Usually every 2 years. I'll give the wife my old model although this time around I'm not buying another iPhone until they make significant changes to battery life
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How Often Do You Upgrade to a New iPhone?
- Thread starter nviz22
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If you do the math you're spending the same amount of money as a person who upgrades every two years. It's only if you decide to keep your phone beyond two years that you're not spending the money.
And how does that math work out? Financing does not change the fact that you are spending twice the amount of money per two years as a person who only upgrades once per two years.
Year 1-2: Subsidy person pays $399 upfront for 64GB iPhone 6+, pays $100/mo for 24 months for his plan. Upgrades after 2 years for $399 to iPhone 7. Sells iPhone 6 Plus for $300
Total 2 year cost of ownership: ~$3200 - $300 for sale = $2900
Year 1: Financing person pays $99 upfront for 64GB iPhone 6+, pays $80/mo for his bill for 12 months plus $30/mo for financing, sells iPhone 6 Plus for $500 at 1 year mark to cover remaining balance on device
Year 2: Pays $99 upfront for iPhone 6S Plus 64GB, $80/mo for service plus $30/mo for financing. At time of upgrading to iPhone 7 sells 6S Plus for $500 to cover remaining balance and puts $99 down on iPhone 7 Plus.
Total 2 year cost of ownership: ~$2840
No reason not to upgrade. I'll be upgrading every year easily from here on out. Well I already upgraded every year anyway but now with the carrier financing I no longer have to front $800 every year to do it.
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As much as I want to be disciplined and buy every other year, I always purchase each model. No self control...sigh.
I seem to have been doing the same ever since the 3GS. Except the 5. That I bought in AT&T store on release day (it was my day off). Needed to make changes to the plan so figured might as well do everything in one go.
I was actually hoping to keep the 6 for longer alas I only got the 64GB model instead of 128GB and now I'm regretting that decision. Will likely upgrade when the new model is released for the larger storage capacity.
I seem to have been doing the same ever since the 3GS. Except the 5. That I bought in AT&T store on release day (it was my day off). Needed to make changes to the plan so figured might as well do everything in one go.
I was actually hoping to keep the 6 for longer alas I only got the 64GB model instead of 128GB and now I'm regretting that decision. Will likely upgrade when the new model is released for the larger storage capacity.
While I knew better, I too was hoping the iP6 Plus would be good for two years, but it's struggling to perform with a mere 1GB of ram. My Nexus 5 is a mirror image of my iP6 in terms of the work I do and the Apps I use. It has 3GB of RAM and never slows down or locks up like the iP6 does.
Therefore I must buy the upcoming iP6 or whatever they call it. Plus Apple always builds it better the second time around, it's how they sell so many.
So far I'm going on over two years with my iPhone 5 as my first iPhone. I had a BlackBerry Storm2 for two years (it bricked which is why I only had it that long), and a Samsung flip phone for five years before that. I'm still on a family plan, so my dad usually upgrades before I get to. He's still on a 4S that he's had for probably almost three years while my mom just got a 5s last month. My brother still has a 4S that he got literally the morning the 5s was announced. So my dad will probably upgrade next. If his 4S keeps going and he doesn't like anything new, I may have to figure out how to "accidentally" brick my iPhone 5. Or ask to buy a new subsidized phone myself once I'm working full time. That's assuming they don't boot me to my own plan at some point. I'm almost 24, and my brother is 30...
Sounds crazy but every time there's a new release. I just sell my old one with accessories, make most of my money back and buy the new one. But we'll see if I need to upgrade this one. Think I won't for awhile.
I buy every other model. I purchase right at release and sell just before my AppleCare+ expires. I use a backup phone for a few weeks until the new model is available for purchase. I've had the 4, 5, and currently the 6.
