We should all buy $1k phones and trade them annually

[ChpBstrd]

According to this article, it makes “financial sense” to buy the latest smartphone every year because one can get almost half (!) of the value back through trade-in sites if you can keep it in mint condition. The rationale is that you’re going to spend several hours per day staring at the thing, so you might as well drop $50/mo or so in depreciation for whatever extra life happiness the latest model offers compared to last year's.

https://apple.news/AGY_yTxxbSAu98mmMOBTegA

The cherry on top is the recommendation to go into consumer debt with an Apple CC to finance the phone for two years, and then “weasel out” of that at the one-year mark when it’s time to trade up again.

Do you think Apple paid the author or was the clickbait traffic from saying such a stupid thing sufficient?

[zolotiyeruki]

The title of the article ("Sorry, but you need to upgrade your phone every year now") should tell you everything you need to know. Yes, everybody, please be a good consumer sukka, because people have finally realized that getting the new shiny doesn't give the dopamine hit it once did!

A cell phone may be considered indispensable nowadays, but staring at it for several hours per day is 100% optional.

Maybe I'm getting old, but I haven't seen any exciting new features in a phone in several years.  Better cameras?  Sure, that's good. But gluing phones together and taking away features like replaceable batteries and SD card slots is a horrible trend that needs to die a fiery death.  I'm quite happy with a plastic, removable rear face on my phone, thankyouverymuch.

This part is particularly infuriating:

It's time to just keep your phones for a year. Period. Upgrade every year. As good as your old phone is. Because upgrading makes more economic sense.

More economic sense?  Compared to what?  Buying a phone every six months?

[joleran]

Maybe I'm getting old, but I haven't seen any exciting new features in a phone in several years.  Better cameras?  Sure, that's good. But gluing phones together and taking away features like replaceable batteries and SD card slots is a horrible trend that needs to die a fiery death.  I'm quite happy with a plastic, removable rear face on my phone, thankyouverymuch.

I saw someone with this crazy phone that has like two screens stacked on top of each other and you can flip them sideways and get a bunch of extra screen space and configure cool layouts.  First tech in a while that I was like "woah".  If it doesn't turn out to be fragile or unreliable, might be a good option in a couple of years when my used eBay phone approaches 5 years old from new.  I like buying flagship models that are coming up on being 2 generations old for around $300 and keeping them for 3-4 years as a compromise between neat tech and what-the-hell pricing.

[ChpBstrd]

Maybe I'm getting old, but I haven't seen any exciting new features in a phone in several years.  Better cameras?  Sure, that's good. But gluing phones together and taking away features like replaceable batteries and SD card slots is a horrible trend that needs to die a fiery death.  I'm quite happy with a plastic, removable rear face on my phone, thankyouverymuch.

I saw someone with this crazy phone that has like two screens stacked on top of each other and you can flip them sideways and get a bunch of extra screen space and configure cool layouts.  First tech in a while that I was like "woah".  If it doesn't turn out to be fragile or unreliable, might be a good option in a couple of years when my used eBay phone approaches 5 years old from new.  I like buying flagship models that are coming up on being 2 generations old for around $300 and keeping them for 3-4 years as a compromise between neat tech and what-the-hell pricing.

Ha! My phone is approaching 7 years old and is still at least as addictive as a well used crack pipe. That makes it a "good" phone.

I think what we're seeing is a lower value added for each incremental feature.

[Just Joe]

Maybe I'm getting old, but I haven't seen any exciting new features in a phone in several years.  Better cameras?  Sure, that's good. But gluing phones together and taking away features like replaceable batteries and SD card slots is a horrible trend that needs to die a fiery death.  I'm quite happy with a plastic, removable rear face on my phone, thankyouverymuch.

I saw someone with this crazy phone that has like two screens stacked on top of each other and you can flip them sideways and get a bunch of extra screen space and configure cool layouts.  First tech in a while that I was like "woah".  If it doesn't turn out to be fragile or unreliable, might be a good option in a couple of years when my used eBay phone approaches 5 years old from new.  I like buying flagship models that are coming up on being 2 generations old for around $300 and keeping them for 3-4 years as a compromise between neat tech and what-the-hell pricing.

