Dispitus.com

Empowering change empowering Tech

One of the few things you can count on is that Apple will release a new iPhone every year, a new and improved model than the one you just bought. By the time the new one arrives, they are already classifying the old as obsolete and dysfunctional. So, contrary to popular belief, they don’t put that iOS 10 update on your iPhone 5s to make it better. “Planned obsolescence” is the term many people use to describe Apple’s decision to push problematic updates to all previous models to cause problems with batteries, apps not opening, connectivity, and other problems. These updates will make your phone slower and with enough updates on an older model it will become obsolete.

There’s no reason why you can’t get four or five years out of your iPhone before upgrading to another. They are well-built, quality phones that are built to last. However, these updates can reduce the useful life by up to two or three years. So anyone with a functional phone below the iPhone 7 should ignore these prompts; ideally, you should still be on iOS 8 or 9 for the iPhone 5 and 6 series. The software that came with your phone already works perfectly fine.

Also remember that once you upgrade, you can’t roll it back. Apple will try to force you to upgrade in many ways. One such tactic is that sometimes your phone will ask you for the passcode, but write in small print that doing so will automatically update the phone sometime early in the morning. Below, an even smaller button to opt out of this automatic update is the only way around it. Another means, even harder to avoid, is that developers will update popular apps like Facebook and Snapchat to be compatible with the newest iOS, creating a disparity between their operating system and the app’s. To continue using it, you will most likely need to update your system. Wait as long as you can and then stop using the app or update, but stay informed about your choice.

The bottom line is that if you upgrade an older model, you can essentially turn it into a paperweight. The battery and charging port can be repaired, just like other things, but repair shops can only do so much with an upgraded phone because a lot of times, the phone will just cut out new batteries or chargers. Be mindful of what you’re doing with your phone, and also consider the impact of buying a new phone every year.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *