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Other How long do you keep your iPhone before upgrading to a newer model?

How long between upgrades?

  • less than 1 year (specified below)

    Votes: 4 1.2%

  • 1 years

    Votes: 94 29.3%

  • 2 years

    Votes: 86 26.8%

  • 3 years

    Votes: 69 21.5%

  • 4 years

    Votes: 39 12.1%

  • other (specified below)

    Votes: 29 9.0%
  • Total voters
    321
2009: iPhone 3GS
2011: iPhone 4S
2013: iPhone 5S
2015: iPhone 6s Plus
2019: TBD - probably either 8 Plus or 11 Pro Max

I'd hang on to my 6s Plus until 2020, if it weren't for my problem with it being stuck in Headphones mode. Now I'm scrambling to decide on the 8 Plus or the upcoming 11 Pro Max.

2017 I skipped because I was not happy with the options, and I'm not a bit more thrilled about having to make a $ decision here with the 2019 options - losing the 3.5"mm jack (which I do use), losing TouchID (I hate the FaceID/swipe), and losing 3D touch.
 
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Northern Man said:
I have had my SE for two years and have no need to upgrade yet. It works fine and fits into any pocket. Without a glass back it is very sturdy and it is in an inexpensive silicone case (covers the back only). I have dropped it quite a few times (sometimes screen down, sometimes back down) with no ill effect whatsoever.
Click to expand...

Imagine the nice things you could have if you didn't keep dropping stuff. :)
 
3 years with iPhone 7+.
Still going strong and love the waterproof feature!

If the 11 comes out with better waterproofing ability, I will bite.
 
Three years or so. But after getting an XR which I love for the fabulous display but loathe for the heft and size as a "phone", I went back to the refurb shelves and got a 128GB SE, having kept my previous 64GB SE for use as a WiFi device. The XR's 256GB capacity spoiled me even during brief use as a phone with more room for entertainment options, so I'm happier with 128GB on the newer SE than settling to going back to 64GB with the older one.

I'm obviously skipping whatever phones are about to be offered tomorrow, not so much for lack of interest as can't justify the outlay so soon: I only caved in and got that XR last December and then the larger capacity SE in the spring. I'm a happy camper now with the ways I use both devices, and the smaller SE is still around as a right-sized spare cellphone if I need it.

Still I'll be an interested spectator of the event tomorrow though, I always like watching the keynotes even when I'm not in the market for an upgrade.
 
iSpoody 1243 said:
I'm curious to see how long people in this forum keep their iPhones before upgrading.

I currently have an iPhone X and from all the speculation regarding the next iPhones features, I'm struggling to see the value in an upgrade.

However considering my phone plan requirements, the cost of upgrading to a new iPhone vs having a suitable sim only plan with my current iPhone X is negligible. Feels like a forced upgrade.

First iPhone (4) I had for 4 years

Second iPhone (6 plus) I had for 3 years

Current iPhone (X) 2 years (unless I can get a suitable sim only plan with significant savings)

What about you all?
Click to expand...

12 months.
 
About every 4-5 years when I was o
N an Android. I just switched over a few months ago. So, my guess will probably be the same time frame. However, I am to understand that these iPhones are more durable. So maybe longer. I got the iPhone XR.
 
tps3443 said:
Spending $1000+ every year on a phone seems crazy.

If you stay just a generation behind that annual price will probably be cut in half.

I look forward to all of the flushed toilet money when I get my next new iPhone for a discount caused by the iPhone 11 rage.
Click to expand...

That’s strange. I spend just shy $500 out of pocket a year on two phones. That’s about $41/month. There a lot of people who spend $41/mo on a lot sillier things, like alcohol for example. I know people who blow $41 in an hour in just one night on alcohol. Me, I get to spend it on a phone which actually makes me more money.

Perspective, my friend.
 
