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JCCL

macrumors 68020
Apr 3, 2010
2,037
4,625
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. 🤷🏼‍♂️
I find it funny the “fresh battery and warranty argument ”. Worst case when something fails out of warranty is that you have to replace it for a new one. In your case you’re just proactively doing so - paying full price to replace a fully functional phone instead of a dead one.
 
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LFC2020

macrumors P6
Apr 4, 2020
16,874
38,037
Or you mean they add features that apple will add years later.
Or apple will add the features when they’re ready and not rush them, so customers don’t have a bad user experience 😊

All the big specs on the s21U, the iPhone 13 pro max destroys it.

 
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The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
17,294
25,434
Wales, United Kingdom
For interest I filled out the trade in for my 128GB iPhone 12 to see what Apple would give me and it was only £400. I paid £799 just 11 months ago. I thought that was really poor and it reminds me why I keep my iPhones for 2 years. It just seems like such a waste of money upgrading annually for a few minor incremental upgrades. With all the new features that have come with iOS 15, I don’t see the point in getting rid of a phone that still feels new, but maybe I’m not enough of a tech geek.
 

rowi1de

macrumors member
Sep 10, 2016
93
130
I’m on 12 Pro and considering the 13 because of the camera updates: Ultrawide with AF / Macro mode is really nice and both things are annoying in the 12 Pro. Probably wait until 14 … hope they fix the lens flare
 

AJAAY

macrumors 6502
Sep 29, 2012
438
293
I realized a couple years ago when I got a new iPhone, after everything transferred over I used my phone exactly like before. Nothing changed, except I was $1k+ poorer.

iOS makes the user experience the same across all iPhones. Upgrading yearly, your just paying a premium to essentially have a new phone case.
 
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dukebound85

macrumors Core
Jul 17, 2005
19,160
4,152
5045 feet above sea level
I realized a couple years ago when I got a new iPhone, after everything transferred over I used my phone exactly like before. Nothing changed, except I was $1k+ poorer.

iOS makes the user experience the same across all iPhones. Upgrading yearly, your just paying a premium to essentially have a new phone case.
yup

it's a good realization to have

I used to be excited over new phones...10 years ago. Nowadays, I have better uses for my 1k than a new phone that doesn't really change the function
 

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
17,294
25,434
Wales, United Kingdom
Apple offering nearly $800 for my 12PM, so my upgrade is next to nothing at $200-$300. Why not upgrade?

It’s a question that will have a different answer depending on the person. Some will say ‘why upgrade’? And they will be equally valid. The 12 Pro Max at this point is only 10 months old so is still effectively a current iPhone with some very minor differences to the 13’s. I think I’d get bored very quickly upgrading that often but everybody’s boat floats differently.
 

Waterman316

macrumors 6502a
Apr 1, 2018
573
622
I don’t spent 1k a year to upgrade. 2-300$ is all it costs me per year. Unlocked phone every time, no carrier bs promos to deal with.
 

tis

macrumors 6502
Dec 8, 2020
310
413
Apple offering nearly $800 for my 12PM, so my upgrade is next to nothing at $200-$300. Why not upgrade?
The Pro Max is $1099 plus tax, so your upgrade is more like $350 a year considering an $800 trade in. Not to mention, most people are paying a higher monthly service fee to get these upgrade “deals” as well. Also, there might be an activation fee thrown in there. You are spending more than you think. They tell you one thing, and then nickel and dime you elsewhere for 2-3 years of your contract, that they also tell you isn’t a contract.
 
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now i see it

macrumors G4
Jan 2, 2002
11,241
24,228
Over the last 6 years I’ve spent $106.80 a year on an iPhone.
I purchased it for $580 and used it for 6 years.
 

Bodhitree

macrumors 68020
Apr 5, 2021
2,068
2,200
Netherlands
Well my trusty iPhone 7 which I bought in 2016 is still getting updates, and usually my policy has been to use a phone until it no longer gets updates. I’ve used this phone for 5 years now, and I think the trade in value has dropped to about 100 euro’s.

But I have to say an iPhone 13 Pro would be a mighty big upgrade, and so I am quite tempted to spend the money. Macro photography, portrait mode, telefoto and wide angle lens, promotion display, faceid. Or I could wait a year and get an even bigger upgrade next year.
 

zildMacjian

macrumors regular
Sep 24, 2012
176
41
UK
tbf if you upgrade every year resell value is like half-ish what you paid (probably more in some cases)

so most probably don't come close to spending 1k a year really ...
 

bbates123

macrumors 6502a
Jul 2, 2010
866
757
$69 out the door (at BB) to upgrade my 12 mini to 13 mini was a no brainer. I was looking at a $69 battery replacement on my 12 mini, so yeah.
 
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now i see it

macrumors G4
Jan 2, 2002
11,241
24,228
There really isn’t a way of getting around spending $100 to $150 / year on an iPhone no matter how you do it.

Case in point:
Purchased a refurbished one year old iPhone for $580 six years ago. Used it for six years = $96.66/ year. After six years it’s worthless on the resell market and almost worthless to use as a phone.

A person can’t really do it cheaper than that -yet it costs $100/year.
 

Bodhitree

macrumors 68020
Apr 5, 2021
2,068
2,200
Netherlands
There really isn’t a way of getting around spending $100 to $150 / year on an iPhone no matter how you do it.

Case in point:
Purchased a refurbished one year old iPhone for $580 six years ago. Used it for six years = $96.66/ year. After six years it’s worthless on the resell market and almost worthless to use as a phone.

A person can’t really do it cheaper than that -yet it costs $100/year.

Yeah, that has been my experience. You can pay more - if you buy an iPhone 13 Pro for 1049 euro’s, use it for six years (until software support runs out), sell it on for 100 euro’s at the end, you’re still paying 158 euro’s net a year.

My father bought his iPhone SE (2020) for about 500 euro’s, and that might last him six years with a battery replacement, but I doubt whether he will get much back for it at the end. Before that he was using Samsung phones and replacing them every three years for a yearly cost of about 130 euro’s.
 
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Risco

macrumors 68000
Jul 22, 2010
1,956
313
United Kingdom
It’s only £1k in the first year. Once on the upgrade path you sell your old phone for circa £600 and pay the difference.

I went with the 13 this year with the intention of going the pro next year.
 

maka344

macrumors 68020
Nov 4, 2009
2,144
1,316
London, UK
It’s not always 1k though. With good trade in prices, programs where you pay for 12 months etc, most people never spend the full 1k on buying a new device.
 
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