How long do you keep your phone before buying a new one? It is based on this article that especially Apple fanboys, buy a new phone every year when the new one comes out.
When it dies or becomes obsolete (~5 years)
I think it’s a tech fanboys rather than Apple fanboys that change it every year : one can observe the same modus operandi for Samsung.
Most Apple users will keep their device for a while, just as most android users. Those that change tend to value peer recognition above eveything else and having the latest gadget is a way to achieve that goal.
It keeps surprising me that in the US you are so limited in choice. Most people in this thread only refer to Apple or Samsung because that is the choice they have. I’m in China currently and Apple is not even in the top 5 and Samsung has no presence here at all in the phone market.
But I agree with you. The tech fanboys are the same. Whenever Xiaomi for example, releases a new model, it sells out in one day.
Like the iPhone fold, will barely make a dent here because all other local brands have folds that are much better and are already in their 5th iterations. The Xiaomi 18 fold sold 36. 000 units in its first day.
- When I have to or 2) when I want to, whichever comes first.
I stopped buying new phones when I started running GrapheneOS on my phone. I bought a used pixel 8 thinking it would be supported by Google for 8 years. Needless to say I greatly underestimated Google doing evil things and not being absolute obstinate weasels on abiding by the GPL. Currently looking for options on running a cheap Linux phone to weigh what to swap to in the future.
When the old one is no longer suitable for use as a primary phone:
- Nexus 5 - broke the screen. Actually still mostly works to this day, and I have Android 9 on it.
- Sony X Compact - small onboard storage, Android’s crappy SD card support, and a lack of quality third-party ROMs after official support ended shortened this one’s service life.
- Pixel 4a - current phone, don’t want to “upgrade” to something that’s bigger and doesn’t have a headphone jack, mildly annoyed the fingerprint sensor broke.
New phone? I only ever buy used.
About every 4-5 years, depending on how the old one is lasting. Typically, it’s battery life that frustrates me enough to go shopping. I have an iPhone 17 now, and this will most likely be my last apple. Prices are beyond justification
you know batteries can be replaced right
Never had any success trying to replace an iPhone battery. Tried twice through the alleged Genius Store, and both times with an aftermarket supplier. Failed to have any success. Phones were an 8 and an X. Maybe in other markets, but had no luck in Australia
Brutal. What do they charge for an official repair in AuD $
?
Depends on the repair. Never used to be possible to even get an aftermarket screen, although you can now. I have walked in with a broken screen on a current model phone to be told it can’t be fixed and they would use it as a trade in.
Fortunately, you can now get genuine parts from third parties.
A third party repair of a screen is about $175. Apple is over $250. Last time I had it quoted was a couple of years ago though, so YMMV.
you either did something wrong, or need to stop overpaying apple for iphones. i’ve never heard batteries being this difficult on regular ones.
Judgemental much? Stop being a dick. You need to understand that every body has reasons for doing the things they do, and has different experiences.
Up until 2021, I wasn’t allowed an android device for work. I got, and still get, an allowance for bringing my own device.
Obviously, you have never had to have an apple device repaired in Australia.
you are way too defensive about your planned obsolescence phone. but eh, apple people tend to be worse at this.
And you are a dick.
stop calling people names because of products.
I got my first smartphone in 2014, and I’m on my third now, so once every 4 years on average. Hoping the graphene motorola will be out when my current pixel goes EoL in 2027.
The thing about rich people is that they don’t care about making responsible choices. $1000 is throwaway money to them when they have a $60,000 leased car and go to disney twice a year.
If you’re getting a new phone every year, you’re not throwing away $1000. You can easily sell it after a year for $700 or more.
I’m not sure about Apple, but Samsung has some ridiculously good trade-in offers sometimes. My wife upgraded from an S21 Ultra to an S26 Ultra this year, and got something like $250 for trading in her old phone. About the same as what they were selling for on eBay. I’ve seen them offer $600+ for last year’s model.
This depends a lot on the person. There’s plenty of rich people that earned it rather than being born into it, and still live frugally. I work at a big tech company and there’s plenty of people with mid to high six figure salaries that still use coupons, keep their phone for 4-5 years, and save as much money as they can. Living well within your means on a higher salary lets you retire early, and for some people that’s worth more than any frivolous spending.
