How long does your phone last before you upgrade? (Nokia, 3G, iPhones)

[Surfertx]

I just had my final phone drop from my pocket and it killed the lcd screen on my S5. I am replacing it with a Samsung S7. I hate buying a new phone due to my negligence and so far I average about 1 new phone every 2 years or so.

[Mr5150]

I usually go two years. With that said I might drop my phone once a year. Thanks to having a case it is not a problem (hint, hint).

[Hemlock140]

I have never worn one out, because I upgrade every two years. Even the battery is still OK in that time. Despite the prices of good Androids and iPhones, the features are so much better all the time that they are considered almost disposable.

[ackmondual]

My last dumb phone, Nokia 6133, lasted 8 years. It was just for calls, custom ringtones, and camera. Flip phone with without all the fancy wifi and large screen, so there wasn't much beating on the battery.


Samsung Galaxy s2 was my first smartphone. Lasted 2 years. I still have it, but wanted to upgrade to a Galaxy s4. That lasted almost 3 years. I dropped it once, got the screen replaced at a mall kiosk. Dropped it again, but the 2nd screen replacement caused the touchscreen/digitizer to be wonky and unreliable.


That ended up being a blessing in disguise. I was going to replace it with a Galaxy s5 or s6, but the former took away the menu button, while the latter also took away user replaceable battery plus memory card slot. Was going to just buy another Galaxy s2, but the LG G4 was only $30 to $90 more, and was an improvement around. That's my current phone. At only $220 used, it's cheap enough that if I break it, I can just buy a new one out of pocket.

[Nov3]

Replace only when provider upgrades their systems and remits which models will be obsolete...So about every three years...
I get the basic though..Phone/text,and simple browser .
Otherwise ..It provides for emergency and little else.

[dkf747]

3 to 5 years.

[Malloric]

I usually end up replacing them when I break one. I have a Note 5 right now, bought in October. Works fine. I don't see any reason to upgrade at the moment. Previously I had an LG G2. Actually, I had three LG G2s. First two I had for less than two weeks each and had problems with the GPS antenna so the were returned as soon as a replacement arrived. Third one lasted a little over a year. Broke the digitizer when I low sided on some sand going around a corner so I just upgraded rather than fix it as I never liked the phone that much anyway. Prior to that was a Galaxy Nexus. I wasn't paying attention cycling and clipped wheels with someone in a group ride who swerved in front of me and ended up going over a guard rail into a river.

[davebarnes]

When the latest phone offers a compelling feature.
For me, it was Apple Pay in a small phone.
So, I moved from the iPhone 5s to the SE after almost 3 years.

[CSD610]

Originally Posted by Surfertx

I just had my final phone drop from my pocket and it killed the lcd screen on my S5. I am replacing it with a Samsung S7. I hate buying a new phone due to my negligence and so far I average about 1 new phone every 2 years or so.

I have had my iphone 4s since they came out and it is still in perfect condition.

[Ceece]

I could keep my phones indefinitely because I don't chase tech, but realistically I've been forced into upgrading by lack of support and the inability to use features once a phone is abandoned by the manufacturer. I've been using iphones for a long time starting with a used 3gs, then a used 4s. These were hand me downs that I then handed downer. The 3gs just went to the graveyard 6 months ago! Then I purposely bought a new one, a 5se, in hopes that I can just have a phone for many years without running into a wall.