Other What’s the real reason for upgrading?

[Andeddu]

The reality is that people are replacing their phones purely because they want something new and for no other legitimate reason. Much of the time they’re forced to replace the battery or replace their phone and they use the cost of the battery replacement as an excuse to replace their entire device. I have been guilty of this many times in the past because of my love of new technology.

I regularly use an SE1 and 6S (with fresh OEM batteries) and they perform well in 2024.

My iPhone 8, which received an Apple battery replacement last week, is very slick on iOS 16 and can do pretty much anything an iPhone 15 can do without much of a noticeable difference in performance.

An iPhone 12 is as good as anything that’s available today and will be until around 2026.

The consumer based society in which we live is a throwaway and shallow world view which results in so much needless waste.

I shake my head every time I see someone claim that they need a slightly better camera module as the camera in an 11/12 is as good as a regular person will ever require. If you’re not a professional photographer then you should learn how to use a camera properly before using it as a throwaway excuse to spend $1200+ on a marginally better phone. Some of the best photos I’ve ever seen were taken on an iPhone 12 or prior. This includes 4K video footage as proven by top YouTubers such as Marques Brownlee.

The user is almost always the limitation, not the technology. Learn to use what you have rather than purchasing something that’s better. If your photographs are not good, you are the problem.

I used to get excited when purchasing a new phone but when I got my iPhone 13, in Jan 2023, it was a shallow and mundane experience as it replaced an iPhone 12 Mini which was identical in every way other than in size. I just popped on the new case, spent 10 minutes setting it up, and got on with my day. The same would be true if I were to replace my iPhone 13 with an iPhone 15 or upcoming iPhone 16.

We’ve reached peak smartphone now so just learn to use what you’ve got and don’t replace anything unless it’s a necessity to do so.

If you genuinely love new tech and get a buzz every time you unbox a new device, keep on doing what you’re doing… just don’t upgrade because you’re going through the motions and you feel like “it’s time” to upgrade.

So why do you guys upgrade? Is there a legitimate reason for it given that there are so many great SIM only contracts available? Do you actually still get a kick when unboxing and handling the newest tech? I am only having a rant because I don’t think there is much to add to current smartphones. The AI gimmick people are using as an excuse to upgrade to the iPhone 16 is laughable also. I also saw someone using a “better camera module” as an excuse to upgrade to an iPhone 16 Pro which made me giggle.

I am not telling anyone how to spend their own money because it’s theirs to do with as they wish, I am just genuinely interested in what motivates individuals to purchase the same tech every 1-3 years with no rational motivation for doing so.

 

[BotchQue]

I don't surf/bank/purchase with my phone, just use it for texting, phone calls and google maps. Therefore I only upgrade when I have to: my original Motorola flip-phone just quit working, my cheap Android/Tracfone had to be replaced when 2G went away, and I bought a cheaper SE v2 (having the camera is nice); I'll replace the battery when I need to, and won't upgrade until I have to (4G support goes away?).
But I realize I'm in the minority.

 

[eyoungren]

I upgrade when I get tired of making do with workarounds. There are certain things I use (such as my banking apps) that at a certain point demand that I be on a current version of iOS. THAT demands certain models of iPhone.

It's a slow (3.5 to 5.5 year) process, but it's inexorable. And it's not just iPhones. I am typing this message in on a 2009 MacPro 4,1 (upgraded to 5,1 via firmware) that is running Monterey. I only completely became Intel-based in 2020. My current iPhone (11 Pro Max) was not purchased until 2021.

I don't plan on upgrading until the iPhone 17 series launches and it won't be to that phone. It'll most likely be to the 15PM. I learned a trick in 2021 by deciding that as long as I got what I wanted, upgrading to the latest didn't matter. And I got what I wanted. It also cost me less.

For basic functionality of a phone I could probably even just revert to my 2007 Sanyo Katana. But there are certain things I do like/use that require being on a certain minimum hardware. I try to keep either in the middle or lower end of that when it fits in to my price range.

