It would almost seem… illogical to upgrade a ~1 year old $1,200 device.
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44% of iPhone Users Intend to Upgrade to iPhone 13, Survey Shows
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There are many reasons why people will upgrade, but you've nailed the head on the numbers game. Will it look better? Yep! It isn't a worthwhile upgrade for most though. While there are going to be a lot of day one upgraders, a lot are only going to upgrade because they have a subsidy deal or something similar to switch networks. The only reason I went from an iPhone XS Max to an 11 Pro was because after two years my batteries were getting bad, and AT&T gave me $1k for them.
I also don't think surveys like this can be seen as much of a scientific method either. Simple questions such as "Which IPhone are you going to upgrade to?" can cause people to respond differently than "Are you going to upgrade to the latest iPhone?"
This survey was done before the CSAM announcement, now do it again…
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Pretty sure study after study still shows Apple better than android on that front*, but maybe you are moving to something like PinePhone.
* I kind of assume you refer to the recently announced on-device image fingerprinting. Definitely an ick factor, but not nearly as invasive as it could have been. Systems like PhotoDNA are already being used by Google, MS, and major platforms like FB, Twitter, and Reddit. You may just not have known that everyone else was already looking at your photos.
Maybe I’m getting old or cheap, but I will only upgrade if the phone is free. My privacy should at least be worth a phone 
No iPhone upgrade for me or anyone in the family, but I will certainly update a couple of series 5 Watches if Apple shifts to a new squared-edge design. It will be interesting to see if AT&T offers the BOGO deals on new Watches during the upgrade release.
Why? It's not like we take the previous year's device and stick it in a drawer. It either gets turned in when the new device is picked up, or sold for a fair few $$, or something along those lines.
Upgrading every year does not mean paying $1200/year. Far from it.
I got an unofficial battery replacement for my X, so I won’t be upgrading for another few years. Also it was like ⅓ more £££ for the upfront cost, so at least ⅓ more time using it at minimum.
Still the best looking iPhone IMO.
Also due to Apple privacy concerns on-principle, Material You, Google Silicon w/ Kotlin/Native, it’s probably going to be an Android (Pixel probably) in the next few years, assuming it has improved on the already great camera + better haptics (spoilt by Apples haptic engine.)
Still the best looking iPhone IMO.
Also due to Apple privacy concerns on-principle, Material You, Google Silicon w/ Kotlin/Native, it’s probably going to be an Android (Pixel probably) in the next few years, assuming it has improved on the already great camera + better haptics (spoilt by Apples haptic engine.)
I wonder about it too. I don't do any gaming that would need that kind of refresh, so what does it buy me? As for always on, I like it on my watch, but does it make sense on a phone, even at extremely slow refresh rates, it's got to take some power...
Me too. I love my 12 mini but since the new one might be the last version Apple produces, I'll get it and hold on to it as long as I can.
But wasting 300-400€£$ every year, or even more if you don’t go the eBay route but Apple trade-in route.
Other than getting 5G capability with an improved, battery-saving modem (versus the iPhone 12 modem), I really don't see any value in upgrading to an iPhone 13 over my iPhone 11. Most of the features being touted - like a 120hz, always-on screen - not only don't matter but are actually undesirable to me. Thank God for 5G, right? Otherwise, Apple wouldn't even know what to do with their iPhones anymore. It's mostly change for the sake of change.
This.
It's easy to forget how important a survey's sampling methodology is. Convenient sampling can give eye-catching results but shouldn't be taken too seriously. Representative sampling gives better results, but is difficult and costly - you're not likely to find it being done by anyone by anyone who is not a professional at it.
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It's silly, but I've been waiting for the midnight blue iPhone for years. Probably will be holding onto my 12 Pro Max for a while based on that alone. 😆
Waste? This is a device I use every hour of every day.
It's not a waste if it's something you want. I consider a couple hundred bucks a year a small price to pay to always have the latest, most powerful technology in the palm of my hand.