iPhone 17 How hard is it to convince oneself being in need of a new iPhone?

[rui no onna]

How to answer this…

iPhones and iPads I purchase based on want. If I want it, I will get it. I don't need to convince myself that I 'need' it. I don't need to justify to anyone, let alone myself, that I need it.

I also don't let need determine color, capacity or model. Again. I get what I want.

Sometimes I do need it, and in those cases wanting it lines up with that.

This for me as well. If we're talking about need, I reckon I don't need anything newer than the iPhone 13.

With that said, I upgraded from the iPhone SE 2022 to the iPhone Air. The battery life of the SE 2022 just wasn't cutting it anymore even after battery replacement.

 

[ElPaso]

How to answer this…?

iPhones and iPads I purchase based on want. If I want it, I will get it. I don't need to convince myself that I 'need' it. I don't need to justify to anyone, let alone myself, that I need it.

I also don't let need determine color, capacity or model. Again. I get what I want.

Sometimes I do need it, and in those cases wanting it lines up with that.

The problem is finances. And also wanting it. If finances were never an issue I would always be getting what I want when I wanted it and need would never, ever, be part of the equation. Because most of the time, what I want, is greater than what I actually need.

My current iPhone is the 11 Pro Max. Since I upgraded to it in 2021 I have yet to see a new model iPhone that I want. For those who routinely read my posts around here, they know that I have a light use case for a phone, so a lot of the things that attract people to getting a new phone do not interest me. Thus, most of the newer iPhones have just been a series of the same phone with a new version of iOS installed.

However, this year, need is actually going to force my hand. T-Mobile (my carrier) is beginning to shut down 4G/LTE and my iPhone is LTE max, no 5G. Sooner or later, I'm going to have to upgrade to something I want. But organizing the finances is the problem, otherwise I would have already upgraded. I can tell you though, that unless something real good happens it will not be to the most current model iPhone (in the color, capacity and model that I want).

Me too - I get a new one when I want one. Fortunately that's really not too often. However, I got my 8+ and my current 16e because of need -- the wanton destruction of the phones I had before them lol.

 

[eyoungren]

This for me as well. If we're talking about need, I reckon I don't need anything newer than the iPhone 13.

Yeah, I will never understand (completely) having to justify needing something to get it. If I only bought what I needed then I would rarely own anything I actually wanted. Always settling for what you need instead of getting what you want is not a great feeling.

I've waited years for what I want, sometimes a decade or more. But in the end, I got what I wanted.

 

[eyoungren]

Me too - I get a new one when I want one. Fortunately that's really not too often. However, I got my 8+ and my current 16e because of need -- the wanton destruction of the phones I had before them lol.

Yeah, sometimes need DOES drive me. Like it will this year. But, when I do finally fulfill that need, it will be through getting what I want. I don't find it necessary to meet only the need itself.

 

[ElPaso]

Yeah, sometimes need DOES drive me. Like it will this year. But, when I do finally fulfill that need, it will be through getting what I want. I don't find it necessary to meet only the need itself.

Yes sir! That's the way it's done!

 

[jz0309]

I mean,

what is the innovation (...), beside battery and planned obsolescence, convincing you to upgrade from year to year?

Here on iPhone 15ProMax and a 13ProMax which I gave to my son, until battery runs and I can use a few apps I really can't imagine a reason to upgrade

then don't, simple as that.
The new features or "innovations" are quite clearly laid out here on MR in multiple stories throughout the year and you can do a side by side comparison on Apple's website.
And no, there is no "planned obsolesce", that is pure hyperbole

 

[Astuces iOS]

I mean,

what is the innovation (...), beside battery and planned obsolescence, convincing you to upgrade from year to year?

Here on iPhone 15ProMax and a 13ProMax which I gave to my son, until battery runs and I can use a few apps I really can't imagine a reason to upgrade

Needs mean do you need it… some people don’t even need a phone… you could live without it… Need means if the phone can do what you need it for… A need could be for messages or calls for work, then can your phone do that?

For needs, the lasted iPhone is not really useful, the pro iPhone is useless and you should always get the e… What I could justify as a good purchase for the pro is for content creators, either if you need it for job to record vids or do something that the base can’t or for review because you might make money on it so it’s your job… Other than that, it’s hard to justify a NEED of the better iPhones…

I also recommend you to only use your iPhone for needs, then you will less notice the downpoints of a worse iPhone.

