4 ms·

Do people have to "upgrade" constantly? Shouldn't the iPhone get at least a little bit better every year, even if no one "upgrades"? I often use my devices for

by saurik 2y ago

Do people have to "upgrade" constantly? Shouldn't the iPhone get at least a little bit better every year, even if no one "upgrades"? I often use my devices for years until they break in some way, and then I get a new one... is it really so wrong that the 2024 model is only better in ways you don't care about from the 2023 model?

pazimzadeh 2y ago
you don't have to upgrade, but it used to be tempting
- TillE 2y ago
  Smartphone development was super fast from the iPhone 2G to the iPhone XS, give or take. Now the technology has basically caught up to the vision. It's just a portable computer, and people don't buy new computers every year or two.
  - pazimzadeh 2y ago
    I don't think anything after the 6S or 7 was that impressive. The X's form factor was cool, that's about it. I was annoyed that they took out the force sensor/3D touch. It's not just the phone though, you would think by now they would release a smaller watch with round face. In the iPod era we got a new form factor almost every year. You didn't have to buy it, but you had the choice. Now if I want a round watch I have to buy from google, which doesn't work with my iPhone?
nox101 2y ago
Apple often gates features on model number. They'll make up some BS about needing the power of the newer model to do X but they'll be plenty of demos of doing X on various platforms with less power. Not saying I need those new features. Only that Apple's incentives are to try to get you to buy the new phone so they are incentivised to gate several software only features to try to get you to upgrade.
whycome 2y ago
Especially when the upgrade cadence is just one year. It’s not a PS5 or whatever. Like any evolution, the year over year changes shouldn’t be that drastic
- dylan604 2y ago
  If Sony was able to keep their console upgrade cadence at this same rate, we'd be playing games in holograms by now
4dm1r4lg3n3r4l 2y ago
Exactly. Them releasing a new model every year with small, incremental updates is not for people to upgrade from the latest model (although it is obvious Apple tries to frame the newer models as large upgrades, they haven’t been that for the past 5 or so years), but rather for people who have been wanting to upgrade for a while from their 3-4-5 year old iPhones, and whenever they do they get the latest and greatest. Would the new models feel bigger upgrades if Apple only released one every 2-3 year? Sure. Would that be better for the average consumer looking to upgrade from whatever iPhone they have? Not sure. Incremental updates are nice IMO, stop caring about them if your iPhone is less than 3 year old…
- tpmoney 2y ago
  >although it is obvious Apple tries to frame the newer models as large upgrades, they haven’t been that for the past 5 or so years It does feel like there's a small degree of "they can't win" here though. They caught a bit of flack last release cycle for comparing the M3 and M4 chips to the M1s and M2s. Either they can compare to the old ones and people gripe about them hiding the fact that the new releases are incremental, or they compare to the current models and people complain that the releases are incremental. >Would the new models feel bigger upgrades if Apple only released one every 2-3 year? Sure. Would that be better for the average consumer looking to upgrade from whatever iPhone they have? Not sure. Incremental updates are nice IMO, stop caring about them if your iPhone is less than 3 year old… I do find it funny that the industry that gave us "rolling release linux" and "dependabot" is full of so many people that hate incremental hardware release cycles.
spike021 2y ago
My personal upgrade cycle has been every 4 or so years for the last few iPhones. You really don't need to upgrade more often. I'm on a 12 Pro and I only want to upgrade to get more memory and faster processors. My current phone easily pages apps out of memory too often these days and it gets a bit tiring. Also, I already replaced the battery once after 1.5 years and the current battery is already back to about the same health/capacity as the first one was in the same amount of time.
- BeFlatXIII 2y ago
  The only reason I feel pressure to upgrade my 11 is due to Pokémon Go ruining the battery (again). Will try to snag a used 13 Pro Max on the secondhand sites in a few weeks.
- cmcaleer 2y ago
  I’m on the same model and find it completely fine. The only thing I want is USBC. I keep saying “next year’s model will have some killer feature that’ll make it worth ditching my lightning cable finally”, and Apple keep giving me no reason to upgrade.
- bschwindHN 2y ago
  I'm on the original SE and it still works completely fine for what I need it for. Literally haven't bought a new phone since January 2017.
dylan604 2y ago
They mentioned giving up to $800-$1000 for trade in for an iPhone 12 or newer. That's pretty aggressive on a device that's $999-$1199 list. It sounds like they are really wanting people to upgrade to this device.
- lyall 2y ago
  It's "Up to $800" for an "iPhone 12 or newer". You won't get more than $200 for trading in an iPhone 12. The max value is reserved for the newest and highest end phones, i.e. 15 Pro Max.
  - spdif899 2y ago
    Yep - for example my 256gb 15 Pro is quoted at $520 for trade in
- shmoogy 2y ago
  Because you need more ram for apple intelligence and they'll probably assume people will buy more services when they start adding to icloud
macintux 2y ago
If the iPhone was radically better every single year, people would be complaining about e-waste instead.
- makeitdouble 2y ago
  It was radically better every year for a while. We complained about lockin and the uselessness once the older devices falls off the Apple support list, as repairs became a huge PITA (full swing anti-repair design at the time), and rooting the phones didn't help much as the jailbreaking scene was kneecapped compared to android's alternative stores.
grimgrin 2y ago
Dunno exactly what my dance is but more than once I’ve found myself getting on the upgrade program, but not upgrading on the 12 month opportunity and instead paying it off over the next 12. If it has a crack I’ll do a last minute applecare swap while I got it. Cool, new old phone for another cycle
dbbk 2y ago
No, most people shouldn't be upgrading constantly. But Apple does a least encourage this somewhat with their Upgrade Program.
- madeofpalk 2y ago
  It's not surprising that a company tries to sell you a product.
  - dbbk 2y ago
    They don't offer this program for literally anything else they make.
    - kaba0 2y ago
      Because they actually refurbish those devices. It only makes sense for devices that are out there in very large numbers - most of their other products are owned by vastly smaller target groups.
zarzavat 2y ago
It comes to something when a $160 Xiaomi has the features that OP wants though. Apple drip feeds features, they have realized that their business relies of making small incremental improvements to the iPhone every year so they hold back features that are bog standard in the more competitive Android world and then make a big fuss when they add it to the iPhone.

