The new iPhone 14 can detect when you’ve been in a severe car crash, in case you aren’t aware it happened.

In early September, Apple Inc. announced the release of the fourteenth iteration of its signature smartphone. What began as a simple, brick-like distant relative of the flip phone has now evolved into a vital limb most people rely upon. But what has also become normalized is the pressure to constantly update your device every year, despite the mind-numbing cost.

A standard iPhone 14 will cost $799, with its Pro counterpart at $999. There are only minor differences in the laundry list of features both phones have like increased battery longevity, larger display size, and advanced camera technology. This launch is similar to every other launch in the past, offering very few features that haven’t been seen before.

If you’re a normal person and don’t have many extravagant photoshoots lined up, you probably don’t need what Apple claims is its most “impressive iPhone camera system yet.” The video that launched the release features a model surrounded by hundreds of colorful flowers, posing in front of the phone mounted on a tripod. Although this shows the iPhone’s ability to capture complex scenes, it is doubtful it affects the average person’s photo skills. If you’re running a shoot as high-tech as the one they featured, maybe just invest in a proper camera. 

The crash detection update uses sensors to detect a serious impact when it occurs near the phone, connecting the user to emergency services. There is a 20-second window to dismiss the call before the phone starts recording audio of the surrounding area and sends the person’s location to emergency responders. 

If the features of this new release excite you, then by all means go upgrade your device. Apple offers some trade-in programs that allow you to give your old device and receive credit toward a new model. But if you’re stuck in the consumerism cycle and upgrading for the sake of upgrading, maybe take a break for a few years until something necessary becomes available. 

After all, as the new iOS updates circulate and people work on swapping out their old models for the newest and the shiniest, Apple workers are probably already planning the release of the iPhone 15. They’ll use the same buzzwords and the same features only slightly altered in order to lasso their devoted consumers into yet another edition.