But I expect that by next year my 11PM won't be getting iOS 19 and that's usually the indicator for me that it's time to upgrade.

PS. iPads are different for me. My current iPad is the 6th gen.

 

[russell_314]

The reality is that people are replacing their phones purely because they want something new and for no other legitimate reason.

Yes and why is that bad?

Much of the time they’re forced to replace the battery or replace their phone and they use the cost of the battery replacement as an excuse to replace their entire device. I have been guilty of this many times in the past because of my love of new technology.

I don’t think anyone is being forced to do anything. I think the correct word is they need to replace the battery. Replacing the whole phone for $799+ is silly because not wanting to spend $99 on a battery replacement. I agree some people use it as an excuse though.

I regularly use an SE1 and 6S (with fresh OEM batteries) and they perform well in 2024.

Yes they work but lack a modern camera and battery life.

The consumer based society in which we live is a throwaway and shallow world view which results in so much needless waste.

I totally agree. People are wasteful. We need more recycling too.

I shake my head every time I see someone claim that they need a slightly better camera module as the camera in an 11/12 is as good as a regular person will ever require. If you’re not a professional photographer then you should learn how to use a camera properly before using it as a throwaway excuse to spend $1200+ on a marginally better phone. Some of the best photos I’ve ever seen were taken on an iPhone 12 or prior. This includes 4K video footage as proven by top YouTubers such as Marques Brownlee.

Totally true but people like new stuff. We all would be perfectly fine driving a 2010 Toyota Corolla but not everyone wants to do that.

I am just genuinely interested in what motivates individuals to purchase the same tech every 1-3 years with no rational motivation for doing so.

Habit? Also in the USA many people pay their phones off in 24-36 monthly payments so once it’s paid off they’re eligible to upgrade

 

[eyoungren]

Yes they work but lack a modern camera…

This is where OP and I diverge with you. While I don't agree with everything OP stated, for me personally a 'modern camera' is not a deciding factor in upgrading.

I'm not a pro photographer. And for personal reasons both my wife and I and our two children detest having our pictures taken. We have pictures of our kids of course, at all the important life events. But we don't need a 'modern camera' for that.

Largely for the second reason, my primary purpose for taking pictures is to send them to my wife. See, it's me that's usually at the store getting stuff. And I need to know which 'thing' my wife wants me to bring home. So, a picture gets taken and sent to her.

99 percent of the pictures in my camera roll consist of things sitting on Walmart's shelves for purchase and screenshots/photos taken to be uploaded here on MacRumors. So, I really don't consider a 'modern camera' as a necessity when this is all I DO with a 'modern camera'.

None of this is to say that your argument is not legit. It's just not MY argument and has no bearing on why I upgrade.

 

[Andeddu]

Yes and why is that bad?

It’s bad if they are doing it without thinking. I have several friends who are not tech enthusiasts who replaced their iPhone 13/14s for no specific reason other than it has become an ingrained habit to replace their phones after a certain number of years.

Yes they work but lack a modern camera and battery life.

The iPhone SE1/6S have a similar battery life to the SE2/SE3. The cameras are good in daylight however are dire in low light environments.

Totally true but people like new stuff. We all would be perfectly fine driving a 2010 Toyota Corolla but not everyone wants to do that.

Not exactly what I was trying to say. I would never criticise someone wanting to replace an iPhone 8 with an iPhone 15 because the upgrades are tangible albeit still superficial. Upgrading an iPhone 12 to an iPhone 15, however, is like replacing a 2020 BMW M1 Series Sport with a 2024 BMW M1 Series Sport. Pointless.

Habit? Also in the USA many people pay their phones off in 24-36 monthly payments so once it’s paid off they’re eligible to upgrade

It is a habit which is being perpetuated by our consumer based society, which I have explained. We replace working devices that don’t need replaced with new devices for no reason because we’ve been indoctrinated by the culture.

 

[Andeddu]

I upgrade when I get tired of making do with workarounds. There are certain things I use (such as my banking apps) that at a certain point demand that I be on a current version of iOS. THAT demands certain models of iPhone.

