- We speak to Malaysian millennials about changing their smartphones and how long they wait before they switch up.
You might have come across someone who switches their smartphone everytime a new model is released.
But looking at top-range smartphones these days, how is everyone affording these crazy prices? It’s not a surprise to see them go above RM4000.
While some may argue that regularly switching mobiles is largely a case of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), others insist that the technological advancements in mobile smartphones make them worth the frankly incredulous prices from today.
We conducted a survey of approximately 50 Malaysian millennials to see how often Malaysians actually change their phones, and the thinking behind it.
Till Death Do Us Part
The vast majority of respondents answered that they only ever change phones when their previous phone stops working. This is unsurprising, as many Malaysians cite budget as the main issue when it comes to switching up their phones.
Mei Yi explains, “I can’t justify paying for a new one when I feel I have a lot of expenses to cover. And yes, the new phones are gorgeous, but a lot of the specs and features they have are ‘wants’, not ‘needs’.”
It isn’t exclusively a financially-based decision, however. Another respondent, Fud, said that it all depends on the needs of the situation. “If it’s for work, it’d be better to upgrade. But in my opinion, it’s way better to save up for other important life needs.”
This is in stark contrast with the thinking of other respondents such as Dave—he feels that the right time is whenever the technology in his current phone is outdated.
Some throw logic out of the window entirely. Sarah explains that she’d prefer to change her phone every 2 years because she gets a high/rush out of using the new model.
Jen cites one of the best things about switching to a brand new phone is the increase in capabilities of the smartphone. “Performance and specs have come in leaps and bounds since my last phone.”
However, many of the respondents didn’t regret making the switch once they had changed up their smartphones. One respondent described the best thing about changing phones as, “Literally everything was an improvement, I’d say. Most importantly, I bought my previous Note 3 for RM3000+ in 2013, but my new Nova 3i only cost me RM389. Value for money.”
What’s The Verdict?
Malaysian millennials aren’t quite as frivolous as some say they are.
While there are some who still fork out big sums every year for the latest and best version on the market, most millennials still consider budget a reason to hold off from enjoying the perks of a brand new phone.
No matter if you’re considering an Android flagship smartphone that can go from RM2,500 to RM4,000 or an iPhone that can cost up to RM5,000, you’d still need to fork out a big sum.
Thankfully, there are other options now for you to look at if you’re itching to try out all these new exciting smartphones with less financial worries.
Digi has announced an enhanced PhoneFreedom 365 plan that lets you experience a wide range of smartphones, including new releases like the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus, the iPhone XS Max, and the Huawei Mate 20 Pro.
New and existing Digi users can both enjoy this plan where you can own the phone and pay monthly instalments at 0% interest, with no upfront payment required.
You can get your hands on phones like the Huawei Mate 20 Pro for as low as RM68/month or the newly launched Samsung Galaxy S10+ for as low as RM97/month.
Compared to other telcos where you could end up paying around RM500 to RM1,000 more for your phone overall, Digi tells us that theirs is the most valuable phone ownership plan currently on the market.
In addition to that, there will be free phone upgrades so you can keep up to date on the latest smartphone trends and models.
If you’re worried that your phone could face accidental or liquid damages, the plan includes a free phone protection deal called Digi Shield which basically covers and protects your phone.
The Digi PF365 is available to all existing and new Digi postpaid with 4 different plans to choose from—including one with a massive 200GB internet quota that also comes with free roaming and IDD.
So whether it be to stay on trend or your phone is on its last leg, plans like Digi’s PhoneFreedom 365 is something you can check out without making your wallet feel too terrible.
- You can find out more about Digi PhoneFreedom 365 here.
This article is written in collaboration with Digi.
