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This is ignoring that people who upgrade often resell their phones, meaning they aren't just going into a landfill. People who want the latest can have it, whil

This is ignoring that people who upgrade often resell their phones, meaning they aren't just going into a landfill. People who want the latest can have it, while those who want a decent phone for cheap can pick one up used. Very few people buy something new and throw away the old, perfectly usable thing it is replacing.

CaptArmchair 6y ago
While re-use and recycling are important, this post addresses a different use: the issues associated with production of the latest line of devices themselves. When you sell your old phone while buying a new one, both phones have already been produced. The issues - e.g. water consumption, worker rights, pollution related to production and logistics,... - associated with the production of both devices have already happened. Reuse and recycling would only be a net positive if they replace the amount of new resources which are introduced into the entire production/consumption cycle, and reduce pollution. That's just not what is happening. What happens to old electronic devices? Their value is gradually written off until they are deemed worthless junk. What's fraction of originally manufactured and sold iPhone 4's is still in active use in 2020? How many are sitting idle somewhere in a drawer? How many ended up in landfills? How many ended up as exported waste to developing countries? A far more interesting question is this: Is the need to own the latest generation artificial? Is that need driven by the unveiling of latest new features and 'improvements'? Or does the latest generation solve fundamental new consumer demands which emerged independently of the product? As the poster poignantly asked: Does one really need to replace perfectly working devices just to do the exact same set of things every 18-24 months?
- nicbou 6y ago
  I nearly upgraded my S9 to a Pixel 5. My S9 has a cracked screen and my GPS UI is visibly burnt into the screen. Since my stand-alone camera fell apart, it's the only camera I have, and it's not good. Even then, the upgrade doesn't solve a 600€ problem. This expense has an abysmal Euro to pleasure ratio. It costs about the same to ride a motorcycle for a week in the Atlas mountains. I cancelled my preorder. I think I can wait a year or two still. When you have some spare money, it's easy to start shopping for ways to spend it. It's good to remind yourself that you sold hours of your life to earn that money.
  - hellisothers 6y ago
    True but are you actually going to drive a motorcycle in the mountains for a week? And if you are, can does that actually preclude you from buying the phone? I could probably fly to Paris instead of buying an iPhone, but that’s just a datapoint.
    - nicbou 6y ago
      In my case, yes. It was amazing. You can substitute motorcycle travels with something that will bring you more joy than a slightly better phone. If you're lucky, you can have both. Even then, wouldn't it be nice to shave a week or two off your retirement age here and there? How much time at the office is a flagship phone worth?
m463 6y ago
Many families have hand-me-down phones/clothes/vehicles/computers/...

CaptArmchair 6y ago

While re-use and recycling are important, this post addresses a different use: the issues associated with production of the latest line of devices themselves. When you sell your old phone while buying a new one, both phones have already been produced. The issues - e.g. water consumption, worker rights, pollution related to production and logistics,... - associated with the production of both devices have already happened. Reuse and recycling would only be a net positive if they replace the amount of new resources which are introduced into the entire production/consumption cycle, and reduce pollution. That's just not what is happening. What happens to old electronic devices? Their value is gradually written off until they are deemed worthless junk. What's fraction of originally manufactured and sold iPhone 4's is still in active use in 2020? How many are sitting idle somewhere in a drawer? How many ended up in landfills? How many ended up as exported waste to developing countries? A far more interesting question is this: Is the need to own the latest generation artificial? Is that need driven by the unveiling of latest new features and 'improvements'? Or does the latest generation solve fundamental new consumer demands which emerged independently of the product? As the poster poignantly asked: Does one really need to replace perfectly working devices just to do the exact same set of things every 18-24 months?

nicbou 6y ago
I nearly upgraded my S9 to a Pixel 5. My S9 has a cracked screen and my GPS UI is visibly burnt into the screen. Since my stand-alone camera fell apart, it's the only camera I have, and it's not good. Even then, the upgrade doesn't solve a 600€ problem. This expense has an abysmal Euro to pleasure ratio. It costs about the same to ride a motorcycle for a week in the Atlas mountains. I cancelled my preorder. I think I can wait a year or two still. When you have some spare money, it's easy to start shopping for ways to spend it. It's good to remind yourself that you sold hours of your life to earn that money.
- hellisothers 6y ago
  True but are you actually going to drive a motorcycle in the mountains for a week? And if you are, can does that actually preclude you from buying the phone? I could probably fly to Paris instead of buying an iPhone, but that’s just a datapoint.
  - nicbou 6y ago
    In my case, yes. It was amazing. You can substitute motorcycle travels with something that will bring you more joy than a slightly better phone. If you're lucky, you can have both. Even then, wouldn't it be nice to shave a week or two off your retirement age here and there? How much time at the office is a flagship phone worth?

m463 6y ago

Many families have hand-me-down phones/clothes/vehicles/computers/...