Cutting cost: Do we really need the latest smartphone?

[Antotena]

But I know some set of people who will always go for the new generation of phones. It is like a yearly ritual that they must buy the latest model of their phone. I have seen some go as far as buying these phones on credit because they don't have enough funds to pay. The most troubling part of it is that they are not using these phones for business or any productive activities.

It will not be a bad economic decision to reconsider and adjust our craving for these new products especially if they will not be beneficial financially.

Reference

While I don't have anything against people buying phones and following trends, I think one of the most useless phone to ever produce so by Apple is this iPhone 16 series, no difference between them and 15 and it seems apple is running out creativity while Samsung is doing foldable phones, even Huawei is doing too notched phones in 2024 but Appls wasting resources just to keep up with the trend.

However, I think people will buy what's makes them happy and as long as they like it, they can afford it without taking loan or sell something just to buy the phones, then that's their problems. All customers has different marginal test for items, some people can spend their last card to buy a gadget and devices but where I get from is people that can't afford it but will take loan to buy the phone just because they want to be on the trend which is very big financial mistake.

[Coyster]

There are much better things to spend your money on.

I think so too, i use my devices for a long time before i consider changing them, but i have people around me that i know personally, and i am also certain that i do better than them financially, but they change their devices more frequently to newer versions, i think it is foolish and i try to talk them out ot it, but it never works. If you are rich, then the money means nothing to you, but if you have to empty your bank account to get a new device, then there is a problem.

[lepbagong]

In my opinion, something new always wants to be followed and owned by some people, because it can be considered not following the development of the times. For those who do have more funds, it is not something to be afraid of, and they are sure to be able to buy. But there are some people who onlyn't they want to be appreciated or recognized for their existence in development and try to be able to buy even though they don't have the ability to buy it, in the end they do everything and not a few who confiscate their savings.
Even though what is needed is the usefulness of the device, not the trend that is more recent, and even then, it is certain that it is usually not much different from the old one, only a few changes.

[Fiatless]

There are much better things to spend your money on.

I think so too, i use my devices for a long time before i consider changing them, but i have people around me that i know personally, and i am also certain that i do better than them financially, but they change their devices more frequently to newer versions, i think it is foolish and i try to talk them out ot it, but it never works. If you are rich, then the money means nothing to you, but if you have to empty your bank account to get a new device, then there is a problem.

If it is just emptying an account to get the phone, it sounds reasonable, but people have to take loans to buy it. There is a scheme in my country called Easy to Buy, and it is making people own what they cannot afford. They usually give people phones on credit and spread the repayment based on their earnings or plans. In most cases, the salary is not even enough to cover the living cost of the person, so they will have to seek loans from other sources to service the easy buy credit. I had a friend who got an easy-buy phone and lost the device after three days; he had to seek means to service the debt and buy another.

[Webetcoins]

When you are mature enough, you will realize that material things don't matter anymore. It is how you live your life, if you are at peace and contented for what you have. People who are buying new phones definitely have their own motives, however, they are the ones who will suffer if in case they are really having financial difficulties and are only trying to catch up with the latest trends.

You are having valid point because as a person is going mature he is having better view of life and also understand of many things which are important in life with having new smartphones or things related to latest technology is just waste of money because many times peoples those never understand things like these suffer badly in life and also having troubling things as well we need to go with things which are more important, and we can manage even still we have to people those can use things like these easily as their madness, and they have done, but we still need to understand ground realities.

The invention of those advanced smartphones has no problem to the economy rather the developers are only following up to as well meet the trends as much as the World also advances in technology and as a situation where the governments has also set a hike of economy in inflation, of course productions would also go hike based on their qualities.
It is just stupid for anyone to ponder over expensive materials that are not affordable and not productive of yield incomes for them.
So basically, such exorbitant devices as mentioned were meant for who could afford them and not for everyone who just like the features of the devices.

We are living in material world where peoples not understand many things which are much better and secure for them and their future they jump for having the latest technology and smartphones even they can't afford them, but they are having no self-control, so this brings troubles for them and their families as well.

Even we understand this latest technology is going to be having affordable in next few months but we still jump and bring ourselves in deep trouble which are surely never been ideal thing for having better life and doing things with less income or sources of income.

