Expedited Expiration of iPhones

The real reason you have to get a new iPhone every couple of years

“No, no, no- please wake up, please don’t be dead…” This may sound like a scene in a tragic love story, however it is actually a real statement- uttered by yours truly- when I realized that my iPhone had died for good about a month ago. I was completely appalled and outraged, as I had only bought this phone a couple of years prior. I complained bitterly to anyone who would listen about how I hated Apple products and the fact that they seem to have such a short lifespan. So what did I do about it? I bought another iPhone, and inwardly cursed myself for my pathetic reliance on Apple products.

Apple is actually quite notorious for their short-lived products that require replacing every couple of years. However, this is not due to some unfixable technological problem that Apple has yet to resolve. In fact, their products are strategically and purposely created this way. Apple is a fond user of the planned obsolescence business strategy, in which the expiration of a product is pre-determined and built into the product during its creation. This strategy benefits Apple because it creates an ongoing cycle of demand for Apple products, as people’s iPhones and iPads die and they then seek to replace them, usually with the newer, expensive, updated versions.

So with this knowledge, why did I buy another iPhone instead of then investing in a different kind of phone? Furthermore, why did I buy a newer version of an iPhone instead of buying the same model I had before? Well, for one thing, I like Apple products and I am familiar with how to use them, whereas I would have to get used to a completely different kind of product. For another thing, I wanted to use a product that would be compatible with my other technology products, such as my Macintosh laptop and my iPad, both of which are also made by Apple. This is also strategic on Apple’s part, as Apple is vertically integrated in a way that allows them to control multiple stages of production and distribution of products that is often managed by several different companies in other cases. And finally, I decided to upgrade because Apple products are not designed to be backwards compatible- that is to say, newer applications and upgrades will not work on an older product.

In conclusion, the next time your iPhone or Apple product dies, don’t blame it on the lack of technological advancements within the industry. Blame it on the business strategies that keep us so hopelessly addicted to Apple’s products, and keeps us coming back again and again- no matter how much we complain about it.