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Original poster

How old is your phone?

65 replies

WilliamBell · 08/10/2025 21:35

Mine is three years old (I always buy outright and then have a SIM only contact) and it's getting quite slow, but it's still functional, so it seems really wasteful to get another one.

Just curious as to how old everyone else's phones are and how often they replace them.

OP posts:
Senseandsensitivity · 09/10/2025 08:18

Gingercar · 08/10/2025 22:22

Six years old. Doesn’t seem slow.

I have one that takes photos that move for a couple of seconds. Some of them are of my late father and are so precious. Does anyone know if I upgraded to a newer iPhone would the photos still move/talk?

You can download these to a computer and then transfer to a flash drive to make sure you never lose them. Ive had to transfer all my photos on my phone like this as even my google storage was too full.
When you get a new phone, you can transfer it back on there if you look at it a lot.

thisishowloween · 09/10/2025 08:25

A year. I get three year contracts and replace when the contract expires - the old phone then gets used in the car as an iPod for music.

Myblueclematis · 09/10/2025 08:42

Over five years old, Samsung bought through Virgin and now just pay for the Sim. Bought as I was going into hospital for several surgeries and wanted to be able to receive and send messages and photos.

Still going really well, same battery, charges up fairly quickly. Can't see any need to change it so unless it dies completely, I won't be getting a new one any time soon.

KitsyWitsy · 09/10/2025 08:45

I have a 15 pro max. Hoping it lasts 4 years but we will see. It's totally fine at the moment so looking good!

SpacesNotTabs · 09/10/2025 08:56

I've bought a new one this week! My previous one was two years old, I tend to replace them every two or three years and buy them outright. I have traded in my phone the last couple of times and that makes me feel better about it!

I buy Pixels and have had the cheaper "a" model until this time, the optical zoom on the Pixel 10 has tempted me!

JBJ · 09/10/2025 09:23

About 5-6 years I think (iPhone 11). Just starting to think about upgrading, as I’m constantly juggling storage and it’s starting to get a bit laggy and slow, plus I’d really like one with 5g capability.

Original poster
WilliamBell · 09/10/2025 10:43

Zov · 09/10/2025 00:16

@WilliamBell IME it's only younger milennials and Gen Z who swap their phone every couple of years. Most people will have one for around 5-6 years these days I think. And they have iphones or similar that are like, £1200 to £1700. I had the one before the last one for 10 years. (2009 to 2019.) It was a basic one that had no internet, a £10 one from Argos.

I upgraded to a smartphone in 2019 as it seemed you needed it for lots of things even then! You need it for even more now!!! My last phone that I had (from 2019 to 2025) cost £90. I just got a basic smartphone with a small amount of storage (32GB) as I didn't think I would use it much.

I got addicted to it quite quickly, and had to get an extra memory card in to hold extra photos and the like. It got to the point where the phone was filling up so fast, and I could hardly download any apps, so I got one with 256GB of data, and a much better camera. (3 months ago.) Cost a few hundred, but I really do get a lot of use out of it and I love it.

The battery lasts much longer on a better quailty phone too. I charge my phone every 3-4 days. I was charging the other one (the £90 one) every day, sometimes twice. And I use this one more too.

.

Edited

Oh interesting, the battery on mine never lasts a full day so better battery would be a big plus.

I've checked and it's on Android 13 and the security update is from 2023 so I don't know if I should be concerned about that or not! There doesn't seem to be any way to update either.

OP posts:
Original poster
WilliamBell · 09/10/2025 10:44

I can't imagine spending £1k plus on a phone. Especially not one I'd replace after a year or two!

OP posts:
Mercurial123 · 09/10/2025 10:48

My Samsung S21 Ultra is four years and it's working fine.

Uukju · 09/10/2025 10:52

About 3 years, I’m looking to replace it in the NY

MightyGoldBear · 09/10/2025 10:54

5 years or maybe more 🤔 I have sim only contract for £8 I would only replace if it completely stopped working and even then probably just with one knocking about in a drawer that still works or second hand. I can think of so many other things I'd rather spend my money on.

Belladog1 · 09/10/2025 10:54

I buy an almost perfect phone from BackMarket outright and pop my SIM in it. You can get a phone that was originally £1k for about £300 and you can't see a single mark on it, and it arrives in a box with all the cables / headphones etc ....

I have had my current mobile for just over a year now. I will probably replace it for a slightly better model in another year or so.

purplecorkheart · 09/10/2025 10:56

Mine is a few months old. My old one broke and it was not economical to repair. My current phone was pricy but most likely I will get many years out of it.

MarmaladeSandwich7 · 10/10/2025 11:01

TypeyMcTypeface · 09/10/2025 08:08

What's the camera like on the 16e, if you don't mind my asking?

Show quote history

I’m not the most technically minded so am no doubt not using all the camera’s features but it seems good as far as I can tell 🙂

Tdcp · 10/10/2025 11:05

Mines about 5 years old, I had no intentions of getting a new one but I dropped it and shattered the screen last week. It's still going strong though 😂

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