that makes little sense, why bother with a new release at all if it's just the same phone from last year? why not just keep the 17 around for another year?
To clarify, I agree with your advice to not upgrade yearly, I just don't think that's what Apple is shooting for, it's what Apple may be achieving by their lack of innovation and constant release of identical phones
I don’t know anyone these days who buys a new iPhone each year.
Used to be worth it, now they’re refreshes.
My 15promax is still spec and feature wise ahead of the current iphoneSE.
No idea if I’ll get the new one, maybe wait another year. Though the better camera is what I really want.
For clarity I think I’m dead smack in their demographic, I have expendable income and COULD buy a new phone each year, I’m in an Apple ecosystem and develop on Apple.
I don’t speak for everyone obviously, but I think it’s more of a meme and anti-apple/tech-tribalism that pushes the idea of “must consume new phone”
Android really pushes you to keep upgrading because the phones stop being supported, it’s wild. iPhones receive updates for quite some time. The iPhone 11 from pre-Covid is still marked as capable of ios27 so still receives updates.
Android flagships are now catching up with iPhone on support cycles but in hindsight it's wild to me how as a former Apple hater I along with a lot of other people also hated Apple for making their phones obsolete every few years by dropping support. Could've just googled to see how wrong I was lmao
I think the "you must have all the latest updates or you're a security risk" thing is a bit overblown, possibly by the companies themselves who want to make sure you install all their latest spyware.
I can promise you it isn’t. Security updates on a device that’s connected to the internet at all times is very important.
Because other manufacturers will make a new phone and you still need to compete with them for customers who want phones that year. People don't get their phones in uniform cycles and phones can die unexpectedly
Nobody should and most don't buy a phone every year. But there are still a lot of people buying new phones every year if that makes sense.
I mean, if my phone was 5 years old and I was to upgrade phone now and pick iPhone - it’d be 16 (mostly due to price). If it was to happen next year - it’d probably be 17 instead, and then then next upgrade would be 16 (or 17) + 5 (or how long you’re okay with old phone). So, there’s a bit more of convenience here than if releases were once in 5 years, even if you’re not being that one Apple fan everybody knows, who upgrades everything yearly.
I’m not actually sure about 17/18’s tho as their pricing was certainly affected by RAMpocalypse.
Phone should last 5+ years, but you'll be lucky if you get 3 or even 4 years out of it until it starts to crap out.
That's the reason I recently bought a fair phone. They promise updates until at least 2033. That's twice as long as any other manufacturer.
This is just not true, I am still using an iPhone 11 with 0 issues. No slowdowns or visual lag whatsoever.
I also still get access to the latest iOS updates while also getting the vast majority of features, excluding anything that the phones hardware physically cannot support. (generally only features that require an OLED screen or a powerful enough NPU)
Nah man, iPhones will last even longer than that. Swap the battery when it hits the 78% health mark and keep on trucking.
Mine is over 5 years old now and after considering upgrading, I just decided to buy a new battery and replace it. Much easier than most people realize but I have been fixing them for like 18 years now so maybe I’m biased.
I keep friends and family iPhones going until they just simply want to upgrade, not because of planned obsolescence or incompatibility. The former typically happens first…
So you’re saying swapping batteries out on a relatively undamaged phone when the time it’s needed doesn’t work? Or you just don’t think it works lol.
iPhones have the highest reliability of any other option. Which is why they retain their value so much better.
I’m still on an iPhone 12 with no issues
That may be true but unfortunately everyone on lemmy are as anti iPhone as they are anti fascists.
I also have an iPhone 11 with no issues but apparently that being a fact is not welcomed on the platform which is very silly.
To be fair many on Lemmy are very much pro-fascism too.
Iphones usually tend to last 5+ years easily, the battery is the only part that might crap out early.
But of course an easily repairable phone like the fair phone is even better. Unfortunate that it costs a premium compared to phones with similar specs. Repairable should be the default, not a niche offered by few manufacturers.
I can get a Xiaomi with the same SoC, higher display ppi (unfortunately also bigger display, they're WAY too big IMO) and otherwise similar specs as the 6+ for 435€, but it's 300€ if I'm willing to drop to 8 GB RAM (still 7s gen 4 so in comparison to the base 6 it has a newer SoC).
Fairphone wants 600 for the 6, 650 for the 6+.
I'm going to want your source for the Fairphone because if it's significantly cheaper than the 435€ Xiaomi with 12 gigs of RAM for a 6+, I'd buy it despite not even needing a new phone yet.
