zlacker

>>alphab+(OP)
It's starting to feel silly, having a yearly release cycle for smartphones. So much of this product page is focused on new software functions that may have some vague relationship with the slightly upgraded hardware, but that could mostly be released to existing phones. Every new iPhone, Pixel, or Samsung phone basically claims the camera is marginally better and hey, look at these software features that have very little to do with the hardware and should not fundamentally be a reason to upgrade to this phone.

There is so much time, effort, and physical waste that is generated by slightly redesigning phones every year purely for the sake of making sales (as opposed to meaningful improvement upon the existing design or introduction of a new hardware feature). Think not only of people upgrading for the sake of it, but all of the cases, screen protectors, and other assorted accessories cast in plastic for previous models that are garbage now.

It would be nice if we could just space these things out to 5 years or so now, because that's probably how long it takes for anything to change enough to justify a new model.

>>kimber+T71
Unfortunately the world is filled with people like my fried who, without fail, buys - for cash, not as part of a contract renewal - the max spec iPhone available every year. One for him, one for his wife. Sell the old ones, or give them to family. Revenue like that is too hard for these companies to pass up. And so we get this waste.

>>theodr+An1
> And so we get this waste.

Wait. If they are making phones that get bought up every year because of people like your friend, then where is the waste?