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
5 years if I can’t flash open rom and nearly 7 years if I can.
I’m about to replace a once year old phone because I can’t flash the ROM, and I hate Xiaomi’s native apps and don’t trust them anymore.
My previous phone was a Xiaomi on which I installed LineageOS. I was very happy with it, but my GF’s son had a very very old phone, so I changed it after only 3 years and replaced it with another Xiaomi. I’m deeply unhappy this time because they’ve made it practically impossible to unlock the bootloader without using dodgy unverified tools. It’s only a year old and now I’m replacing it with a second hand Pixel.
Before the first Xiaomi, I had a OnePlus that I kept for six years.
When it stops working.
When I was younger I got new cheap Tracfones at least once a year cause I didn’t take very good care of them. Nowadays I’ve had 2 phones since 2020 with the second being one I got last year since my previous one nearly shattered after dropping it at work (it was a moto g power).
When it breaks. I don’t remember how long I’ve had this one but it was made in 2019.
went from pixel 2016, pixel 2 2018-22?, and then disasterous PIXEL 5A 2025 it died in Jan.
got a ONE PLUS 12 R currently.
2006 - 2G Siemens
2016 - 3G Samsung (2G turned off)
2022 - 4G ZTE (3G turned off)
As long as the one I have works, I keep using it.
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
- 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
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.
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.
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
