Look on the situation from different side. Those who have bought latest smartphones and bought them on the credit, always (I use word always, I have never heard someone failed to pay credit and his smartphone was taken away or he had real financial troubles) manage to repay credit back. Think that this is their tiny achievement. Even though latest smartphones did not give radically new features, people still buy them and manage to solve financial part. Isnt it good? Sometimes it is a life challenge for them, eating cheap food just to save enough to buy, for example iPhone 16 max, but they succeed in it. Isnt it great ?
If that happens then people who buy smartphones are not for the needs to support their work but rather an effort to fulfill their lifestyle. We often find this kind of nature and most of them prefer to pursue a lifestyle rather than taking advantage of opportunities to improve their quality of life. When someone buys something new for work needs, it makes sense, but forcing a lifestyle of buying something on credit is a destructive practice because when they are unable to cover the existing monthly costs, the cellphone is taken back.
I also noticed that there are many generations of Moses now who prefer a luxurious lifestyle. In fact, if you look at the average monthly income, it is quite small and even they buy expensive quality goods in the wrong way. For me, it is better to set aside the money for investment than to fulfill a lifestyle because you have to prepare your finances to be better slowly.
First of all, I see nothing bad if a person prefers a luxurious lifestyle, even though he can afford to it (for example buys items with credit card). There is nothing bad in heading towards luxurious life. I see such people as people who have a goal. The way I see it - if a person gets used to living in a luxury life, he will do everything to keep that way of living. I think quotation "Fake it till you make it" fits here perfectly.
Now back to latest smartphones. I use iPhone 15, which isnt latest one today, but still expensive. It cost a good part of my monthly salary. Similarly, I could be using any smartphone that has access to internet, allows to install apps and make phone calls. My phone did not look much different from previous version, or iPhone 11 I had been using before. In fact, the apps I use and their arrangement on the screen is not much different from, for example, iPhone 4 I had been using ages ago. So why I have purchased expensive smartphone? 1) because its wont lose value so quick with time 2) its battery is new, and buying same old phone seemed illogical to me 3) I dont want to stick to "old" gadgets, I want to strive for new and latest, to the progress.