[coin-investor]

But I know some set of people who will always go for the new generation of phones. It is like a yearly ritual that they must buy the latest model of their phone. I have seen some go as far as buying these phones on credit because they don't have enough funds to pay. The most troubling part of it is that they are not using these phones for business or any productive activities.

They made their phone their status symbol; in fact, I know some of my friends keep buying the latest phones, not knowing all of its features; they buy the latest cellphone just to brag that they are using the latest model, These people are insecure, and they depend their happiness and confidence on the latest models of phones to which they are so attached.

It will not be a bad economic decision to reconsider and adjust our craving for these new products especially if they will not be beneficial financially.

These people, after buying the latest model, are thinking on how to acquire the next model They are working hard to pay their newly acquired phone and continue to work hard for the next model., its a vicious cycle because they are addicted and so attach to their phone which they treat as their status  symbol which is very wrong.

[Orpichukwu]

I think so too, i use my devices for a long time before i consider changing them, but i have people around me that i know personally, and i am also certain that i do better than them financially, but they change their devices more frequently to newer versions, i think it is foolish and i try to talk them out ot it, but it never works. If you are rich, then the money means nothing to you, but if you have to empty your bank account to get a new device, then there is a problem.

You can only try to talk them out, but they will never listen. Someone whom I tried to advise about always swapping his phone to the latest onces said that it's a waste of money and he doesn't really need those things as they are just costing him unnecessary expenses.
 
What he said to me is that I should just consider that part as his bad habit since he doesn't do drubs or gamble that using the latest phone is where he gets his fun from, and he can't stop it as long as he can afford it.

[Z_MBFM]

The marketing sections of these companies are doing everything possible to make us buy these phones even when we don't need them.   

Well smart phone is now a trending thing in the modern world. Some people tend to rank them self amongst their peers using the lastest smart phones they bought and since it's very expensive, they gain more like a respect from others. I just wanted to say that you should only speak for your self though. Theses companies produces these phones due many consumers requests and taste. If you take a look at the first iphone, it's size and function back then very was small and not having more features compared to the lastest phones we can see today. If there wasn't a chase for an upgrade then maybe those phones will still be in play.
The truth is as the world is growing, new technology will be designed and old ones will be forgotten. The mass wants something new so these companies will have no choice but to give them their best.

Smartphone is one of our most important devices.  It helps us in various ways. Again, many try to express their status with it. Apple is a popular brand and they regularly launch very expensive phones. to which most of the users themselves use apple brand smartphones to show off. But I don't support using apple to spend extra money just to show off. Because money management and reducing wastage of money is very important to keep yourself financially strong. But one can buy a flagship phone by spending a lot of money if it needs to use a lot of heavy software.

[Silberman]

Recently Google launched the latest Pixel 9 handset, while Apple unveiled the iPhone 16. Samsung has also come up with its foldable phones, the Z Flip6 and Z Fold6 and Huawei just launched the Mate XT. The marketing sections of these companies are doing everything possible to make us buy these phones even when we don't need them.  

A close look at the latest versions of these phones shows that they have slight differences from the previous generation. The major difference is that these new phones have advanced AI features and improved camera quality. Poor economic conditions and awareness about the little upgrades in advanced models might have started contributing to the continuous decline in the sale of phones globally. This claim correlates with Counterpoint findings that “Consumers are holding on to their smartphones for longer periods because upgrades are offering limited differentiation in features.”


Source

But I know some set of people who will always go for the new generation of phones. It is like a yearly ritual that they must buy the latest model of their phone. I have seen some go as far as buying these phones on credit because they don't have enough funds to pay. The most troubling part of it is that they are not using these phones for business or any productive activities.

It will not be a bad economic decision to reconsider and adjust our craving for these new products especially if they will not be beneficial financially.

Reference

Like most things today those phones are in a way a disguised scam, since there is so little difference between the models sold last year and the models sold today, the same happens with video games in which a game like FIFA has almost no changes from one version to the next and yet you are expected to pay the full price for the newest game, plus all the microtransactions needed to unlock the full game, and taking all of these factors into consideration it is not rare that people are changing their spending habits and they are keeping their phones for a longer period of time.

[Mahanton]

The marketing sections of these companies are doing everything possible to make us buy these phones even when we don't need them.   

