I know what you’re saying. Some people get around that issue by buying a new car, or a new phone, every time a new model comes out. Others will keep their phone or car for years, and be happy with it.
Technology is advancing faster than ever right now. I think anyone would feel compelled to “future proof” a purchase of this magnitude if at all possible. Look at electric cars - I found out that buying one a few years ago was a really bad idea - it barely went 100 miles on a charge, and was next to worthless on trade-in. Now they’re talking about having solid state batteries that will last over 700 miles within a year or two. Sure, it’s a different scenario, but not entirely.
At least for cars - and now phones - there are trade-in programs. I haven’t seen anything like that for hearing aids, and I’m guessing it would be a tough sell. Are there any?
As far as meeting my current needs, though, both Signia and Phonak have been pretty weak. Maybe it’s just a matter of my brain getting used to them, as I always hear. But the sound from either is just not very good (tinny, at best), and it often seems like the background noise is what’s most amplified. I know it’ll take some adjustments. In the meantime, I guess I’m focusing on objective qualities such as Bluetooth.