They should give you a bin with your next Apple purchase.

My sister treated herself to iPod the other day, an iPod touch to be precise. I’ve got a touch myself, only the battery on it is somewhat temperamental (even though I’ve only had it for one year – but that’s another story). The difference is that her iPod touch it isn’t the same as mine.  It’s got a camera on it for starters. The screen is so much brighter and more crystal clear than mine. And I’m confident in saying the games work better and look nicer on her model. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a teeny bit jealous. It got me thinking though about how many iPods my sister and myself have had between us over the years. I’d hazard a guess at throwing out the number 6, so that’s 3 each. 3 iPods each over the period of say 6 or 7 years... that’s extortionate. It’s not like they have broken each time between buying an upgrade, it’s just the fact the new ones look nicer – no one wants to be seen carrying the old model now do they? Only recently I threw out my perfectly adequate alarm clock come iPod speakers because my speakers “did not support the iPod model”.

Apple has so cleverly created a culture of conspicuous consumption and planned obsolescence whereby we feel the need to keep up with the Jones’, so to speak, in always demanding the latest model of iPods, iPhones and nearly every gadget or piece of clothing in our household. Having last season’s iPod is unheard of - I mean seriously. Take for instance the “new iPad”. Not the iPad 3, the new iPad. They can hardly keep numbering them with the rate they’re bringing the new ones out, because then people would actually start to notice the speed at which they throw away £500 worth of perfectly fine and working equipment. So what was new about this launch? The HIGH RES SCREEN. Wow. I know what I’ve been missing out on now. Spare a thought for the iPad 1 and 2 users though, because the new apps being released seem to be conveniently only working with high res iPads. The more Apple isolates you and your beloved first generation iPad with less apps being available to you on the app store, the more you’re going to want have to buy the sparkly new iPad.

Apple seem to be able to do this with just about every product they offer. Older models start to slow down, so that must mean they’re broken of course. Note to self: must buy new model. With the launch of the iPhone back in 2007, the convergence of a phone and an iPod only secures Apple’s knowledge that once you’ve had an iPhone you’re going to stick with the brand and become loyal customers. Think of the hassle of having to actually carry around your iPod and your phone if it wasn’t for the god-sent arrival of an iPhone...  

So maybe Apple should start providing bins with their purchases, because I can guarantee in the space of 6 months it’ll be full of old, out-dated technology.