It's a slow (3.5 to 5.5 year) process, but it's inexorable. And it's not just iPhones. I am typing this message in on a 2009 MacPro 4,1 (upgraded to 5,1 via firmware) that is running Monterey. I only completely became Intel-based in 2020. My current iPhone (11 Pro Max) was not purchased until 2021.

I don't plan on upgrading until the iPhone 17 series launches and it won't be to that phone. It'll most likely be to the 15PM. I learned a trick in 2021 by deciding that as long as I got what I wanted, upgrading to the latest didn't matter. And I got what I wanted. It also cost me less.

For basic functionality of a phone I could probably even just revert to my 2007 Sanyo Katana. But there are certain things I do like/use that require being on a certain minimum hardware. I try to keep either in the middle or lower end of that when it fits in to my price range.

But I expect that by next year my 11PM won't be getting iOS 19 and that's usually the indicator for me that it's time to upgrade.

PS. iPads are different for me. My current iPad is the 6th gen.

I use banking apps and trading apps on my no longer supported iPhone 6S on iOS 15.8. These devices are being supported by third-party apps for much longer than I originally anticipated given that they stopped being supported by Apple in 2021.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I regularly use an SE1

Same -- My only wish is that I could downgrade the iOS
It ran even better on versions before iOS 15, where most of mine are now stuck on forever

(I have about 6 of them IIRC)

 

[Apple_Robert]

Looks like the OP doesn’t like how other people spend their money on Apple products. Stop wasting time worrying about what others do.

 

[eyoungren]

Not exactly what I was trying to say. I would never criticise someone wanting to replace an iPhone 8 with an iPhone 15 because the upgrades are tangible albeit still superficial. Upgrading an iPhone 12 to an iPhone 15, however, is like replacing a 2020 BMW M1 Series Sport with a 2024 BMW M1 Series Sport. Pointless.

For the most part I agree with your original post, but now we're off in an area where I consider the argument to be 'need' vs 'want'. And that's where (if you've spent any time around this section of MR) I typically go off.

However, without rehashing where I stand and why, this time around I will simply say that for myself I get what I want because I want it. I can't always get it when I want but I've heard the phrase "You always get what you want" often enough in my life. Now if need happens to be satisfied (and it almost always is) then great.

If I'm buying something simply because I 'need' it you can bet I don't actually give a flying-f about what I'm buying.

My wife has accused me of owning multiple hammers and pump-pliers because I forget where I left them and just go buy a new one. I leave all my Macs and PCs running 24/7 at full power with no sleep because I don't want to wait for them to boot. It's what I want. And I don't whine about the electric bill because that's the price of what I want.

If you're a needs only based person who has to justify every purchase, that's your thing. Just not mine.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Honestly, Apple is the one keeping me from upgrading more often than I do, as they refuse to make any iPhones that aren't big, bigger and huge

I'm almost a reluctant phone user at this point
It's a communication and "get things done" tool for me ... no games, no casino Apps, no social media ... no BS

One thing I do a ton is long walks every day with music and/or podcasts, for which I use an SE1 (not my 13 Mini) as it's lightweight and thin and small (vs my 13 Mini, which is relatively a brick in comparison)

It's why I'm so frustrated that Apple won't make a smaller more stripped down device for those of us who need the most minimal iOS experience that is simply "up to date" for App support, etc

I could probably get by with a "phone" based off WatchOS at this point (it would need a bit more than WatchOS currently offers)

 

[Andeddu]

Looks like the OP doesn’t like how other people spend their money on Apple products. Stop wasting time worrying about what others do.

From the OP - “I am not telling anyone how to spend their own money because it’s theirs to do with as they wish, I am just genuinely interested in what motivates individuals to purchase the same tech every 1-3 years with no rational motivation for doing so.”

 

[Andeddu]

For the most part I agree with your original post, but now we're off in an area where I consider the argument to be 'need' vs 'want'. And that's where (if you've spent any time around this section of MR) I typically go off.

