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Average Apple Device Lifespan Estimated at Just Over Four Years by Analyst

itsmilo said:
My MacBook Pro from Late 2012 still runs like on its first day.

My first gen Apple Watch on the other hand was dead on arrival (so slow, Steve Jobs would have never allowed it)
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I'm using my 2008 Macbook Pro right now. With a faster drive in it, it's not bad at all for daily tasks and even older games (been playing a lot of C64 emulated games on it this trip). With the newer Firefox and/or Chrome, browsing is actually faster than it was say 4 years ago.

My Quad Core i7 Mac Mini Server with RAID0 still feels great as well 6 years later. With a solid state drive, it would scream for most tasks. Only newer games (most of which don't support Mac anyway) would be an issue on it and if they would ever get good support for external graphics cards at a reasonable price, that might be improved easily as well (there still isn't a good Mini replacement for the 2012 server models to this very day).
 
Meanwhile, everything I buy seems to have a half life of 1 year.
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alexe said:
I've never understood why people need to upgrade their phone and everything every damn year. I've used every Apple product I've ever bought for at least four years before I replaced it, mostly longer. There was just no need to replace.
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Cause it breaks.
 
My 15" MacBook Pro (late 2013) is working so well I'm considering a new battery rather than a new computer.
All my past macs have easily lasted 5-6 years.
What doesn't last are the magsafe wires on the magnet end. The insulation gets brittle and falls off.
I've found "Sugru" mouldable flexible glue the best solution to fix it.
fullsizeoutput_2e2.jpeg
 
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yaxomoxay said:
They don’t need. They want.
And if they have worked all year long with honesty and integrity, they have all the rights to spend their money how they see fit. Some people spend on cars, other on phones, others on clothing etc.
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In my experience most of the "me wantee's" who buy new stuff every year are in credit debt 'cause they want a lot of shiny new things & can't afford it all. People who have more of their own money do so because they don't waste it & a wantee is the opposite.
 
itsmilo said:
My MacBook Pro from Late 2012 still runs like on its first day.

My first gen Apple Watch on the other hand was dead on arrival (so slow, Steve Jobs would have never allowed it)
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My Macbook Pro Mid 2012 also runs smoothly. I edit small 5 minute 4K projects in FCPX no problem. (mind you in proxy files). Don't need to edit full res 4K and I can wait for a bit of rendering when grading.
The battery doesn't last too long but there are poweroutlets everwhere I take the MBP.

My Apple watch 2 in comparison is super lame. It totally lags when swiping to a different watch interface.

Apple is not what Apple used to be.
 
I replace my Apple laptops about every 2 to 2.5 years. I sell them before the AppleCare runs out. I keep my desktops for around 4 years.
 
I've got tons of Apple devices still in use after having them for much longer than 4 years. Granted, I'm not the normal person, haha. I would argue that most people that get new iPads or iPhones don't use the older ones much after that, so the 4 years sounds about right, for an "average".
 
appahappa said:
What about other brands? Can't imagine that Samsung phones run much longer after they stop updating software after one year.
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This is patently false.
[doublepost=1520019462][/doublepost]My 2010 iPod shiny mirror back still works, but can't go past iOS 6.something. This means it works as a music device. For adding apps even as simple as Twitter, Instagram & YouTube, it's a no-go, having to open Safari to use it. The camera works. Maps works. A mix result but still neat to have as a back up.
 
late 2009 Mac mini here .. complete with 8gb of ram and ssd + hdd

last supported OS El Cap

apple decided to retire it, not me
 
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MacRumors said:
He ultimately determined that the average Apple device lifespan is about 4 years and three months
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How could I not respond to this? As many can attest to, the working lifespan of an Apple device can be far longer than four years. Until recently Macintosh stood for a repairable, well-built computer that would generally last for many years with only minor or no repairs. Many if not most were likely retired do whim rather than need (see exception below).

The exception being the planned obsolescence perpetrated by Apple. It is not that many of these devices could no longer function quite well but are no longer supported by software updates. Not to mention Apple making some models soon vintage and the hardware no longer repairable do lack of parts.

There is obviously a balance in such things and something to be said for focusing on improvements of the future rather than 30 years in arrears. But that is an exaggeration. Our effective time with and lifespan of a loved product is far less—by design.

Some might calculate the Apple tax by realistic number of days until forced to "upgrade" and perhaps come to some sobering conclusions.
 
My 1984, non-upgraded, 128k Mac still boots up like a champ and plays Oregon Trail, etc. So does my Apple IIc from 1986. These stats are garbage.
 
Never use to be that way I am still running older Macs the newest one being from 2011.

Current Macs (newest first)

Mid 2011 21.5" iMac (Dual Booting macOS High Sierra and macOS Sierra)
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/...inch-aluminum-mid-2011-thunderbolt-specs.html

Late 2009 21.5" iMac (Dual Booting macOS Sierra and OS X El Capitan)
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/...uo-3.33-21-inch-aluminum-late-2009-specs.html

Early 2008 24" iMac (OS X Snow Leopard)
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/...24-inch-aluminum-early-2008-penryn-specs.html

Original Mac mini G4 (OS X Tiger)
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_mini/specs/mac_mini_g4_1.25.html

All of these Macs are operating as good as they day they were new. The oldest being Eighteen years old which is clearly a tribute to the reliability of older generation Macs many of which were user serviceable.

