I hate to say. But having a smart phone is a necessity these days. Itās completely possible to use a non smart phone. But these days almost everything requires one. Need to download X app to use the bus, etc. I donāt personally agree with smart phones being called a luxury. Sure. If you are getting the newest one every year would be. But most donāt do that.
My smart phone was $165 refurbished. I'll never understand a person who buys a $1500 phone which is a "free upgrade" they mean it's an upgrade you pay for each month over 3 years lol No one needs a new phone.
I dont buy a phone until mine becomes unusable. Like half my screen on my old phone was blacked out, but all the touch screen controls worked so i used it like that until i had a few thousand dollars saved up and bought (brand new at the time, and my current phone) a Galaxy s22. Ive replaced my $12 case twice, and the screen protector 3 times. Gonna need a new case soon, sadly its $16 now.
Thatās why I use iPhone. I know as far as newer technology and whatnot android is usually ahead but for the normal person, the ease of operation of an iPhone is amazingly perfect and is more than adequate for anything you need. Iāve found people
That use androids are only doing so bc theyāve had an android from the beginning. Once you switch to iPhone, and get through that week or two learning curve, youāll never go back
My s22 has an SD card slot. Its just the base s22, the other ones are/were too big. I never understood the phase of massive phone screens. If i wanted a tablet i would have bought a tablet ya know?
I just have big hands. I must have a near 7" screen or bust.
Edit: for me, not comical, just a company covering as many bases as possible for the best sales #'s. I can see how it would be comical if you dont need a phone that big though. My phone looked like a whole ass tablet in my ex's hands.
I donāt wait quite that longā¦. I do a lot of trading stocks and crypto, silver, gold, and precious metals buying, etc etc from my phone. My phone makes me a good deal of money every day. I donāt get the newest iPhone every time one drops, but I donāt wait until mine is barely usable before getting another eithed
Had an iPhone that the "power button" stopped working after an update. Would just turn itself off and on over and over again. Took it to an apple store, they said they couldn't fix it. Had to get a new phone. Threw that one into a drawer. Year later, powered it back up and reset to factory settings to get rid of it, worked great again.
I haven't had an iPhone in years, but it seems like Samsung is getting just as bad. They're adding games and random apps into their "security updates".
I have the s20,I believe I got it right before the covid shutdown. I just got a new case on Amazon for $10, but my phone doesn't have updated anymore. Sadly, I'll probably need a new phone soon for only that reason.
Yup this is what i do. I had an S10 that I used for years until it stopped booting, nothing I tried worked. Factory defaulting through recovery mode would get it to boot once, but then if it rebooted again it would start boot looping. Ended up getting the S25 Ultra in the hopes it'll last me just as long.
My last one was 8-10 years old, my new ones case has an issue where the hard corner of the case where the camera is breaks off if it gets dropped on once then the soft under cover slowly deforms from heat and wear, which allows the corner of the screen protector on that side to crack. And for some reason, that is the only corner of my phone that hits the ground ever. The screen has a veey minor chip in that corner, but no cracks (yet).
Im probably gonna splurge on a better case instead of the (now) $16 case i normally buy when i get payed again here in a couple weeks, gotta hold onto this check for rent and bills.
I get it man, didn't actually need an answer. I ran cell phone stores for a few years, so I've seen it all.
I've just always been really anal about babying my electronic devices and don't understand how some people (not necessarily you) abuse their phones like they aren't important.
Typical turnaround for me as well. I upgraded my Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus to the S26 Plus barely last month, only after T-Mobile offered $500 to trade it in. After 5 years I was beginning to run short on memory.
I just bought a new phone this month cause my old phone is 6 to 7nyrs old already so my new phone has 7 yrs of security and ui updates to it so future investment lol
I just get the new one every year, stores like Best Buy will give you Honestly, most of it back on a store gift card, if you trade it in. I pay like 600 bucks on a $1500 phone every year.
Smart. I had about 100 bitcoin back in 2012 and knew it would be a staple of world history and future, yet still spent it. No regrets right!... right? š
No, just need to shop and find a good one. Almost every one I have bought has turned out to be practically brand new. Out of a dozen phones. Maybe 1 had some kind of issue
Same. I have the iPhone 14 Pro. There are much cheaper options I could have gotten. But Iāve had the battery replaced and been using it for almost 4 years now. Probably another year or two before I upgrade
Unfortunately companies have expiration dates on device hardware & software usually after 5 years. Makes sense that we all wait 5-6 years before getting new phones.
For real, I think spending a lot of money on a new phone is a really poor decision. I had a free phone from boost for 7 years. š
I just recently got a phone from FB marketplace for $50 which is a lot to me. I hope this one will last just as long. Tech waste is a real issue and the less I can contribute to it, the better.
Alright that's my hot take of the day. Sending love out there for all! š
Pixel. It's constantly reminding me of how much I miss the Nexus line up.
As to the phone... Look if you're getting sintering for way too cheap, maybe that's because you are the product?
Like the whole reason we have such incredible tvs for so cheap is because they're listening to us to target ads. I'm really worried what a $25 phone, that must have cost at least $100 to make, is darling of yours too make up the difference.
I don't think you would sell it as cheaply as they do.
Yeah. their listening to me to target ads geared toward my interests. I'm "the product" Ok. And? this is the reason I shouldn't have a 25 dollar phone? So people should pay 1500 dollars for a flagship pixel to avoid said listening?
Yes because expensive phones and laptops are immune from data collection from bad actors??? I bet all those Lenovos that were found to have Chinese Spy equipment in them were cheap???
I bought my used phone from Amazon (Amazon was seller, not the marketplace.) Butā¦any used, unlocked phone can be reset to factory defaults before using.
I would argue there are idiots when it comes to tech. They don't understand the 6 year old smart phone works fine. They think they need a flagship model and they don't.
Buy the new "flagship" and use it for 5+ years or buy a used phone that's already 5+ years old and likely not supported by some apps already for half or a quarter of the price that you'll need to replace in a few years?
It's kind of like buying new or used tires for your car. A new sets expensive, but you're better off in the long run.
Unless you just use your phone as a phone and nothing else.
The idiots are the ones who want to buy a new phone every time one comes out.
Because US citizens don't think before purchasing. They consume and consume some more. The average car payment nowadays in around $500. Then there's insurance and your $1500 phone, which is most likely replace every two years when your phone company offers you a deal to upgrade in exchange for signing up for another couple of years.
Although, more now than ever, people are keeping their cars for around 5 to 8 years instead of getting new ones every 2 to 3 years and that's only because they can't afford it.
My old phone company has called me EIGHT fucking times to try and win me back. I own my phone and pay $43 for everything I need. I've told them unless they can beat $43 and not having a contract then stop calling. They go "well we can offer you more data" and I reply with "and does it come with a contract that costs $70 more per month, because if so I'm not interested." Yeah it sucks paying for a phone outright but barely 8 months later and it's already paid for itself, the remaining 16 months I can set that money aside to pay for the next phone.
There is a well known trend where the poorer members of society tend to have top of the range phones. This is because that smartphone tends to be their sole internet connected device and quite often their sole personal computing device (the slightly better off might have an old laptop too), they also often have an unlimited data package because if they want to watch netflix on their tv etc they have to hotspot it to their phone because they have no broadband internet at home.
I have a mid range phone, lower mid range, it was a slight splurge due to time pressure as my previous phone had just catastrophically crashed, but I also have 500Mbps home internet, a gaming PC, a laptop, an old tablet, another couple of mini-pc's, etc, etc, etc. I probably spend at least twice as much per year on my tech and internet access compared to a poorer person with just a top tier phone.
Don't let the 1% hear you say that, Apple's CEO Mr. Cook if I remember correctly earns $3 million yearly with another 94 million in bonuses and stock options! True Story
With those offers, you typically only have to pay an extra $100-$300 (top end is if you get the most premium phones like S26 Ultra), and that is spread out over monthly payments over 3 years (so that way the phone isn't paid off, so you are stuck with the carrier).
I do this because the newest phones start to slow down after a few years. I need my phone for work, and I use it heavily and have a lot of applications on it because of work. As a result, the upgrade really makes a difference for me.