Well smart phone is now a trending thing in the modern world. Some people tend to rank them self amongst their peers using the lastest smart phones they bought and since it's very expensive, they gain more like a respect from others. I just wanted to say that you should only speak for your self though. Theses companies produces these phones due many consumers requests and taste. If you take a look at the first iphone, it's size and function back then very was small and not having more features compared to the lastest phones we can see today. If there wasn't a chase for an upgrade then maybe those phones will still be in play.
The truth is as the world is growing, new technology will be designed and old ones will be forgotten. The mass wants something new so these companies will have no choice but to give them their best.

Smartphone is one of our most important devices.  It helps us in various ways. Again, many try to express their status with it. Apple is a popular brand and they regularly launch very expensive phones. to which most of the users themselves use apple brand smartphones to show off. But I don't support using apple to spend extra money just to show off. Because money management and reducing wastage of money is very important to keep yourself financially strong. But one can buy a flagship phone by spending a lot of money if it needs to use a lot of heavy software.

In todays era, then we could really be able to say that smartphone had become a necessity rather than on being a want on which it cant be denied that when it comes to communication and other important things on which it could really be accessed with just a simple few clicks and that what makes our lives comfortable or even having that kind of easy access. The only issue on here or speaking about buying up the latest smartphone then it do turns out some people do really make out some vague decisions into their lives on which even if its obvious that they are already having some struggles in financial condition but still they do make out some priority on things on which they shouldnt really be on doing so. Do we really need it? Who does really like on getting left behind in terms of tech and innovations?

The real deal on here is that you shouldnt really be that making yourself having that kind of behavior on spending too much on buying gadgets. As long your old device does still works and could really serve out its
purpose then why would really be needing up to buy something new? It would really be worth if you do really be just that making use of those funds or money into something more
worth just like on putting it up on some investment or business on which you could be able to do so. We do know that smartphone flagships cost $1000+ or even more on which this is an
amount that will be realistically could be put up on something which is really that more better option.

[uneng]

Like most things today those phones are in a way a disguised scam, since there is so little difference between the models sold last year and the models sold today, the same happens with video games in which a game like FIFA has almost no changes from one version to the next and yet you are expected to pay the full price for the newest game, plus all the microtransactions needed to unlock the full game, and taking all of these factors into consideration it is not rare that people are changing their spending habits and they are keeping their phones for a longer period of time.

It's true. There is nothing inedit being launched nowadays. Everything is a copy paste from previous products. People want the profit, but don't want to put any effort and innovation in order to achieve that profit. I think people who still purchase items in a yearly basis are doing this for the sake of boasting themselves towards their social circle, because from the functional point of view, it doesn't make any sense.

The gaming, movies and music industries are another good examples of stagnant niches of the market, where profit is desired without giving anything constructive and thrilling in counterpart.

[Y3shot]

In my opinion, something new always wants to be followed and owned by some people, because it can be considered not following the development of the times. For those who do have more funds, it is not something to be afraid of, and they are sure to be able to buy. But there are some people who onlyn't they want to be appreciated or recognized for their existence in development and try to be able to buy even though they don't have the ability to buy it, in the end they do everything and not a few who confiscate their savings.
Even though what is needed is the usefulness of the device, not the trend that is more recent, and even then, it is certain that it is usually not much different from the old one, only a few changes.

It is not bad to get something new and that is better than others, but the most important thing is that we need to think when making plans to get this stuf if it is something that can be afford without one be affected financially. It is a financial mistake for people to strive on what they can't afford comfortably. When one is not financially buoyant to get something that can't bring value, I think it is a waste of money spending huge amount of money just to follow the trend and to feel among of people using the latest.

[avp2306]

In my opinion, something new always wants to be followed and owned by some people, because it can be considered not following the development of the times. For those who do have more funds, it is not something to be afraid of, and they are sure to be able to buy. But there are some people who onlyn't they want to be appreciated or recognized for their existence in development and try to be able to buy even though they don't have the ability to buy it, in the end they do everything and not a few who confiscate their savings.
Even though what is needed is the usefulness of the device, not the trend that is more recent, and even then, it is certain that it is usually not much different from the old one, only a few changes.

It is not bad to get something new and that is better than others, but the most important thing is that we need to think when making plans to get this stuf if it is something that can be afford without one be affected financially. It is a financial mistake for people to strive on what they can't afford comfortably. When one is not financially buoyant to get something that can't bring value, I think it is a waste of money spending huge amount of money just to follow the trend and to feel among of people using the latest.

