Have you ever seen someone with an Android phone and thought, “Wow. What a low-class human being with a cheap phone that can’t afford luxury technology like me”? (The phones probably cost the same, by the way). Well, I’m here to tell you that, as a former Android owner (and victim of this harassment), Apple has flaws, too, and the company may just be drawing you deeper into its ecosystem without you knowing it. With such a broad user base, it’s clear that its simplistic design can be a massive factor in winning over popularity; however, the company’s business model surprisingly actually sets their products behind in the phone market. 

The iPhone is, without a doubt, a luxury item, yet, these days, not owning one is jokingly looked down upon. A survey from an article on “PC Gamer” backs up the appeal of the iPhone and states that “Forty-seven percent of those who moved from Android to iOS said their new OS delivers a better user experience.” So, if the iPhone is a generally well-received product that people want to buy, what’s the issue? The company is sneakily trying to gain your loyalty with its business strategy: “planned obsolescence,” or designing products that are made to be replaced. Apple is a prime example of this. 

The iPhone has become a staple throughout the years, with every model seeming better than the last; however, have you noticed something odd? When you keep an Apple phone for longer than three or four years, it feels oddly slow compared to newer ones. Sure, the technology has improved, and yes, it has, but there are also some sneaky practices behind the scenes. One technique that Apple uses is rolling out updates that slow older models. Apple claims that this is due to newer updates requiring more battery and higher processing power, which older models may need to be equipped for. However, it also has the “unintentional” side effect of decreasing performance, which pushes users to seek upgrades. With iPhones being released almost every year, it feels like it can be easy to see one or two new significant features on a newly released iPhone and altogether ditch your old one to jump on the trend. Whether it’s a deliberate strategy or the inevitable byproduct of innovation, it’s worth considering for anyone seeking a phone that’ll last. Beyond the upgrade itch, factors like repairability and environmental impact come into play. iPhones can be notoriously tricky to fix outside of Apple’s ecosystem, and the constant churn of new models raises concerns about electronic waste. 

A minor complaint that I have concerns about the simplistic nature of the iPhone’s interface: for example, the iPhone is, I feel, still severely limited customization-wise. They may market the phones with promises of configurations with plenty of widgets and shortcuts, but in the long term, these are just a hassle to change and are limited in their own regards. When I first got my iPhone, I wanted to add widgets to my lock screen. However, I noticed something odd. Even though there was the capability to add widgets under the time and date, I noticed an obnoxiously large amount of space begging to be used! I sadly came to find that Apple limited the lock screen to only one large widget and two small widgets. This was a bit comical to me, as I could not display the weather, my AirPods battery, and my next class on Saturn without making at least two of them small widgets. I find this to be ridiculous. I understand that the phone boasts simplicity and intuitive design, but why not let your users be happy customizing their phones to their heart’s content? And if they only want three widgets, they can have them! There are other cases in which I had an Android in which I could just download themes for the whole phone off of the Samsung store, and in less than a minute, my entire phone was transformed. Why require each app to be manually duplicated as a shortcut with its icon in shortcuts instead of just being able to upload an icon yourself when editing the home screen? Possibilities like having a section of the app store dedicated to curated phone themes, including icons and backgrounds saved by the user base, could be an incredible update that Apple would never implement because it strays away from their vision of a simplistic iPhone with an immediately recognizable interface.

Consider these factors when buying your next Apple iPhone. Would it be necessary to buy a new phone that was released with only two new features, or should you wait until a more critical drop, saving yourself money? Personally, and I preach this to my mother who just bought the 15, Apple is reluctant to update their phones to modern standards immediately, so they slowly implement features for every model, and as you can see when comparing the 15 and 14, there is barely any noticeable difference or at least any needed upgrades when comparing the two phones. I will wait a few more years until it is essential for me to upgrade, but until then, I will observe the global iPhone craze from a distance.

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Michael Cera ('26)

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Background

Safe, comfortable, and affordable housing is commonly taken for granted; however, this is often not the case for many New Jerseyans. New Jersey is known for many things: our bustling bagel shops and our boardwalk beaches; unfortunately, low housing costs or taxes are not one of those things. New Jersey affordable housing is a term that many view as oxymoronic as a majority of housing is generally especially expensive. With affordable housing scarce, particularly in certain areas, one must wonder what causes this infamous New Jersey housing hassle!

For starters, New Jersey is the most densely populated state and also has the highest median income in the country. According to the US Census, in 2022, New Jersey’s median income was reported to be $96,346, $21,000 higher than the national median income of $74,755. 

Statewide housing prices tend to reflect the typical residents’ wealth, which makes it more difficult for lower socioeconomic residents to afford housing. Since New Jersey boasts some of the most expensive real estate, lower-income New Jerseyans will struggle to find housing within their price range.

Unsurprisingly, Mountain Lakes happens to be one of the more expensive areas to live and afford. According to redfin.com, the median price of a home in Mountain Lakes sold for approximately $1.3 million in March 2023. For many, this price range would be considered egregious. 

According to Zillow, the average price of a home across the United States is around $350,000, whereas the average price in New Jersey is far greater at $507,923 (145% of the typical US price). According to many, while the median household income in New Jersey is above the U.S. median, an income-to-home-value ratio must be considered to bring affordability to lower-income New Jerseyans.   

Government Resources

Luckily, Government support and resources are in place to help New Jerseyans obtain affordable housing. The New Jersey Housing Resource Center (NJHRC) New Jersey Housing Resource Center | ABOUT THE HRC (nj.gov) is a resource that helps New Jersey residents find affordable housing online. This website allows residents to find affordable rental housing, housing for purchase, and housing with accessibility features. A recent search using this site labeled only one rental in Mountain Lakes as having an affordable rent, priced at $1100 per month, which is also advertised as disabled Veterans housing. This lack of available housing in our area underscores the issue of affordable housing, especially in select geographic regions. 

Section 8 Program

Section 8 housing is a government-sponsored program (US Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD) that supports people in finding affordable housing. This program was started through the Housing Act of 1937. Later, the HUD was given the ability to issue vouchers to renters to help subsidize the cost of their rent. It is estimated that Section 8 helps to provide subsidies to about 3.3 million low-income families, the elderly, and disabled people in the nation.

In order to obtain Section 8 subsidies, an individual or family must have a household income of less than 50% of the median income in that particular region. Factors such as assets and family size are considered as well, but preference is ultimately given to those with the most dire situations. With a Section 8 voucher, the government issues rent payments greater than 30% of the family’s gross yearly income, which they deem reasonable to contribute to the rent.

Conclusion

While affordable housing may be difficult to find in New Jersey, there are some supports available to help ease the process for low-income individuals and families. Like affordable housing, these resources are scarce, and can provide only some relief to a seemingly unconquerable problem. 

Resources for New Jersey residents can be found at the New Jersey Housing Resource Center New Jersey Housing Resource Center | ABOUT THE HRC (nj.gov). In addition, Section 8 housing vouchers, issued by the federal government, can help support low-income individuals’ rent. Affordable housing is a right that should be available to all U.S. citizens, and government support should be put in place to achieve safe, affordable housing for all. 

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Justin Lee ('24) and Jessica Lee ('24)

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