Which Mobile Phone?

[pharvey]

Although I’ve been hooked onto Apple products, I’m definitely not obsessive - last year I bought the IPhone 13 because it had come down in price and Curry’s in the UK were offering a special deal at the time - it still wasn’t cheap but compared to some of the iPhone 15’s, almost half their price.

Well, have to be honest and also have to say even half the price of an iPhone 15 is crazy money! I'm very lucky in the fact that I continue to have a mobile that my company provides (even given ill health and absence from work). The phone is fairly basic quite honestly, but obviously adheres to their safety protocols which are pretty strict. The current mobile being a Samsung Galaxy A40 - must be +/- 4 years old and does all I need - it even makes calls!! Runs all the Apps I want or need, a good enough camera for "memories" (not detail), a Dual SIM (invaluable) and additional SD Card Slot for increased memory.

Granted, this is an oldie model, but would cost well under £150 - the iPhone 13 or 15 on the other hand? I had an offer for the latter recently which would basically tie me into a deal of +£75 per month for 3 years before the phone was mine (granted, airtime and data included)!! Obviously cheaper deals around, but in the UK at least you are looking at a minimum of £800 for bottom of the range, to £1200 to the top (buying outright if you can). I truly am at a loss as to why anyone would pay this kind of money - and sorry, but security isn't a valid explanation for me. I work for a large global engineering company which have strict rules on IT equipment (I'm certainly not using my company Laptop at the moment (VPN's, downloading movies etc..)... )

For the cost of the TOTR iPhone, I can buy a decent Tablet, a decent Smart Phone and have a weekend away with the LHG!! .... Well, as long as she doesn't shop.

[buksida]

I truly am at a loss as to why anyone would pay this kind of money

75,000 baht for a phone is obscene, I wouldn't pay that for a laptop or TV. Fanatical/obsessive is a good descriptor ... the same traits apply to religion.

I'm happy with a $200 phone and I'm a tech-junkie. The brand/logo is irrelevant as long as it does the job. Only went with another Xiaomi this time as I was well impressed with the battery life in the current phone and its performance hadn't deteriorated after three years.

[Big Boy]

Yes, in the early days of the iPhone, I had a few friends who had to have the latest model. Every year, they had to upgrade to the latest model, and I used to ask them what they were doing with their new phone that the old phone couldn't do. Rarely could they list anything. Of course, the phone could do more, but it was wasted functionality because it wasn't anything they actually needed. If they had used the additional functionality, it would have been tail wagging the dog because it wasn't functionality they, or most people needed.

They have learnt now. In fact one of them arrived in Thailand recently with a folding phone - what an awful piece of kit that was with a crease right through the middle if the screen.

Boys toys.

[Dannie Boy]

But this is a similar argument to buying a Ford rather than a Mercedes - they both basically do the same, but the prestige value keeps people buying them. Isn’t it great that we have choices!!

[Big Boy]

Initial purchase is fine. You gets what you paid for. However, feeling you need to upgrade to the latest model every year for functionality you most likely will never use is bonkers. IMHO, choose an iPhone if your budget allows, but these people are basically saying it costs a hell of a lot, and is only good for 12 months, at which point they need to have the newer model.

[buksida]

The perception that Apple products are far superior to everything else is only held by those who are fanatical about them. "Apple is the world's greatest marketing company," someone once said.

[Dannie Boy]

Well sorry but that’s just toffee they’re speaking - normally one upgrade on an iPhone introduces very little in terms of new functionality and although a number of my family are iPhone fans, I’m fairly certain that none of them trade up every time there’s a new model launch - they skip one at least. For me, I probably skip at least 3 new models and the one I bought last year had been introduced two years earlier and it will probably last me at least 4 years.

Of course some people will always want the latest that’s available but I don’t think that applies to the majority.

[Big Boy]

That was always the argument my friends always used. Apple had to be better. It was when I repeatedly asked what their phones did (at least what they did with their phones) that mine at 1/10th of the cost couldn't do, that the penny eventually dropped.

I wouldn't attempt to question the quality of an Apple product, but ask, if its so good, why does it have to be changed each year?

[Dannie Boy]

So that the owners can continue to rake in their billions!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PeteC]

Human nature is strange for sure. Phones are going up in screen size and weight and they may be back to the weight of the original "brick" phones before too long. I was a big fan of Motorola flip phones, especially the RAZR. I've read they're making them again, but Motorola is now owned by Chinese Lenovo!

[PeteC]

Also note, some phones will end up being collector items in future years, so hang on to those old units hidden away in your drawer!

[buksida]

No chance of that, offspring snap them up in no time. I don't actually need a new phone at the moment, but my son gets the old perfectly functional one because daddy said no to the 15k device he wanted!

[Dannie Boy]

Every scrap of information you could possibly need to help determine when you should upgrade your phone!!

https://www.sellcell.com/blog/how-often ... age%20this.

[buksida]

Some interesting data there, 3.5 years is the average upgrade period, 75% said battery performance was the main criteria, and the older you are, the more likely you are to keep hold of it for longer.

[Big Boy]

The only useful piece of information on there is my phone could get me a $7 trade-in value. While it's still working, its worth a lot more than $7 to me,

Is that not a brainwashing article trying to convince me that if my phone is 6 years old, I am long overdue in changing it? I can work that out for myself - when its broken, change it.