Who says it has to be thrown away? I use my iPhone for 2 years and then upgrade to a newer model for free. I then use the older phone as a media player (Pandora, iTunes etc.) or unlock it and give it to a family member so they can use it when they travel overseas. They can switch it out with a sim card in the country they are visiting.
If you think the product is shit you are a moron - oh wait, I knew that already.
Apple's iPhone business alone is bigger than Microsoft. Apple will likely be the first trillion dollar company.
Don't hate them because they are more successful than you.
Oh yes I am incredibly jealous of a large corporation. (I take that back, Republicans, more specifically the Republicans on the Supreme Court, with the ruling of Citizens United, have given Corporations "person-hood" status.)
So, you must have a collection of Iplayers, TunePhones, Touchpods, Twatters and whatever fuck else your 4 inch screen does. Tell me, is great fun to view web pages with a magnifying glass as it takes you 20 minutes to read one news article on a screen that size?
I hope you grow out of this throw away society business and actually choose to buy something that does not use planned obsolescence as a marketing tool. Think about it, you actually can`t wait for this planned obsolescence, so much that you wait in line every year like a giddy 8 year old waiting for Pokemon trinkets at Toys R Us, only to repeat the same behavior again and again and again because you want the new one that Vibrates your penis to the tune of Gangam Style as a ringtone. Get a hold of yourself man. Buy quality for a change. Something thats not designed to degrade or be obsolete.