It is real and it’s here: it’s September and iPhone season is upon us. One thing we know about Apple is their in-depth and well-planned marketing especially when selling their coveted iPhones. The question that remains is: do we really have to buy new phones every year just because they tell us so?
Honestly, no.
Yet, the numbers tell us the opposite. The pre-order rates for the iPhone 15 and its variations such as Pro and Pro Max have surpassed last year’s rate in a 10-12% increase, according to a report by Wedbush. This happens because Apple doesn’t just advertise a product; they construct a promotional advert so the consumer desires whatever they are selling.
According to the official Apple website, “iPhone 15 Pro is the first iPhone to feature an aerospace‑grade titanium design, using the same alloy that spacecraft use for missions to Mars.” Is that a life-changing update from iPhone 14 Pro to 15 Pro? Apparently for those who buy it, yes. But in reality it is just another marketing strategy like when they also announced the iPhone 15 has a “camera that captures your wildest imagination.”
Still, I do think that trading phones like trying on clothes is unnecessary and a huge waste of money. In my opinion, they aren’t innovating each year. They’re only trying to profit by alluring us with the illusion and idea of innovation.
The human species is curious and it is attracted to what’s new. Wouldn’t you want to experience those upgrades? Apple takes advantage of our curiosity — pretty well I might add — and transforms it into a top-tier advertisement.
Since Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone to the world, there hasn’t been a year that we haven’t had a new update and new products added to their shelves. And even though the sales are high, this is bad not only for the consumers but also for the company and the environment.
The amount of electronic waste created by the company and the consumers when performing this trade is astronomical. In 2021, the total waste generated by Apple was 52,490 tonnes, an increase of 14.8% over 2020. As sales increase, E-waste is predicted to increase as well. This is a clear sign that we are going too far by quickly trading phones and tossing the old ones in the trash.
Yes, Apple does slow down some older iPhones so we feel obliged to buy their newest releases, but the money spent to fix a battery or a broken screen is usually much cheaper than spending nearly a thousand dollars on a new iPhone.
I have friends who have iPhones from 2014 and 2016 and while there are some limited functions and updates, the phones still work as they should and they don’t plan to trade them anytime soon. Their motto is “if it still works well, keep it!”
And harsh as it is, that’s true, not only with iPhones but with all of our goods. The money we put into something results from our hard work and competence. We can’t just toss it out every year.
Apple has a planned obsolescence and the wheel of capitalism keeps turning as the consumers try to resist their new gadgets every September. I am an Apple girl, but I still think trading phones in such a short amount of time is absurd.
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