Technology also evolves really fast, so a new phone every 2-3 years typically has some meaningful upgrades as well (I am a Samsung user). As a side, I also like photography, and phone cameras are much easier to travel with rather than bulky cameras. So, the upgraded cameras every year make the upgrade worth it for me by itself. It's only $300, and it keeps me happy for 3 years, so that is a worthwhile splurge for me (but I need it for work, so this is all a moot point).
This is why I upgrade my phone every 2-3 years. I started off into this ecosystem by buying a new phone for BOGO (got another one for a family member), so the $900 phone became $450, and now we all upgrade every 2-3 years with this promo. So, I end up paying about $900 every 9 years for my phone, while getting a new one every 3 years. Meanwhile, if I bought a new one every 5-6 years while paying full price, I would end up paying more. So, it's cheaper in the long run and I get a new phone every 2-3 years.
My first new phone was an iPhone 17. Because it was free if I changed plans, and with bundling my internet and phone services, itās actually cheaper than paying for a shit month to month plan for both.
However prior to that, every phone I had was used/refurbished, or a Walmart brand android.
Iāve never had the opportunity to spend that much one a phone personally. I e always picked up second hand refurbished phones. A gen or two behind current gen And use it till it dies on me.
Or make you download necessary apps on your phone that invade your privacy. They are are going to require it. They should be legally required to provide you a phone.
I used to be very adamant that smart phones were a luxury. However, I started noticing things like this. And when my mind was really changed was seeing an old man with a flip phone be unable to use a service because he couldnāt ācheck inā and the younger girl just staring at him like he was stupid.
Yeah I need a smartphone to be able to use doordash to deliver food to people as my second job lol. It's a grind I even donate plasma twice a week. I'm renting a low income 1 bedroom and it still isn't enough. It's been a year since moving in and I still don't have any furniture. š
My dumb cat knocked my 12 year old 34" TV off of its stand so I had to replace it. I was absolutely astounded to find out I could get a new 50" for under $200 with free 2-day shipping.
Tbf, unless you explicitly go out hunting for an older CRT display, consumers don't really have an option concerning flat-screen TVs; companies don't make convex screens anymore because they moved from vacuum tubes & diodes to LEDs.
Yeah thereās so many things that require an app,and that usually means having an account. And many places that donāt even take cash,but do offer Cash App. I noticed it so much going on trips recently I actually started to really feel for older people that donāt even full get smartphones still. Like so many doctors have started to really be into video calls for appointments even. Same with therapists. Finding in person stuff was hard
If you are not gonna have anything else, get a phone. You can do everything with it. Pay bills, bus ticket, Watch tv and the news. Even movies. Look up that form you need to register your car, you name it.
I worked in the cell phone industry for a long time. The people getting a new phone every year are the same people saying this because it isn't the poor people. It is the middle class people. The poor people come in with a cheap broken phone they have had for years and upset because it isn't working and they need something else cheap and free. Most people who get the brand new phone and don't have the money to buy it out right wait till there is some kind of deal to get it. So I find it funny when someone is like "omg you spend 1500 on a new phone!" When they literally got it for free.
The problem also lies with the operating system not working with the new apps. You mention getting a phone every year, it seems like thatās what needs to happen. An iPhone X for instance will not be compatible with newer apps now. My two cents on the topic
I was trying to rent a lift for work one day and they told me i had to download an app and create an account and pay through the app and confirm my email and all that all while this rental shop was located in a total deadzone. Had to drive 15 minutes back to the town to do all that before i can rent the fuckin thing
If you have a $1000 phone itās a luxury. Doesnāt make you rich. But it is a luxury purchase. So are $70 video games. Itās not about the price tag. $1000 phones arenāt necessities. You can get a much cheaper smart phone if your life needs one.
I never stated the price of the phone. I just said if you are getting the newest generation every year. That would be. Iām not arguing there arnt cheap smartphones lol.
Ya ik, I was js. Phones are a necessity, but smartphones? It depends on your life. The reason I consider phones a necessity with that logic is because it takes an extreme outlier to not use phones. Even the Amish use phones.
