Lifespan of an iPhone ?

[lauridsen]

I am new to iOS, only got my IPad Air a few weeks ago as my first tablet. My smartphone has always been android based, and I currently own a HTC One S. I am happy about it, but as with android phones before it, you don't get many OS upgrades, and the various mandatory apps continue to grow in size after each update so you quickly run out of space. My question is by no mean an attempt to start yet another android vs iOS war, but noticing that the new iOS 8 is available all the way back to the iPhone 4s, I am beginning to think that iPhones might have a longer life expectancy. Is that a fair assessment?

 

[BJMRamage]

I am new to iOS, only got my IPad Air a few weeks ago as my first tablet. My smartphone has always been android based, and I currently own a HTC One S. I am happy about it, but as with android phones before it, you don't get many OS upgrades, and the various mandatory apps continue to grow in size after each update so you quickly run out of space. My question is by no mean an attempt to start yet another android vs iOS war, but noticing that the new iOS 8 is available all the way back to the iPhone 4s, I am beginning to think that iPhones might have a longer life expectancy. Is that a fair assessment?

I used my iPhone 4 (bought in 2010) up until my iPhone 6 arrived (first day, last Friday)

They have a decent lifespan. Sure I wanted to upgrade to the 5 and did with a work-phone 5S (but they took it back after a few months)

My home button stopped working all the time, apps were slow but overall it was still usable. and we have an iPad 2 still in use (didn't update that to iOS8 [if we even can, not sure])

 

[0007776]

I've usually bought used ones that were a year or two old, and I'll get another 2 years out of them without too much of an issue.

 

[Tumbleweed666]

In my experience Android phones get very poor service for upgrades, which is one reason why Google is coming up with Android L (but I doubt it will make any difference)
I would say roughly you'll be lucky to get 2 years out of an Android in terms of OS upgrades (I never got more than 1) whereas you'll get 3 to 4 from Apple. Of which the 4th year is somewhat optimistic, I am not upgrading my 4s to 8, I am waiting for my 6+.

 

[eyoungren]

The phones are designed to last. I gave a 3GS to a friend earlier this year. He uses it as his main phone. Last update for it was iOS 6.1.6.

My current phone is an iPhone 5 which I've used as my primary phone for the last two years and will continue to do so as I don't want a new phone (I like my 5). Currently, I can go up to iOS 8 if I want and I expect to be able to go to iOS 9 as well. That would be three versions of IOS, which is about average for iPhones.

 

[lauridsen]

Thank you for your replies, sounds like my next phone should be an iPhone

 

[Trebuin]

I tend to replace every two years because the phone pays mostly for its replacement after the unlock.

 

[Ntombi]

I usually replace yearly, selling my phone to help with the cost. The last two, I sold to friends, and they are still going strong. That's not surprising, but I also have a few friends with iPhones that are several years old. I know one with a 3GS (released in 2009), and a handful who use a 4 ( released in 2010). They're people who are happy if the phone works and don't need the latest and greatest.

The only reason most people upgrade is because of new features or battery life (and after four years, because of iOS), not because something is wrong with their current iPhone.

 

[althaur]

I still use the original iPhone I bought when they were first released. I unlocked it for use when I travel overseas. It's still going strong and pretty darn tough. Made it through several deployments to Afghanistan.