Smartphone innovation is dead, longer release cycles can revive it

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Ilia Temelkov
Ilia Temelkov
Phonearena team
Original poster
• 9mo ago

Despite the general animosity between them, Samsung, Apple, Google, OnePlus and other smartphone brand fans have one critical thing in common. They all seem a little disappointed with the incremental updates of their favorite smartphones. As the underlying technologies evolve, the biggest smartphone releases become less exciting and more predictable than ever before.


This raises the logical question - what can be done to bring back the excitement of new phone releases and purchases? The solution is obvious - release smartphones less often. Such an approach will give more time to all the engineers, designers, and software developers to invent more features and design changes. For the consumers, a longer release cycle will make upgrades more meaningful and much easier to justify.


Generally, people don’t update their smartphones every year. For some, the main reason is the price, as smartphones get ever more expensive. Others don't see value in exchanging their already capable device with a new one, which is almost the same. Long gone are the days of drastic design changes and noticeable hardware upgrades. The latest iPhones, Galaxies and Pixels are fantastic, but their predecessors are probably over 90% as good.


It wouldn’t be completely unfair to say that smartphone updates feel stagnating. Apple’s flagships look and feel more or less the same since 2020. Samsung’s Ultra Galaxy S model is basically the same since 2021, just like Google’s Pixels. Most of the major feature updates are based on software updates, and the difference between older and newer models is mostly in their speed.


Considering the state of smartphone updates, I think the big companies must consider a change of their release cycles. The tick-tock model that Apple had for a while was a good one. A number update means general redesign and multiple new features. Then, a year later, an S update means potential refinement and basic hardware upgrades.


Just like in healthy human relationships, the predictability and management of expectations that such change can bring will benefit everyone. Instead of annual disappointment, fans will get exciting premieres every couple of years. So, Apple, Samsung, Google, everyone else, please stop releasing smartphones every year.


Would you join me in my request? Do you think a new release cycle could make smartphones more exciting? Do you even buy the latest models whenever you upgrade your smartphone?

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stferrari
stferrari
Arena Apprentice
• 9mo ago

I think evey 24 months would be more desirable as most (not all) people tend to keep their phones around 2 years minimum (at least this is what I have read in several surveys). But this is just my humble opinion.

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Crispin_Gatieza
Crispin_Gatieza
Arena Master
• 9mo ago

Incremental upgrades to CPUs and cameras are not worthy of being labeled as a new model. The Galaxy S24 Ultra could easily be a Galaxy S22 Ultra 2024. An iPhone 15 Pro Max could be a 12 Pro Max 2023 and no one would bat an eye.

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handsomparis
handsomparis
Arena Apprentice
• 9mo ago

At this point even your average consumer can tell what the company will do that following year it’s not about innovation or R&D in my opinion it simply to spread the updates out that why it will never be a perfect phone can the perfect be made sure but if they give us the perfect phone what will they release the next year and the year after that I think consumers have got hip to it

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trakk8
trakk8
Arena Master
• 9mo ago

I agree with the author.

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handsomparis
handsomparis
Arena Apprentice
• 9mo ago

But Llia Temelkov do you actually think any manufacturer will do this in my opinion it’s all about money if a company can still make the same profits or more by pretty much selling the same device they are gonna continue to do it also I just think us as tech gurus just expect large changes with every device release but I think the manufacturers targets are people with 2 years or older device obviously to a average consumer upgrade from the 14 to 15 pro max or the 23 to 24 ultra doesn’t seem like good thing to do but a person with 12 to 15 pro max and 22 to 24 ultra seem to be the right length of time for a upgrade so when they releasing phone every yr I just honestly think we are not the target they are trying hard to reach so I don’t think the any manufacturers will do it even though the technology they release are somewhat manufactured to last for at least two years if not longer

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pepperpot_592
pepperpot_592
Arena Apprentice
• 9mo ago

I could be wrong because I never bought into the iphone craze, but didn't Apple do this in the early years?


