How often do you upgrade your cell phone?

[TheWizard]

Every 3-4 years. There is no reason to replace my current phone, Pixel 5a, which is 3 1/2 years old. Still works perfectly and the battery remains a beast. However, it just received its last OS update.

Like you, I've got the itch. I see a Pixel 9 Pro XL in my near future.

I considered upgrading to exactly that phone when it went on sale back in October.
But my current phone is a Pixel 7 Pro and still working fine, so I decided to wait another year...

 

[Gotadimple]

Motorola brand
Moto G Power 5G - 2023

Really? I'm surprised. I had a Motorola G for 6 years and it ran fine and did not have any problems with the SIM card. Replaced it with a Google Fi when I got no more updates.

 

[B-Guy]

We upgrade phones about every 4+ years or when the current iPhone is no longer updateable causing vulnerability. I really don’t need the latest and greatest unless there is a great deal offered.

 

[Ian S]

I keep a phone until it's no longer getting security updates.

 

[rembrandt]

I would get a new phone only if I had no choice, like if it fell in the pool or something like that.

 

[38Chevy454]

Every 2-3 years, usually battery life goes to crap, or when I crack the screen or similar misuse. I buy used unlocked phones that are 1-2 models back from current.

 

[Texas Proud]

I think I got mine in 2018... cost $45 and it came with $45 of tracphone calling time...

I am thinking about upgrading to a 5G phone and getting US mobile... their $8 plan gives more data and has better coverage..

 

[Piper20]

Every 2 years since our first smart phones, iPhone 6. Now on 16 Pro.

 

[Healthy Lifestyle]

I have iPhone 12 for ~3 years that I was happy with, but now the forward picture option is no longer working.
Plan is to upgrade to the iPhone 14 soon.

 

[FIREd]

I upgrade every 3-4 years, but my old phones don’t go to waste. I have the iPhone 14 now but my old iPhone 7 and iPhone XR are still operated by my mother and sister respectively.

 

[51togo]

Just trade in my 2016 iPhone 7 Plus for a 16 pro max Verizon Black Friday deal. Paying $11 a month for 16 months plus tax. The 7plus still good but no longer support certain app and I think got another year before it’s obsolete. Been a great phone after market battery for $100, charging port $60 and 3 screens $80 later. Really just need the 16 but I hope the new pro max will last another decade.

 

[audreyh1]

DH ran his iPhone X (10) for many years (since 2017) and was hoping to wait for the iPhone 14 Pro late 2022 and almost made it! But the iPhoneX screen started to fail while we were traveling and he was forced to upgrade. I was sure glad he was finally in the 5G world as he used to complain about reception.

Since then he’s upgraded every year due to, for him, some compelling new feature. He gets a lot back for his trade-ins so it’s not so painful.

 

[Closet_Gamer]

We were 3 years or so, but I see zero useful innovations that merit an upgrade any time in the future. I tried a smart flip phone a few years but it wound up being not that useful and died when I dropped it and the hinge basically exploded.

I’m not so into photography that I need magic things that add sunsets, remove dogs or give my family smiles different than they actually had.

So, I’m hoping we hold onto the current ones a long time.

 

[5Miler]

When I retired in 2012 and had to give up my company phone, I acquired a castoff iPhone 3g from my DGF when she upgraded. I used an AT&T pay as you go account for cell service.

A couple of years later, I got an iPhone 5 from my nephew when his company upgraded all of their phones and were giving the old ones away. Still AT&T pay as you go.

Shortly after that I broke down and bought a brand new unlocked iPhone 7 from the Apple store and within a few months went in on a joint AT&T mobile plan for the first time.

I kept the iPhone 7 for six years and about two years ago splurged on an iPhone 13 Mini when IOS would no longer update on my phone and apps began to stop working. It was bought new online with my veteran's discount although it was not the latest model at the time so the price was more attractive. I prefer the mini size as it's easier to slip into my pocket. It should be good for a few more years.

 

[Jeffman52]

DW and I both, have current cell phones that are 7 years old. But she is going to get hearing aids soon so an upgrade is now imminent to be able to utilize the best features on the hearing aids.

 

[ls99]

Have Iphone7. When it dies, figure out what is available in a similar physical size. Like that it fits in my shirt pocket.

 

[Music Lover]

Every 4 years or so, but I just upgraded a couple weeks ago after 2 years because my provider offered me a free Samsung S24 FE on a Black Friday promotion.

I'd probably keep the phones a little longer than 4 years but I hand down the old ones to my parents and don't mind upgrading more often.

 

[athena53]

As little as possible. I have an iPhone 8 and I know I bought it pre-COVID. Running out of storage but I'll pare down and back up rather than blow $1,000+ just to get more storage. I'll also buy one a couple of models behind, but new (not refurbished). I don't always find all the improvements useful and some I just plain don't like. I don't like the fingerprint feature to unlock things, for example. My too-smart-for-her-britches granddaughter changed my settings so that my stored passwords could be accessible by fingerprint- hers. Fortunately I found that out before they went home although it turned out that changing back did not require her fingerprint!

 

[bloom2708]

I went from an iPhone 12 Mini to an iPhone 14 Plus recently. Both were slightly used.

I stay behind a couple versions and can usually upgrade for about $200 after I sell my old phone. This last upgrade was purely for more battery life. The Mini was fine if I could charge 2-3 times a day. When traveling it just didn't last.

If on Android, you may have to upgrade a bit more often, but no set rules. Usually you start to know. Battery, glitchy, etc.

 

[FIYes]

I decided not to upgrade because of all the environmental comments. However, today I was out and looked at the phone I want to upgrade to. Big mistake! I came home and placed an order. Since my old phone is being traded in, it will end up sold as a refurb, not sent to a landfill. I’m always careful to dispose of old phones responsibly….sell, trade in, or donate to the sheriff’s office for abuse victims.

I really like a new phone and enjoy the improvements….especially camera improvements. I had a Galaxy S9 that I kept for years until it no longer got security updates. The S9 had features that were no longer offered on phones….Pay worked with old style credit card terminals and it measured oxygen. These two features meant a great deal to me during COVID. Now almost all stores and especially the grocery store where I shop have the new credit card terminals and I have a smartwatch that measures blood oxygen.

 

[kgtest]

Every year. The value I gain in faster and more accessible information is worth the price I pay to realize that said value.

Just bought the new Galaxy S24+ for under $900. I thought it was a good deal. Working on selling my used S23+ I bought a year ago for about $500.

 

[CO-guy]

We have iPhone 12 minis, which were not the newest model at the time. Before that we had the 8, which again wasn't the newest at the time. Prior to that it was the 5s and 5c. So maybe every 4 years or so we get a new phone that's at least a model year out of date.

 

[statsman]

The past two cell phones averaged about 6 years. The Pantech Laser (slider old-tech) lasted 6.5 years. Its replacement, the Samsung S5 Active (new old-stock - $165), lasted 5.5 years.

Our latest cell phones, the iPhone 13, we've had since February 2023. Barring serious damage or the lack of iOS support from Apple, I don't see us replacing them. We are not power users, so the battery life has been great.