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The Iphone hype is a marketing SCAM!

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wfiphone

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 11, 2009
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Some things I don't understand. Why do so many people feel the need to buy the new Iphone every year or every two years.

I treat my Iphone 3G as a longterm device I'll be using for the next four years.

Why? It has everything I need and use:

Push Email
Web Browser with 3G speeds which is PLENTY fast
Phone
Calendar
Good Enough Camera
Music
Facebook & Twitter

This is all I use on my Iphone. I don't even have but a few apps.

How does it make sense to get the new one every time a new one comes out??? For what????
 
There have only be two releases of the iPhone, and only one was an update.

Some people just like to have the latest stuff, it's not confined to the iPhone.

And btw, the iPhone update last year brought 3G to that device, a considerable update for many, as it offers better speed.

And I would like to have that phone too, but not until it is offered without contract and at prices below 600€.
 
wfiphone said:
Some things I don't understand. Why do so many people feel the need to buy the new Iphone every year or every two years.

I treat my Iphone 3G as a longterm device I'll be using for the next four years.

Why? It has everything I need and use:

Push Email
Web Browser with 3G speeds which is PLENTY fast
Phone
Calendar
Good Enough Camera
Music
Facebook & Twitter

This is all I use on my Iphone. I don't even have but a few apps.

How does it make sense to get the new one every time a new one comes out??? For what????
Click to expand...

Same could be said for any phone. People feel that when they get that you are eligible for upgrade notice that they must upgrade. Or they think that they need to be in a contract to keep their cell service.
Apple fans already upgrade practically anytime new Apple gear comes out. A phone wouldn't be any different. Plus it appears that most people opted to wait it out on the first phone. While some of us that got the first phone have waited out on the second one.
 
And some people drive Honda Civics for 10 years...

Within the next four years, as webpage sizes increase, your "pretty fast" internet will become slower and slower. The iPhone camera quality will become even LESS acceptable. The lack of memory/RAM/graphics will prevent you from using more advanced Apps. Your plastic will eventually start cracking. But, if you at least right now think you won't care about those things and more, congratulations I'm sure you will save tons of money. Well, not really since most people just sell their old iPhones anyways.
 
Ever think that some people might want the new iPhone each year?
It's not a crime to buy something you want.

Just because you buy your iPhone 3G as a long term device doesn't mean everyone else should.
And it definitely doesn't make the iPhone hype a "marketing scam."

Loosen up.
 
wfiphone said:
Some things I don't understand. Why do so many people feel the need to buy the new Iphone every year or every two years.

I treat my Iphone 3G as a longterm device I'll be using for the next four years.

Why? It has everything I need and use:

Push Email
Web Browser with 3G speeds which is PLENTY fast
Phone
Calendar
Good Enough Camera
Music
Facebook & Twitter

This is all I use on my Iphone. I don't even have but a few apps.

How does it make sense to get the new one every time a new one comes out??? For what????
Click to expand...
It's all a matter of personal preferences and choice.

Some people may feel they need things that you don't. You may feel you need things that other people don't. "Needing" is a very subjective phenomenon. One could even argue that there isn't even such thing as real need, when it comes to things like cell phones, for instance.

Anyways, all of this is only my opinion as you're expressing yours and I understand. What I really don't see is why you think there's a SCAM. People who choose to buy renew or buy new models of phones (or anything else) every year just do it because they really enjoy those kind of things. I don't know how the word "scam" really fits into all this. Everyone has a choice. You are the proof. You don't buy a phone every year...
 
Some people relish a particular cuisine, they must have it every month. Sushi, for some? Red meat, others.

Tech is not just neccessary a quantifiable object, measurable for some. It could be an interest, a hobby, a passion, even. You may find the man who blows 3k on his remote aeroplane a nut, but thats his interest? The other guy could spend 20K pimping up his car with rims, spoilers, tail lights, accoustics systems. It's all invidivual.

You should appreciate this fact and not lambast, or even start to query, at the very least.
 
It is not a "Marketing Scam" ... it is "Marketing" plain and simple. Marketing is what is done to make someone feel exactly the way that most people do about the iPhone. SO they succeeded in doing exactly their job. A marketing scam would be more like the way McDOnalds (or most fast food chains) represent their burgers on their commercials and then you get there and see what they actually look like. :rolleyes:

Kevin :apple:
 
Just because you can't watch an evening's worth of TV without seeing a commercial for an iPhone it doesn't mean its a scam. During that same evening of TV I'll see many fast food commercials, car commercials, ED, blood pressure medications.... Its not a scam, just an advertisement. Those companies are just trying to create interest in their products.

When I used Windows Mobile phones (for about 3 years up until about August of last year), I used to change phones every 3-4 months. The longest I went without switching was maybe 6 months. I've had my iPhone 3G for over 8 months now and may consider changing if and when a new version comes out that (to me) is worth upgrading for or I may stick with it for a while. It isn't hype or commercials that enticed me to change phones, it was features, form factor and performance that mattered.
 
By my mind the best marketing trick Apple has done in recent times is to get people to sign up to be a $99 developer program to get the 3.0 beta. It's so fiendishly wonderful. I'd love to know how much money they've raked in :)!
 
bradenwh said:
Ever think that some people might want the new iPhone each year?
It's not a crime to buy something you want.

Just because you buy your iPhone 3G as a long term device doesn't mean everyone else should.
And it definitely doesn't make the iPhone hype a "marketing scam."