However, without rehashing where I stand and why, this time around I will simply say that for myself I get what I want because I want it. I can't always get it when I want but I've heard the phrase "You always get what you want" often enough in my life. Now if need happens to be satisfied (and it almost always is) then great.

If I'm buying something simply because I 'need' it you can bet I don't actually give a flying-f about what I'm buying.

My wife has accused me of owning multiple hammers and pump-pliers because I forget where I left them and just go buy a new one. I leave all my Macs and PCs running 24/7 at full power with no sleep because I don't want to wait for them to boot. It's what I want. And I don't whine about the electric bill because that's the price of what I want.

If you're a needs only based person who has to justify every purchase, that's your thing. Just not mine.

I did say in my OP that if someone wanted to replace their iPhone 15 Pro with an iPhone 16 Pro they could certainly do so as that would constitute a conscious decision. My problem is that a lot of phones get replaced unconsciously as people hop from one contract to a completely new contract without ever thinking about obtaining a battery replacement and switching to a SIM only deal.

 

[Cayden]

I personally just like upgrading every year. It’s fun to be excited about the rumors, seeing what features the new phone has, preordering, etc. I use my phone more than any other device, so I also like always having all the new features available to me and never needing to worry about battery life. I live over an hour away from an Apple Store, so getting battery replacements can be a headache. I also have the disposable income to get something I enjoy using, so I like doing it.

I don’t do this with devices I don’t use as much (still have a 2015 MacBook, Series 4 Apple Watch, and 2016 iPad Pro), so it’s definitely a conscious decision to get the new phone each year. I’ve gotten a new phone every year since the 5S (mainly using the iPhone upgrade program since it came out).

 

[Andeddu]

Honestly, Apple is the one keeping me from upgrading more often than I do, as they refuse to make any iPhones that aren't big, bigger and huge

I'm almost a reluctant phone user at this point
It's a communication and "get things done" tool for me ... no games, no casino Apps, no social media ... no BS

One thing I do a ton is long walks every day with music and/or podcasts, for which I use an SE1 (not my 13 Mini) as it's lightweight and thin and small (vs my 13 Mini, which is relatively a brick in comparison)

It's why I'm so frustrated that Apple won't make a smaller more stripped down device for those of us who need the most minimal iOS experience that is simply "up to date" for App support, etc

I could probably get by with a "phone" based off WatchOS at this point (it would need a bit more than WatchOS currently offers)

I am completely with you. If Apple could just give us 1 more SE in the style of a 5S, I would be so happy. I have 2 Gold SE1s (32gb & 16gb) and they feel much more usable to me than my 13 which is comically large in comparison.

 

[turbineseaplane]

When I go to an SE1 from my 13 Mini, it's like a sigh of relief

It's so light and fits in my hand so perfectly ... and in my pocket it's far less noticeable

It's so obvious to me how "bigger" ≠ "better" here
The whole situation is super subjective

 

[thegerman]

Upgrading every year f* the world harder and harder. The consumer society will end the life of the world. So for me, keeping your stuff as long as possible. Other than that upgrading after 3 years is also good in my eyes.

 

[eyoungren]

I did say in my OP that if someone wanted to replace their iPhone 15 Pro with an iPhone 16 Pro they could certainly do so as that would constitute a conscious decision. My problem is that a lot of phones get replaced unconsciously as people hop from one contract to a completely new contract without ever thinking about obtaining a battery replacement and switching to a SIM only deal.

Oh I know. That's largely why I refrained from going off. You've already qualified yourself and made it clear that you aren't telling people what to do with their own money.

And I do agree that people often make unthinking decisions. Critical thinking seems to to be a largely forgotten skill as of late.

But my point was simply that I never let need get in the way of what I want. If Apple were to release some device I actually wanted today, heaven and earth would be moved because I want it. It's not justifiable (not that I need to justify my decisions) or necessary and might simply be me reacting in an unthinking manner.

But again, that's just me.

