We’re more prone to drop or otherwise neglect our iPhones when an upgraded model is forthcoming or has just been launched, says a new study from Columbia Business School which found that iPhone losses peaked in the period immediately leading up to an upgrade launch whereas the incidence of damage peaked shortly after.
Why do we become more reckless with our perfectly functional phones when there’s a newer and improved model available? According to the study, it’s because we want a reason to upgrade without feeling guilt for being wasteful – a phenomenon known as the “upgrade effect.”
Our subconscious encourages us to treat our possessions cavalierly when there’s a better version in the market. This in turn increases the likelihood that we lose or damage our phones. It’s not as if we are intentionally losing our phones (if that’s even possible), say the researchers. Rather, we become less careful with them, even if we don’t think we’re being extra neglectful. This may explain why wireless carriers have had so much success with trade-in deals.
“We would feel guilty about upgrading without a reason—but if our current product were damaged or depleted, we’d have a justification to upgrade without appearing wasteful,” said lead study author Sylvia Bellezza, according to Mashable. “So, we use our phone in the rain or leave our laptop behind at airport security without being aware that our carelessness has an underlying motivation.”
The researchers surveyed 600 mobile phone owners and iPhone loss reports before coming to their conclusion that people tend to unintentionally sabotage themselves when a hotter product is out. They also found that the upgrade effect occurs for a range of consumer products beyond iPhones, including laptops, perfumes, and even detergents.
Next time, the authors suggest, try donating or recycling your unwanted product.
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