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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIs Apple Plotting Against Your Old iPhone to Make You Buy a New One?
Is Apple Plotting Against Your Old iPhone to Make You Buy a New One?
By Lauren Lyster | Daily Ticker
The iPad Air went on sale Friday and consumers with the old, heavier iPad may be wondering if they should spend the $499 to upgrade. One thing they are certainly hoping would never factor into their decision -- if their old device stopped working as a result of some contrived strategy by Apple (AAPL).
Such a tactic is called planned obsolescence and The New York Times economics reporter Catherine Rampell explores the theory as it could apply to Apples iPhone in this article appearing in the Times magazine.
She points out, for example, that the iPhone 5S and 5C models were released around the same time as iOS7, which happens to make the iPhone 4 and 4S unbearably slow according to her experience and then corroborated by tech analysts she spoke with during her reporting.
She writes:
To conspiracy-theory-hungry observers (and some of the rest of us), it might make sense that Apple would employ this business strategy. The tech giant, after all, has reached near-saturation levels in the U.S. smartphone market. If iPhones work forever, people who already own the devices wont buy new ones. Furthermore, selling products with finite life spans can be good for consumers, depending on their tastes and how informed they are.
Already the column has attracted much attention, including critics dismissing her argument as solely "conspiracy theory" and "completely without hard evidence. ........................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/apple-plotting-against-old-iphone-buy-one-173254624.html
Iggo
(47,565 posts)Deep13
(39,154 posts)wtmusic
(39,166 posts)and if you have to put it in the lowest common denominator, being a company that sucks can hurt sales.
Ask Microsoft, or Adobe.
Make7
(8,543 posts)Electric Monk
(13,869 posts)Should be ready any day now...
Make7
(8,543 posts)Electric Monk
(13,869 posts)nt (ran out of room in the subject line)
Make7
(8,543 posts)[div class="excerpt" style="display:inline-block; margin-left:1em; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-radius:0.4615em; box-shadow:-1px -1px 3px #999999 inset;"]telnet towel.blinkenlights.nl
wtmusic
(39,166 posts)Heidi
(58,237 posts)wtmusic
(39,166 posts)My complaints to tech support go unanswered.
Heidi
(58,237 posts)and a fool's mission, but I am happy to be of assistance. You'll need to print out the following, mimeograph it, and have it delivered by Pony Express to tech support. You're welcome.
Brigid
(17,621 posts)I got a RAZR.
wtmusic
(39,166 posts)Pure as the driven snow.
mattvermont
(646 posts)Have had it for over 3 years....uploaded the new system last week, and have found nothing but improved functionality. Just putting out my data point on this. I think the Cellular providers might be more responsible for this kind of intervention. ATT has made my microcell tower stop working, with no explanation...they cant even give me an idea what is wrong. They are the ones who benefit most from my changing devices, I think.
we can do it
(12,194 posts)A friend of mine has one too, he said the same thing. Not everyone upgrades every time they can.
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)is by far the best smart phone on the market for blind people, but this new ios is making it very hard for him to use his phone. He used to love his phone. Now he hates it. The second another company comes up with a phone as good as the iPhone Apple is toast.
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)Notified I needed to update my phone, guess what they backed my phone to a version which would not work with the apps I had been using. Called for support and was told to go and purchace an upgraded phone if I wanted the apps to work. My next purchase was not an Apple.
Cal Carpenter
(4,959 posts)NYC Liberal
(20,136 posts)No "conspiracy" needed.
joeunderdog
(2,563 posts)Apple is becoming its enemy. They are looking more and more like Microsoft as they conspire to steal your last dime in every way they can.
My last upgrade of Aperture (just so I could use my new camera and actually see the images) meant I had to upgrade the OS. I lost Word, the use of my calibration unit, and a scanner. Not to mention the aggravation. Oh, and now my iphone 5 won't play hundreds of songs I bought on iTunes and I just don't have the time to research how to get things like this and other stuff to work all over again.
This hardcore Apple user is starting to wonder why I spend the extra money for its products. It used to be because Apple was plug n play and no hidden costs. NOT. ANY. MORE.
Electric Monk
(13,869 posts)I'm still running OS X 10.5 on one, and 10.7 on the other (for cloud stuff). The one running 10.5 might just stay that way for ever, because it does what I wanted it to do when I bought it.
lostincalifornia
(3,639 posts)Vashta Nerada
(3,922 posts)It's just the way technology works.
Initech
(100,102 posts)You can use Android or Windows Phone 8, or even RIM. And contrary to the article I have a second generation iPad. It runs ios 7, I've yet to run into a single issue with it. If I did buy a new iPad it would be for increased storage capacity.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Haven't noticed any slowness at all.
Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)I has to figure out a few of the differences but that was easy and it has been smooth sailing.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)But I gave myself some cool new wallpaper that goes better with the look, and now it's fine.
Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)pansypoo53219
(20,995 posts)NO! BLUE RAY!
lostincalifornia
(3,639 posts)current iPhone/ipad users to upgrade to the newer models:
Iphone 5C: C for Cheap
Iphone 5S: S for Same
For the IPAD and iPhones, nothing to really that "wow" in my view
Berlum
(7,044 posts)Millions of people recognize that. I'm just sayin...
lostincalifornia
(3,639 posts)view.
There is no question that millions buy into the new Apple products, but unless they come up with new innovations, they will stagnate
To be honest, Samsung is starting to take the lead in the mobile market, and Apple is starting to be a follower. The next iPhone will have a bigger screen, and incorporate a lot of the functionality in the Galaxy 4 and Note 3 in the iPhone 6
The reason Apple dropped from 700 to 520 is because people are concerned about the direction.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Last edited Sat Nov 2, 2013, 08:17 AM - Edit history (1)
And those remaining few of us who have seen well made stuff that lasts a lifetime at a price not too far from what it cost to make it, still notice the difference.
treestar
(82,383 posts)still works well without it, though one app won't work.
Maverick system on macbook did cause problems. My scanner doesn't have software for it. They are supposedly developing it. Not enough of a problem to update the laptop yet - I use those until they break.