Would it be more practical and worthwhile to consider a midrange phone or opt for the flagship version. Considering if you want it to last for years?

[SabinaV]

[WindAtMyBack]

I buy low end phones and computers because they are already way more than I need. I even buy stuff that is already not being supported any more.

I hate all the planned obsolescence. The computer, software and phone industry is really bad at it. It should be illegal. When a company intentionally makes something obsolete, when it still works perfectly fine, the people running that company should be in jail.

Fortunately, in some places they really are making it a criminal offense. Here in the US they haven't done much along those lines except for a few states with "right to repair" laws.

[FreyaRed]

Flagships if you play 3D games on phone, you use it excessively for streaming or photos, you need special application like IR cameras integrated in specific flagship phones. Otherwise you don't need more performance or better camera. For normal apps like online banking, navigation or web browser has even a 150 $ Samsung A15/A16 phone more than enough power.

There is the matter of prestige for people with low confidence
The question, who cares if you use most expensive iPhone or a mid range Samsung or Google phone, it's just a phone. 95% of people lost already the overview about phones and can't see any differences between 300 $ and 3000 $ phone.

[Nikki1989]

The way people throw away good money on phones is hilarious. There is a sucker born every minute.

A $100 phone will last you just as long as a $1000 one and have all the same functions.

[OneViewpoint]

Flagship has nothing to do with longevity. Do you need the features of the flagship model? Or do you need the status of the flagship model?

I don't use the camera much. 256Gb of storage is plenty. A full day of battery life is all I need. I don't play games at all. I don't have 100 apps. A suit pocket sized 6 inch screen is what I like rather than a "phablet" phone.

I buy the cheapest phone being offered. They are commodities at this point. Like a toaster. One is as good as another.

[RingOfFire]

As long as it is a name brand phone, you probably don't have to worry about which will physically last longer, they are pretty much all the same when it comes to that.

If longevity is high on your list you probably should look more at features. In particular does it have the newest technologies? Does it have a replaceable battery (some don't and if you keep it long enough the battery will go bad). Things like that.

[fish5505_87]

I keep my phones for a long time, I had my iPhone 11 for 4 years, before that my 7 for the same. My iPhone 4 for 5 years. I bought my 15 almost two years ago, I'm thinking of buying the pro version in two years since I will have it for about 4-5 years.

[mysteriousNicholas]

@fish5505_87 it's only a downside in the world when "this device is no longer supported or updated" - dreaded dread 😨🫦

[fish5505_87]

@mysteriousNicholas True!

[douride2]

Years ago I purchased pretty much the cheapest phone going. It lasted me close to 10 years. I have no need to put out top dollar for something I don't really need.

[exitseven]

get the midrange phone. It will last as long s the expensive one. All you re doing with it is check email anyway.

[mysteriousNicholas]

@SabinaV wiser to pick Cheap Chinese phone, that's still a brand name in China, and legally sold at your local shop / major department store, etc

Legally

[katiesmuff]

I'd settle for the oldest version possible that was still supported. SUPPORTED is the magic word as with the digital equipment they are only as good as the support supplied to them with today's junk.

[Anonymous]

All of the manufacturers stop supporting their new phones in 4 to 5 years now, which means no more security patches or operating system updates. So even though the phone may still work you're risking your data and personal information as they become more suseptable to hackers. So it's up too you how much you want to spend according to the features you want. Generally the Flagship phones cost the most.

[genericname85]

At this point, the best choice is last years flagship in my opinion. You'll still have probably 5+ years of software support plus the hardware is likely still better than the current mid rangers.

[HighValue]

Get a flip phone. It costs less, lasts longer, and doesn't lead to so much stress and problems like smartphones often do.

[slatyb]

It's much more practical to consider a midrange phone. I'm perfectly happy with my Pixel 9a.

[Lliam]

I still use an i8 that I've had for years. It works fine and does everything I need it for.

[AviatorTom]

Go midrange. Just about any phone will last years. Save your money.

[Alex-Snow]

I have a mid price Android. I'm rough on phones and am a broke college guy so I have no need or desire to that the newest or best phone.

[Anonymous]

Both versions will last for years but the flagship will last longer. However, it will also be a lot more expensive.

[mysteriousNicholas]

Or shrug 🙃🫠 it's anyone's guess, either or 📱 lol 😆 🤳

[msc545]

It will not last longer. That is simply a marketing lie.

[Opinion Owner]

@msc545 no. Apple iPhones have a built in obsolescence of like 7 years. If you buy an older phone, it’s already used a couple of those years since its generation first came out. If you buy the flagship model, it’s the newest generation possible and you’ll get all 7 years.

[mysteriousNicholas]

I just buy made in china, since deep down even technically apple is made in either India, china. What a sad terrible irony apple is not 100 percent made in America - 🫣😆

[msc545]

I would not put planned obsolescence past Apple, but can you document that it exists with these phones?

[Opinion Owner]

@msc545 I don’t have any documents, but I’ve been told that. Like after 7 years the updates stop working on your phone.

[msc545]

You've been "told that". So you believe everything you have been told without any real evidence?

[Opinion Owner]

@msc545 it’s like everyone who has an iPhone knows this. You must not have one or you would have at least heard of this.

[mysteriousNicholas]

I'm not hearing a lot of support for China phone or even cheap call text only dumb phones - I miss you dumb phones

[msc545]

Saying that everybody that has an iPhone has heard of this may or may not be true since I don't ask these kind of questions to people that I know. However, just because a lot of people believe this doesn't mean it's true. If you can't provide any documentation and all you're doing is repeating a rumor then this is basically worthless.

[Opinion Owner]

@msc545 it’s not a rumor. Apple says on their website that updates will stop working for their phones after a certain date.

[msc545]

It is a common practice for virtually all software and many hardware makers to stop providing updates at a certain point. In fact, Windows 10 just stopped receiving updates about a week ago, I think. That is not the same thing as the hardware deliberately being designed to fail and failing after many months or years. I'm not sure there's really a way to do that reliable. But if there is, I think you are correct that Apple would do it. I think you are not correct and knowledging that it's a well-known fact because I haven't read that anywhere and I think it would be important news if somebody actually did discover it. So I will reiterate since you don't seem to be listening to me, stopping updates is one thing designing hardware that is specifically intended to fail at a given point in its life is very different. Doing that probably represents a fraud.

[Opinion Owner]

@msc545 yes, but the phone won’t work if they stop sending the updates for it.

[Ariesman81]

Honestly... this $300 Nord has been an absolute trooper.

[Anonymous]

I don't like cell phones of any kind.

I have an old GSM phone, just because I needed it for my job. I rarely use it.

[Ironco]

I go flagship. I can't help myself.
Use it for 2 or 3 years, then I upgrade.

[msc545]

What will you do with the flagship phone that you can't do with the mid-range one?

[Paige90]

Flagship