How Apple convinces you to buy old stuff | ZDNet

Apple is a master at selling stuff, shifting tens of millions of high-value items every quarter.

But how does it do that?

Well, look closely and you’ll notice a trick.

The way Apple misuses the word “New” on its website.

Let’s take an example. Head over to Apple.com and click on the iPhone.

Now, you and I know that there’s a new iPhone that’s going to land imminently. But you wouldn’t think that looking at Apple’s website.

Must read: Seriously, don’t buy these Apple products

Apple goes as far as labeling the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro as “New,” despite both being released last year.

Does something that’s almost a year old and soon due for a refresh deserving of the label “New”? I’m not convinced, and it’s interesting to note that the latest generation Apple Watch doesn’t have the “New” tag and yet that was released at the same time.

It’s subtle, so subtle in fact that I only noticed it recently when someone mentioned it to me, and that makes it clever.

And it’s one to watch out for. A friend of a friend bought an iPhone the other day thinking that it was the new one — new as in 2021 iPhone — and was disappointed to find out that she’d paid big money for a phone that will be replaced in a few weeks.

If you’re unsure as to when an Apple product was first released (because Apple is never going to give you such important information), then a quick internet search will bring that up.