 

[VisceralRealist]

For me, it's about wanting to try new features that I haven't yet had access to. My personal rule is that I will upgrade around every two years. Less than that feels unnecessary, but more than that and I start to want something new. It is most relevant with phones because they get the most usage and they change most frequently. I will be upgrade my 13 Pro to a 16 Pro this fall. It will be my first phone with the Dynamic Island (something I can actually see a benefit to, especially in losing those annoying pop-ups that take up the entire screen) and I'm looking forward to testing out the new AI features that will not be available to my current phone.

My MacBook Pro I've had for almost three years now and I will likely not upgrade until the design is changed. My motive for upgrading would be to have a thinner, lighter device.

 

[eyoungren]

I personally just like upgrading every year. It’s fun to be excited about the rumors, seeing what features the new phone has, preordering, etc.

I used to feel this way. The reason I stopped feeling that way was because after the iPhone 5 Apple stopped offering features in a phone I actually wanted or use.

And for the record, my MacPro is the single device I use the most. My phone(s) are the least used.

 

[Shirasaki]

I did my recent upgrade for one reason, and one reason only: my network provider permanently shuts down 3G networks, and my devices were impacted. I’m going to upgrade to iPhone 16 Pro Max in the coming months for reaching instalment payment sweet spot. Other than that, I have way passed the age where shiny new would entertain me for days or even weeks. I buy to get things done, and that’s it.

I do enjoy new devices and enjoy new features, whether I make full use of it or not. But I don’t have thousands to burn every year pointlessly. So here we are, upgrading after 5 years.

 

[iObama]

It used to be every two years, but I'm getting older and phones are getting better – I don't care as much anymore.

However, there's no way in hell I'd use an iPhone that doesn't support the latest OS. That's just asking for security issues.

 

[turbineseaplane]

there's no way in hell I'd use an iPhone that doesn't support the latest OS. That's just asking for security issues.

I see this opinion bandied about and I often wonder how much of an issue it really is.

What sort of security concern do you mean?

Something on the web and an issue with Safari?

Surely not the Apps, as those are vetted the same no matter what the target iOS version

Also, even my SE1s (still on iOS 15) have continued getting occasional security update pushes from Apple. Last one was just back in March 2024

 

[mpetrides]

I personally just like upgrading every year. It’s fun to be excited about the rumors, seeing what features the new phone has, preordering, etc. I use my phone more than any other device, so I also like always having all the new features available to me and never needing to worry about battery life. I live over an hour away from an Apple Store, so getting battery replacements can be a headache. I also have the disposable income to get something I enjoy using, so I like doing it.

I, too, like upgrading every year but the cost has gotten too high for me. So I upgrade every two years because by then the new features invariably include something I'd really like. This year it was the ability to record spatial video and photos on the iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max which isn't available on my current 14 Pro Max. That's desirable for me so I can view them on my Vision Pro but not enough on its own to justify the cost of upgrading (especially since I didn't get the AVP until mid-cycle in February). So I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of the 16 Pro/Pro Max models.

OP is correct about one thing, it's a WANT not a NEED. And that's OK. It's how I choose to spend my discretionary funds. YMMV.

An aside: I live 2.5-3 hours from the nearest Apple Store, so everything (buying, repairing) is a giant hassle. C'mon Apple, isn't it time you open an Apple Store somewhere in Vermont. Not one Apple Store in the entire state STILL???? Really?????

 

[SmakFairy]

Cameras. My phone is the most accessible still and video camera, from portability to capture to editing and sharing. Using a mirrorless is 10x the effort and time, so I rarely use it.

I get lots of value out of my 12 Pro, but I will upgrade at some point for IBIS (esp for video), better image quality, and faster processing. Massively irritated at the feature holes Apple preserves to trickle out features every year - still no IBIS on long lens, bad image quality on ultrawide, fixed 5x telephoto (soon to poison the smaller Pro) - which hamper the value proposition and motivate me to keep the 12 a bit longer.

Literally nothing else about the newer phones is even remotely relevant to my life.