If that makes you happy then do it as long as you didn't take any loan just to get the latest smart phone in the market. Sometimes we need to satisfy our self since buying those stuff will somehow make us happy. Although we understand that latest phones cost a lot of money but if you are capable to acquire it since you have lots of extra funds to spend and as said that it will not affect your financial state then do it.

Although I understand that its waste of money to buy those gadgets just to get updated on the latest but if that's your happiness and again have lots of money then people will not question you on why you acquire it. But for certain individual struggling in life I guess much better for them to spend their money wisely and just buy new phone when their current phone is not working anymore.

[Republikcoin.com]

It is not bad to get something new and that is better than others, but the most important thing is that we need to think when making plans to get this stuf if it is something that can be afford without one be affected financially. It is a financial mistake for people to strive on what they can't afford comfortably. When one is not financially buoyant to get something that can't bring value, I think it is a waste of money spending huge amount of money just to follow the trend and to feel among of people using the latest.

People who are wise in using money will certainly always have special considerations for its benefits and functions first when they want to buy something that is more directed towards current trends. Because people who are very wise in using money will never waste money on items that have no benefits even though they are rich, let alone if someone is poor. I also quite agree with what you said because basically everyone must be able to handle the burden of their life when they have spent money on one thing so that it will certainly be seen through the ability of the person himself. However, if his ability is still very ordinary in following current trends, it is clear that he does not need to be tempted by more luxury goods and things that are less useful for himself.

[itorai]

It is not bad to get something new and that is better than others, but the most important thing is that we need to think when making plans to get this stuf if it is something that can be afford without one be affected financially. It is a financial mistake for people to strive on what they can't afford comfortably. When one is not financially buoyant to get something that can't bring value, I think it is a waste of money spending huge amount of money just to follow the trend and to feel among of people using the latest.

It is a difficult thing to implement in order to avoid waste, it is necessary to see the goods we buy from the benefits and uses without thinking there, surely everyone will buy what they want, it will affect your income, although the current trend is the need to think in that direction.

[bakasabo]

They made their phone their status symbol; in fact, I know some of my friends keep buying the latest phones, not knowing all of its features; they buy the latest cellphone just to brag that they are using the latest model, These people are insecure, and they depend their happiness and confidence on the latest models of phones to which they are so attached.

Symbol or an item of a status. For people who are rich and can afford, not having a latest smartphone, will show that there might be something wrong with their business or with them. People with old item will look weird, even though old item does the same thing as the latest. For example the founder of Ikea drives with old volvo, when with his $80 billions, he can have any car he wants. Many say that his is weird. People can use old smartphones, most of them easy will do calls, receive and send messages and can run youtube and browser apps, but people will think that they are weird. Imo latest smartphones arent necessary, but they are used to show status of a person.

[Jody.Drummer]

They made their phone their status symbol; in fact, I know some of my friends keep buying the latest phones, not knowing all of its features; they buy the latest cellphone just to brag that they are using the latest model, These people are insecure, and they depend their happiness and confidence on the latest models of phones to which they are so attached.

Symbol or an item of a status. For people who are rich and can afford, not having a latest smartphone, will show that there might be something wrong with their business or with them. People with old item will look weird, even though old item does the same thing as the latest. For example the founder of Ikea drives with old volvo, when with his $80 billions, he can have any car he wants. Many say that his is weird. People can use old smartphones, most of them easy will do calls, receive and send messages and can run youtube and browser apps, but people will think that they are weird. Imo latest smartphones arent necessary, but they are used to show status of a person.

It's all about prestige in my opinion, because people are competing to have the latest version of the cellphone just because they want to look cool and so on. If you say that it can show status, be it social status and others, I don't think so. Because in this era, there are so many people who have the latest cellphones even though they are not economically able to buy them. They do everything they can to get them, one of which is by buying on credit. Many people I know do this. If we live by following prestige, then we will never be satisfied and enough with what we have. especially if it's a cellphone, maybe this month we buy the latest version of the cellphone, in the next month there might be another new version. 

