If you went back in time to the sixties and said you spent several months disposable income on an electronic device that you only expect to work for a couple of

If you went back in time to the sixties and said you spent several months disposable income on an electronic device that you only expect to work for a couple of years with zero ability to repair, they would think you were mad. The current scheme is designed to extract our disposable income as much as possible. You are given a trivially better deal by Apple, but it’s still very much a raw deal. Can you really choose not to have a smartphone? No. It’s a necessity of modern life just as a car is for many. This tilts the balance in favor of the manufacturer, you’ll buy one anyway.