Just smashed my iphone 11 in a derailer, which is a railroad related accident.
I had bought it used about 8 years ago, the iPhone 11, and took the opportunity to spend 500$ on a pixel 10a and put graphene OS on it.
Funny story: I set up the duress password, and afterwards, was setting up new users. Well one of the new users I setup us3d the same pin as as the duress password! D’Oh! Anyways… The duress pin works! Had to go to cricket to implement a new esim! Lol.
Love the phone tho!
You bought an iPhone 11 eight years ago?
It wasn’t even released 8 years ago. Much less available used yet.
At least 4 years. The only exception will be when the Motorola+GrapheneOS phone launches next year, which will be replacing the phone I bought this year
Lmao why make shit up?
Android fanboys think about Apple more than anyone else.
Also, you’re just wrong. Apple users keep their phones longer
https://cirpapple.substack.com/p/iphone-owners-keep-phones-longer
I don’t understand why people would upgrade their phone every year. It’s so wasteful, and there’s barely any changes from year to year. Most of the larger upgrades these days are in software rather than hardware.
I buy a new one when my current one is having so many problems it’s hard to ignore. I didn’t get a smartphone till 2020. Before then it was cheap pay-as-you-go phones. That phone was a moto g power and I had it till last year when it was getting to be too slow and the screen shattered when dropping it on my way out of work. I got a pixel 10 since my phone plan gave a massive discount on it.
I recieved my first phone in 2003 and as far as I can remember, I have owned 8 phones from 2003 to 2026.
I owned 4 phones from the ages of 14 to 19 From 20 to 30 I owned 3 phones. In my 30s I have so far only owned 1 phone. On average that means I have replaced my phones every 2.8 years.
Three of my phones were used phones I either bought from friends or got for cheap at phone stores because they had been display models.
My first phone was a nokia 3510i and I replaced it with a Sony Ericsson phone around 2005 because I wanted a camera phone and it was no longer cool to own one of the old school Nokia phones.
My next one was a bronze colored Sony Ericsson dumbphone and I think I got it in 2007. It fell into a river. We managed to save it, but it was never the same. I forget if I got it new or if this was a display model.
The one I got after that one was a purple phone, similarish to the bronze one. We are still in dumbphone land and I’m pretty sure it was 2008. I think it was one of my friends’ old phones and I bought it from her because she felt sorry for me that my “river phone” was acting up.
The one after this one was in 2011 when I got my first smartphone. Xperia Ray, I think it was called. It lasted me 4 years and then fell out of my pocket when I ran across the road and it died a horrific death on asphalt.
I got myself a used dumbphone in order to stay in contact with people, but it genuinely sucked. It had been a display model at a store and it was dirt cheap and barely worked. This phone only lasted me some months before my temper could no longer handle it being so shit at everything. I don’t even remember, what it looked like.
I finally bit the bullet and splurged on a smartphone. My first Andriod. I think it was called something-something “Edge”. Broke easily. Couldn’t handle shit. Definitely the weakest phone I ever had, productionwise. Somehow, it lasted me 7 years. Maybe out of stubbornness because I fucking hate spending money and if something has cost me more than a thousand in my country’s currency, it better survive, bitch. One day, it simply just went black after two years of barely working.
The one I have now is also an Andriod. Got in 2022 and it was apparently a dated model when I bought it, but to me it was insanely futuristic compared to my other phones. The best thing about it is that I have dropped this bitch on nearly every type of hard surface you can think of, and it’s barely got a scratch. I don’t buy phone cases for my phones because I hate phone cases. I think this might be the best phone I have had since my Nokia 3510i. This thing takes every hit life gives it and it doesn’t even flinch. The battery is still pretty good as well. I hope it will last me until 2032 at the earliest.
Every phone I buy for the rest of my life will only be replaced when I have no choice. I hate spending money and I increasingly hate modern phones.
My next phone will more than likely be a Fairphone.
Four years. I’ll typically buy a new phone, but an older model. I’ve still managed to always have a headphone jack!