[Huppercase]

In my opinion, something new always wants to be followed and owned by some people, because it can be considered not following the development of the times. For those who do have more funds, it is not something to be afraid of, and they are sure to be able to buy. But there are some people who onlyn't they want to be appreciated or recognized for their existence in development and try to be able to buy even though they don't have the ability to buy it, in the end they do everything and not a few who confiscate their savings.
Even though what is needed is the usefulness of the device, not the trend that is more recent, and even then, it is certain that it is usually not much different from the old one, only a few changes.

Exactly my point. If you anyone have the money, I don't care if they buy the latest jet just to chill and enjoy the world. If I probably have 100 Bitcoin and holding for long time since the early days, I'm not sure selling 1 Bitcoin here to enjoy life is a bad move, that's exactly how I veiw the people that are after the latest trend because they want to have what the world is talking about, some even customized their own to be different, they asked for the material to be gold plated, which is another way of preserving the value of the phone to be resold later.

However, if you buy an iPhone and you later go broke just because you want to follow trend, I might not see you as a regular person but an insecure person that is living a delusional life just because you want to belong in the life that is not compatible with yours. Personally, if I have the desire to even buy an iPhone, I will wait for months to buy and open box which will even be way cheaper and it absolutely has no difference between the new and the old, care and apple support remain intact.

[X-ray]

But I know some set of people who will always go for the new generation of phones. It is like a yearly ritual that they must buy the latest model of their phone. I have seen some go as far as buying these phones on credit because they don't have enough funds to pay. The most troubling part of it is that they are not using these phones for business or any productive activities.

They made their phone their status symbol; in fact, I know some of my friends keep buying the latest phones, not knowing all of its features; they buy the latest cellphone just to brag that they are using the latest model, These people are insecure, and they depend their happiness and confidence on the latest models of phones to which they are so attached.

It will not be a bad economic decision to reconsider and adjust our craving for these new products especially if they will not be beneficial financially.

These people, after buying the latest model, are thinking on how to acquire the next model They are working hard to pay their newly acquired phone and continue to work hard for the next model., its a vicious cycle because they are addicted and so attach to their phone which they treat as their status  symbol which is very wrong.

imagining working just to buy latest phone in the next cycle just feels exhausting, why did people even do this . it'll be endless cycle of companies pumping out new version because company's sole main revenue that made up big chunk of their company earning is pumping out new model and certainly, they will milk it as much as they can.

I liked back then when there's this idea of modular phone where people could just swap components and call it a day, I'm sure it can help reduce e-waste by significant amount compared to companies just pumping out new model every quarters of the year.
unfortunately, this project was cancelled maybe because it doesn't bring enough profit for it to sustain.

[bakasabo]

They made their phone their status symbol; in fact, I know some of my friends keep buying the latest phones, not knowing all of its features; they buy the latest cellphone just to brag that they are using the latest model, These people are insecure, and they depend their happiness and confidence on the latest models of phones to which they are so attached.

Symbol or an item of a status. For people who are rich and can afford, not having a latest smartphone, will show that there might be something wrong with their business or with them. People with old item will look weird, even though old item does the same thing as the latest. For example the founder of Ikea drives with old volvo, when with his $80 billions, he can have any car he wants. Many say that his is weird. People can use old smartphones, most of them easy will do calls, receive and send messages and can run youtube and browser apps, but people will think that they are weird. Imo latest smartphones arent necessary, but they are used to show status of a person.

It's all about prestige in my opinion, because people are competing to have the latest version of the cellphone just because they want to look cool and so on. If you say that it can show status, be it social status and others, I don't think so. Because in this era, there are so many people who have the latest cellphones even though they are not economically able to buy them. They do everything they can to get them, one of which is by buying on credit. Many people I know do this. If we live by following prestige, then we will never be satisfied and enough with what we have. especially if it's a cellphone, maybe this month we buy the latest version of the cellphone, in the next month there might be another new version. 

Look on the situation from different side. Those who have bought latest smartphones and bought them on the credit, always (I use word always, I have never heard someone failed to pay credit and his smartphone was taken away or he had real financial troubles) manage to repay credit back. Think that this is their tiny achievement. Even though latest smartphones did not give radically new features, people still buy them and manage to solve financial part. Isnt it good? Sometimes it is a life challenge for them, eating cheap food just to save enough to buy, for example iPhone 16 max, but they succeed in it. Isnt it great ?