Why Do We Crave the Next Big Design Change?

Every year, the tech world buzzes with anticipation, fueled by rumors and leaks about the next revolutionary device. The word “revamp” sends pulses racing—especially when it’s uttered in the same breath as Apple. But why are we, as consumers, so magnetically drawn to the promise of a new design? What makes a rounded corner or a shift in button placement so irresistible?

Perhaps it’s not just about function, but evolution—a kind of cultural ritual that reminds us we are living in a world perpetually in motion. The very first iPhone was less a phone and more a glimpse into what could be. Since then, each “revamp” has been a marker of our own relationship with technology, a physical manifestation of changing times.

Consider this: the original rotary phone, the brick-sized mobiles of the 1980s, the colorful iMacs of the 1990s—each was more than a gadget, but a symbol of its era’s hopes and aesthetics. When tech giants promise a “design revamp,” they’re tapping into something deeper than commerce. They awaken that collective memory, the secret thrill of being at the leading edge, participating in a quiet revolution of form and function.

What if, each time we eagerly await a new design, we are also searching for a renewed sense of identity? Our devices become extensions of our self-expression—just as changing clothes signals a new season in life. The “look” of our gadgets has always mattered, but perhaps it matters most because it lets us rewrite the narrative of our daily lives, again and again.

How will tomorrow’s revamps change not just our screens, but the ways we see ourselves—and each other?

This article was inspired by the headline: 'Apple iPhone 17 Series Will Showcase ‘Design Revamp,’ New Report Claims - Forbes'.