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A few years ago, phone companies started making a huge marketing push for 5G-enabled phones. To hear them tell it, 5G was going to be the next big thing in phones.
According to the phone companies, 5G was going to be as massive as the iPhone kickstarting the smartphone revolution! Well, we’re a few years into the 5G rollout, and it’s not quite that revolutionary.
Sure, 5G speeds are genuinely impressive. They’re amazing compared to LTE speeds, and you’ll almost never find yourself wishing you had a stronger connection. You’ll stream videos at crisp 1080p without stuttering, play games with very little latency, and even use augmented reality apps to see the world in new ways.
But is all of that common enough to merit upgrading just for 5G speeds?
Let’s say you’re an average smartphone user who has a phone created before 2019. You like your phone just fine, it’s more than capable of running the apps you use on a daily basis, and its battery life is holding up well. In this case, you might wonder if all the advertising you’re seeing for 5G speeds is legit.
Are you missing out on the best speeds? In a strict sense, yes, you are. But does that matter? How often are you out and about, using your phone, and you need access to a blazing-fast internet connection for streaming videos? In most cases, this might crop up once a year or less. It’s just an odd use case for a phone.
The biggest myth in the smartphone industry is that you can “fall behind”. You’ll often see advertisements for new phones claiming that the latest device is “the best yet,” and that it blows everything else out of the water. However, you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on a brand-new device just because cell phone manufacturers say it’s time to upgrade.
It’s fine to be a few generations behind. If your phone still works for you, then you’re set! Don’t let shiny new bells and whistles like 5G speeds convince you to spend money just to say you’re “current” on new tech,
For most users, your phone will serve you well for five years or more. Smartphones have only gotten better over time, and they’re so well-made now that one phone could last you a decade.
Unless your phone breaks or your battery has completely given up, you’re probably good to keep trucking along with an older smartphone. You’ll save money and you’ll get the best view of upcoming products, so when something truly awesome comes out, you’ll be ready to upgrade!
