Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Other Why Aren't we Keeping our iPhones for Years?

I do keep them for ages. Even after I upgrade I keep them. I upgraded last year from my iPhone Xʀ running iOS 12 to my 16 Plus, and I still use the Xʀ for music. I also use a 6s for music.

I don’t get rid of older iPhones and just keep them for music. My specific iPhone 6s is almost a decade old, still going strong, original battery.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Andeddu and izzy0242mr
Since switching to iphone I haven't had a phone I am really happy with that I would want to stick with it for many years. I switched for the iphone 11 and always have major criticisms of each iphone I have owned, thus in desperation I think if I get an iphone that is different than the one I have hopefully I will be happy. I haven't yet.

Sadly I haven't had an iphone that I am truly happy with in the last six years. I had several fantastic androids so the writing is on the wall and I know the only realistic option is to switch back to Android. I don't think Apple will ever fix their iphone problems, well, at least Tim Cook didn't try, but maybe the new guy will.
 
ab2c4 said:
Since switching to iphone I haven't had a phone I am really happy with that I would want to stick with it for many years. I switched for the iphone 11 and always have major criticisms of each iphone I have owned, thus in desperation I think if I get an iphone that is different than the one I have hopefully I will be happy. I haven't yet.

Sadly I haven't had an iphone that I am truly happy with in the last six years. I had several fantastic androids so the writing is on the wall and I know the only realistic option is to switch back to Android. I don't think Apple will ever fix their iphone problems, well, at least Tim Cook didn't try, but maybe the new guy will.
Click to expand...
Specifically, what is there about iPhone that you are not happy with? I've never had a problem with any of mine that wasn't addressable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Andeddu, bevsb2 and Luftkopf
ElPaso said:
Specifically, what is there about iPhone that you are not happy with? I've never had a problem with any of mine that wasn't addressable.
Click to expand...
The keyboards are horrendous. I spend more time fixing words than I do typing new ones. I am one of many people complaining about that one.

The gesture system is an abomination. I see no problem offering it as an optional option but where in the world is the on screen navigation bar like Android has? Once again Apple is like 20 years behind Android. That's another one a lot of people complain about, not just me.

Flat sides, still? Seriously? Many, many people both Apple and android fans complain about the flat sides on their phones.

The last five years should have been the best phones we have ever had, instead it feels like we are in the dark ages of smart phones that we will someday look back at and shake our heads. To put it into perspective, I haven't had a really good phone since my Pixel 2XL.
 
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: kitKAC and wyliej
ab2c4 said:
The keyboards are horrendous. I spend more time fixing words than I do typing new ones. I am one of many people complaining about that one.

The gesture system is an abomination. I see no problem offering it as an optional option but where in the world is the on screen navigation bar like Android has? Once again Apple is like 20 years behind Android. That's another one a lot of people complain about, not just me.

Flat sides, still? Seriously? Many, many people both Apple and android fans complain about the flat sides on their phones.

The last five years should have been the best phones we have ever had, instead it feels like we are in the dark ages of smart phones that we will someday look back at and shake our heads. To put it into perspective, I haven't had a really good phone since my Pixel 2XL.
Click to expand...
I’ll grant you the keyboard isn’t the best, but I have predictive text disabled, which seems to improve it.

I’ll fight you about the flat sides though. I’ll be bitterly disappointed if they go away before I’m ready to upgrade. I still have my old iPhone 8 Plus. It sits so much worse in my hand, I never want to go back to rounded sides.

But you sound like I would if I were to somehow wind up with an Android. I hate the way they work, including their gesture system. They’re infuriating things to me. Sounds like they’re the right choice for you though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ab2c4
Going 2 years is a drag. The 3rd year (which I’m on with my 15PM) is a drag. I upgraded annually from the 7 Plus to the 13, kept the 13 2 years to the 15, and now the 15 until the 18. The results of my test: do not keep your iPhone for years. Everything after year 2 sucks
 
The days of huge technical year to year jumps are mostly over. Customers are slowly realising their current device can do 95% of the newer device. I think tech companies will see a noticeable plateau of hardware sales in the years ahead
 
  • Like
Reactions: BotchQue
Luftkopf said:
I’ll grant you the keyboard isn’t the best, but I have predictive text disabled, which seems to improve it.

I’ll fight you about the flat sides though. I’ll be bitterly disappointed if they go away before I’m ready to upgrade. I still have my old iPhone 8 Plus. It sits so much worse in my hand, I never want to go back to rounded sides.

But you sound like I would if I were to somehow wind up with an Android. I hate the way they work, including their gesture system. They’re infuriating things to me. Sounds like they’re the right choice for you though.
Click to expand...
I'm with you on flat sides. They are part of Eye Phone lore! But I had an 8 Plus for four years, and the roundedness didn't bug me. But I looooooove flat sides.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Luftkopf
An iPhone's lifespan is generally a year. After that, it is time to get rid of it, because it is now outdated. My policy is to either trade it in, gift it to somebody, or throw it out.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: lpc2
Who has to buy a new phone every year or two anymore? The recent phones (since at least the iPhone 8) are very durable, the screens don't crack as easily as they once did, and the batteries can be replaced.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ElPaso
hch720 said:
An iPhone's lifespan is generally a year. After that, it is time to get rid of it, because it is now outdated. My policy is to either trade it in, gift it to somebody, or throw it out.
Click to expand...
How do you define "outdated"? I don't replace my tech until it either doesn't work, isn't supported, or a newer model has a feature I "must have". Do you actually see a feature in your next years' phone that you "must have", every year?

