Asking because… On one hand I do see smartphones being released left-and-right, and they are rather integral to modern life
On the other hand I’m still chugging alone with my Pixel 6a that I bought 3 years ago with a replaced battery and a somewhat clogged charging port… and all my previous phones I only replaced when they have serious deficits that make them difficult to use
Wondering when you all replace phones. Please definitely mention it too if you ended up repurposing the old phone for something else
When it breaks. I don’t remember how long I’ve had this one but it was made in 2019.
2006 - 2G Siemens
2016 - 3G Samsung (2G turned off)
2022 - 4G ZTE (3G turned off)
2020 - Samsung A13 5g
2025 - Xiaomi 14
When I had the chance, I had a Samsung A01 Core for 5 years, and now I finally managed to change my phone. The other one still worked, but I decided to buy another one. I don’t understand people who change their phones every year
As long as the one I have works, I keep using it.
I always keep it until I break it, usually about 2.5 years.
Haven’t had enough phones yet to determine that. I got my first proper phone 3 years ago which was a Samsung Galaxy A14. I LOVED it when I first got it, then had to watch as every update it got made the phone worse until it got so bad I HATED using it. Then out of nowhere just a few days ago, my Mom surprised me with a new Motorola G Stylus 2025. Runs better, has better battery, and DOESN’T look ugly as hell so contrary to what I thought it wasn’t Android that got worse (I mean, it probably still did lol) it was all the fault of Samsung SUCKING.
- 2006 or so
- 2009 or so,
- 2012? 13? gifted to me
- around 2017, first smartphone, my previous’ phone speaker broke, got a used one
- 2019 or so, used phone’s battery died badly, friend gave me this reconditioned one
- 2025, previous phone’s screen turned purple, idk what’s up with that
When the battery quits. I replaced the battery in my last phone myself, got an extra year and a half out of it, but then I f‘d up the camera and figured that was it. So…6-7 years? Went from a iphone X to a 16, and previously it was a 6, so 5+ years for that one. The recent replaced phones were traded in to knock a few $ off the purchase price, but previously phones were handed down to the kids to use. Still have a couple working 4s‘s around.
I bought my current phone in 2017. It will be replaced when the cons of continuing to use it outweigh the cons of buying a new one. Fortunately phone manufacturers have removed most of the features I want in a phone and added nothing of value so I’m saving a ton of money.
Seven years so far.
I use my phones until they’re limping and pleading me to just let them die. At that point I look on the used market and buy the best previous-gen phone I can find for the cheapest price, then repeat. I’m not a fan of cell contracts - I like to buy my phone outright to keep my monthly bill as low as possible.
Up until now I was only buying used Pixels so I could install Graphene, but if Goog ever locks the bootloader or anything like that I will move to something else supported by Graphene.
Or maybe just revert to dumbphone and start carrying a small ultralight laptop around for internet stuff. Probably less doomscrolling that way.
Depends whom I’m talking to.
If by holdings onto your existing device your are inconveniencing others then replace it.
If by holding onto your existing device it is inconveniencing you, replace it.
Otherwise keep it. OS version and software support is arbitrary these days. Some times it matters, other times not so much
Last time i bought one is 2018, then it got replaced for free in 2020, and i am still using it right now
Huawei Honor 10
As a Sailfish Linux OS user, perhaps about every five to six years. The last two died because of falls / hardware damage. Performance was fine.
