Apple's scummy update cycle

A reflection on how easily I get swayed

Friends, it’s that time of year again: Apple just announced a shedload of new products.

And — as is the case every time this happens — I want them all. Specifically though, there’s one thing on my mind: the new Apple Watch, the Series 9.

But here’s the rub: I don’t really know why.

Currently, I’m using the Series 6, a model released in 2020, making it about three years old. There are few things of that price (around €500, depending on the exact model) that you’d consider replacing after only 36 months, but this is the spell the tech industry weaves.

It’s not like there’s a huge difference between the Apple Watch models. For example, from the Series 6 to the Series 9, the only notable updates are:

• Fast charging

• Better battery life

• An improved chipset

• Brighter display

• A temperature sensor

These aren’t killer, life-changing features. It’s not even as though there’s an aesthetic consideration involved, as the design between the two has stayed the same (I wrote about why that is here and here).

On top of all that, my current Apple Watch still does everything I ask of it, tracking my health and exercise exemplarily.

Considering this, why is my mouse hovering over the purchase button on Apple’s site? What the hell is wrong with me?

The Series 6 is on the left, the Series 9 on the right. Yet still, I pine.

If I’m honest, the only thing that’s really bothering me about my Series 6 is the battery. When I first got the watch, it’d last for almost two days, meaning I could juice it up whenever it was convenient.

Unsurprisingly, after three years and roughly a thousand charging cycles, things have changed. My Series 6 suffers.

Yes, it lasts a full day, but because I use my Apple Watch as a sleep tracker (meaning I wear it in bed, rather than juicing it up overnight), charging it becomes a game of cat-and-mouse where I’m fitting in sessions whenever I can.

I long for the days when I could trust my Series 6 to keep on going regardless of what I was up to.

The logical thing to do instead of upgrading to a new model would be replacing the battery. But this is where the true nefarious side of consumer tech rears its head.

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To replace the Apple Watch battery — which can, officially, only be done by Apple — will cost just north of €100.

For context, a Series 9 starts at €449.

Prices in this range make my Boy Maths go wild; for sure, I could pay €100 for a new battery, but… for just €349 more I can get an entirely new one. I mean, I’ll have to upgrade my Series 6 eventually? Why not now? Why not? Do it. Do it, Callum. You know you want to.

Apple knows exactly what it’s doing with this pricing structure.

There’s no way replacing a battery is worth almost a quarter of the device’s new value. Apple deliberately makes battery replacements as expensive as possible to lure people into upgrading to a new model, rather than fixing with they already have.

This is repeated across its entire product range.

The reason most people upgrade their phones isn’t to do with wanting new features or the fanciest bit of tech, instead it’s down to battery problems.

In my experience, folks buy a new handset when their old one slows down or depletes at a rapid rate. And you know what? These issues could be solved by a battery replacement.

This is why the EU’s upcoming Right to Repair legislation is so important. We need the ability to fix our devices.

“Come on, lick it.”

Currently, companies do everything they can to encourage upgrades, as this keeps sales high, stocks rising, and profits stratospheric.

And — shock! horror! — this constant production of new devices is awful for the environment.

Recycling is definitely the future, but we currently don’t have the technology to adequately manage the amount of waste we produce. We need to, and should, keep our devices longer, something Right to Repair should help.

This change in our habits won’t just happen though — and for that marketing is to blame.

Companies have done an almost admirable job in getting in our heads, convincing us that a new device is something we need, a status symbol, a tool that’ll finally get us where we want to be.

As a tech lover, I believe there’s a kernel of truth in this: some electronics have massively improved my life.

The trick, I guess, is self-reflection. Something easier said than done.

When it comes to upgrading it’s tough not to be swayed by the marketing and accept that, actually, what you have right now is doing a great job — even if that shiny new thing is calling out to you like a siren from Greek mythology, but instead of a weird mermaid thing it’s a shiny rectangle filled with wires.

Rather than getting a new phone or watch or laptop, have a look to see if it can be repaired, the battery replaced, and whether you need it or just want it.

As much as it pains me to say, looks like I’ll be waiting until the Series 10 drops.