Then you might be impressed by this: https://youtu.be/7Un2kSeWbHg
I might even own one of those in about a decade when they are cheap.

I'm driving an Asus Zenfone 3 ZOOM (2016). Nice tool. Someday I'll buy a newer version. Prob also when it's years old and cheap.

[cool7hand]

How come articles like this never analyze the lost opportunity of the money spent on whatever?

[Just Joe]

Because I assume all articles are advertising something. I figure the quality of most free articles are of dubious value.

[Chris Pascale]

Had to replace my phone. Haven't been able to hail an Uber (software wouldn't update) since about May, and then more recently I needed to Zoom with someone and couldn't download the app.

At the store they showed me the new phone, and just a couple spots down I saw one for $180. They tried to put insurance on it at $10/month, but a screen protector is good enough for me.

The other day I accidentally dropped it into the dog's water bowl. It's fine. My phone from 2015-2020 once spent about 15 minutes fully submerged and after a day in a bag of rice was fully functional.

How it was submerged for 15 minutes: I was driving the kids to school and I dropped it without realizing. Stepping out of my car, I almost gave it a 210 lb. stress test.

[Model96]

One day soon we will be paying for these phones in ways unimaginable.......a decent proportion of people have serious anxiety problems if their 'phone' isn't with them at all times.......

[Chris Pascale]

One day soon we will be paying for these phones in ways unimaginable.......a decent proportion of people have serious anxiety problems if their 'phone' isn't with them at all times.......

I'm worried about the immediate health effects. Canadian Broadcasting Channel (CBC) did a great piece on unusual tumor growth rates - mostly benign, but at a rate that is not normal.

Then there's our (1) posture and (2) radiation exposure [think we discussed this and some good links were provided that made me feel a little better about it]

POSTURE: Just as sitting at a desk is putting us in a different position than what our body has adapted to over millions of years, the sudden neck-down-to-phone is a big change, too.

RADIATION: That warmth is thermal heat (as opposed to chemical, electrical or laser). Is it bad for you? I have no idea.

[Chris Pascale]

One day soon we will be paying for these phones in ways unimaginable.......a decent proportion of people have serious anxiety problems if their 'phone' isn't with them at all times.......

How about the anxiety of people about when you don't have your phone on you?

As a test to see how I'd physically feel without my phone, I left it in my car for a month. I'd call and text and play Words with Friends, but only to/from work, and on my lunch break. This meant I was available from:

 - 6 to 7AM
 - 11 AM to noon
 - 3 PM until I got home

If I was teaching, the window was expanded.

For some people, you'd have thought I went totally off the grid. I actually had to say to someone, "No one gets 7-day access to me. Not even my kids."*

*My kids do get all-week access to me, but saying this got the point across .

[Just Joe]

Not being on Facebook can be like that with some folks. B/c I'm not there, I might as well be unreachable. ?!?!?!?!

Call me, send an email, text me, whatever... 

[jinga nation]

One day soon we will be paying for these phones in ways unimaginable.......a decent proportion of people have serious anxiety problems if their 'phone' isn't with them at all times.......

How about the anxiety of people about when you don't have your phone on you?

As a test to see how I'd physically feel without my phone, I left it in my car for a month. I'd call and text and play Words with Friends, but only to/from work, and on my lunch break. This meant I was available from:

 - 6 to 7AM
 - 11 AM to noon
 - 3 PM until I got home

If I was teaching, the window was expanded.

For some people, you'd have thought I went totally off the grid. I actually had to say to someone, "No one gets 7-day access to me. Not even my kids."*

*My kids do get all-week access to me, but saying this got the point across .

at my workplace, my cellphone is turned off and in a metal locker. this has been going on since 2012. my immediate family and kids' school has my desk number. prior to this, i worked in a facility with antennas and radios and measuring equipment; we left our flip phones/early smartphones in the car.
as a result, i don't have dependence on the cellphone. also helps that I don't use social media.

turning off the smartphone is an option; sad that many don't realize it. sadder when these people freak out when there's a network outage... or (shudder) they drop their glass fondleslab.

