

Let me clarify. By buying a phone every year you are adding phones to the marketplace total which otherwise wouldn’t have been present, those will be used second-hand by others (at best), who will then resell their phones, etc. At the end of that chain is a device that goes into e-waste recycling, so yes, by buying a phone every year you do contribute to that. You contribute to a kind of high-turnover thinking.

 

[Dnguyen85]

That was me for years, I have a 11 pro max no and honestly I think IOS is terrible but I don't want to sell and go back to my old ways. Android phones will never been like IOS, the way they make them people wanna try out 50 models each year. Too expensive for me.

Yes. Especially, Samsung Promotion on Pre-order deals. Then 1-2 months their price dropped like crazy. With Android it’s like I need to have the baddest toy in hands and I’ll pay someone to buy from me lmao.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

After getting an iPhone 11 as a works phone and comparing this to my own iPhone 12, no I have no idea why any pays £1k+ for a phone lol. I can’t even see how my 12 is better as the user experience is pretty much identical

 

[Stephen.R]

After getting an iPhone 11 as a works phone and comparing this to my own iPhone 12, no I have no idea why any pays £1k+ for a phone lol. I can’t even see how my 12 is better as the user experience is pretty much identical

That’s an argument against buying a new phone 1 or 2 years later. But it says nothing about the value of the phone in and of itself.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

That’s an argument against buying a new phone 1 or 2 years later. But it says nothing about the value of the phone in and of itself.

Well the thread is about upgrading every year is it not?

 

[Stephen.R]

Well the thread is about upgrading every year is it not?

At least part of the discussion has been about the value or not, of a phone priced at ~$1K

Your own comment says:

no I have no idea why any pays £1k+ for a phone lol

Yes you had just talked about two similar year models but your comment doesn’t t say “I don’t see why people would pay £1k to upgrade”.

It’s like the difference between saying “I don’t see why you wouldn’t eat if you’re hungry” and “I don’t see why you wouldn’t eat your own leg if your hungry”.

 

[Robbosan]

After getting an iPhone 11 as a works phone and comparing this to my own iPhone 12, no I have no idea why any pays £1k+ for a phone lol. I can’t even see how my 12 is better as the user experience is pretty much identical

They are both base model phones, that's why no difference except the shape pretty much.

 

[throAU]

It’s only $500 a year on a iPhone 12 Pro MAX, because I sold the Previous years phone for $600. And Rinse and Repeat Each year.

Yeah, but meanwhile, the flip side is I'm spending that much (~500) every 3 years

(you do you, etc. and I understand if you want the fancy/larger/latest phone, but many don't, etc. depends on your use case. for me it is text/phone calls/email notifications).

 

[The Game 161]

really does depend on one's hobbies. I know many who will spend thousands on booze going out every weekend for me that seems pointless but hey people enjoy what they enjoy.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

They are both base model phones, that's why no difference except the shape pretty much.

I think that goes for any comparable models year on year, not just the mid tier models to be honest.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

At least part of the discussion has been about the value or not, of a phone priced at ~$1K

Your own comment says:


Yes you had just talked about two similar year models but your comment doesn’t t say “I don’t see why people would pay £1k to upgrade”.

It’s like the difference between saying “I don’t see why you wouldn’t eat if you’re hungry” and “I don’t see why you wouldn’t eat your own leg if your hungry”.

Cost and annual differences, not specific models and what they offer.

 

[ericwn]

It's not a fact, it's common sense that says no $1,000 phone does things even 10% better than what $500 already does. Just don't give me the camera, gaming, screen excuse. That's like whose turd smells the least argument.

But if you don’t want to take real world examples into consideration, and gaming, photography etc are relevant examples, what do you use to determine the value of a smartphone? These are not excuses but use cases that have the potential to be better with a better device.

 

[Tsepz]

I mean in all honesty why spend $500 or $100 on a phone each year. Really up to you and what makes you tick. If you can afford it and enjoy getting a new phone each year then do it.
There are people who drop $10,000 a night when they go out to “live their best life” and there are people who drop $100,000 a year on a car.

 

[macsound1]

I think lots of this is about the "lifespan" of an iPhone.
Personally I pay for my iPhones through a lease or payment plan so my upgrades have mainly come when the carrier has a deal.
Ultimately I know that the iPhone won't last forever, unlike my car or Mac which could last 10-15 years with maintenance so its about jumping on that deal when it shows up.

 

[UBS28]

Because I need to flex in Starbucks with the latest and greatest iPhone.

 

[topbin]

really does depend on one's hobbies. I know many who will spend thousands on booze going out every weekend for me that seems pointless but hey people enjoy what they enjoy.

This is mostly the point, right? For some people (and I imagine most people on these forums!) their phone isn't just a tool to do things with, it's something they enjoy using, upgrading, getting accessories for etc. For some people it's shoes, for me it's phones/watches. And even then I don't upgrade annually, I'm a 2/3 depending on form etc.