by saurik 2y ago

pazimzadeh 2y ago

you don't have to upgrade, but it used to be tempting

TillE 2y ago
Smartphone development was super fast from the iPhone 2G to the iPhone XS, give or take. Now the technology has basically caught up to the vision. It's just a portable computer, and people don't buy new computers every year or two.
- pazimzadeh 2y ago
  I don't think anything after the 6S or 7 was that impressive. The X's form factor was cool, that's about it. I was annoyed that they took out the force sensor/3D touch. It's not just the phone though, you would think by now they would release a smaller watch with round face. In the iPod era we got a new form factor almost every year. You didn't have to buy it, but you had the choice. Now if I want a round watch I have to buy from google, which doesn't work with my iPhone?

nox101 2y ago

Apple often gates features on model number. They'll make up some BS about needing the power of the newer model to do X but they'll be plenty of demos of doing X on various platforms with less power. Not saying I need those new features. Only that Apple's incentives are to try to get you to buy the new phone so they are incentivised to gate several software only features to try to get you to upgrade.

whycome 2y ago

Especially when the upgrade cadence is just one year. It’s not a PS5 or whatever. Like any evolution, the year over year changes shouldn’t be that drastic

dylan604 2y ago
If Sony was able to keep their console upgrade cadence at this same rate, we'd be playing games in holograms by now

