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I think you made a wise decision. I am actually disappointed in Apple for the first time ever. I think their new devices lack anything that could make me want to move from me 12PM. Let’s not even talk watches. I wanted a new watch this year. But I have a series 5 and am sticking with it for another year.

Sorry Apple no money from me this year!!!

You have the 12. Maybe you need to leave longer between upgrades! You don’t see major change year to year anymore.
 
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Apple's pricing, if you compare it to a more upper middle class affluent family's household income is really set up for this upgrade mode:

iPad - 5 years
iPhone - 3 years
Watch - 3 Years
Mac - 5-6 years
AppleTV - 6 years
AirPods 3 years

So 2 parents + 2 Kids still end up spending 3-4K a year on Apple products. If you are on a 2-3 year upgrade cycle (cutting everything above in half), you're doing well financially, stupid or single :p

I'm a huge apple fanboy and I was annual upgrades for many many years and around 2018 I stopped. Once the iPhone, iPad exceeded $1000 and the MacBooks were hitting $2500-$3000, I pulled way back and even though I want the latest, I just can't physically afford to do every year any more.

If you bought a start Apple thing not the premium stuff in 2020 and you bought it all, it'd cost you $8482:

  1. iPhone 12 Pro: $999
  2. iPad Pro with Pencil & Keyboard: 1377
  3. MacBook Air: $1299
  4. iMac: $2299
  5. AppleCare: $79 for Watch, $29 for AppleTV 4K, $169 for iMac, $199 for iPhone, $129 for iPad, $249 for MacBook Air $29 for AirPods, $39 for HomePod
  6. Apple One Premier: $360 (supersedes my price for iCloud, Music, Rentals)
  7. AppleTV: $149
  8. AppleWatch (Series 6, Aluminum, 44mm, Cellular) $529
  9. AirPods Pro: $249
  10. HomePod: $299
2020 Pricing = $8482

in 2018 that price was: $7162

iPhone XS: $999
iPad Pro: $799 but add $129 for a pencil and $179 for a Keyboard
MacBook Air, $1199
iMac: $1999 (for the one worth buying)
AppleCare $129 for iPhone, $129 for iPad, $149 for MacBook, $129 for iMac
$12 a year for iCloud
$120 a year for Apple Music
Add in $60 for a monthly $5 rental
$149 for Apple TV + $29 for AppleCare
$450 for the regular AppleWatch
$159 for AirPods
$349 for HomePod

-----

it's going up the cost to be an Apple fanboy / girl. So very few people can buy annually anymore.
 
I'm not really sure that rationale makes sense at all, losing 300 pounds is a hell of a lot in one year, do you really think the 12 pro max is going to lose 900 pounds in three years? That's almost the entire cost of the phone.
Granted, it's not the most robust rationale but, for me personally, I can justify / afford a £300 spend year-on-year to have the latest iPhone with a 12 month warranty (no need for Applecare). I don't have a phone contract so not over paying a mobile firm to supply a phone. It's each to their own - I wasn't expecting anything earth shattering on this release coming from the 12 Pro Max, it is more of an "S" year, but there is just enough to make it worthwhile.
 
Keep in mind though, the pandemic likely took a toll on some of their projects. I think they were planning the 120 Hz for the iPhone 12 Pro, but they just didn’t have the resources necessary to complete in time with all the lock downs. I wouldn’t be surprised if the iPhone 14 might end up looking like the 12 and 13 if the pandemic continues the same. The fact that the Sierra Blue is just variant of Pacific Blue suggest they didn’t have time or resources to research new finishes.
 
Keep in mind though, the pandemic likely took a toll on some of their projects. I think they were planning the 120 Hz for the iPhone 12 Pro, but they just didn’t have the resources necessary to complete in time with all the lock downs. I wouldn’t be surprised if the iPhone 14 might end up looking like the 12 and 13 if the pandemic continues the same. The fact that the Sierra Blue is just variant of Pacific Blue suggest they didn’t have time or resources to research new finishes.

