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Other How long do you keep your phone?
- Thread starter jcorbin
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Hmm…I’m a little surprised that 2-3 years, which I chose, is the most popular choice. While quite a reasonable strategy, I expected the MR crowd to upgrade more regularly than that.
I’ve purchased:
iPhone 5
iPhone 6S Plus
iPhone X
iPhone 12 Pro Max
I guess the 14 Pro Max will be my next new iPhone.
I’ve purchased:
iPhone 5
iPhone 6S Plus
iPhone X
iPhone 12 Pro Max
I guess the 14 Pro Max will be my next new iPhone.
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I used to upgrade yearly, and was always excited to see what the new iPhones brought. But I've been stung by Apple a few times now so have just lost interest. Whereas I'd previously absorb everything I'd now be hard pressed to tell you what any of the specs of the iPhone 12s are, for example. Same for my MacBook - rather than upgrade, I'm just letting it run itself into the ground. Not an active decision to 'get back' at Apple but rather bland indifference; as I say, I just am no longer interested in them and cannot get motivated to get excited about the company or its products again. I suspect the main driver of upgrades will be me dropping them / spilling a cup of tea on them. I'll almost certainly stick to iPhone, I do think on balance they're the best phones, but as to my next laptop I'm 50/50.
I vote with my wallet. After buying the iPhone6 64GB on launch day for $499 and watching subsequent models jump to $1K, I held on to the 6 until a few months ago. Determined not to pay $1K, I bought a mint used 11 for less than $500.
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Ive had two iPhones, 6+ then the 11 pro max. Next phone maybe the folding iPhone ...
We are retired and my husband got me the flagship iPhone 10. It took 2 years to pay off and I had the apple care. A month before it was paid off the phone started ghost texting and I was told the brain was going out and they sent me a new one. I will have this phone until it breaks. It works and is still in mint condition. To pay another $1000 for another phone with our income would be a major hardship anyway.
I went from a 6s to a 12 mini. I guess my next phone will be an iphone 18 
Wish I had your will power, I’ve gotten better though, went from upgrading every year to every 2 years, well just started upgrading every 2 years. 😂I went from a 6s to a 12 mini. I guess my next phone will be an iphone 18
I'm weak I went from a 7 to 12.I went from a 6s to a 12 mini. I guess my next phone will be an iphone 18
Each generation I keep it one year longer (4S > 5S > 7 > 12). I will do my best to be as strong as you.
Next time I think I will wait 4 years again or maybe 3 if something really exciting happens (at least new form factor + new key feature not just small incremental battery/camera/CPU improvements).
6-7-8 plus-XS-12 mini. I choosed 1-2 years, nut I hope I will keep my 12 mini 256 gb for at least 4 years.
I had a 4s years go. Then i had the SE when it came out and used it until January this year.
Bought a XR and i am planning to use it for a couple of years, maybe 4-5 depending on if security updates still come in. In my country you can swap the battery with an original replacement battery in larger electronic markets for about 40€ all inclusive. So if anything else is working i will just replace the battery.
For me i see no reason to buy the newest model. Whatever model you have, you look on the same OS and use the same apps. So why upgrade? In my opinion there is no technical progress.
The camera might get slightly better if you zoom in on a 4k monitor and put your nose on the screen. Otherwise you would not notice at least in daylight pictures.
5g is useless in my country. All people with 5g phones say the networks are slow, when they switch back to 4g their speed doubles.
I use my phone mainly for calls, messages, browsing, email and listening to music. Every now and then i take pictures. No gaming, no social media, no stupid health apps.
However, i will only buy iPhones. Tried Android between the 4s and the XR and really think that iOS is way better for the things i use my phone for.
Bought a XR and i am planning to use it for a couple of years, maybe 4-5 depending on if security updates still come in. In my country you can swap the battery with an original replacement battery in larger electronic markets for about 40€ all inclusive. So if anything else is working i will just replace the battery.
For me i see no reason to buy the newest model. Whatever model you have, you look on the same OS and use the same apps. So why upgrade? In my opinion there is no technical progress.
The camera might get slightly better if you zoom in on a 4k monitor and put your nose on the screen. Otherwise you would not notice at least in daylight pictures.
5g is useless in my country. All people with 5g phones say the networks are slow, when they switch back to 4g their speed doubles.
I use my phone mainly for calls, messages, browsing, email and listening to music. Every now and then i take pictures. No gaming, no social media, no stupid health apps.
However, i will only buy iPhones. Tried Android between the 4s and the XR and really think that iOS is way better for the things i use my phone for.
I’m somewhat of a minimalist tech enthusiast. I don’t upgrade based on time as much as compelling new features. My rule is I keep my phone (or any device) as long as it still does its job, or until I feel compelled enough to upgrade because of new important features. The more compelling the new feature(s), the sooner I upgrade. The less compelling, the longer I wait to get more out of my current phone and/or for more compelling features to be released.
But I’m picky. There have only been a couple features released over the years that have compelled me to upgrade (not immediately though, I still waited a bit). Basically, the three main features have been Touch ID, Apple Pay, and small 4” form factor. (Increased storage and improved cameras have also definitely helped sway me, but they were more secondary features.) Because of my selectivity, I’ve only upgraded twice, so a total of 3 iPhone models have lasted me through about 10 years so far.
Note- So far, none of my iPhones have become unusable due to just age. Battery life has diminished of course but that was easily fixed with a battery swap.