4dm1r4lg3n3r4l 2y ago

Exactly. Them releasing a new model every year with small, incremental updates is not for people to upgrade from the latest model (although it is obvious Apple tries to frame the newer models as large upgrades, they haven’t been that for the past 5 or so years), but rather for people who have been wanting to upgrade for a while from their 3-4-5 year old iPhones, and whenever they do they get the latest and greatest. Would the new models feel bigger upgrades if Apple only released one every 2-3 year? Sure. Would that be better for the average consumer looking to upgrade from whatever iPhone they have? Not sure. Incremental updates are nice IMO, stop caring about them if your iPhone is less than 3 year old…

tpmoney 2y ago
>although it is obvious Apple tries to frame the newer models as large upgrades, they haven’t been that for the past 5 or so years It does feel like there's a small degree of "they can't win" here though. They caught a bit of flack last release cycle for comparing the M3 and M4 chips to the M1s and M2s. Either they can compare to the old ones and people gripe about them hiding the fact that the new releases are incremental, or they compare to the current models and people complain that the releases are incremental. >Would the new models feel bigger upgrades if Apple only released one every 2-3 year? Sure. Would that be better for the average consumer looking to upgrade from whatever iPhone they have? Not sure. Incremental updates are nice IMO, stop caring about them if your iPhone is less than 3 year old… I do find it funny that the industry that gave us "rolling release linux" and "dependabot" is full of so many people that hate incremental hardware release cycles.

spike021 2y ago

My personal upgrade cycle has been every 4 or so years for the last few iPhones. You really don't need to upgrade more often. I'm on a 12 Pro and I only want to upgrade to get more memory and faster processors. My current phone easily pages apps out of memory too often these days and it gets a bit tiring. Also, I already replaced the battery once after 1.5 years and the current battery is already back to about the same health/capacity as the first one was in the same amount of time.

BeFlatXIII 2y ago
The only reason I feel pressure to upgrade my 11 is due to Pokémon Go ruining the battery (again). Will try to snag a used 13 Pro Max on the secondhand sites in a few weeks.
cmcaleer 2y ago
I’m on the same model and find it completely fine. The only thing I want is USBC. I keep saying “next year’s model will have some killer feature that’ll make it worth ditching my lightning cable finally”, and Apple keep giving me no reason to upgrade.
bschwindHN 2y ago
I'm on the original SE and it still works completely fine for what I need it for. Literally haven't bought a new phone since January 2017.

dylan604 2y ago

They mentioned giving up to $800-$1000 for trade in for an iPhone 12 or newer. That's pretty aggressive on a device that's $999-$1199 list. It sounds like they are really wanting people to upgrade to this device.

lyall 2y ago
It's "Up to $800" for an "iPhone 12 or newer". You won't get more than $200 for trading in an iPhone 12. The max value is reserved for the newest and highest end phones, i.e. 15 Pro Max.
- spdif899 2y ago
  Yep - for example my 256gb 15 Pro is quoted at $520 for trade in
shmoogy 2y ago
Because you need more ram for apple intelligence and they'll probably assume people will buy more services when they start adding to icloud

macintux 2y ago

If the iPhone was radically better every single year, people would be complaining about e-waste instead.

makeitdouble 2y ago
It was radically better every year for a while. We complained about lockin and the uselessness once the older devices falls off the Apple support list, as repairs became a huge PITA (full swing anti-repair design at the time), and rooting the phones didn't help much as the jailbreaking scene was kneecapped compared to android's alternative stores.

grimgrin 2y ago

Dunno exactly what my dance is but more than once I’ve found myself getting on the upgrade program, but not upgrading on the 12 month opportunity and instead paying it off over the next 12. If it has a crack I’ll do a last minute applecare swap while I got it. Cool, new old phone for another cycle

dbbk 2y ago

No, most people shouldn't be upgrading constantly. But Apple does a least encourage this somewhat with their Upgrade Program.

madeofpalk 2y ago
It's not surprising that a company tries to sell you a product.
- dbbk 2y ago
  They don't offer this program for literally anything else they make.
  - kaba0 2y ago
    Because they actually refurbish those devices. It only makes sense for devices that are out there in very large numbers - most of their other products are owned by vastly smaller target groups.

zarzavat 2y ago

It comes to something when a $160 Xiaomi has the features that OP wants though. Apple drip feeds features, they have realized that their business relies of making small incremental improvements to the iPhone every year so they hold back features that are bog standard in the more competitive Android world and then make a big fuss when they add it to the iPhone.