Yup. Chip shortages and what not. Today many new cars being sold with many features off and instead of 2 keys you get 1 now.
 
I am a current iPhone 12 Pro owner- having used it as a back up phone for my Galaxy S21 Ultra for a while.
I actually liked everything about the Samsung other than the obvious lack of Apple watch compatibility and not playing nice with Apple devices in general.

I also own the 11” and 12.9” 2021 iPad Pros. Ended up selling the Samsung in the anticipation of a potential upgrade.
As nice as the high refresh rate screen sounds, there is no major reason to consider upgrading- even with the improved cameras and longer battery life. In reality, I should be thanking Apple for not revealing a product that I am compelled to move on to.

Same thing can be said about the S7 Apple Watch...the product that stole the show for me was, without a shadow of a doubt, the redesigned iPad Mini.…

As such, I think I did the right thing in cancelling the upgrade to a 13 Pro Max- anyone else in the same boat?
I ordered and cancelled 3 times. I have 12 pro, I think I am gonna keep it… 120hz ain’t enough to upgrade from a perfectly fine phone.
I might reorder again tomorrow tho
 
The only big improvement for me is that variable refresh rate screen, which has been great to have on my ipad.

I suppose I also have to thank Apple for a barebones upgrade to the AW as I have zero itch to upgrade.
That was probably why I went for it other than even more battery life. Super annoyed they keep saying it will have concurrent TouchID for years and then not there over and over.
 
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I am unsure of why users here feel compelled to upgrade their iPhones every year. The year over year differences are going to be incremental at this point as we have a mature product category. The smartphone is over 20 years old and Apple is heading towards 15 years in it early next year. I’m not tying to tell anyone when to buy or not buy, I just don’t understand why anyone with an iPhone 12 or 12 Pro would feel that they had to upgrade, when there’s really nothing earthshattering?
 
All you guys with such brilliant ideas and marketing should make your own phones to compete with apple and see how well you do haha.
 
I’m amazed so many people are expecting big changes every year. Last year they changed the bodies, introduced a new size, made a bunch of advancements. Historically, the next year they make camera updates and smaller changes that usually involve better battery life or fixing the things they got wrong the year before. So it should be no surprise that’s what we got this year.

Next year will be a big change year again, and there will be some “-gate” about something they got wrong. And the year after that they will fix the thing and improve the cameras and battery life. It’s the cycle. It’s worked for them for a very long time. So if you’re expecting all tock and no tick, you’re going to be disappointed 50% of the time.
 
If someone has a phone they like and does not wish to upgrade, great. Some people do want to upgrade. We're happy with what is offered. That's why we chose to upgrade.

To suggest Apple should 'innovate more', perhaps the approach to take is to go work for a tech company and design a phone that will knock us all on our arses. Be the innovator you wish them to be.

I'm not in a position to invent so much as an automated bobblehead, and so I'll leave innovation to the companies and decide what works for me when new ones hit the market.
 
Last edited:
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Apple's pricing, if you compare it to a more upper middle class affluent family's household income is really set up for this upgrade mode:

iPad - 5 years
iPhone - 3 years
Watch - 3 Years
Mac - 5-6 years
AppleTV - 6 years
AirPods 3 years

So 2 parents + 2 Kids still end up spending 3-4K a year on Apple products. If you are on a 2-3 year upgrade cycle (cutting everything above in half), you're doing well financially, stupid or single :p

I'm a huge apple fanboy and I was annual upgrades for many many years and around 2018 I stopped. Once the iPhone, iPad exceeded $1000 and the MacBooks were hitting $2500-$3000, I pulled way back and even though I want the latest, I just can't physically afford to do every year any more.