[iris lily]

Maybe I'm getting old, but I haven't seen any exciting new features in a phone in several years.  Better cameras?  Sure, that's good. But gluing phones together and taking away features like replaceable batteries and SD card slots is a horrible trend that needs to die a fiery death.  I'm quite happy with a plastic, removable rear face on my phone, thankyouverymuch.

I saw someone with this crazy phone that has like two screens stacked on top of each other and you can flip them sideways and get a bunch of extra screen space and configure cool layouts.  First tech in a while that I was like "woah".  If it doesn't turn out to be fragile or unreliable, might be a good option in a couple of years when my used eBay phone approaches 5 years old from new.  I like buying flagship models that are coming up on being 2 generations old for around $300 and keeping them for 3-4 years as a compromise between neat tech and what-the-hell pricing.

I saw that same thing many months ago and went Whoah! As well. . It was a non-Apple product. I don’t like new technology and have no interest in it normally, but that was very much something I could get behind.

[Zikoris]

For some people, you'd have thought I went totally off the grid. I actually had to say to someone, "No one gets 7-day access to me. Not even my kids."*

I'm the same, this is the number 2 I don't have a smartphone (1 is the environment, 3 is they're big and ugly), and don't even have texting on my flip phone (beyond a small number, which I don't use anyways). I don't want to be too easy to get ahold of, because I feel like that creates expectations of round the clock availability, and can cause hard feelings if people think you're ignoring them or whatever. For whatever reason, people tend to be more hesitant to call unless they have an actual thing to talk about, versus "heyy", which I like.

[martyconlonontherun]

I think the article is extremely, but for the right person a new phone every year makes sense (possibly even form a mustachian view point). You get a ton of value out of that $1-3 day depending on what you use it for?

Travel and want to take really nice photos on a device that fits in your pocket?

Need extra storage on the phone since you like a ton of photos/files etc? I know this is a design issue, but the software and apps have gotten bigger. I record stuff all the time for notes and those audio/videos files add up. It wasn't cost effective when I got the phone to get the XGB but XGB is now cheaper and constantly deleting files is annoying.

Battery life- Again a design issue, but as I use the phone more and stream more stuff I am using more battery.

Etc.

I wouldn't go as far as saying you need a new phone even every 2 years, but I might be a person ok with an upgrade every 2 years even if I don't NEED it.

[zolotiyeruki]

...
Travel and want to take really nice photos on a device that fits in your pocket?

Need extra storage on the phone since you like a ton of photos/files etc? I know this is a design issue, but the software and apps have gotten bigger. I record stuff all the time for notes and those audio/videos files add up. It wasn't cost effective when I got the phone to get the XGB but XGB is now cheaper and constantly deleting files is annoying.

Battery life- Again a design issue, but as I use the phone more and stream more stuff I am using more battery.

Take really nice photos?  You don't need to upgrade yearly for that.  Need extra storage?  Plan ahead, and buy a phone with a micro SD slot, and pay $20 for a card instead of $100 for the internal memory upgrade.  Battery life?  That's not an every-2-years thing unless you're using your phone a TON.

[martyconlonontherun]

...
Travel and want to take really nice photos on a device that fits in your pocket?

Need extra storage on the phone since you like a ton of photos/files etc? I know this is a design issue, but the software and apps have gotten bigger. I record stuff all the time for notes and those audio/videos files add up. It wasn't cost effective when I got the phone to get the XGB but XGB is now cheaper and constantly deleting files is annoying.

Battery life- Again a design issue, but as I use the phone more and stream more stuff I am using more battery.