No longer do Apple produce definitive releases such as the 17" MacBook Pro.
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/...5-17-late-2011-unibody-thunderbolt-specs.html

Apple no longer have focus in the right places. In those days USB-C only would have had no space. Yes USB-C may have been an option but there would have been additional ports such as USB 3.0 which the vast majority of peripherals are. Currently the consumer is forced in to purchasing a dock.

The current MacBook is no more than a fashion item. The MacBook Pro has been crucified. The Mac Mini has gone four years without an update which was a joke. The best release remains the 2012 model . Sure I complain but these are valid points.

Soldered in RAM, Irreplaceable batteries etc...... If it breaks tough modern Apple couldn't care less they will just try and sell you another one.
 
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itsmilo said:
To be honest. Phone service is still crap here in Germany. As soon as you leave the city, you are left with 2 bars of edge, 3G with no data connection or nothing
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I'm far more impressed with my cell phone service in no where Franconia than I am with it in upstate NY
 
This sounds like another fake paid research.

The real question is usability. The two biggest issues with Apple devices are deficient DRAM and lack of backwards OS and app compatibility. Take iPhone 6 for example, it had a usability of 1 year or less due to cheapening with only 1GB DRAM and worsened by iOS updates that made it even slower but if you don't update iOS apps won't run.

For comparison, Samsung Galaxy Note 2 from 2012 was future proofed with 2GB DRAM that iPhone didn't get until 2015. Galaxy Note 2 also has pen input, split screen multitasking, Smart Dock to turn into computer functionality, etc. that iPhone still has yet to get in 2018. Plus, Android OS has better backwards compatibility since Kit Kat still runs the majority of the apps out. It's still usable after 5 years.

Or, compare to Thinkpad laptops from 2007 or 2008 that conveniently multi-boot latest Windows 10, Linux, BSD, even MacOS, etc. off of USB stick or SD card slot without jumping through hoops. Macs and Macbooks from the same era can't run the latest MacOS.
 
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itsmilo said:
My MacBook Pro from Late 2012 still runs like on its first day.

My first gen Apple Watch on the other hand was dead on arrival (so slow, Steve Jobs would have never allowed it)
Click to expand...
I have the same 2012 MBPr and it hasn't slowed down one bit and I can't see any need to upgrade at all. Its a workhorse, I run my business with it and it goes through airport after airport. The original battery is losing its charge but were talking almost 6 years now.
 
Apache1 said:
I have the same 2012 MBPr and it hasn't slowed down one bit and I can't see any need to upgrade at all. Its a workhorse, I run my business with it and it goes through airport after airport. The original battery is losing its charge but were talking almost 6 years now.
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Yeah I was lucky enough that when they replaced my display for that coating issue, that the battery literally fell out of the MacBook so they replaced the battery, new keyboard and housing free of charge on top a few years ago :D
 
iTuna said:
My 2008 Mac Pro and 2010 MacBook Pro are both still highly functional, as are my 2003 iPod photo and 2009 iPod Touch.
Only thing I replace every year is my iPhone.
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I'm similar to you, although its frustrating that we treat our phones as disposable items! I've tried to stop doing this and I'm still using a 6S which runs fine for me :)

I have a 2008 iMac retired but still works fine, Macbook pro 2012, 2014 iMac.
 
Considering the purchasing date:

Early-2013 Retina Macbook Pro 15" - almost 5 years.
Late-2009 White Macbook - almost 8 years.
iPad Mini 1 (bought used): almost two years in my hands, but, heck, it was launched in 2012.
 
Guy Clark said:
Early 2008 24" iMac (OS X Snow Leopard)
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/...24-inch-aluminum-early-2008-penryn-specs.html
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https://everymac.com/systems/apple/...24-inch-aluminum-early-2008-penryn-specs.html
I used to have that same model iMac - that thing was awesome. I sort of regret selling it, but I needed the cash back then. That screen is gorgeous, and 24" was enormous for the time. I had some epic Command and Conquer sessions on that thing, and the graphics card got me through most of what I needed from Solidworks while in engineering school - admittedly on BootCamp.

Guy Clark said:
Original Mac mini G4 (OS X Tiger)
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_mini/specs/mac_mini_g4_1.25.html
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I had this one too, before I sold it to get the above-mentioned iMac. This was my first Mac.

Fun-fact - I got a Toshiba Tablet-PC for college, and I ended up getting this Mac Mini through freemacminis.com or something. It was a pyramid scheme, but I got in early and easily got enough points to get the free mac. I guess I was lucky. Anyway, I used both computers in college for two years, but the Mac was less useful after the Intel transition, and the laptop battery wasn't doing well. I sold both on ebay, $400 each. For the Toshiba, that was an 80% reduction in value. For the Mac, that was a 20% reduction in value. Since then, I've been preaching the value-retention of Macs.
 
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