If you bought a start Apple thing not the premium stuff in 2020 and you bought it all, it'd cost you $8482:

  1. iPhone 12 Pro: $999
  2. iPad Pro with Pencil & Keyboard: 1377
  3. MacBook Air: $1299
  4. iMac: $2299
  5. AppleCare: $79 for Watch, $29 for AppleTV 4K, $169 for iMac, $199 for iPhone, $129 for iPad, $249 for MacBook Air $29 for AirPods, $39 for HomePod
  6. Apple One Premier: $360 (supersedes my price for iCloud, Music, Rentals)
  7. AppleTV: $149
  8. AppleWatch (Series 6, Aluminum, 44mm, Cellular) $529
  9. AirPods Pro: $249
  10. HomePod: $299
2020 Pricing = $8482

in 2018 that price was: $7162

iPhone XS: $999
iPad Pro: $799 but add $129 for a pencil and $179 for a Keyboard
MacBook Air, $1199
iMac: $1999 (for the one worth buying)
AppleCare $129 for iPhone, $129 for iPad, $149 for MacBook, $129 for iMac
$12 a year for iCloud
$120 a year for Apple Music
Add in $60 for a monthly $5 rental
$149 for Apple TV + $29 for AppleCare
$450 for the regular AppleWatch
$159 for AirPods
$349 for HomePod

-----

it's going up the cost to be an Apple fanboy / girl. So very few people can buy annually anymore.
I would argue that people shouldn't upgrade every year if it's based on features alone. The features aren't enough. I upgraded my 11 Pro this year only because the Verizon deals were so good. I am happy with my 11 Pro, but I also love tech and love deals, so the 13 Pro, with the new form factor, smaller notch, ProMotion display and better cameras should feel like a new experience. That's the fun part of tech. I am blessed with 2 beautiful kids and a a beautiful wife and take lots of pictures so will be happy to see what the new camera features do.
 
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People have just got to wait more years before buying their next iPhone if they want to be thrilled by the next one.
Fairly sage advise there.
I used to upgrade every year and got frustrated by telco plans that locked you in to two years.

I stopped at the iPhone 7 because I just couldn’t see the point of the iPhone X when it came out.

I did get the XS Pro Max and that was worth it. I didn’t need to upgrade after that but did need new phones for the family, so shelled out for iPhone 11 & 12 when they came out.

Now everyone has a phone that will last 2-3 years there’s no real reason to upgrade.

The cameras are often a noticeable difference, but other than that the needle doesn’t really move that much.
 
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If you have a 12 Pro, not much in this update. Just perfecting the 12 Pro a little further. This is kind of like the 12 Pro S year.

Exactly, I think people forget about the old 's' years, now that Apple changes model numbers they expect a major feature update every single year.

I'm sure Apple dropped the 's' updates since it sounds better marketing to have a new number released. Of course market cap is around $2 trillion so they must be doing something right. ;)
 
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I was gonna say, "Wow. This thread is pointless," but here I am commenting. Damn it! You got me.
Indeed, upgrade if you want, don't upgrade if you want - there is no right answer and it's an odd assertion of others to say "people shouldn't upgrade for reasons XYZ". Each to their own is the bottom line.
 
People have just got to wait more years before buying their next iPhone if they want to be thrilled by the next one. At the very least, three years. Add a few more to change that grin into a big smile
this. i don't get it why people really expect a new super-duper iphone every year.
yes, in the android space it's very common, because a) you probably won't get an upgrade the next year or b) threy trhow some fancy spec-sheet around claiming the second coming of tech-jesus, when it's actually just another android handset.
 
Next year will be a big change year again, and there will be some “-gate” about something they got wrong. And the year after that they will fix the thing and improve the cameras and battery life. It’s the cycle. It’s worked for them for a very long time. So if you’re expecting all tock and no tick, you’re going to be disappointed 50% of the time.
actually, it used to be tick-tock as you put it but it’s been tick-tock-tock for the last 8 years:
iPhone 6: tick
iPhone 6s: tock
iPhone 7: tock
iPhone X: tick
iPhone XS: tock
iPhone 11: tock
iPhone 12: tick
iPhone 13: tock
iPhone 14… presumably tock again.

I suspect the rumors of a big redesign next year will be wrong, and that the next serious chassis redesign is scheduled for 2023. I’d love to be wrong though!
 
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