THERE IS RICE AT HOME—NO, YOU DON’T NEED THAT NEW IPHONE
LISTEN, MAN. WE ALL KNOW THAT FEELING—THE URGE TO HAVE THE NEWEST, SHINIEST THING.
Your friend group is upgrading, influencers are flexing, and Apple is out here making sure you feel like your perfectly good phone is suddenly outdated. But let’s keep it real: We are entering a recession, and no, you do not need that new iPhone.
THE APPLE ANNOUNCEMENT CYCLE—A TALE AS OLD AS TIME
Apple is a master at selling you the same thing over and over, dressed up just enough to make you feel like you need it. Every year, like clockwork, they drop their “revolutionary” keynote, announcing an iPhone that’s slightly better than last year’s—but let’s be honest, it’s mostly just a recycled version with a new camera bump and a buzzword about performance improvements.
And don’t get me started on how things changed after Steve Jobs left. Look, I can’t scientifically prove it, but you feel it too, right? Apple had vision back then. The first iPhone? Revolutionary. The iPad? Game-changer. The MacBook Air? A flex. Now? We’re just getting a slightly brighter screen and a battery that lasts 30 minutes longer. Where’s the wow factor? Where’s the big leap?
THE ILLUSION OF INNOVATION
Apple’s entire business model relies on making you think your phone is outdated when it’s actually just fine. The truth is, if you’ve bought an iPhone in the last five years, you’re probably set. Sure, they’ll slow your phone down with software updates (allegedly—don’t sue me, Apple), but most of the “upgrades” are things you wouldn’t even notice unless they told you about them.
A slightly better camera? Cool, but are you really shooting a feature film? A faster processor? For what—so Instagram can load half a second quicker? Be real with yourself.
TECHNOLOGY & THE ENVIRONMENT—A TOXIC RELATIONSHIP
Let’s talk about the environmental impact of constantly chasing the latest gadget. E-waste is a massive issue. Every year, millions of phones end up in landfills, full of toxic materials that pollute the earth. Meanwhile, Apple is pushing you to upgrade while conveniently removing chargers from the box (to “help the environment,” but really just to cut costs). If they actually cared, they’d make their devices last longer, not make you feel like your two-year-old phone is ancient.
THERE IS RICE AT HOME
Look, I’m not gonna lie—I’ve dropped my iPhone in water more times than I’d like to admit. And you know what? That rice trick? It works. So before you rush out to drop a grand on a new phone, remember: there is rice at home. Your iPhone 13, 12, even 11? Still kicking. Still snapping pics. Still sending texts. No need to buy a whole new phone because your battery is acting up. Get it replaced for a fraction of the price instead.
At the end of the day, the pressure to upgrade is just that—pressure. You don’t need that new iPhone. You don’t need to keep up with the influencers. You don’t need to drop a bag on something that’s barely different from what you already have. Save your money, keep your old phone, and remind yourself: There is rice at home.