There is built-in obselencence in all smartphones. Apple is no different, despite giving updates for longer they will slow your phone over time. For iPhone users it must be a bitter pill to swallow as they have spent USD 1000+ plus more for over-priced accessories. Perhaps embracing the change is the best approach. Also, I don't think so many people are bothered by updates. Many every day people haven't got a clue and just don't care.
The biggest issue with Apple devices and planned obsolescence, in my opinion, is the integrated battery. Slowing over time happens for two reasons on their devices: 1) the march of software bloat/growth being optimized for newer devices (which I think gets overblown as an evil ploy to upgrade--while I think that's just a side effect of natural development), and 2) battery degradation causing the phone to switch into a lower-performance mode because it can't draw enough power to operate at full tilt. Because of the cost of servicing the integrated battery, the economics do encourage simply replacing the phone after a few years. I do agree, that embracing the change is inevitable; given the changes in carrier networks, as they manage available spectrum and networking technologies, there's a fixed-life for mobile phones before they become less effective at their principal job: mobile telephony and data access. That also seems to be accelerating, although that my be simply because of how long 2G (GSM, EDGE) lasted compared to subsequent tech (with 3G already in the process of being retired in the U.S., my Nokia fold's days are limited).
There is built-in obselencence in all smartphones. Apple is no different, despite giving updates for longer they will slow your phone over time. For iPhone users it must be a bitter pill to swallow as they have spent USD 1000+ plus more for over-priced accessories.
Perhaps embracing the change is the best approach. Also, I don't think so many people are bothered by updates. Many every day people haven't got a clue and just don't care.
The biggest issue with Apple devices and planned obsolescence, in my opinion, is the integrated battery. Slowing over time happens for two reasons on their devices: 1) the march of software bloat/growth being optimized for newer devices (which I think gets overblown as an evil ploy to upgrade--while I think that's just a side effect of natural development), and 2) battery degradation causing the phone to switch into a lower-performance mode because it can't draw enough power to operate at full tilt. Because of the cost of servicing the integrated battery, the economics do encourage simply replacing the phone after a few years.
I do agree, that embracing the change is inevitable; given the changes in carrier networks, as they manage available spectrum and networking technologies, there's a fixed-life for mobile phones before they become less effective at their principal job: mobile telephony and data access. That also seems to be accelerating, although that my be simply because of how long 2G (GSM, EDGE) lasted compared to subsequent tech (with 3G already in the process of being retired in the U.S., my Nokia fold's days are limited).