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Too Many New Smartphone Models Released Each Year: Survey (livemint.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Consumers think smartphone makers are releasing too many new models each year, a survey showed on Tuesday. The survey conducted in six countries, commissioned by the environmental group Greenpeace, showed that more than half of those who responded would prefer to change their phones less frequently. Handset devices are one of the most frequently replaced electronics products. The top cellphone companies, Samsung and Apple, launch new flagship phone models at least once every year, showing off the latest display and mobile processor technologies. Phone makers typically upgrade their cheaper lineups as well. "Over half of respondents across the countries surveyed agree that manufacturers are releasing too many new models, many designed to only last a few years," said Chih An Lee, global IT campaigner at Greenpeace East Asia. "In fact, most users actually want their phones to be more easily dismantled, repaired and recycled."
I don't change my phone.
peace, showed that more than half of those who responded would prefer to change their phones less frequently
Then simply don't replace your phone as often? Just because a new phone is released doesn't mean you have to rush out and buy it...
If you prefer to change your device less frequently, then don't change it. I have an iPhone 4s and it runs the latest iOS. I think the going rate for one is about $60 unlocked. I only get laughed at by hipsters with the 6+ gigantic iPhones in huge otterbox cases. But then I let the air out of their fixie bike tires and they aren't laughing any more.
"The survey conducted in six countries, commissioned by the environmental group Greenpeace, showed that more than half of those who responded would prefer to change their phones less frequently. "
I'm sorry, is there some law that says just because a new phone comes out you HAVE to throw the old one away and change to it?
Fucking sheep...
Greenpeace is WORSE than anything you can imagine.
That's not true. I just imagined Greenwar, which is almost exactly like Greenpeace but much more violent. That's worse.
Yeah, it is hard to do, no matter who you are. So don't. The reason this happens is marketing and people buying into it.
Happens with a lot of things, if not everything; shoes, cars, houses, jobs (Oh noes, you are not going to college, but that means you must work with your hands and that is terrible and those are thieves, because look what they charge per hour)
I say there are not enough phones coming out or at least not enough competition. Samsung, Apple, Windows, Huwaii and that si about is realistically. I would like to have at least 20 more available with a lot more choice AND have 20 more telecom operators available to put something together what I need. I want a nice screen, but I do not want a camera.
I also see many people who work with 5 year old phones and they work. But that is in Belgium where is is possible to buy unbundled and locking phones is forbidden by the Communist state. That means I can still use any provider with any phone, regardless how old it is, as long as it can do GSM network. Nokia 3110? Just put in a card ad a working battery and you can call, sms and play snake. On the plus side, no Facebook App.
Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
What the fuck does new device availability have to do with "having to buy a new phone"? My phone is over two years old and I plan on getting 4+ years out of it. It does what I need it to do. It's a tool, you replace it when it needs replacement/updating based on functionality not just because there is a newer one. Everyone wonders why people are broke, have no retirement savings, etc. This is why, abysmal money management skills.
Considering that it's the carrier that determines which version of Android they support, I live with the risk, am careful of the few apps I run, and keep antimalware on the phone.
goes to buy a new smartphone. On credit. Like a millenial
Hah, busted!
Everyone knows Millennials can't get credit!
/ Well, aside from hundreds of thousands of dollars in federally-backed student loans...
They could release an updated model every day for all I care, I'll replace my phone when I need a new phone, not because they released something new.
Where I think the real problem comes in is that many manufacturers have a dozen different models of phone, all of which are almost the same thing with little to differentiate them, and names and descriptions that make it hard to tell which one is supposed to be better than which.
When it does come time for a new phone it's very difficult to figure out which of a couple dozen phones from a dozen manufacturers is supposed to be better than which other one.
Sure I know that a Galaxy S7 is supposed to be better than the S6 which is better than the S5, but where does the S5 neo fit in? it's newer than the S5 so it should be between the S5 and the S6 right? except it turns out they used a cheaper processor than the S5 so it's actually bellow the S5. And where do the J1 and J3 fit in? and how about the A5? and what about the "grand prime"? These are all listed by Samsung as current devices, about the only ones that are easy to understand are the Note and Edge devices because they're relatively clear about what they have that differentiate them from the others.
Their website gives all sorts of superlatives for each device, but you have to dig to find specs, and then trying to compare the specs is often difficult as they use different terminology or focus on different aspects.
Manufacturers need to do a better job of communicating what makes their phone different from the dozens of others, and they should probably stick to a much smaller lineup unless they can find some real differentiators to separate their offerings.
I had a Droid and a Droid 3. It felt like after a year of use it would start running slower and the battery wouldn't hold a fraction of a charge that it used to. After 18 months they were almost unusable (coincidentally that was about the time Verizon would offer me an upgrade). Now I have a OnePlus phone that I purchased two years ago. As far as I can tell it runs as well as day one. I'm not sure if the Motorola phones were crap or if it is a matter of forced obsolescence, but I have almost no desire to upgrade my phone.
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It's random, but my posting it here is probably considered illegal to someone.
I can only say, fuck you.
If bringing in the car analogy, it's like people bemoaning the fact that automobile companies often refresh their cars ... every fucking year. Well, the truth is they really do, and no one forces you to update your car every 12 months.
So, moar stupid polls, more 1st world problems.
I get a brand new phone every 2 years for free. I paid into the system once about 6 years ago, and now the sales price (or trade in value) of my 2 year old phone is equal to or higher than the brand-spanking-newest phone on the market. Now when I say "free" what I mean is that I don't pay any more to have a new phone than I would pay for identical service if I were to keep my phone forever. My plan rate is basically fixed no matter what device I use.
So instead of having a CDMA locked phone with dial-up modem speeds and 8GB of memory and a mobile OS which is no longer supported (which also means being locked out of revisions to the applications I run), I have this year's latest and greatest, with a pen to take notes on the screen, enough space to hold everything I need, two options for biometric authentication (if I should choose to use them), a camera which is as good or better than my last point-and-shoot, significantly more secure storage, and internet that is faster than all but one of the land-line providers to my house.
I would love to have a phone that never needed upgrading, sure. But I'll bet Greenpeace didn't ask if you wanted a phone that was insecure, limited in usability, and had poor performance on current generation software.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
Well, it should taste like a *ripe* tomato.
GMO doesn't change the flavour of the tomato per-se, what it does it make the tomatoes appear a nice ripe red colour/texture when really they're not. That gives you a watery tomato with little flavour.
You want to know what a tomato should be like? Walk into a greenhouse or a garden full or real, fresh tomatoes. You can *smell* them before they even get near your palate. Most local store tomatoes here are watery, with little flavour and next to no scent. I do have to take care that my garden tomatoes don't spoil, as once actually ripe they can soften or split quickly, but the flavour is far and beyond the store stuff. Also, there's a lot of different *varieties* of tomatoes. Some are stronger tasting than others, have different textures, and come in a vast array of sizes and colours. They all taste pretty damn good though.
Apples on the other hand... well I don't grow those but I've tasted "wild" ones, and with those as well as store varieties some I like but others I find are sour/bitter. Maybe you got a "crab apple", which are a particularly sour variety and can also do a number on your stomach if you eat too many. I'm not fond of the crab apples myself but I have tasted some pretty good pies with them, and I understand they're pretty nice for making cider as well.