Should you update your iPhone? (or any other phone brand)

 Save money and help the environment by only getting a new smartphone when it’s necessary.

"A new smartphone is a major purchase that can cost anywhere from $200 to $2,000. The companies that make and sell the devices would like you to believe it’s necessary to shell out for a new one every couple of years. In reality, a smartphone can live a long and fulfilling life with proper maintenance and, if needed, a few repairs" according to Washington Post writers Kelly and Alcanterra. 

5 questions to help you decide whether to update: 

1. How old is your phone?
2. Is anything wrong with your phone?
3. How important is camera quality to you?
4. What features are you currently missing and willing to spend money for?
5. How important is it that you be seen with the newest phone?   

You likely need a WP subscription to access quiz that will help you answer the question of whether to buy a new phone. But even if you don't have access, the 5 questions can help you decide whether to fork out the money and increase your environmental impact.

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/interactive/2022/phone-upgrade-quiz/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F37ddae6%2F631a180cf3d9003c58c65501%2F5b8ff3adade4e20f4f60a387%2F28%2F70%2F631a180cf3d9003c58c65501&wp_cu=4cad85f430d2492e92d09d479b6e088c%7C752242DB42B02B72E0530100007F82AE

Thinking of upgrading to a new phone?

"Buying a $1,000 iPhone can be equivalent to giving up $17,000 in retirement savings or 2,500 cups of coffee" according to Brian X. Chen, writing for The New York Times. 

Although buying a new iPhone of other top of the line phone might just cost the equivalent of buying a coffee a day for a year, financially astute readers might do some easy math and discover that the $700-$1,000 invested in a retirement account today could grow to about $17,000 in 30 years!

Consider that fewer than half of Americans have adequate emergency savings but many will upgrade their phones every year or two.

"Suze Orman, the financial adviser who once famously equated people’s coffee habits to 'peeing $1 million down the drain.' The seemingly small amount of money that people mindlessly spend on java — and now phone upgrades — could be a path to poverty, she said." Orman further explains that a "$1,000 phone charged to a credit card could turn into $3,000 with interest by the time it’s paid off." Yikes! 

Is it really worth going into debt for a new phone? Your answer indicates whether you are a short-term thinker or a long-term planner. 

Yes, You CAN Clean Your iPhone With Disinfecting Wipes!

"After years of telling us not to use Clorox wipes and other cleaning products on our phones, Apple finally admits that some disinfectants are fine"

Thanks to Joanna Stern writing for The Wall Street Journal (3/9/20):
"it’s OK to use a 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox disinfecting wipes on the surface of your Apple products."

Stern wiped the screen of a new iPhone 8 1,095 times with Clorox disinfecting wipes. That's equivalent to cleaning your phone daily for three years. Conclusion: "the coating was still in good condition." 

Smart Phone (IN)Security & Go Unlisted Blog

Smart phone, internet, and social media privacy issues are of growing concern. A handful of Honors students at the University of Utah participated in the Privacy & Technology Think Tank. As they studied privacy issues and technology “they realized the technology that they saw as having enriched their education and social lives could also deplete their civil liberties, privacy, and autonomy. The students wanted to pass on their new knowledge to others, but they soon realized their new knowledge wouldn’t be new for long in such a fast-paced world. Unlisted was born–a blog and student group at the University of Utah committed to embracing technology’s ability to transform education, economics, and politics while at the same time making known its pitfalls and dangers.” Learn about the privacy dangers of Smartphones in their April 5 blog post and much more about protecting your privacy. “Because if you don’t know, you can’t do anything about it. Protect your privacy. Go Unlisted.” http://gounlisted.wordpress.com/