What phone do you have and how often do you get a new one?

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

I have an iPhone X for every day use and it suits me down to the ground. It just works.

For work, I have a Motorola Razor, an Android phone. It's prettier but harder to use. I may just admit defeat, sell it and get another iPhone. Why didn't I do that to start with? Wanted to test the waters, see if I was missing anything!

 

[Moliphino]

I have a Galaxy S22 Ultra, have had it for a bit over 2 years now. It's still working well and I really like it, so I'm in no rush to upgrade right now. I usually keep them 2-3 years.

The only one I couldn't wait to replace was my Note (4, I think). After about 1.5 years the battery would get down to around 50-60% and then the phone would die suddenly. Replacing the battery didn't help.

 

[mjkacmom]

I have an iPhone 8, got it back when it was released, it’s in a nice otter box and I drop it daily. I will upgrade when the battery kicks. My husband has a 5SE. We also drive our vehicles into the ground, have never sold or traded one in, they just get towed away.

 

[_19disnA]

Have an android based phone and only get a new one when the battery no longer holds a charge. Mostly use it as a phone, so there isn't any new/improved features of interest to me. Think the last phone I had lasted 5-6 yrs before the battery died and apparently those can't be replaced. I have NO idea what a $1,000+ phone does any better than the basic models, but apparently some feel the need to have whatever is the latest model.

The sound quality isn't any better and they all let you text or take photos.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

Samsung ( have bought repeatedly)
every 4 years or longer ( or when the battery life becomes an issue)

 

[sk!mom]

iPhone 14 Pro Max. We upgrade every 4-5 years. In the old days, like iPhone 4 it was usually upgraded due to apps not being supported. Since then it seems like it’s usually battery life frustration. I’ve never replaced a battery. By the time I seem to have a significant issue, the phone is so old it makes sense to replace it.

 

[kdonnel]

In the beginnings of the iPhone I got a new one every year. As the innovations slowed I moved to a every other year model.

Now that the changes are mostly just very small incremental improvements I have found myself keeping the phone much longer. My family is currently a mixture of 4 or 5 year old phones.

I plan to do battery replacements once before replacing this batch of phones. I think they easily have 2-3 years more life in them. Each phone is approaching a reported 80% battery health, the threshold where Apple recommends replacement of the battery.

I am also approaching or passed the threshold where I stop paying for everyone's phones. If I am only having to buy 2 maybe I will again buy them more often, not sure.

 

[NannyBeBe]

I have an iPhone XR. It still runs fine, but will soon not be updated. When that happens, I will get a new one.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I have an iPhone 15 Pro. I got it in June of this year.

I try to make a phone last as long as possible. I think the phone I just traded in was an 11...the cheapest 11. TMobile had some kind of deal where it ended up lowering the cost of our plan with the trade in and phone purchase. I know I bought the 11 in November 2019. So, I had it for close to 5 years. While the battery health had declined significantly and it was getting hard to keep the apps I wanted with enough space for updates, it still worked pretty well. The issue was that I wanted something for taking video of DD15. It was so tempting to upgrade all of my camera gear and make the shift from DSLR to mirrorless with a bunch of converters for my lenses, but the phone was the cheaper and more practical option...especially since I use it every day.

 

[ftbaker1313]

I watched Snow White, I know to stay away from apples. Therefore I only use Android phones. I currently have a Samsung S20fe and it is an average phone, definitely not my favorite phone. I had a Motorola prior that was a great phone till I switched carriers and tried something new.

 

[aprilgail]

I have an iphone 15 plus- will keep it a couple years - I usually upgrade every few models- before the 15 I had an iphone 10.

 

[disneychick0412]

In the beginnings of the iPhone I got a new one every year. As the innovations slowed I moved to a every other year model.

Now that the changes are mostly just very small incremental improvements I have found myself keeping the phone much longer. My family is currently a mixture of 4 or 5 year old phones.

I plan to do battery replacements once before replacing this batch of phones. I think they easily have 2-3 years more life in them. Each phone is approaching a reported 80% battery health, the threshold where Apple recommends replacement of the battery.

