How often do you replace your smartphone?

[Shawn Knight]

Your mobile computing experience is largely dictated by the sheer power of the hardware inside your smartphone. For those that have adopted the mobile-first lifestyle, having an up-to-date device is imperative seeing as you can’t simply swap out the CPU or add more RAM like you can with a PC.

With this week’s open forum, we ask the question: how often do you replace your smartphone? Are you the type that resides on the cutting edge of mobile technology or are you content to use a phone for at least a few years before upgrading? Perhaps you’re accident-prone and find yourself buying a new smartphone more often than you’d like?

Whatever the case, feel free to share your preference in the comments section below!

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https://www.techspot.com/news/67269-weekend-open-forum-how-often-do-you-replace.html

 

[p51d007]

Every 2-3 years. Just bought a Mate8 about 2 months ago, replacing a Mate2, which I had
for 2 1/2 years, which replaced my Note1 which was over 2 years old.

 

[RzmmDX]

2-3 years.

Or until the battery goes out.

 

[Tempus]

Keep it until it stops working. Usually 3 years or so I guess.

 

[treetops]

Until it breaks usually, 2-3 years. However pokemon go influenced by last upgrade, first new phone iv gotten before my old one got cracked or broken. moto g4 replaced my galaxy s3, I am so so glad I upgraded. My new phone is waaaaay faster and I got it for 130$ off amazon new w/ ads on the lock screen. I was going to unlock my phone to take off the ads but I really don't even notice them.

 

[Skjorn]

Whenever they break or I break them. Which isn't often. I will not be upgrading to a phone with an iris scanner ever. The fingerprint sensors are bad enough when they combine it with the power button. Sneaky scoundrels.

Sent from my 4 year old LG Optimus G

 

[Bigtruckseries]

Every single year.

I went from iPhone 5 to iPhone 6 Plus 128GB and then to iPhone 6s Plus 128GB and then to iPhone 7 Plus 256GB.

The 6S speed improvement was very noticeable, but there are still some hiccups in iOS on my 7Plus.

The 256GB storage is ridiculous. I love it. I can shoot video for over 5 hours without even thinking about storage capacity. Best "device" I've ever owned.

 

[mrtraver]

I'm still on my first smartphone, a 2 year old Moto G. Sure, I'd love to have something faster, but I can't afford a new phone every year (if I could afford that, I wouldn't have gotten a budget phone to begin with). I plan on using it for as long as it works, but I'm hosed if this one breaks before I have enough saved for a replacement.

 

[Duckeenie]

What's a smartphone?

 

[Lurker101]

You can replace phones? You mean I don't have to keep using my Nokia 5210?

 

[Makson]

I don't, they are too damned awkward and clumsy to hold and use, they need a handle and a shoulder strap to carry them.
I have a simple little cell-phone for emergencies as telephone boxes are a rarity, then I have a computer in my home for email as I can't find a spare part for my Morse Code key,......morse code is still quicker than sending text messages on a mini computer in a hand held plastic box.

 

[CortyDK]

Every 2-3 years. Primarely buying budget phones ($100-150 range), when new technology has filtered down from premium range phones (more cores, more ram, better screen resolution and so on).

 

[J spot]

Interesting responses. I thought I was the exception when it came to getting a new phone every couple of years when needed. My experience has been seeing people get one every year, Apple. Which really shows the hold that the Apple hype machine really has on people who are locked down into iPhone. I've heard people whining about how they don't have a pot to piss in, and really hate their low paying job. Then over hear them later on talking about how they need to put money aside to buy the new iPhone. Very lame.

 

[NeoFlux]

When they die.

 

[trgz]

Once

 

[Kenrick]

Every 2 years (contract renewal). Looking for an iphone7 plus on february next year./

 

[andy06shake]

Most contracts run for 18 months to 2 years, so my answer has to be every two years give or take a month.

 

[Uncle Al]

When I pay for it, every 4-5 years. When the client pays for it, every year or when they ask .....

 

[hahahanoobs]

I buy my phones used on kijiji. I've had this Note 2 for about two years now, and was about to look for something faster when I decided to try custom ROM's again and Cyanogenmod 13 nightly's (Marshmallow 6.0.1) runs so well it's like a new phone again. It just might stick with me another couple years.

 

[Cycloid Torus]

Probably sometime, but not yet...so at least 4 years.

 

[Jibberish18]

Generally every 2.5-3 years OR until it becomes frustrating to use (slow, choppy, battery beginning to lose capacity, etc.)

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Not very often, maybe every 3, sometimes 4 years. It's not as though they're leaps and bounds ahead of the previous years predecessor so I see no point in replacing them very often.

 

[m-tec]

When it dies. I'm on my second smartphone, a Samsung S4 mini. It's a phone, it does what I bought it for. Why would I need to replace it? I'm just not into phones, it's a tool, I'm not!

 

[mcborge]

My phone replacement cycle is dictated by the phone itself... if it gets too slow or fails for any reason. usually every four years or so if I'm lucky.

 

[DelJo63]

You can replace phones? You mean I don't have to keep using my Nokia 5210?

The only reason I replaced mine was for GPS - - just LOVE NOKIA products :=)