Vicious Upgrades

We live in a digital landscape where the number of smartphone users has increased from 2.5 billion in 2016 to a whopping 3.5 billion in 2020. As revenues from smartphones have reached an all-time high, smartphone companies are rolling out regular upgrades to bolster the revenue even further. The devices are getting sleeker, faster and more prominent but are they getting better? Is there a perceptible difference between the two consecutive versions? Are features like a fingerprint scanner or an extra camera a deal-breaker for you And the bigger question is: Should you upgrade? These questions hold for all kinds of electronics to something as trivial as a pair of sneakers. With the barrage of upgrades flooding the market, it is natural for consumers to contemplate about upgrading their device. Easy finance options and enticing advertisements reinforce the urge to buy a new device. As the process becomes more frictionless, it induces a necessity. Since all devices are now interconnected, one has to consider the compatibility and the vicious cycle of upgrades start. As the topic of planned obsolescence come to the forefront, making an informed decision is crucial. You don't want to upgrade your phone or laptop all the time if it doesn't give you the added advantage.

The biggest smartphone manufacturer, Apple, has come under the radar for indulging in practices such as planned obsolescence. Planned obsolescence is when companies deliberately reduce the life expectancy of products to force you to buy again. Apple, in 2016), quietly rolled out an upgrade that throttled CPU performance to mask the problems of the ageing battery. Sadly, Apple is not the only culprit of such practices. Numerous companies roll out new updates meant for faster processors to old phones that render them unusable.

The "Right to repair" movement is gaining a lot of traction recently. As devices are becoming more sophisticated, they are getting harder to fix. The increased complexity of the electronics is seen as a ploy by brands to force you to buy a new device. This is not limited to one industry; it spans across consumer electronics to agricultural equipment. Right to repair is a must for all industries because repairing certain products can be an expensive nightmare. In Massachusetts, voters approved a measure that would fuel right to repair initiatives worldwide,

When should you upgrade?

Before you make a decision, ask yourself the following questions:

• Can I afford it?

• Is my current device unable to handle basic tasks?

• Will the upgrade radically affect my productivity?

If all the answers are in negative, then upgrading your device is not an immediate concern. For example, I was browsing through Amazon to buy a new pair of earphones. That's when I realized that my current earphones are perfectly fine for my daily activities and I don't NEED another pair right now. To understand human needs, you should learn about Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs

Maslow (1943) proposed that humans needs can be organized in a hierarchy. It ranges from essential needs such as food and water to abstract needs like self-fulfilment. This hierarchy illustrates the relationship between human needs and human desires. The idea behind the model is unless the needs of the bottom category are fulfilled; we do not move to the next category. In contrast, the need differs according to each individual based on external circumstances and other factors. Marketers know the needs and want of their target customers and tailor the marketing strategy based on your needs. Every time you are on the internet, you are how ads which have gone from general to being personal in an attempt to lure you into spending your money. The point is money spent on an unwanted purchase could have been diverted to more pressing needs such as settling student loan, mortgage and other significant concerns. As you incline more towards deliberate buying decision, you don't get sucked down the vortex of consumerism.

While one might argue that buying a new device imparts happiness, there is another notion that takes place here. It is called hedonic adaptation. It refers to the tendency of humans to return to the standard or a set level of happiness after a spike (in this case, a purchase) or a down. Every time I buy new apparel, I feel happy for two to three days and then return to my blend of happiness. Everyone experiences this spike in the level of contentment with a new purchase but it soon levels out gradually. The materialistic nature pushes us to churn out a long list of needs. We feel compelled to satisfy these need to boost our levels of happiness. But more doesn't translate into greater satisfaction.

So as companies are hell-bent on devising new methods to tempt you to upgrade your device, it all boils down to three factors: budget, functionality and urgency. If upgrades make you happy and money is not a barrier then maybe you should upgrade as the buying process has become so frictionless that we don't get enough time to reflect if we NEED the product. While it might seem alluring, think twice before you add the latest iPhone to your cart.