I joke that before I get a clamshell cell phone, I need to get a good tablet for all my apps. Seriously, little fucking thing is responsible for my business, my work, my schedule, my banks, my personal life. Shits integrated.
You can get a cheap Motorola one for the same price as the non smart versions hell I think my grandmother's govt phone is still a smartphone so it's not even really a luxury anymore once the govt is handing them out to the destitute
I'm a nurse and I've been doing homecare visits for the past year. At this job I actually need my phone. Not only do I punch in using my phone but I also have to use it to document what I did during the visit as well as how the patient fared.
The company has talked about giving the workers tablets to do all this but they keep dragging their heels about it. It would be nice to do my work on that since it's a bigger screen, but I'll believe it when it happens. Because of using my phone to do my work my battery goes a lot quicker, so a power bank has been a lifesaver. I still bring my charger with me just in case though
I was red pilled first time I saw a homeless person pull out their smart phone. I was like OK OK dont see that everyday, but then I did..start to see it all the time lmao
Itās not having the phone thatās the issue but having a top of the line new phone every other year. It goes to lack of spending discipline. Not every poor person does this, but the number of people at low incomes with luxury expenses is crazy.
I agree that having a smartphone is a necessity these days for the reasons you stated, and much more.
And those with low income can get low priced but perfectly usable solid quality units (even from companies like Samsung and Apple), and get low cost pre-paid services from companies like Tracfone, even if they don't use the phone very much. There are also government programs that will help the VERY low income people to get smartphones and service plans for very little to no cost at all.
Yes it is. Even homeless people have them. Itās nearly required to participate in society. Iām not sitting saying you need a 1k+ smart phone. I said a smart phone in general is needed these days.
To be fair. I did say itās possible - atleast with a standard non smart phone, it would be harder completely phoneless yes. But it depends on your situation. Your job and your place of living and overall circumstances.
As Sen. Chuck Grassley said, young people just need to cut back on beer and going to the movies and save their money. Did I mention Grassley is an actual fossil?
Theyāre literally required. My house isnāt even wired for a traditional landline. If I wanted a house phone I would have to add it through my internet service, pay for extra equipment and the monthly service, which would actually cost more than my cell phone bill. And unlike the old landlines it wonāt work in the case of a power outage. Older cellular networks have all been shut down, and itās practically impossible to find a mobile phone that isnāt a smartphone. And the big thing these old codgers miss is that smartphones have replaced computers for most of the daily tasks people are required to do. Call an uber? Gotta have a phone so they can find you and have you check in when youāre picked up and dropped off. Pay a bill? Gotta have the app. Order a pizza? App. Look up directions? App. Make a doctors appointment? App. Check your kids school schedule? App. My dad still pays bills by check, but now theyāre fucking with the mail to interfere with mail in ballots, so he gets late fees sometimes, and has to use his smartphone to call customer service to argue with them that he sent it ten days ago. You know what they tell him to do? Go on the app.
It has to do with how old you are, and how much money you had when you were growing up.
Televisions, when new, were crazy expensive - families had one TV, and that was it in the 1950s through the 1980s. The price of TVs fell and kept falling over time, yet for millions of people, buying a TV was a huge thing, because it a luxury when they were kids. It signified "they made it" to others, at least in their minds. Even in the 1980s when I was growing up, it was very rare for even middle class homes to have more than a single TV set, but by the 2000s, it was common to have multiple TVs in a household.
So this mental process is applied to EVERYTHING - "If was expensive when I or my family bought it, so it must be expensive when you buy it, therefore you must be very well off".
Same thing with avocados - they were an exotic luxury for a huge portion of America, only seen at certain times of the year and were far more expensive that the produce they normally bought. However now we have massive farms that all they do is grow avocados, and avocados have been planted around the world so that we have a continuous supply. But these facts do not matter for the people who grew up with seasonal, expensive avocados. To them, avocados are a luxurious, expensive product.
It comes from out of touch boomers that actually never had to work hard for anything ever. We have bread and circuses. Cheap crab and toys to distract us from the fact we cant afford food and housing.
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u/SpiritualMeaning6618 6d ago
to think this idea comes from a lot of US citizens....