 

[PhillyGuy72]

USED to upgrade yearly. (Original 2007 iPhone did last me until July 2010, and a big time upgrade - at the time to the 4)

Ever since 6 Plus, it's not yearly anymore...can't afford it!
Right now, the 12 Pro Max...I plan (hoping) to make this last until 2022...MAYBE 2023! No question, I plan to skip 13 this year.

This phone will need a massive mind blowing upgrade in order for me to get the new one. Full screen,
massive camera upgrades. LOT of changes to make an upgrade really feel like a huge upgrade.

*Still have my old email after iPhone 6 Plus pre-order. - Vividly remembering when that phone came and thinking "whoa, this is bigger than I thought!!"

$399 (meh, plus tax) $423, whew...those were the days...that we will never see again!

 

[flynz4]

I used to buy a new phone for myself every year, and waterfall my old phone to my wife. I was paying for 1 phone per year for both of us. I was also paying the the Apple Care.

With AUP, the cost is 1/2 of a phone every year, plus 1/2 of the cost of Apple Care. So with both of us on the AUP, we each get our own new phone every year, plus she gets to choose whatever she wants. Cost wise, instead of buying 1 new phone every year, we are buying two 1/2 phones every year. Basically the same cost.

There are a few extra costs involved however. We end up buying new cases every year. We also do not have a 2 year old phone to sell every year (which we never did). If we lived in a state with sales tax, it would also cost us the tax bill. However my state does not have sales tax.

Finally, we never have to worry about the batteries getting old, and we never have aging technology.

/Jim

 

[JCCL]

I used to buy a new phone for myself every year, and waterfall my old phone to my wife. I was paying for 1 phone per year for both of us. I was also paying the the Apple Care.

With AUP, the cost is 1/2 of a phone every year, plus 1/2 of the cost of Apple Care. So with both of us on the AUP, we each get our own new phone every year, plus she gets to choose whatever she wants. Cost wise, instead of buying 1 new phone every year, we are buying two 1/2 phones every year. Basically the same cost.

There are a few extra costs involved however. We end up buying new cases every year. We also do not have a 2 year old phone to sell every year (which we never did). If we lived in a state with sales tax, it would also cost us the tax bill. However my state does not have sales tax.

Finally, we never have to worry about the batteries getting old, and we never have aging technology.

/Jim

It is convenient, but it will always be a better deal to sell the phone yourself. Even some partners are taking your old phone for over 50% of the previous phone value.

 

[joshwithachance]

I spent $1100 on my 12 Pro Max last year and Apple is giving me nearly $800 for it back. So I’m only spending $300 to upgrade. And every year before this I’ve easily been able to sell my iPhone for 75-80% of its original value. It’s honestly a tough sell NOT to upgrade this year with all the trade-in deals.

 

[DDustiNN]

$1,000 trade-in credits this year make just about any upgrades a no-brainer.

 

[dukebound85]

I spent $1100 on my 12 Pro Max last year and Apple is giving me nearly $800 for it back. So I’m only spending $300 to upgrade. And every year before this I’ve easily been able to sell my iPhone for 75-80% of its original value. There’s honestly no reason to NOT upgrade yearly.

Let’s see…..

I bought a used iPhone 8 Plus in 2018 for 500.

not upgrading again this year

no reason? You have spent in that same time
2018 - 1100 or 300 depending if upgraded
2019- 300
2020- 300
2021- 300

this is a total of either 2000 or 1200 spent vs my 500

thats decent savings and a good reason when the experience I have is 99% the same

 

[DDustiNN]

Let’s see…..

I bought a used iPhone 8 Plus in 2018 for 500.

not upgrading again this year

no reason? You have spent in that same time
2018 - 1100 or 300 depending if upgraded
2019- 300
2020- 300
2021- 300

this is a total of either 2000 or 1200 spent vs my 500

thats decent savings and a good reason when the experience I have is 99% the same

Honestly this would be the best year for you to upgrade. You’ll get more money for your trade-in than ever.

 

[Solve4X]

battery that lasts two days, additional sim card, dual sim cards

Just get yourself a crappy Android phone. They keep adding features that almost no one needs or uses. (OK, I'll admit more battery life is always nice.)

 

[joshwithachance]

Let’s see…..

I bought a used iPhone 8 Plus in 2018 for 500.

not upgrading again this year

no reason? You have spent in that same time
2018 - 1100 or 300 depending if upgraded
2019- 300
2020- 300
2021- 300

this is a total of either 2000 or 1200 spent vs my 500

thats decent savings and a good reason when the experience I have is 99% the same

And that’s great. My point was that most people who upgrade yearly aren’t spending the full cost of the new phone to do so. I’m on MacRumors so clearly I’m more of a tech enthusiast than the normal consumer. I’ll take $100-300 cost to upgrade every year to have a fresh battery and warranty along with the also having the latest and greatest. To each their own. 🤷🏼‍♂️