Why one should consider not updating their phone
We have a tendency in the modern age to see our phones as tech in constant need of replacements and updates. We’re bombarded with advertising from so many avenues that we can’t avoid this thought, with the likes of Apple and Samsung constantly vying for our attention and our wallets. What we tend to forget is that, today, this isn’t a path we need to take very often, and there are some very good reasons why.
An appeal to momentum
The idea that we should consistently and rapidly upgrade our phones is a remnant from the early days of smartphones. When these first appeared in the mainstream as popularised by Apple’s iPhone in 2007, the devices were revelations compared to their non-smart predecessors.
While earlier cell phones offered some degree of software and camera support, smartphones raised this potential to an entirely new level. As developers quickly learned more about what the tech could do, and production methods improved, the next few generations each offered prodigious leaps forward.We tend to forget that, as impressive as the first few years were, contemporary progression is far less impressive. Each new generation once offered far more options, whereas today technological improvements are mostly incremental. A layout change or an almost imperceptible screen refinement may appear, but compared with the value of early generational leaps, modern phone updates fall short.
The capabilities of the modern market
The centre of these imperceptible improvements comes from how the phone market is no longer playing catch-up. At first, phones were trying to deliver to the user the common casual uses of the internet on computers. This was when social media was really gaining steam, so the goal of smartphones was to deliver a similarly streamlined experience. Whether posting on Instagram or browsing videos on YouTube, users craved easy and instant access.
Reaching this ideal didn’t take long, as most devices around the mid-2010s were more than powerful enough to deliver a first-class experience. After this point, phones were no longer playing catch-up; they reached increasingly further ahead of the curve of what most users demanded. Apps that used to be confined to the most expensive models ran easily on more budget systems, and this pattern has only repeated.
Today, the most common cutting-edge apps and services run perfectly well on older and less powerful smartphones. A perfect example of this comes from the iGaming world, as is so often seen in any good Great Britain casino. Titles like Premium Blackjack and Age of the Gods Roulette load near-instantly and play without flaws on cheaper phones from five years ago. This brings us back to the original point – how necessary is an upgrade?
Ultimately, the decision to upgrade today is driven less by generational hardware improvements than by the condition of the device. As occasional clumsiness is inevitable, wear and tear will occur, and this may be the clearest indication of when to replace a phone. If the device continues to function properly, there is no need to be swayed by marketing claims.
The editorial unit
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