Loosen up.
Click to expand...
What he said ^^^
I upgraded from the 2G iPhone to the 3G iPhone because I wanted the faster data speed as it suited my needs. It also kept the missus happy as she got the 2G iPhone. I may upgrade to the next iPhone depending on what it offers me above what I already have. That may just be a camera upgrade as the 2m pixel camera is pretty poor, depends. So was I SCAMmed?
 
I didn't buy the original iphone bc it didnt have everything i needed ie 3G browser.

I DIDNT get caught up in the hype. When the 2nd gen came out it suited my needs so i got one

Now i dont plan on buying one until AFTER my first two years in medical school bc when rotations start ill need a keyboard and will have to get a BB. But until then why in the world would i just get the new one when this one has literally more than i can use?

BB owners dont do this.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US) AppleWebKit/528.16 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Safari/528.16)

wfiphone said:
Some things I don't understand. Why do so many people feel the need to buy the new Iphone every year or every two years.

I treat my Iphone 3G as a longterm device I'll be using for the next four years.

Why? It has everything I need and use:

Push Email
Web Browser with 3G speeds which is PLENTY fast
Phone
Calendar
Good Enough Camera
Music
Facebook & Twitter

This is all I use on my Iphone. I don't even have but a few apps.

How does it make sense to get the new one every time a new one comes out??? For what????
Click to expand...

Because maybe, just *maybe* other people have different needs & wants than you?
 
The "Continuous Upgrade Syndrome" can be applied to a number of products i.e. 'phones, computers, cameras, cars etc.

As an oversimplification, the buying public can be split into two categories - The "Professionals" and "The Hobbyists". The Professionals (or enthusiastic amateurs) use their equipment in order to facilitate their occupational/hobby requirements. This group tend to hang onto their equipment longer because it is simply a tool of their job.

On the other hand, generally speaking, the remaining group don't really need their equipment, they either use it as a status symbol, an ego booster, something to "keep up with the Joneses" or as a "big boy's toy", etc. etc. This group is more prone to "upgrading"

The Companies that market these products just love the latter group - they know they have a ready-made market awaiting their next model!

In the final analysis, it all comes down to personal choice and requirements. Generally speaking, we all have a free choice. We usually don't have to buy any of these items. Our choices may not be agreed with by some people, but so what - that's what makes the World go round!
 
wfiphone said:
BB owners dont do this.
Click to expand...

You're kidding right? Have you seen how many different variations of Blackberrys there are? Do you think they would keep putting out different versions if RIM only relied on new customers? As has been said in this thread a few times, it's the gadget culture and I'm sure many of us are guilty of it. If you can afford to do so, then I don't see the big deal with it.
 
There are 2 iPhone 2G in my house, one that was purchased just 5 months before the 3G iPhone was introduced. We didn't feel that the addition of 3G was enough to warrant an upgrade. Might do it this summer if Apple introduces a new iPhone, but that depends on what the new model is like.
 
I dont really see how anyone can say that technology is a scam. Everyday there is something new, and that creates the ability to produce better and better devices.

If we did not advance we might still be trying to use square wheels.:)
 
As others have said .... its nothing to do with marketing ... i just WANT the new pending device purely cos it'll be faster, more capacious, have improved functions etc ... nothing what-so-ever to do with NEED ... i just want

Same with everything ... i replace my computers every year or two ... just because i want things to run faster and play the latest things ... i buy a new camera ... the old one takes perfectly fine pictures but i want newer features and specs

Not a scam ... just consumerism :)

Great that the current iPhone has everything YOU need and want .... doesn't mean its the same for everyone
 
wfiphone said:
I didn't buy the original iphone bc it didnt have everything i needed ie 3G browser.

I DIDNT get caught up in the hype. When the 2nd gen came out it suited my needs so i got one

Now i dont plan on buying one until AFTER my first two years in medical school bc when rotations start ill need a keyboard and will have to get a BB. But until then why in the world would i just get the new one when this one has literally more than i can use?

BB owners dont do this.
Click to expand...


Just so you know - your iPhone also has a keyboard.... ;)

And that's great YOU don't need a new iPhone when it comes out, but OTHER people do! :rolleyes:

Or maybe it's just a case that they WANT one! :rolleyes:
 
wfiphone said:
Some things I don't understand. Why do so many people feel the need to buy the new Iphone every year or every two years.

I treat my Iphone 3G as a longterm device I'll be using for the next four years.

Why? It has everything I need and use:

Push Email
Web Browser with 3G speeds which is PLENTY fast
Phone
Calendar
Good Enough Camera
Music
Facebook & Twitter

This is all I use on my Iphone. I don't even have but a few apps.

How does it make sense to get the new one every time a new one comes out??? For what????
Click to expand...

Some people want to upgrade to have the latest and greatest features. Just because you don't see the need doesn't mean that someone else doesn't.
 
1Zach1 said:
You're kidding right? Have you seen how many different variations of Blackberrys there are? Do you think they would keep putting out different versions if RIM only relied on new customers? As has been said in this thread a few times, it's the gadget culture and I'm sure many of us are guilty of it. If you can afford to do so, then I don't see the big deal with it.
Click to expand...

I know people who buy a new BB every time a new one comes out. They turn around and sell the old BB on ebay. I don't find anything wrong with it either. If you can afford it, go for it.
 
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