The iphoneSE at sub 400 bucks is a iphone15 pro and if you don’t NEED an upgrade but want a boost … that’s the way to go imo.
Same, it’s still going strong and I can usually get about two days of battery life out of it still. No reason to buy a new one.
Agreed. iPhones in particular continue to perform well for years. The upgrades from one year to the next are so minor that they probably wouldn’t be noticed by the average user. That said…both these colors are gorgeous.
I have mostly upgraded every 2 years. This year I didn’t need to, but I’m a huge power user and my phone would barely last a full day of me playing games and watching videos and being online. My battery capacity was at 89%, so 5% a year is expected for a power user. I just regularly charge it at my office desk, and I’m fine.
I upgraded this year because they claim it’s 40% better battery life. I can definitely feel is already. But I was also able to give my old phone to my GF, which she last upgraded in 2022, so it was more of a dual upgrade for both of us.
Phones are insanely good now
Correct
and can easily last 5+ years
Incorrect. Ever heard of planned obsolescence?
They've got that dystopian bullshit down to an exact science now and phones are one of the most affected product groups.
Which is one of the reasons why I'm contemplating getting a Fairphone when this Samsung monstrosity is finally paid off in a couple months.
Idk phones are a lot better these days. My 14 Pro is going very strong. I’m not to 5 years yet, but think it’s got 1-2 years left easily, maybe more.
The battery is definitely not as good as new, but it easily lasts a day, which is all you really need.
And no complaints about performance either. Honestly there’s nothing about the new phones that appeals to me.
It's correct. Planned obsolescence was a big problem, but it isnt anymore. Phones have software support for 7 years. I have had my current phone for nearly 4 years and it runs as fast as the day I bought it. I will take it through next year and probably the one after.
We kind of peaked with smartphones already. In the last 5 years, there hasnt been many big upgrades that people need. Phones are high quality, high performant, and unless you are playing games on them, they last all day.
The Fairphone is great. I'd recommend buying phones outright, if you can afford it, and getting a SIM only contract.
Phones have software support for 7 years
my previous phone was an extremely frustrating cheap piece of shit that barely had two years of updates. and i got it in 2024
moto g 5g 2024 in case anyone was wondering
“Phones” is debatable. Some do, many don’t. iPhone does typically, admittedly, but Samsung? If you don’t have a flagship phone, you’re liable to get only security updates in 4 or so years.
Many non-flagship devices from leading brands offer 5 years of security updates. Software support has only got better over the last few years with more and more offering longer support. Obviously if you want the longest support, you want something like a Fairphone, Pixel, Samsung Galaxy S or iPhone.
Planned obsolescence was a big problem, but it isnt anymore.
That's so far from true I'm not even sure how to begin explaining it to you 🤦🏻
Phones have software support for 7 years
That might be, but the hardware is designed to wear out. They start to degrade after a few months, a year if you're lucky.
have had my current phone for nearly 4 years and it runs as fast as the day I bought it
We kind of peaked with smartphones already
Yeah, probably. If you weren't wrong about planned obsolescence, I would probably still have the one I got before this one or the one before that.
The Fairphone is great
Yeah, I'm definitely sold on the phone itself. What makes me still hesitate is compatibility issues with certain apps that are absolutely essential to function in modern society and demand "genuine" (read: inside the corporate control of Google or Apple) hardware 😮💨
Not gonna happen for a long while. Even in the best of situations it is impossible to make connection across the pond, and you’ll run into many issues even in the mainland US where there is just too much land to cover properly. You’ve got limited hops, and the land masses of the US tend to be a major issue.
On top of that, it’s impossible to actually use it as anything more than texting that may never be received by your target.
Give it a few years and maybe but for now it’s mostly a novelty in my book.
"Version numbering is getting old. Let's call this one Time To Buy Your Phone Again!"
This is nearly every phone when compared to the most recent next model.
What about the super innovative, first ever, this changes everything AGAIN foldable iPhone?
I've said this before. If Steve Jobs comes back to life, he'd be hunting all the people responsible for designing the current crop of Apple products.
Also he would be a zombie. so yeah.
Not the point I'm making. I'm strictly talking about the design of the phone.
I've never bought or owned an iPhone but I think 4s may be the best looking one. New models just look ugly.
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You are not supposed to buy phones yearly, think of new models as refreshes for people in the market at that time. Phones are insanely good now and can easily last 5+ years. You don't need to upgrade!
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