In this 21^st century world, a myriad of technologies are at our disposal. Conveniences and luxuries of the electronic persuasion make up our day to day life and act as vital mediums to most business, economic, and social pursuits. I, myself, am no exception to this unspoken rule. But, the more curious side of me wonders if humanity is truly progressing with this technology or becoming more at it's disposal and more detached from the simple things in life. I wonder often if the many conveniences of technology are outweighed by the cost of not having to do as much for yourself or, for example, know the smell of a book. Though the entire scope of technological advancement and it's influence on humanity and history is a massive subject I could never fully undertake here, I still find myself questioning its true purpose in my own daily life. One such piece of this puzzle is the cell phone and, more specifically, iPhones.

I recently bought an iPhone 5s from Verizon Wireless. My old 4s was almost beyond recognition from the pristine, glossy, cutting-edge creation I had held in my hand a few years before. I can still remember the old iPod Video costing somewhere around $500 during my freshman year of high school and how I fell under the "Apple spell" more easily back then. I bought two, after breaking one in a washing machine. Today, if I still had them, I could hardly pawn them off on Craigslist for more than 30 or 40 bucks a pop! To me, an underlying force of planned obsolescence exists in most electronics manufacturers today at the cost of well made products.

Apple products have especially furnished my stance with personal experience and money lost. Though I'm not opposed to technology advancing or the many minds behind new advances, the quality comparison between products made today and products made 20 or 30 years ago is significant. A big part of me sees that the durability and intimacy of a hand-made product created with care and a certain sense of passion is being traded for the huge profit of mass production to a saddening degree. This has also paved the way for planned obsolescence. Catherine Rampell from the New York Times states, “To conspiracy-theory-hungry observers (and some of the rest of us), it might make sense that Apple would employ this business strategy. The tech giant, after all, has reached near-saturation levels in the U.S. smartphone market. If iPhones work forever, people who already own the devices­ won’t buy new ones.” Though a lot of conspiracies and superstition surround the idea of planned obsolescence, it is only a matter of degree that is open for speculation. Naturally, everything not made of gold or carbon fiber is going to break down eventually, but the trouble with iPhones is that they seem to be falling apart more rapidly and with a more measurable consistency. Even the 4s I previously had, though in near perfect condition when I traded it in, had already started to decline significantly in its performance. It doesn't seem completely impossible for a company with so much capital gain to make a more durable, sturdy cell phone. The slew of screen protectors, otter boxes, and cell-phone screen repair shops can all attest to the negligence I feel Apple and other manufacturers have for durability in their products on a massive scale.

Although having an iPhone is indeed a luxury, I find myself questioning its worth in my life quite often. Many of these modern technological conveniences, though useful in the short-term, may not prove to be tried and true in the long-haul. Apple products are just one example of planned obsolescence, though I find that they represent it more noticeably than others. All in all, I probably won't be making the switch up to the iPhone 6 anytime soon.