Or do you consider "outdated" strictly on the idea of, "Well, there's a newer model!"? Do you order a new car every year because your current model is now "outdated"?

I'm having trouble understanding your logic.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Andeddu, SnarkyBear, Luftkopf and 2 others
hch720 said:
An iPhone's lifespan is generally a year. After that, it is time to get rid of it, because it is now outdated. My policy is to either trade it in, gift it to somebody, or throw it out.
Click to expand...
That's not our experience at all. iPhones can last for years and years - read the messages in this thread. My iPhone 8 Plus lasted 4 years before I upgraded to a 13; but it was still fast and powerful, and probably would have lasted a couple of years longer. I'm planning on keeping my 16e for five years.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WalsallSaddler, P_Watt, -BigMac- and 1 other person
Simple. iPhones have a high resale value and there's a great demand in the used/refurbished market.

Android phones... much less so. Anyone who has used Android phones knows. Flagship Android phones, you use them until they (about to?) give up their ghost, then you buy a new one. Cheap Android phones, almost no resale or trade-in value.

Also, just because Apple releases new iPhones every year, doesn't mean you are obliged to upgrade every year. And you can always buy the previous year's model.
 
I was using my iPhone 6 from fall 2014 till May 2023 when the original battery died. Replaced it with a new SE and planning on keeping that until software support becomes an issue. FWIW, battery capacity of the SE is supposedly 90% of new.
 
hch720 said:
An iPhone's lifespan is generally a year. After that, it is time to get rid of it, because it is now outdated. My policy is to either trade it in, gift it to somebody, or throw it out.
Click to expand...
Wow. You are Apple's favourite customer and you are part of the problem.
Of course they will not offer new innovative features every 2-3 years as long as people like you have this kind of mentality.
 
Since the release of iPhone 12 there has been no logical reason to upgrade every 1-2 year. Thanks to Timmy, Apple has lost its innovative approach and only cares about their shareholder's satisfaction. I think upgrading every 4-5 years makes sense as long you can afford it. If someone has financial limitations this duration can be stretched to 6-7 years. I have had my iPhone 12 for 5 years. I wanted to upgrade it since the release of Iphone 15 but it didnt make sense. We will see how the base Iphone 18 will bring to tables in 2027...
 
Luftkopf said:
I’ll grant you the keyboard isn’t the best, but I have predictive text disabled, which seems to improve it.

I’ll fight you about the flat sides though. I’ll be bitterly disappointed if they go away before I’m ready to upgrade. I still have my old iPhone 8 Plus. It sits so much worse in my hand, I never want to go back to rounded sides.

But you sound like I would if I were to somehow wind up with an Android. I hate the way they work, including their gesture system. They’re infuriating things to me. Sounds like they’re the right choice for you though.
Click to expand...
I have never used Android gestures, but their on screen navigation bar is perfection to me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: wyliej and Luftkopf
I think a lot more people will considering the economy and soaring tech prices. It used to be the good ol' FOMO thing: "This year's model is 2x faster than last year, and it has a 40% faster GPU" to make you feel bad for using an "old" phone. It's just how marketing works. We all fall for it, but I think the time of upgrading every single year is coming to an end for a lot of people.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HouseLannister
Different people different reasons. Some simply wear them out quickly. I’ve got one friend whose screen is scratched all up in the first month every time. Dents, camera problems etc…

Than there’s the status crowd who simply like having ‘the new thing’.

The ‘switchers’ which swear switch carriers every few years just to get the switch deals.

The ‘I need a bigger/smaller phone’ crowd. I’ve fallen into this crowd several times.

And then honesty there’s those that simply can afford it and more power to them.

Oh and the YOU DONT UNDERSTAND I NEED A PERFECT BATTERY people who I swear check their battery health EVERY SINGLE DAY.
 
diggy33 said:
My 14 Pro Max is starting to have an issue with the thunderbolt port, but as long as wireless charging continues to work just fine I won’t upgrade. Nothing is compelling enough in the iPhone lineup currently, and I did toy around with the idea of a Pixel Fold but decided I didn’t want to go back to Android.
Click to expand...
I thought same with an iPhone 8, until I realised after way too long to check if the port was dirty, a close look into the port with one of those handy children's microscopes with LED light than you can place on what you want to look at, the dept of field wasn't perfect but enough to see it was filthy and jammed full of stuff.

Cleaned it out and all was good, port worked perfectly once again.

The device continues to remain in service, aided by one DIY battery change, which is not a recommended experience, if you get stuff on the adhesive strips after they go snap! 😅
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back