Understanding The Apple Fan

[tbaptista]

I am not posting this to bash apple fans or tech fans in general just want to get an idea of people's habits.

Do most Apple fans update their PC/Laptops every year or every other year similarly to updating mobile phones?

I admit I update my phone when ever contract pricing is available (though I probably don't need to as the useful life of an iPhone is definitely greater than 18 months..) But this is only a $200 expense.

To update a PC/Laptop is at least $1,000.

Personally I have had the same laptop for 5 years now and it still works just fine. Not sure how much computing power I really need to run office, email & the web.

Just curios on other folks spending habits.

 

[sprocket2107]

I will upgrade my Mac when my current one s$@&'s the bed. But that's me personally

 

[AppleFan91]

I'm really not too hard to understand...sorry, I had too

 

[jclisenby]

I get a new iPhone every 2 years. I always get the latest model and enough storage to last me 2 years. I usually go with the 64GB model to make sure I have enough room.

For the iPad I get a new one every 3 years. I like to get the 32GB model for a tablet. I need less storage but I still want enough for all my books, magazines, games, and movies.

As far as my Mac goes, I like to update every 4 years. I get the fastest processor and most RAM available when I buy a Mac. Then I'll be set for at least 3-4 years with computing power.

I don't know if this is how most people do it, but it's how I operate and it works well for me. Sure, I would love to upgrade everything every year, but that's not possible unless you have heaps of cash lying around.

 

[Fausty82]

I get a phone every year and pass the old one down through the family ranks.

I have purchased all three versions of the iPad, again because I have a large family, and as they get passed down, they still get used heavily.

Computers are another topic. I recently bought the retina MBP because my son wanted/needed a new computer but could not afford a brand new one. He bought my existing MBP and I added additional funds (less that what I would have spent for a new laptop) and we both got new machines. My old MBP (that my son got) was 3 years old. It was still pristine, and fully functional.

My wife's iMac is a couple of years old... and when it's time, we'll replace it - but not just because there's a new one coming out.

 

[Exxod]

I'm actually quite new to Apple and their products. I bought an iPod touch at the end of last year, and a month later I bought an iPhone 4. Then, earlier this year in March, I bought a MacBook Pro. I also jumped in on the iPhone 5 preorder a few days back.
At this point, I don't really plan on updating my gadgets every year, unless there's some sort of major upgrade or overhaul to the product; for example, I decided to order the 5 since it included LTE and a somewhat larger screen, both of which are major upgrades. Otherwise, I plan on using my Apple stuff until it stops working before getting a newer version.

 

[anon(4698833)]

I had my first Macbook for 4 years or so, upgraded it along the way, and then sold it to upgrade to a MBP...i kept the first model i had for about a year, upgraded it a little and then sold it to buy the one i have now (simply because i wanted the thunderbolt connection for the file transfer situations i often find myself in).

Did i really NEED to do so? Not really, i actually found that i still use my normal USB drives more than my LaCie drive...but the great part about owning Apple products is that they retain value like no other company (in the industry). My first macbook was a 2006 model, it was upgraded with a 250GB hard drive and 4GB of RAM (all together, MAYBE $100 invested)...it was in perfect shape, still had all the original equipment and never had a problem. I sold it for $700 4 years after i bought it...lucky day? Sure, but the offers i was getting for having it on Craigslist for a couple of days were all in the ball park.

Like the iPhone, Macbooks command a premium, and if you find the right person looking for the exact model you have, you'll make a nice return on your well cared for computer. My 2010 MBP that i sold to get the 2011 was actually a 15", which i did not care for as i have always been a 13" user (and went back to 13" with my current MBP). Nothing was wrong with it, i just didn't care for the extra bulk. Again, bought it for like $950, sold it for $900 with nothing but the equipment it came with and a 500GB hard drive i had laying around from my wife's computer.

I think the biggest difference between Apple customers and your average PC user is that the one with the Apple product probably also has the ability to buy the computer they want...if they just bought a computer a year or two ago but want the retina display MBP, well they're probably in a position to do so. Apple products don't attract your user that is just trying to get a machine for basic features, they are attracting the consumer that has some extra money to buy what they WANT instead of what they NEED.

 

[rich67]

I used WIndows-based PC's and Androids religiously until I got my first Mac Mini. Since then, I am addicted to Apple. The OS is easy to use, things just WORK, and it's all very compatible with all Apple stuff.
I flipped over to the iPhone and won't go back. I have a Linux-based PC at home and a Win7 Starter loaded netbook also.
I bought an older model Mini purely because I got frustrated with the lousy editing power on my Windows computers. That got me hooked. I upgraded to a 2011 Mini a year after I got the older model (the one with the built-in CD drive). I'm going to be going to an iMac within the next year also.
I went with the mini purely from cost perspective. I had a hard time justifing shelling out $1500 for a new computer, but now that I am firmly ingrained in the Apple mentality , I can truly justify the expense.
As for the iPhone, I went from a 16gb 4S to a 32 gb, and next year I will pick up the iPhone5. Why? I am a gadget guy, and I like to have the latest electronics. But I refuse to stand in line with fanatics who will wait for all night to be first in line at the Apple Store to get the newest phone. I will get it, but after the hoopla has died down and it's been truly tested by the masses.