Should you upgrade for an iPhone 4S? It’s certainly tempting – but my family can’t afford to upgrade each time a new Apple product hits the market, especially if we’re going to make room in our budget for my purchase of Pink Floyd Immersion box sets. To guide our decision making, I sought the advice of someone whose opinions you and I should trust: John Hensler, owner of Sunken Anchor Media. I don’t purchase any consumer electronics without consulting John. He not only enjoys products by Apple (and other brands) as a consumer – he needs them to perform well as a business owner. Here’s John’s take, contributed as a guest opinion to Superhype:

I have decided to skip the 4S purchase.  The new camera is enticing, but I think I’ll wait for the “real” iPhone 5, whenever that is.  I bet it’s not a year from now.

I don’t want to be locked into another AT&T contract for another two years when my current one will be up in June of 2012.  Who knows, Apple might go back to the schedule of introducing new phones during the summer. Especially with Sprint now a carrier, there will be more competition and choice among providers

I’ve read a few articles from analysts who think the 4S is a stopgap phone to make sure that Apple has fresh product for the holiday season.  I think that’s about right.  At any rate, I’m really quite happy with the 4, and with the launch of the new Apple iOS 5 operating system, it should be great. Apple iOS 5 is impressive on the iPad; I’m sure it will be that way on the iPhone.

Besides, when the next iPad comes out — probably next March or April — it will likely have a retina display, and I’ll want to have one of those for sure. I’ll give my current iPad to my mom.  So I have to budget out my “iPurchases.”

Wise words. In my case, I need to consider two iPhone upgrades (for my wife and me) and any impact on our family phone plan with AT&T. And, it won’t be long before I need to think of our daughter owning an iPhone. I’m sitting tight. How about you?