For Long-Term Apple Users -- July 22, 2024

Locator: 48210APPLE.

The following does not apply to heavy end users: 

• gamers
• programmers
• developers
• Hollywood movie producers, directors, animators, etc
• website developers
• others 
  

Apple: 

• iPhone 17. Note tech specs.
• iPhone 17 SE, will significantly increase size from 4.7 inches to 6.06 inches
• A18 chip like iPhone 16; OLED panel for the first time ever; 6GB to 8GB of LPDDR5 memory, aluminum chassis, and a single rear 48-megapixel camera; price point fo $499 to $549; current model launched in March, 2022 for $429.
• going forward, for long-term Apple uses: it's all about the camera;
• when buying through a telecom provider and buying over two years, price is almost inconsequential for folks who want the best camera available in an iphone
  

Apple:

• devices
• desktop: only at work; no longer needed at home (unless one does a lot of work from home)
  
• it's hard to believe but I never, never use a desktop computer any more; my 27-inch iMac is for watching television only and a Philips (or perhaps any other brand) smart TV with Amazon's FireStick beats the iMac for streaming; 
• the 27-inch iMac was introduced in 2014; still seems brand new, and no longer available in the 27-inch size; discontinued in 2022
  
• whatever I paid for it years ago, is long forgotten; I probably bought it in 2018 or thereabouts
• was the last of Apple's Intel models
  
• for gamers, programmers, etc
• for gamers, streaming --> Vision Pro
  
• laptop: everywhere, all the time -- home, traveling, investing, work, play, college-must-have
  
• tablet: a must for college classrooms; staple in one's backpack; bedside
• iPhone: which model -- comes down to one binary choice -- best camera vs don't need the best
• after that (the camera choice), then it almost makes no difference
• bottom line: college students need three Apple devices: an iPhone, an iPad, and a laptop; 
• update each one every third year; update one device each year.
• college tuition runs tens of thousands of dollars tuition (does not include room, board, fees, books, transportation -- upgrade each year, <$2,000
• $2,000 / $50,000 (college expenses each year, minimum) = 4%