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Original poster

To ask how often you upgrade your phone?

141 replies

thecherryfox · 05/12/2024 10:26

I used to upgrade my phone every 2 years when my contract ended, but i feel like I have got to the time of maturity where I have a fully working phone with no issues - there’s no need to upgrade it. I have a sim only plan which is up soon and I think I’m just going to extend it instead of getting a new phone. I feel like I’m just going to wait until this phone is in no longer working condition and then get a new phone.

so I guess I’m asking, are you all tech people and get a new phone every couple of years or are you someone who waits until it breaks until you get a new one?

OP posts:
tediber · 05/12/2024 14:48

Every 2yrs usually. If I feel like what you said I'll usually keep it and get sim only. Last time I only lasted another 6-8 months as it was so slow and battery going down fast. At that point though the phone I had was the iPhone from several yrs ago when I got it albeit new. So it was about 5yrs old by the time I got a new one. Still sold it on for £150 too 😀

My current phone I got last yr, which at the time was the latest iPhone. So I'll possibly just go sim only if everything ok with it next yr. I did get a great deal with it which I likely won't get next time.

I used to work with a guy who wld go buy the new iPhone every year on the day it was out from the Apple shop. Madness!
Must admit I love my iPhone!

Bitchillywillytoday · 05/12/2024 14:59

When it no longer works, my current samsung is on the way out now (5 years old) but just last week I found my fav Nokia 3310 in a draw, it was not broken but I was gifted a 3rd hand iphone (its tiny) so moved over to that.....I loved that Nokia, hello/goodbye/text that was all, simple times.

WeRateSquirrels · 05/12/2024 15:03

About every 5 years - last time because the battery had degraded badly then I cracked the screen.

bolwin1 · 05/12/2024 15:10

About every 4 or 5 years or so & then I replace it with a model that's a couple of years old. Recently got rid of a Samsung S8+ as the battery was on it's way out & replaced it with a second hand S21 Ultra. Very nice phone & I can't justify an additional £700 for the latest S24.

TellerTuesday · 05/12/2024 15:37

The day I can upgrade but I never actually get to hold it. Just gets passed straight to DD and I get my last upgrade back

SoNiceToComeHomeTo · 05/12/2024 15:48

I keep my iPhones until they fall apart. Ver 5 lasted nearly 10 years, a reconditioned SE lasted 6 months (won't go for reconditioned again) and Ver 11 has been going strong for a couple of years now.

Dotjones · 05/12/2024 15:50

I want to say when the previous one breaks but that's not true, it's more like when my previous one is on its last legs and there is a decent looking alternative that I can afford. I'm loathe to get a phone that's worse than my current one, there's no point getting one that's about just as good, and it's only by leaving it 5-10 years between purchases that a better one isn't too expensive.

My main incentive for sticking with my current (original) iPhone SE is that most modern phones seem ridiculously large. I don't need an iPad in my pocket.

coffeesaveslives · 05/12/2024 15:51

Everytime my contract comes to end, which is every three years.

Expletive · 05/12/2024 15:54

I have had six in the last 30 years.

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 05/12/2024 16:54

Only when absolutely necessary.

Owmyelbow · 05/12/2024 16:55

When it breaks. The planet is fucked enough as it is

PerditaLaChien · 05/12/2024 17:01

When it breaks. There haven't been any real changes in what phones actually do for ages now, it feels like we've hit a maturity stage where they are sort of like tvs, everyone has one, not much difference between the brands, you don't get a new one every 5 mins.

TangerinePlate · 05/12/2024 17:11

Had 2nd hand Iphone 6 for 5 years. Decided to get a new one when apple decided to not to get security updates on it anymore. Replaced the battery and gave it to DS so this phone has been in the family for over 7 years now. He still has it.
Got myself a contract 2 years ago for iphone 14. Just paid the handset off and switched to sim only contract. Will get a new phone when this one dies(hopefully not too soon).

Every phone I used to have I had for 4-5 years and it was always in vgc. It was then passed onto relatives and thrashed within a few months. I was already asked whether I was getting an upgrade and if I had plans for my old phone (iphone14) 🤬

Hellskitchen24 · 05/12/2024 20:11

When the battery gets crap, which is usually every 3 years roughly. I have the iPhone 14 at the moment and the contract is up in January. I’ll switch to a sim only until the battery becomes atrocious.

BG2015 · 05/12/2024 20:14

@thecherryfox I'm the same as you. I used to upgrade every time my contract was up and end up paying £40 a month but I decided I was sick of paying out so much.

Now I'm on a sim only deal at £17 a month with 3. Phone is working fine so I'll keep it until it stops holding its charge.

WTAFisthisnonsense · 05/12/2024 20:15

I buy my iPhone and have a sim only contract. My phone is 4 years old - or perhaps more. I will buy a new phone when this one dies.

StandingSideBySide · 05/12/2024 20:16

We have our sons old phone, we ve generally had the leftovers. Last time we bought a phone for ourselves was about 20years ago 🤣

Dont need all the upgrades. As long as we can message, pick up calls and have our Lidl app on it we don’t care

MixedCouple2 · 05/12/2024 20:19

As you when I was younger loved tech stuff and upgraded every 18months. But I stopped 1) cant be bothered 2) my fav phone company stop producing phones LG. My LGV60 is still going on strong 3 years on may last LG was 6 years old. So I do keep them as long as possible. But as PG have stopped supporting phones everything will slowly stop working as no security uodates etc. Then I will probably buy a phone outright and not a flashy one just an older version of a Sony / Motorola

Bearbookagainandagain · 05/12/2024 20:21

When it stops working... because I've dropped it in the toilet 😅
That's based on my last 2 phones (they still lasted 3-5 years each). In my defence, I was heavily pregnant both times!

Balloonhearts · 05/12/2024 20:22

When it gets to the point that I'm charging it twice a day then I upgrade. Battery is always the first to go.

MaryGreenhill · 05/12/2024 20:22

I can't bear changing my phone over. It's so much work . So l just get a new one when it breaks down .

karriecreamer · 05/12/2024 20:25

In our household, roughly five years. My son gets a new one, and then his old one gets passed to my OH, and OH's old one gets passed to me. I think mine is around 10 years old and is perfectly fine for what I need it for, i.e. apps, texts, phone calls, and a bit of googling. Son obviously uses it for every aspect of his life as he's always on it, and that's why after five years or so, it's outdated as he needs it for every new app or feature. These are all iphones. We used to have android phones and found they didn't really last long before becoming outdated or faults occurring. No problems at all with iphones, even batteries seem to last forever in them.

ChiliFiend · 05/12/2024 20:26

Phones used to be a status symbol but it doesn't feel that way anymore.

IntheSnowySnowyMountains · 05/12/2024 23:20

Buy my phones outright, and have a PAYG SIM because I'm not away from WiFi much. Use the landline for calls at home. I have an original iPhone SE that I got in early 2017 and DH has replaced the battery and headphone/charging sockets to extend its life. Only thinking of replacing it because it can't do the latest ios update and I wouldn't mind a bit more storage.

LisaD1 · 05/12/2024 23:22

I only have a work phone and policy replaces them every 3 years.