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Upgraded every other year starting with the 3GS stopped at the 6s as i saw nothing of interest and the 6s was working fine only upgraded to the iPhone 8 in December because i wanted fast charging and wireless charging otherwise i'd stuck with the 6s longer
 
My first iPhone was a 4S that I got on launch, then a 6 (3 years) and then a 7 plus (2 years). Now I’m considering an 11 or 11 pro or waiting until next year.

I think anyone with a 7/7 plus onwards can be in a sticky situation as their such good phones
 
I plan to keep my handset 2-3 years but always fall for upgrading every year!
This one I plan to keep for two years, or until 5G has settle and all the bugs squished.
 
Got an iPhone 4 in 2011. Upgraded it to an iPhone 4S the year after. Been using that until last year, when a friend took pity on me and lend me his 5S, which I am still using.

Will be buying a new iPhone when Apple release a full screen model that is smaller than the iPhone 6 sized models, or when they finally get around to implementing USB-C. I can wait a long time.
 
It varies. The most I've ever kept an iPhone is 3 years, a launch-day(*) iPhone 5 upgraded to launch-day iPhone 6s, but then this year I've pre-ordered the 11 Pro to replace my Xs so that's only 1 year. I've also done a 2-year iPhone 5 to iPhone 6s upgrade so I'm all over the place when it comes to upgrade frequency. I buy my phones outright so it partly depends on how much spare cash I have at any given time and/or if I've just got a bit bored with my current phone and fancy an upgrade.

Usually I have a pretty good idea in the week or two before the Apple announcement event as to whether I'm going to upgrade or not and if I've decided to upgrade all that could happen is that somehow Apple lose my order that year by announcing something in the new phone that I really hate which it's never done so far, in fact this year Apple did the exact opposite. I wasn't expecting to upgrade this year but the very significant battery life improvements, which were far more than I was expecting if the claimed ~30% increase in run time turns out to be true in practice, were something I've been waiting for ever since starting my iPhone journey with my iPhone 4 so I couldn't resist upgrading to the 11 Pro. This year I will be reselling my old XS as soon as I have my new 11 Pro set up to take the sting out of the upgrade cost a bit.

(*) All of my iPhones have been pre-ordered for launch-day delivery.
 
As long as possible since carrier subsidies ended!!

Using 6s now-Does everything I need.
 
Usually every two years. However now with the prices in Canada I may upgrade in about 4 years. Currently using the XS Max and don’t see a point in upgrading for a while.
 
I've had three iPhones since the 3G was realized. Obviously a 3G which I kept till 2011, then a 4G which I kept till 2015 then bought an iPhone 6s Plus, which I still use daily, all of which I still have, but then I've only bought 3 Macs Starting in 2001 with the G4 Quicksilver 867 MHz Wow! then an early 2009 24" iMac, and 9 months ago I purchased a mid 2017 27" 5k iMac. These are direct purchases from Apple, although I have numerous other Macs and iPhones, bought used or traded, or ended up keeping as the client didn't want it repaired or whatever.

I think too many people buy the latest and greatest as an ego thing, and I don't judge, but that's an expensive and extremely short term boost to a need that really needs long term attention down deep. Just my 2c. I still drive a 1991 4 wheel drive Nissan Pathfinder, however I recently turned in my Acura AWD TL a full year before the lease was due, Actually a large used car dealership bought it outright from me and I made money on it. I went in to buy used, and the first thing they asked was if I wanted to sell it. The only reason I had that was for long road trips to gigs out of state.
 
Always two years. If you upgrade every year you don’t see much improvement imo. I’m upgrading from an iPhone 8 to an iPhone 11 Pro.
 
I'm upgrading from an iPhone 6. The only reason I'm upgrading is that iOS13 is not supported on that model. I bought it new and got the battery replaced in December. It's as good as new, its kept in a Tech21 case with a Rhinoshield screen protector.. Keeping it as it is still useful, and I would only have got £40 trade-in from Apple.
 
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