Take really nice photos?  You don't need to upgrade yearly for that.  Need extra storage?  Plan ahead, and buy a phone with a micro SD slot, and pay $20 for a card instead of $100 for the internal memory upgrade.  Battery life?  That's not an every-2-years thing unless you're using your phone a TON.

yeah, not saying it is a necessity but I just find it really low on "things to cut" list. If I really needed to save 300-500 dollars a year, I would cut like it 20 other things before having an 'outdated' phone. Just a personal preference where I use my phone pretty much for everything, so I put value into it.

I agree the article is punch worth, but I don't judge people for a nice phone like I do for people in brand-clothes/fancy :)

[WhiteTrashCash]

I’m so glad I discovered iFixit, because that has removed the need to “upgrade” my phone indefinitely. I’ll probably keep it until 4G LTE no longer exists.

[ChpBstrd]

I’m so glad I discovered iFixit, because that has removed the need to “upgrade” my phone indefinitely. I’ll probably keep it until 4G LTE no longer exists.

Eventually, the app store will no longer allow you to have apps. Also, as websites become more graphically intense, more and more RAM is required. My iPad 4 is practically useless for anything but FaceTime for these reasons.

[PDXTabs]

I seem to break mine every 18 months or so. Right now my Pixel 3a is struggling to charge and although I would like to wait until the 5a is out I may be forced to update before then.

[WhiteTrashCash]

I’m so glad I discovered iFixit, because that has removed the need to “upgrade” my phone indefinitely. I’ll probably keep it until 4G LTE no longer exists.

Eventually, the app store will no longer allow you to have apps. Also, as websites become more graphically intense, more and more RAM is required. My iPad 4 is practically useless for anything but FaceTime for these reasons.

Apple is worse with that kind of stuff than Android. There are a ton of supported Android OS versions out there that still work fine, even after many years, so that’s worth looking into for many people. My iPad 4 ended up only being good as an e-reader after a certain number of years because it was only 32-bit. Even the newest version of LinuxMint doesn’t work on 32-bit devices anymore.

[Salivanth]

I seem to break mine every 18 months or so. Right now my Pixel 3a is struggling to charge and although I would like to wait until the 5a is out I may be forced to update before then.

You can buy a new battery. I have a Samsung S6 which degraded in battery efficiency. Paid $80 AUD for a new battery to be installed at a repair shop. An hour later, boom - phone's good for another 3-5 years.

[WhiteTrashCash]

I seem to break mine every 18 months or so. Right now my Pixel 3a is struggling to charge and although I would like to wait until the 5a is out I may be forced to update before then.

You can buy a new battery. I have a Samsung S6 which degraded in battery efficiency. Paid $80 AUD for a new battery to be installed at a repair shop. An hour later, boom - phone's good for another 3-5 years.

You can also just buy the new battery off eBay and use the instructions on ifixit.com to replace the battery yourself. Even with the modern smartphones that aren't supposed to have replaceable batteries, you can do the repair if you have the right tools and usually the battery kits on eBay come with tools included.

[Just Joe]

The iFixIt videos are really good too.

[dang1]

get a battery case

[kanga1622]

We don’t trade in our phones generally unless they are 4+ years old. But we do buy the newest model iPhone when we do upgrade. Not the most expensive option, but the one of the newest released.

We upgraded a bit early this year as we needed to add 1-2 lines. So DH’s 2 year old phone got passed down and will likely be used for another 4 years by MIL.

We find that Apple tends to support iPhones with apps and iOS updates for about 6 years. That’s a long time for a daily use item that goes everywhere with us. Honestly, we do almost everything on our phones and they are a great pocket computer. I only bring out the laptop for a few projects a year or kid homework.

[WhiteTrashCash]

get a battery case

A battery case is good as a backup, but if you don't also replace the battery then you will be in big trouble if the battery case fails.

[American GenX]

I bought a $40 smartphone brand new 3 years ago that is still the only phone I use - it actually went on sale for $20 on Black Friday a short time after I bought it, so I bought a spare for $20.  It's CDMA only, and my carrier is going to be changing over to GSM, so this will be my last year on it depending on when CDMA will still be available with adequate coverage.