Do we really need to upgrade our smart phones every year!?
Every year or so, new technology comes and are marketed heavily into televisions, social medias, and radios. Also, every year, people line up to get the latest and greatest smart phones whether it be due for an upgrade or just to get the latest and greatest. As hardware technology start to mature and devices becomes either smaller or bigger depending on the use and model, the differences in technology and features in last year and newer models starts to shrink.
In Apple’s Fiscal Q2 earnings, they sold 17.4 million units of the iPhone 7 Plus, which has a starting cost of $769.00. That totals to over billions of dollars that Americans spend in new phones.
That is a lot of money to be spending on a new smart phones. Money that can be used for experience such going to a different country, going to a cruise or future endeavors. These phones are heavily marketed and so it is not surprising that consumers are willing to spend their hard earn money each year to have the newest smart phones. Although. these days, the features are not a huge upgrade compare to last year models.
Essentially, everything you could do with newer phones can be done with current or last year models. It all comes down to psychological factors. Sometimes consumer tend to buy the newest due to their friends and family having it or are due for an upgrade.
Technology is coming to a point where there is no need for an upgrade. The essential functions of a phone has all come and gone. Nielsen reports that consumers are using smartphones for their apps. Consumers are now doing everything on their phones from doing work and shopping. Gone are the days of calling and texting, which are the basic function or a phone.
In a span of 5 years that a consumer spend their money on upgrading their phones, the money is enough money for a down payment on a car, house or even travel around the world. An experience like that is life changing
So what am I exactly trying to say? Do you really an upgrade every year? Well No, in this day and age, the differences in newer tech is not big. All phones can do the basic calls and text as a phone purpose is to communicate.