[ctdonath2]

“Why are there 6 or so iPhone versions from when it was first introduced.”

Because the technology really has improved that much.
Just about every spec has improved 4x over 7 years; combined, those make for exponential improvements.

Vacuuming and washing clothes has pretty much stabilized, with the only “improvements” being how cheaply the product can be made.

What you’re saying amounts to complaining that the iPhone makes phone calls just as well as your 50-year-old wired rotary-dial phone ... while completely ignoring the gazillion other things the former can do that the latter never dreamed of. Don’t confuse the Apple Watch with your grandfather’s Illinois Watch - the latter tells time, the former does so much more that calling it a “watch” is a misnomer used for lack of any other word.

[Gaffer]

Stop with the Apple defense. We get enough of that from Swordmaker, frankly. My use of Apple was an illustration but it could just as well have been applied to any other electronics manufacturer . It isn't about "Apple". I own a plethora of Apple products and like them very much. I used them because I have been through their 'versions'.

Vacuuming and washing clothes has pretty much stabilized, with the only “improvements” being how cheaply the product can be made

As far as washers go, from your comment, you don't seem to have done much repair of such over the last few decades. I have, many times. The only thing I find useless is the added 'benefit' of digital controls. They're nice, but the cost/benefit ratio on repair isn't comparable when you're talking about replacing a whole digital control board versus a mechanical timer (even if it is way overpriced)...been there done that with an oven control/clock board.

What I was talking about is regular consumer support consumer electronics not of the gadget kind, not Apple. Go tell Swordmaker. He'll be on your side I guess. Do you people just spend you time searching relentlessly looking for someone you can hit on because they mention Apple?