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SlCKB0Y

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Feb 25, 2012
3,431
557
Sydney, Australia
I was having a discussion with a user in another thread about how long the average Android user in this subforum keeps their phone before before they upgrade it to newer hardware.

We disagreed on duration and I was honestly curious to find this out.

On average, how long do you keep your Android phone before upgrading to a newer model?

On average, how many smart phones do you own at any given time?
 
For the past few years I've done it yearly. I'm on a SIM only plan (in Australia, not the US), so I usually buy the new handset then sell my old one. Did it with the iPhone 4, 4S, then a Galaxy S2 and am currently using a Galaxy S3.
Will most likely do the same with the S4 if it impresses.
 
Usually every 2 months...though I wouldn't call necessarily call them "upgrades."
I always carry at least phones, sometimes 3. Most of the time the second phone is an iPhone.
 
Well it's not Android specific but I generally had been upgrading every year (iPhone) until this past May. Since then I've gone from a iP4s, a Galaxy Nexus in July, an iP5 in September, a Nexus 4 in December and now a Note 2 (purchased in January). Except for the GNex (almost broke even), I sold each of those phones for a profit so in essence, I've only spent the money to upgrade once and considering how happy I am with the Note 2, will likely stick with it for quite a while.
 
I purchased my Galaxy SIII in June, and upgraded to the Nexus 4 in December, so generally 6 months lol. However, I'm back on the GS3, and will be selling my N4. Keeping it a year is usually sufficient. My next phone purchase will be the Note III. :cool:
 
I usually change phones at least every 2 months because I like trying out the latest and greatest. At any given time I'll have 2-3 phones.
 
How often do you upgrade your Android phones?

Had my HTC desire for about 18 months before I got my Galaxy S2, then I had that for 6 months before I got the S3. Got my iPhone 6 months after that.
 
I have started to upgrade about every six months. I use to upgrade yearly when iphones were really the only phone on the market worth having IMO (07' - 11'), but in the last year and a half I find myself upgrading at least every six months.
 
I generally try to keep my phone as long as it is useful. My first smartphone was a Nokia N97. It was the worse phone of all time. Kept it for 7 months and finally had enough.

My next phone was an HTC Desire Z. I originally planned to keep this phone for 2 and a half years. The battery died at a very inopportune time and I had to rush to get a new phone (going on vacation the next day). I only kept it for one year and 8 months before getting my SGS3 which I still have now for 6 months.

My plan for the SGS3 is to keep it for another 2 years at least. Hopefully, I won't have another catistrophic battery failure a day before I am to leave on a trip.
 
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