Recently Google launched the latest Pixel 9 handset, while Apple unveiled the iPhone 16. Samsung has also come up with its foldable phones, the Z Flip6 and Z Fold6 and Huawei just launched the Mate XT. The marketing sections of these companies are doing everything possible to make us buy these phones even when we don't need them.
Right now they aren't doing much marketing, they already did the job when they made smartphones an expression of your high social and financial status. I know many people who don't earn enough to eat well but still own an iPhone (any number) Pro Max. I personally don't find it cool, I think that it's funny when you have low income, especially when your job speaks about that and you own iPhone 15 Pro Max. What's the point? I have some people around me that own that phone and ask me for money monthly to monthly. I find it very funny and disgusting at the same time. It's a stupid people's thing.
It's way funnier when girls buy iPhones only to take pictures and upload them on Instagram. What about Google Pixel? Camera-wise, cheaper and better than iPhone but no, these girls want iPhones.
With girls, it is totally different situation. They compete all the time. If you dont have a latest smarphone, this means you are a looser and other will look down from above on you. And not always poor people with "iPhone (any number) Pro Max" are stupid. I know few families, whos income are average, parents use various smartphones, but their kids have latest mobiles. It was kids dream to have such a phone, and he will care about it and blow away dust from it for ages. Those kids are not spoiled and parents bought them because "they want a new phone right now". Kids were really happy and in tears, when on birthday or on Christmas they receive those phones.
If we talk about on topic in general, people dont need latest or complicated smartphones. All the apps, all the features, everything in old and latest phones are quite the same. If we consider smartphones as a gadget for calls, then any phone would suit. It can be said, that bigger part of features that smartphones have are pure marketing.