Sure, it seems like every moment there is another crazy rumor of a new smartphone that will change the world, change how you interact with the internet and take pictures, fold or do something that is otherwise revolutionary. But do we ever stop to ask if we ever really need that new smartphone?

Apple, Samsung and the rest of the smartphone manufacturers certainly want you to believe so. As in the case of Apple, while they might be a profit powerhouse, if you don’t buy that new iPhone from them, you can watch that great narrative of being a Wall Street darling and tech innovator go up in smoke—most of their revenue still comes from iPhone sales, even a decade-plus after the first version was launched.

However, being the pragmatist I am, I still have not upgraded from what is surely now considered an old iPhone 8 Plus I bought two years ago from AT&T. The phone itself has been dropped a zillion times, traveled overseas and around the world more times than I can count, been reformatted at least twice and seen a new battery installed. And yet, I can’t see myself getting rid of it. Here, at least in my opinion, are the reasons why I can’t get rid of it just yet.

1. Cost: Man, those new iPhones like the iPhone 11 Pro Max are expensive!

For example, on my AT&T plan, I would have to pay $36.67 a month for 36 months and pay an additional $5.00 a month if I want to “get the option to upgrade early by trading in your device after you pay off half the retail price.”

Then, I have to pay another $30.00 one time fee just to make the swap. Oh, and $66.00 in sales tax. Yikes! And for what?

2. What Do I Gain? Ok, so after putting out all those dollars what am I actually gaining? A faster processor? Better picture quality? Better battery life? Is any of that worth it? Are today’s new iPhones, at least for me, worth the additional costs?

How I answer that question—and how you answer that question—likely determines if you get a new iPhone in the first place. For me, none of the alleged benefits matters. I can surf the web, answer emails, take pictures and do lots of social media-related tasks speedily and effectively with my old iPhone 8 Plus. There is no game-changing feature that has me needing to switch—at least for now. But…

3.  I Will Wait for 5G: Why would I switch now when Apple keeps teasing us about a new 5G phone that could actually be a gamechanger?

While 5G speeds and availability will vary based on where you are in the country, it may take years for the impact to be felt. And no, AT&T is not 5G yet, whatever your phone says now.

However, merging the ease of use of an iPhone and possible 5g speeds sounds like something amazing I need to be part of. And yes, I would pay $1,000 or more for such a phone. Those sorts of speeds would up my productivity to new heights, making me more efficient in my work and play. However, it will depend if in September, when a 5G iPhone is rumored to be launched, whether 5G speeds would be available in the D.C. area where I live. If it is, I will be the first in line for a new iPhone, but not until then. And it seems like I am not alone.

Harry J. Kazianis is a Senior Director at the Center for the National Interest. His work and ideas have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, Fox News, CNBC, USA Today, The Week, The Hill, the American Conservative and many other outlets across the political spectrum. Harry enjoys writing about technology issues and products from a real-world perspective. You can follow him (or yell at him) on Twitter: @Grecianformula.