I am also approaching or passed the threshold where I stop paying for everyone's phones. If I am only having to buy 2 maybe I will again buy them more often, not sure.

My battery life is 79%. So I'm torn between replacing it or getting a new one. I'm leaning toward just getting a new battery (the cheaper option). I feel like it's a good phone otherwise. It's a 13 pro. I've had it since June of 2022.

 

[jimmymc]

I have a Samsung Galaxy S21+, which I've had for three and a half years. I'm debating upgrading for a trip next month, even though it still works well. The camera really isn't up to standard with what other phones have now, and I've been trying to rely less on my DSLR during vacations unless I need the telephoto lens. I also thought the S21+ struggled with some apps and network connectivity compared to my previous Galaxy phones, so I want to try someone different. I think my next phone will be the Pixel 9 Pro, the only question is when.

 

[Miffy]

Pixel 5 here. Purchased it new from eBay in February.

My previous phone was a Pixel 4a, which I loved, but the battery started losing its charge and, unfortunately, replacing it could lead to busting the entire phone--then I wouldn't even be able to transfer the data to a new phone. ETA: The 4a lasted almost 3 years before the battery issue.

I purchased a pixel 7a to replace it, but I hated it right out of the box. It was significantly bigger and heavier than the 4a, so I sent it back.

I purchased the Pixel 5 because it's almost the same size as the 4a, has 5G (the 4a does not), and supposedly the battery will last longer. I don't care that it doesn't get the current updates. I did not want a large phone--and the iPhone mini (I think that's what it's called) is also no longer in production.

 

[MIGrandma]

I want to say mine is an iPhone 7, I’ve had it for 7 years. The battery doesn’t stay charged well, and I have a Disney trip coming up in a few weeks so I’ve been thinking of upgrading. I just don’t know what to do with the thousands of pictures on it. I want to keep them, but don’t want to just transfer them to a new phone.

 

[firefly_ris]

I have a Galaxy S10+ that was previously my husband's. I always either take his hand-me-down phone when he gets a new one (from work), or I get a refurbished phone on Amazon for $150ish. I keep them generally about 3 years once I get it, and it's typically a couple years old when I receive it.

I have a real camera for good photos so I don't need anything extra fancy, and I work from home so it can be plugged in whenever so battery life isn't a huge deal for the most part. Other than that I'm just using it for coupon clipping, parental controls, and checking email, not anything I need some $900 phone for.

 

[disneyseniors]

I have an iPhone 13 Pro. My battery is not working as well as it could, but it’s not terrible. I’m debating on if I should just buy a new battery (approx $90) or go ahead and upgrade to a 15. That’s why I was wondering how long y’all keep your phones. I think I really just want to get the battery and continue to get my money’s worth out of this one. Thanks!!

I have an Iphone 11 and I love it. No problems at all, yet. HOpe I'm not jinxing myself, LOL. I will upgrade to a slightly older than the new ones, if that makes sense. I dont like to pay the high prices of having a new one. I am happy with a slightly older one tht works just as well.

 

[hrhdhd]

Same here, I keep them until they die. My last Pixel would not stay on, when I went to the store to replace it they had problems getting it to stay on long enough to transfer the data. I love the Pixel but the new one had not come out yet when I had to get a new phone so I have a OnePlus 8. Have had it for long enough it's paid off and have no plans to replace it until it dies.

Hello, fellow OnePlus user! You're the only one I know, besides me, with a OnePlus. I have the 9, and it's perfectly fine.

 

[CynBeth]

We keep phones as long as we can. A year ago we went from IPhone 7 to 14.

 

[dez1978]

I want to say mine is an iPhone 7, I’ve had it for 7 years. The battery doesn’t stay charged well, and I have a Disney trip coming up in a few weeks so I’ve been thinking of upgrading. I just don’t know what to do with the thousands of pictures on it. I want to keep them, but don’t want to just transfer them to a new phone.

They make Thumbdrives with a lightening connector that you can plug into your phone and save the pics to. Or you can save them to the cloud somewhere.