It was android manufacturers that began yearly updates because they couldn't complete with the iphone. In order to prevent their handsets from going stale, they updated yearly (sometimes less) to keep things fresh with consumers.

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pravin.n15
pravin.n15
Arena Apprentice
• 9mo ago
↵ilia.t said:

Despite the general animosity between them, Samsung, Apple, Google, OnePlus and other smartphone brand fans have one critical thing in common. They all seem a little disappointed with the incremental updates of their favorite smartphones. As the underlying technologies evolve, the biggest smartphone releases become less exciting and more predictable than ever before.


This raises the logical question - what can be done to bring back the excitement of new phone releases and purchases? The solution is obvious - release smartphones less often. Such an approach will give more time to all the engineers, designers, and software developers to invent more features and design changes. For the consumers, a longer release cycle will make upgrades more meaningful and much easier to justify.


Generally, people don’t update their smartphones every year. For some, the main reason is the price, as smartphones get ever more expensive. Others don't see value in exchanging their already capable device with a new one, which is almost the same. Long gone are the days of drastic design changes and noticeable hardware upgrades. The latest iPhones, Galaxies and Pixels are fantastic, but their predecessors are probably over 90% as good.


It wouldn’t be completely unfair to say that smartphone updates feel stagnating. Apple’s flagships look and feel more or less the same since 2020. Samsung’s Ultra Galaxy S model is basically the same since 2021, just like Google’s Pixels. Most of the major feature updates are based on software updates, and the difference between older and newer models is mostly in their speed.


Considering the state of smartphone updates, I think the big companies must consider a change of their release cycles. The tick-tock model that Apple had for a while was a good one. A number update means general redesign and multiple new features. Then, a year later, an S update means potential refinement and basic hardware upgrades.


Just like in healthy human relationships, the predictability and management of expectations that such change can bring will benefit everyone. Instead of annual disappointment, fans will get exciting premieres every couple of years. So, Apple, Samsung, Google, everyone else, please stop releasing smartphones every year.


Would you join me in my request? Do you think a new release cycle could make smartphones more exciting? Do you even buy the latest models whenever you upgrade your smartphone?

Agree. I've read so many comments, blogs, and articles online in this entire decade where people have voiced this opinion. It is pretty logical.

Here are my reasons:


  1. I see the phone as a pocket PC+communication device and it needs to be faster. So the OS needs a boost in addition to the processor and so does the internal storage tech. All these effectively do NOT happen in one year, to be honest. (what happens is rightly mentioned above to be negligible.)
  2. When the iPhone was released, it was The Device that made a change to the way people use technology, the way that technology really makes a difference to their lives and hence, a tech that matters. This does NOT happen in one year either!
  3. Life went on, smoothly, before digital cameras came into existence, before Megapixel cameras came into being. Hence, there is no reason for us to fret over changes that happen in one single year.

Ideally, we end up being cognitively influenced and reprogrammed into buying stuff we don't need, at least not every year!


On a different note, "Influencing" is a word that hasn't added any real value to human lives, and irrespective of our geographical region differences and cultural differences, people are ultimately buying, and consuming what manufacturers are hawking to us.

Food for thought.


Good article, glad finally someone brought it up in the mainstream.

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poptart
poptart
Arena Master
• 9mo ago

This is a North American problem, not worldwide. You guys killed off LG and others who were bringing different form factors to this side of the fence. LG Wing, LG v60 dual screen, blackberry passport, Microsoft surface duo Red Hydrogen One etc. Samsung brings a unique foldable and a flip yet the majority of North American consumers ignore it. I don't want to hear this ridiculous take anymore. Go back to your iPhones and watch tik tok all day or pony up the 4 grand for the vision pro and bounce off walls with that cumbersome get up.

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JHA65
JHA65
Arena Apprentice
• 9mo ago

They already do this. Like with Apple iPhone SE. Been around a long time.

I guess its up to the manufactur how their strategy is.

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