How attached are you to your mobile device? (2025 Edition)

[Scott5114]

That brings up another problem I have with the mobile phone industrial complex, the absolutely insane machinations their marketing departments devise to ensnare people. I've been burned too many times by them getting my wife excited about some promotion offering a free phone, only to find out once we pick a new one out, and sit down with the rep to go through the paperwork that the free phone deal only applies to customers whose last name has a Scrabble score between 4 and 9 points who purchased their last phone on a Tuesday that is neither in February nor on Election Day.

Yeah, I think I'm fine with my 5-year-old phone rather than dealing with that horseshit, thanks.

When I bought an iPhone 15, I had no luck trying to get a trade-in credit on my old iPhone 8. There may be a limit on old phones. Or if you're not buying the latest model (in my case, an iPhone 16, which I didn't want since I try to stay at least one generation behind, to make sure all the bugs have been fixed, and also not pay for AI features since I'm allergic to AI).

Some Walmarts have machines offering cash for old smartphones. I tried to cash in an old flip phone, no luck there, but I have yet tried to cash in my old iPhone 8.

The problem is that they advertise "Free phone!" while maintaining a list of arbitrary exemptions approximately the length of Interstate 90. While I'm sure they have the legal right and business reasons to do so, it doesn't give me the stomach to buy a ticket to the circus they have going on.

[ZLoth]

Yeah, I think I'm fine with my 5-year-old phone rather than dealing with that horseshit, thanks.

The technological upgrade from year to year isn't as great as when you upgrade every three-four years. While I upgraded from the Pixel 6 to the Pixel 9 last year, I decided to hold off on my mother's phone because of my mother's age.

It's the tax laws that make "free" phones not free, including taxing the "unactivated price of the phone" which is due at time of purchase. There is also that contract change, as a result, I no longer have Hulu, Disney+, or ESPN+ which I wasn't using anyways.

Of course, you can watch Woot! to see if they have a one-day deal on a refurbished phone.

[Max Rockatansky]

From what I'm reading about Woot it seems it more or less is just new age QVC?  Also, I didn't realize QVC was still even a thing. 

[ZLoth]

From what I'm reading about Woot it seems it more or less is just new age QVC?  Also, I didn't realize QVC was still even a thing.

I've been using Woot! to land some good bargains on factory refurbished products and last years models. My three monitors on my desk are all Woot specials. I also got a 4060Ti card which is used for transcoding on my Plex server.

[Scott5114]

Of course, you can watch Woot! to see if they have a one-day deal on a refurbished phone.

Call me when they have a one-day deal on all phone companies going out of business forever.

Oh, wait, you won't be able to.