After how many years do you think of buying a new smartphone?

[Anonymous]

Currently, I have been thinking about it. Many people upgrade their iPhones just after the new one comes on the market. There are many more people who just do not.

As for myself, I believe that the improvements done in smartphones and the new features introduced are so small or incremental that I do not find it anywhere worth it as it was a few years ago. When a new phone felt miles ahead of the old one.

At the moment, I believe we should start looking for a new smartphone only after 4 to 5 years of the current phone.

The only rapidly degradable component in a smartphone is the battery. And for Samsung smartphones, the replacement costs only about 5 to 10 % of the total mobile purchasing cost. Even less, sometimes. Definitely more beneficial than getting a new phone altogether. Replacement of battery every 2 years two times. It all works out. And even easier with the introduction of Maintenance Mode in Samsung.

I am keen on using my current phone till Google discontinues the Android version.

[Rosexøxø]

Replacing the battery is something I’ll definitely keep in mind. ☝️🧐

I’ve had my phone for maybe 3 years or 2. It’s an older version, though. I’m not a phone fanatic.🧐 I’ve had an Android phone for like 2/3 years, also. Every time I had my phone, someone would insist I get a new one, and buy me one as a Christmas or birthday present. Even then, I didn’t want to make the switch, but they paid for it, soo… 👀👐

lmao

[Rosexøxø]

I’m also part sentimentalist and practical, so I’m just going to hold on to my phone as long as I can.

[Asker]

Being one of them, sentimentalist or practical works too. I am not much on the sentimental side. I just like it. But I would not keep any memory with any phone.
When you have had 8 phones prior to your current phone, it is difficult to be sentimental about it.

You have people recommending to get a new phone? I had to beg for my phone.😭Just how lucky you can be.😲😁

[mandyfire98]

I use mine until it's about to fall apart lol.

[Asker]

I have just decided to use my phone till it falls apart. Software wise.

[mandyfire98]

Yeah, I can't see myself buying a new phone every year especially when it seems like the only thing they change is related to the camera.

[Asker]

Very true. I found myself using the rear camera just for scanning the documents through Adobe Scan.
As for the front camera, I fon't remeber when I used it last lol.😅

[mandyfire98]

Lol true

[zeitgeist057]

I usually go 2-4 years then I get a new phone because mine has an issue. But I just use the phone until it has a problem. I also don't buy new phones the same way I don't buy new cars. Why pay $25K for a truck when I can pay $2500? I can literally buy a whole other truck if I have problems, which I usually don't, but even if I did I could and still save $20K. Anyway.

From 2011-2016 I stopped using a cell phone entirely, and just used an iPod because I only used it with wifi and used Skype for all my calls and a FreeTexting app for all my texting. Then a girlfriend gave me her old iPhone as her work gave her a new one, so I had an iPhone 6S until around 2018 when it wonked out, so I bought a "new" (refurbished) iPhone 6S Plus.

Then finally the battery started only lasting 8 hours or so, so I recently got a (used) iPhone 10 (Xs Max). It's great, was about $250, but the only problem is the microphones seem to have some weird software issue. It works, but not optimally. But it's optimal other than that, 512GB memory, good camera, waterproof, all that jazz.

Comparing the models, I have a pretty good phone for about 1/6 the cost, since the 512GB iPhone 14 is about $1300 with tax

Because the microphone is a software issue and I can't get Apple to fix it, I'm thinking this Xs Max may be my last iPhone though. I'm going to look into other options, be it Android or Google or maybe just converting to a old school candybar

or maybe go back to the cellular-less iPod or other MP3 player style of comms. Honestly, smartphone adds a lot of versatility, but it also detracts from life as well.

[Asker]

That Nokia is a legend. Nothing can beat that.

[menina]

I use my phone until I start getting signs that it's time to buy a new one. But I only started doing this when I started using a smartphone. Before that, I used to replace it every 2 years or even less than that.

I've never thought about replacing the battery, but this is something that I'll keep in mind. Don't see the point of buying a phone every time a new one comes up.

[Asker]

Yup! Battery replacement is something very less number of people think about, actually. Most people in the service centres are just for screen replacements lol.

[Asker]

*replacement is something a very small number of people think*

[menina]

That's true. But I guess that also has to do with consumerism.

[Asker]

It was not me repeating. A small grammatical mistake was there.

[menina]

I get it. I didn't even notice, don't worry. :)

[MCheetah]

I don't want to, but I've had to replace my phone about every three years. My current one, which I only just got in September, is a Samsung Galaxy S10, because I live in South Korea and VERY close to one of the Samsung factories, so they give away these phones for free, as long as you sign up for a two year plan.

But honestly, I'd rather just use one phone indefinitely. So, in my opinion, they last three years on average.

[Asker]

I should come to SK. If I am getting a flagship phone for free with a just condition of 2 year subscription, then why not?

[MCheetah]

The ironic thing is, most Koreans prefer iPhones.

[Asker]

The thing that is local is dirt cheap to locals. Even when it is a multi bagger internationally. That is the tendency I see everywhere.

