What are your thoughts on expensive cellphones?

[Lavigne 955]

The vast majority of people I know own like a brand new iPhone or Galaxy every other year. Phones that are costing upwards to a thousand euros/dollars. I don't understand it. I used to own those kinds of phones when I was younger and it was flash to have the latest Android and I had an iPhone once before deciding I hated iTunes. Ever since I was in my early 20s, I switched to Chinese branded phones, originally Blu but my last two phones (inc current one) have been by a company called Xiaomi. An upper-mid range Xiaomi phone is around 200-250 euros and I would say have maximum 3 year life span, I've had mine two years and 3 months and it's slowly starting to go to shit, but then again I dropped it about a month ago and cracked the screen whilst playing golf so I think it coulda gone longer.

 

So those of you that own expensive pieces of metal and plastic, why?

 

E: Probs worth mentioning I don't take a lot of pictures (although the camera quality is very good, just not iPhone level), and my phone is a "neccesity" item, not a luxury one, I mostly only use it for the car as I have AndroidPlay. I don't use Whatsapp or Social Media (have a gaming twitter but no IG/SNAP/FB etc). I usually respond to texts as and when I can and typically will only accept phone calls from saved numbers, I don't give my number out to companies, etc and my workplace gave me a phone as I refused to give them my number as my phone is personal to me, and told them I only accept e-mails otherwise.

Edited July 6, 2021 by Lavigne

[Howl 969]

You get what you pay for. Given how much we generally use our phones, I'd rather just spend the money for a good one. I've had my iPhone 8 for ~4 years now and it still works fine.

[Mitch 1,117]

I never get brand new ones as my current phone is 4 years old. Anytime I upgrade it's always the model or 2 below the newest ones so I pay much less overall

[Juri 486]

I upgrade if I really see something like battery degrading badly usually a few years atleast. 

[NarNumbers 257]

I been using my Huawei for the last 2 almost 3 years. It's been really good and no issues so I haven't switched. I haven't tried Xiaomi but I heard they're good too.

 

For me personally, I believe it's very important to have a good reliable phone as I use it so much and it does so much for me. I manage all my finances and communicate with everyone I need to with it. With that being said, I wouldn't be switching phones every year for no reason just cause there is a new one out with slightly better features. As long as my phone can do what I need it to do with no issues I'll stick to it but if it breaks I don't mind spending $$$ on a new one.

[Ace 632]

I can't answer because I only upgrade every few years or more, and I usually upgrade to something that's a couple of models behind what's at the forefront.

 

Granted, I feel zero urge for it. I don't really get the fascination for it. 

 

6 minutes ago, Juri said:

I upgrade if I really see something like battery degrading badly usually a few years atleast. 

The battery is the cheapest and easiest piece to replace honestly.  

[Lavigne 955]

24 minutes ago, NarNumbers said:

I been using my Huawei for the last 2 almost 3 years. It's been really good and no issues so I haven't switched. I haven't tried Xiaomi but I heard they're good too.

 

Yeah Xiaomi are really good. Blu were pretty bad but their phones were almost 100 euros cheaper than the equivelant Xiaomi line and it shows. I'd have signal randomly dropping out, calls dropping, the phone randomly would switch off or not link to my car etc, most of these problems were after a year, but I still figured a year phone for €150 was good value, but wanted something a bit more reliable than that, so swapped to Xiaomi and had two of their Note phones, will be getting a new phone soon because this one is pre 5g era so it doesn't have compatibility for it and 5g just launched here, but it's not urgent as I don't have a 5g data plan yet. Huawei are good though, my Mum has one of those, after she lost two expensive iPhones.

Edited July 6, 2021 by Lavigne

[Lavigne 955]

19 minutes ago, Ace said:

The battery is the cheapest and easiest piece to replace honestly.  

iPhones are notorious for patching their phones to a point where the performance is cripplied in order to "save battery integrity".

 

We all know that's bullshit because what they really want you to do is upgrade, but unlike Android phones iPhones aren't the easiest to fuck around with, mechanically and technically. So it's either that or they're telling you their batteries are piss. Imagine having a battery last for only 2 years in a $1000 phone. 

[Vanzant 1,448]

I had a Samsung s7 until last year my phone finally died. Now I have a s10+. Phones are too expensive but I definitely appreciate this phone. It's great for mobile rs and the picture quality is awesome.

 

 

If I ever stop playing rs probably go back to a old school flip phone lol

[Ace 632]

13 minutes ago, Lavigne said:

iPhones are notorious for patching their phones to a point where the performance is cripplied in order to "save battery integrity".

 

We all know that's bullshit because what they really want you to do is upgrade, but unlike Android phones iPhones aren't the easiest to fuck around with, mechanically and technically. So it's either that or they're telling you their batteries are piss. Imagine having a battery last for only 2 years in a $1000 phone. 

Even though they're not the easiest, it can be done, it's just annoying. You need a straight edge and a suction cup to get the screen off and get under the hood. The batteries are cheap(around 12 USD) and realistically they're supposed to provide a couple of stretchy adhesive that you can just pull right on out from under the battery(although might want some tweezers for that). It's definitely just Apple self-sabotaging so people will buy their products more frequently to replace their older models. 

 

Granted, it's not any different from the rest of Apple's line up. Macs have gone to absolute shit at this point. Looked inside of one of the recent macbooks recently and it's literally set up to thermal throttle because the heatfin inside of it isn't even connected to the fan. 

[Lavigne 955]

16 minutes ago, Ace said:

Granted, it's not any different from the rest of Apple's line up. Macs have gone to absolute shit at this point. Looked inside of one of the recent macbooks recently and it's literally set up to thermal throttle because the heatfin inside of it isn't even connected to the fan. 

Fuckin lol

[Valaraz 459]

I sort of understand the craze to get the best.

 

To me the most important thing is battery life and so when given a choice I look up the models on offer and pick the one with biggest battery.

 

But, I should note, that my employer buys the phone and pays my bill so the selection is somewhat locked and carrier is frozen.

[Adam_ 1,191]

2 hours ago, Howl said:

You get what you pay for. Given how much we generally use our phones, I'd rather just spend the money for a good one. I've had my iPhone 8 for ~4 years now and it still works fine.

pretty much this i don't buy every new one that comes out but do get a new one every few years because by then my older one has start to run like shit and rather not buy something cheap which won't work long or will run like trash

[dnd5 1,028]

Use my phone a ton so I get what I like. I also usually keep them for a few years so its worth it to get a better one to me.

[€Blogs 472]

Will always have an iPhone, but will get whatever the latest model is at the time and usually replace it after 2-3 years.

 

I would consider a Samsung/Google phone if they could make their operating system less shit (and not being an Apple fanboy, I have a Android phone for work and it's fucking shit). Not gonna be buying some Huawei or whatever an Xiaomi is (????)

 

 

Edited July 6, 2021 by Blogs