Try don’t using a phone for a week and you will see too…

 

[rui no onna]

Yeah, I will never understand (completely) having to justify needing something to get it. If I only bought what I needed then I would rarely own anything I actually wanted. Always settling for what you need instead of getting what you want is not a great feeling.

I've waited years for what I want, sometimes a decade or more. But in the end, I got what I wanted.

I do still compromise though. I can't afford to buy everything I want so I have to prioritize based on what I need and want more.

Like a 1TB iPhone would be nice but frankly, I'd only use 10-15% of that storage anyway. Hence, I just got the base 256GB model and use the money "saved" on things I want more like the Switch 2 or high storage cellular iPads.

 

[Astuces iOS]

Personally, it took a combination of screen features, camera enhancement, and connectivity for me to upgrade.

I started with an iPhone SE3. I loved it to death cause at that time I was a diehard single camera, homebutton, lighting only kind of guy. I thought apple had lost the touch to their design with the X and had no interest at all in upgrading until 2027.

One day I was in a Apple Store getting support for my Apple Watch SE2 (i liked all of apples old designs besides the airpods) while the 15 Pros were still on sale. I played with the camera, went and checked out the specs later, and then looked at carrier deals. The 16 Pros were just 3 months away, so I scored a half off deal with my carrier.

The optical zoom up to 3x, 15x overall zoom, 0.5x capability, night mode, action button for flashlight instead of the ring switch, much brighter 120hz display for games and outdoor use, 8gb of Ram, increased chip power with A17 Pro, Ultra Wideband support, bigger battery, magsafe and USB-C with usb 3 support, 256GB of storage upgrade instead of 64GB, AOD, OLED, and super premium titanium build while not being massive dimesionally but having a massive bit more of screen, dolby atmos speakers, and dynamic island instead of the all convinced me that this was the iphone the future would have and going to such a solid build would be better for my day to day life at little loss. I still have the SE3 and love it, but the 15 Pro was the right bet. I no longer think the old design was 100% perfect like I once did. The 15 Pro ended up aging better than expected, especially sing its the minimum for all the new features. And having it has allowed me to have so many more moments with loved ones that the SE3 simply wouldn’t have been capable of.

If I could put it in one sentance, it would be if the phone can tangibly make my day to day life eaiser and richer. The 15 Pro certainly did that. And I’ve yet to see a phone that can match it for my day to day life. I’ll be getting a new battery in the fall since I’m at 91% health with 600 cycles, and I’m gonna keep using it until either the Air line, if its continued, gets zoom on par with the 15 Pro, or the 20th aniversary brings something absolutely groundbreaking, especially in camera and battery and screen tech. If neither of those then it’ll be whatever Apple has in 2032 that matches my needs best.

We can all agree that the pro phones are way better than SE and many people will upgrade for cool specs, but do really the 15 pro made something more that you needed for your life or it’s just for fun…

Try a week without an iPhone and let’s see

 

[ignatius345]

There’s not enough of a difference that I can tell between my 15 Pro and the 17 Pro to pony up the better part of $1K to have one. It’s fast enough, the screen is nice, camera lenses & sensor are great.

Once I hit 79% health on this battery I can get it replaced free and I’ll gain a ton of battery life and I’ll be good.

 

[eyoungren]

I do still compromise though. I can't afford to buy everything I want so I have to prioritize based on what I need and want more.

Like a 1TB iPhone would be nice but frankly, I'd only use 10-15% of that storage anyway. Hence, I just got the base 256GB model and use the money "saved" on things I want more like the Switch 2 or high storage cellular iPads.

Totally understand that.

That is part of why I don't upgrade very often. I can't afford to just drop money every time I want what I want. But I also compensate for that too - often by waiting.

I own five 30" Apple Cinema Displays. Three of those were free. I always wanted them when they came out, but could not afford to buy one, let alone five. Years later, these are being given away free and I now own five.

I'll buy an older model iPhone because I get the capacity I want for less.

Basically…you just have to wait until everyone else is done with this stuff and they want to get rid of it. I don't mind buying used or an older item that is still NIB. And because everyone else is done with it, I can be fairly sure I can get it cheap (or free).

 

[SCDAY]

Not hard at all, I want a new iphone anytime.

 

[subjonas]

For me, I only upgrade when there is some feature(s) that I think will benefit me in real life, whether it guards against a security issue or it’s just a (noticeable) quality of life improvement. Some examples have been Touch ID, Apple Pay, satellite emergency SOS, and a significantly lighter thinner form factor.

But I’d say probably most people, who don’t care or pay much attention to new features, tend to upgrade when they notice battery life degradation. But that’s only the stated reason for the upgrade—the real reason is likely they just want a new phone, and the battery is used as a catalyst. Because if battery was the real issue, they could simply replace the battery for much cheaper than buying a new phone.

A good number of people also upgrade for the camera improvements. Even if the improvements are rather incremental, camera is an important feature for many.

 

[TKSX]

There is no need to. You either want it or do not want it. Both sides are not wrong. Because of this the argument / debate will not have an endpoint.

 

[AppleForeverandEver]

It is not hard. I convince myself every year.

 

[bevsb2]

Needs mean do you need it… some people don’t even need a phone… you could live without it… Need means if the phone can do what you need it for… A need could be for messages or calls for work, then can your phone do that?

For needs, the lasted iPhone is not really useful, the pro iPhone is useless and you should always get the e… What I could justify as a good purchase for the pro is for content creators, either if you need it for job to record vids or do something that the base can’t or for review because you might make money on it so it’s your job… Other than that, it’s hard to justify a NEED of the better iPhones…

I also recommend you to only use your iPhone for needs, then you will less notice the downpoints of a worse iPhone.

Try don’t using a phone for a week and you will see too…

I've always been a person who confuses needs with wants and with luck I'll continue to live life that way.

 

[AppleForeverandEver]

I've always been a person who confuses needs with wants and with luck I'll continue to live life that way.

The money is not an issue to me so convincing myself is not a problem. Waiting for September is the problem!

 

[Abydos]

easy, when my current iPhone either fails, or it loses security updates - whichever comes first

 

[countbunt]

At this point “need” is mostly the lie we tell ourselves so the purchase feels responsible. If your 13 Pro isn’t dying, the honest answer is probably no, but also, logic isn't always the main driver here. If you can afford it without pain, that’s reason enough. My worst trick is making my own fake discount. If I decide “I’d buy this if it was $500 off,” I buy it, then force myself to save $100 a week for 5 weeks and pretend I got the discount retroactively (or even $50 per week for 10 weeks). Completely irrational but with my new toy sitting in my hand, it is a weirdly effective reminder to behave. 😛

 

[transpo1]

If I want it and am lucky enough to be able to afford it, I get it. So, the answer is: not hard at all.

Told myself I would upgrade my 15PM when all 3 cameras were 48mp. I held out past the 17PM for this year’s 18PM so I’ve already bested my initial want and willpower.

 

[adib]

then don't, simple as that.
The new features or "innovations" are quite clearly laid out here on MR in multiple stories throughout the year and you can do a side by side comparison on Apple's website.
And no, there is no "planned obsolesce", that is pure hyperbole

Yes there is planned obsolescence:

• iOS updates have stopped for older devices.
• SSL root certificates expire, and some (very) old devices don't get new certificates.
• Batteries.

 

[Harddrive]

Still rocking the 15 pro and currently satisfied if I did upgrade its because of storage or lack of.

 

[Dirk Pieters]

I mean,

what is the innovation (...), beside battery and planned obsolescence, convincing you to upgrade from year to year?

Here on iPhone 15ProMax and a 13ProMax which I gave to my son, until battery runs and I can use a few apps I really can't imagine a reason to upgrade

I'm on a 14 Pro, which I (sort of) had to buy when my iPhone 6 died. 5 years from now I'll probably still be on that 14 Pro, unless it dies somewhere in between.

I honestly think that Apple's annual upgrades are in serious conflict with their entire sustainability goal. I honestly don't see the sustainability in annual upgrades. And it's not just their iPhones, it's a lot of their computers though. In fact, we can now pretty much predict around what time the (for example) MBA with M6 will launch.

I'm not a tree hugger or a radical green person. We recycle, we don't buy much, we often buy 2nd hand, we cycle, we have solar and drive electric. We do our part without being zealous. But this entire business of annual upgrades ... I don't know, I find it very dirty business.

I love Apple, but not particularly that part of Apple.