But I’m picky. There have only been a couple features released over the years that have compelled me to upgrade (not immediately though, I still waited a bit). Basically, the three main features have been Touch ID, Apple Pay, and small 4” form factor. (Increased storage and improved cameras have also definitely helped sway me, but they were more secondary features.) Because of my selectivity, I’ve only upgraded twice, so a total of 3 iPhone models have lasted me through about 10 years so far.
Note- So far, none of my iPhones have become unusable due to just age. Battery life has diminished of course but that was easily fixed with a battery swap.
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Same upgrade path. Now I'm considering reversing course, trying the yearly upgrade. Not only do I expect the 13 Mini to be a compelling upgrade (better CPU, sensor shift camera, lidar, better battery, and way better more efficient modem), but yearly upgraders talk about getting 80% of their original purchase price for prior model on eBay. If so, even more compelling to upgrade regularly. If they go to a 3nm CPU process for the 14 Mini, that might be compelling as well to change from my normal frugal "good enough" path.I went from a 6s to a 12 mini. I guess my next phone will be an iphone 18
I've also been on an 8 year cycle upgrading laptops. Think I'll likely do 6 years from my current 2016 12" MacBook depending on what is available in 2022 (wanted the 2015 model bad, but thought the 2016 CPU would stand a better test of time - and it has). Prior laptop was 2008 BlackBook.
3G
4
4S
6
8 Plus
So on average three years I guess, though obviously I was upgrading more regularly early on. But my 8 Plus, bought on release in 2017, will last me until at least the release of the 2021 models and maybe even longer as I have really just lost the desire to upgrade any more. Honestly haven't really cared about a new feature since Qi charging was introduced.
4
4S
6
8 Plus
So on average three years I guess, though obviously I was upgrading more regularly early on. But my 8 Plus, bought on release in 2017, will last me until at least the release of the 2021 models and maybe even longer as I have really just lost the desire to upgrade any more. Honestly haven't really cared about a new feature since Qi charging was introduced.
I know people will point out security issues, but I feel like a good way to keep your iPhone lasting longer and feeling snappy is not to upgrade to the latest iOS after the phone is perhaps 3 years old. Despite Apple allowing their updates to installed for 4, maybe 5 years these days. I had this on my 4 iPhone 4, which I think started slowing down after iOS 6 and then with the iPhone 6. Now I have an iPhone 11. I upgraded to iOS 14, but at the moment I’m unsure if I’ll update this year. My phone feels pretty snappy, and I’d like to keep this it this way. Since it’ll only be two years old by then, I may very well update this year and then not bother again. Hoping to keep the phone at least 4 years.
I kept my MBA 11” on Mountain Lion for years, never had any issues. I think over 5 or 6 years. After upgrading to Sierra and then High Sierra, my notebook experienced slowdown.
I kept my MBA 11” on Mountain Lion for years, never had any issues. I think over 5 or 6 years. After upgrading to Sierra and then High Sierra, my notebook experienced slowdown.
I dunno, my 8 Plus is as snappy as ever onto its fourth iteration of iOS. This was definitely more of an issue in the past – I remember my iPhone 4 just becoming borderline unusable when I put it onto iOS7, and my 6 was pretty bad by the end of its life as well. But things do seem to have improved there. I'd be surprised if you don't get at least four years of use out of a new phone updating its OS every year.
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Everyone is different in terms of budget, their tastes, having the latest, etc,
I used to upgrade more starting with the iPhone 3G, but now I only upgrade if there is an issue with my phone that needs to be fixed, performance, etc. I had to recently upgrade my wife’s 7 to a mini 12 and my X to a 12 PM. My wife’s 7 had apps crashing, the battery was draining badly and that was after we had already replaced the battery once. I had the 7 before my wife took it so I could get the X. The X was fine but had an issue with the camera so I sprung for the Pro Max, otherwise I would still have the X. The 7 was entering year 5 while the X was entering year 3.
We try to go 5 years and beyond that it’s cake. A phone is more a necessity than a luxury for many and with how often we use our phones now it really does pay off if you can get the 5 years minimum use. My mother is our third line on our account but she has a 1st gen SE but that’s all she needs since she basically just makes phone calls with it and not much else. I say it’s your money, you do what you want.
I used to upgrade more starting with the iPhone 3G, but now I only upgrade if there is an issue with my phone that needs to be fixed, performance, etc. I had to recently upgrade my wife’s 7 to a mini 12 and my X to a 12 PM. My wife’s 7 had apps crashing, the battery was draining badly and that was after we had already replaced the battery once. I had the 7 before my wife took it so I could get the X. The X was fine but had an issue with the camera so I sprung for the Pro Max, otherwise I would still have the X. The 7 was entering year 5 while the X was entering year 3.
We try to go 5 years and beyond that it’s cake. A phone is more a necessity than a luxury for many and with how often we use our phones now it really does pay off if you can get the 5 years minimum use. My mother is our third line on our account but she has a 1st gen SE but that’s all she needs since she basically just makes phone calls with it and not much else. I say it’s your money, you do what you want.
Don't think this is an issue these days with the power of iPhone processors. The 8/X still run fast and snappy when it comes to basic tasks; just a little bit slower than newer models with more intensive tasks but still absolutely fine, we're talking a difference of seconds here. Now is anyone here really thinking the XR with its A12 is going to not feel snappy this time next year when its over 3 years old? I would always update unless there's a genuine issue with the new update but that's just me.