[Dinklex3]

8 months i think about it.. I upgrade about every year.

All my phones are unlocked and I just trade them in.

This is the first time in 6 years that I've had a phone longer than a year.

[Asker]

Are you an iPhone user or an Android user?

[Dinklex3]

Amdroid. Specifically samsung. Their trade ins are better.
I might switch to iphone next year though.

[Asker]

Why would you make the switch?

[MoniqueTLC]

I've only ever had to upgrade because I've either dropped my phone, it's been stolen etc. Otherwise I probably wouldn't even think about it

[Asker]

I had to replace my smartphone screen twice. One time because of my mistake of frustration in COD. And then the second one, just days after the 1st replacement, from falling from the table.

Good thing, I had a backup smartphone at that time.

[Asker]

I love my phone so much that I was not willing to change my smartphone upon my dad's insistence.

[MCheetah]

@MoniqueTLC

I've asked women - American and Korean - why they prefer iPhones over every other brand, even iPhones are overpriced garbage, and every woman told me it's for the camera. iPhones apparently have the best phone camera on the market. However, they also are the most fragile and a loud scream can break their screens. So apparently, women are just buying $1200 phones purely for the camera, and replacing them every six months when the screen gets too cracked to even see it anymore. Which sounds like the most 'modern woman' thing in the world to me.

[MoniqueTLC]

@MCheetah I always think it's a toss up between the Samsung Galaxy camera and iPhone. At one point I thought Huawei was supposed to be really good because they used Leica.
I personally stick to iPhone because I'm a creature of habit

[Kori1236]

I have the iPhone 13 pro, I’m happy with it. I consider upgrading when it’s no longer compatible with apps or it slows down

[Asker]

iPhone 13 pro is the most stable smartphone recently. You don't need to upgrade for at least 4 years, I think. Unless you want to.

[Kori1236]

I got it for the camera if I’m honest lol. So unless they come up with a better camera quality I’m happy with what I’ve got. And the photos I’ve taken are stunning

[Asker]

My friends have it. There is hardly any difference lately. Unless you look at a technical level. Which, hardly anyone does.

[BCRanger10]

I've had mine for five years. It still works... okay, but it's showing some signs of starting to go out. I'll be getting an upgrade soon.

[Asker]

Now-a-days, the big corporations just release an update that actually slows down your phone. But no worries, resetting it works. I mean, the one without any loss of data kind of reset.

[art84]

I got a used phone last year and before that it was like 5 years. Only thing is the battery does drain fast which sucks cause of the apps installed and it being an unlocked phone from Amazon. I might get a new one next year since my current phone is a 4G phone. Maybe a Galaxy Samsung phone or something with a long battery life.

[Apple1996]

Whenever it breaks. Usually every 3-4 years

[Asker]

That's a good enough excuse!

[Apple1996]

Yeah but i try keeping as long as possible. I don't get those that upgrade every year. That's just wasteful

[Asker]

I also think so. I can say that hardware technology has reached a saturation point. The processor transistors cannot get any smaller. Electrons need to pass through these transistors. And the transistor size cannot get smaller than that of electrons.

Hence, there will not be major upgrades in processors and by extension in smartphones overall. You can expect innovations software-wise. But no performance improvements hardware-wise.

That is the reason why so many heating issues are seen in the latest processors. The corporations are trying to pack as much as they can in the very little space available.

[Rockstarrrrr]

About 2 years... Your phone starts getting kinda outdated for most recent stuff that just keep getting more and more demanding...

[Asker]

I understand that. Even know what are the upgrades, technically. Being in the tech world has that benefit. But then I think about whether I am a power user or not (Not according to those scores. But practically). I mean, I do not like to play games on a smartphone. I have my laptop for that. Hence, whatever I do on my smartphone is really fast as I expect it to be.🙂

[Rockstarrrrr]

Yeah I understand... For people who use their phone as their main device... It's gonna be more urgent...

[Asker]

As a main device? Definitely, then.

[Rockstarrrrr]

Yeah most younger people only use their most of the time... Pc or laptops are like secondary device to them...

[Rockstarrrrr]

Their phone *

[NathanDavis]

every four years sounds alright...

personally, I mostly use smartphones to make calls, and text someone when I'm on the run... lol, I don't need much power for just that

[Levin]

Probably another 10 or 20 years considering that 5g is now the norm. I don't want irradiated mutant 5g testicles.

[Guy13]

You’re smart with your money in this area of your life.

[OlderAndWiser]

My employer now provides my cell phone to me, so it is not my choice to make. Prior to that, I had a Galaxy SII that gave me consistent and reliable service for 7 years.

[Sirenboobzilla]

I upgrade every 2-3 years.

[Asker]

Do you try to change the battery to prolong these 2-3 years to 4-5 years?

[douride2]

I don't even own a smart phone. Does that tell you anything.

[Asker]

You don't like the headache. But the thing is, neither do I! I use the laptop for most of my work.

[jamesgoldman]

Once the earlier one goes wrong

[TroyDT2]

When it no longer works.

[joeldalton]

About 3ish.

[Asker]

Just about right.