Even though I've had an iphone for 9 years, I have absolutely no idea how the cloud works
Which iphone have you had for 9 years?
I have one of the cheaper iphone models I don't know exactly which one it is.
If you go to the apple store or ask someone on the internet they can explain how the cloud works. It is normal for people to keep one type of phone platform and it is very popular.
I am not going to learn a ton of technical terms so I can do basic things. My phone is only good for calls and texts anyway.
If you are happy with the phone and with how you use it, that's totally fine. Just know you can get help if you want to explore the other features.