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

[Nekronos]

Actually not. I think the way you do it, changing phones relatively frequently, is the popular opinion. For the most part, it's been mine . . .

I think there is a difference between "popular opinion" and user behavior. User behavior can be driven by many things such as marketing (FOMO- phones are marketed way more than PCs) purchase incentives from carriers or retailers, lifestyle/income changes, upgrading to pass on the phone to a relative, etc.

According to sellcell, global average replacement cycle was 3.5 years in 2025, and 2.4 years in 2013 (numbers in the US skew marginally higher). Replacement cycle overall is trending longer and is relatively comparable between iphone and android.

The most telling trend is those with means upgrade faster (at least in India where this data was from) premium smartphones were 2-2.3 years and entry level phones were 3.5-5 years. I would imagine this would hold true in other countries.

 

[martin2345uk]

If iOS 27 sorts the jitteriness of my 17PM then I hope to keep it as long as I can, if it doesn't, I will get rid after 2 years

 

[lyceumHQ]

For me. I just like new gadgets.

I don’t live an extravagant lifestyle. Don’t some or drink, and rarely spend money on myself.

But I treat myself to a new phone every year because I basically run my life with it. Phone. Messages. Emails. Banking. FaceTime. WhatsApp. Shopping (I’m disabled and have poor mobility so getting stuff delivered is such a life saver).

I may keep the 18 for a few years though simply because of price increases. I don’t feel any phone should be pushing £1500. That’s insanity.

 

[Bones402]

Going to roll with my 16pro till it stops working.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Granted my 14 had battery issues.

It's fairly amazing how many issues are actually due to batteries that need replacing.

I have a family member who stayed with a 13 (not Mini, just normal) this last week after being blown away at how much better the overall performance was with a fresh battery.

 

[skodises]

I like this post a lot. You make a lot of sense, and speak for a lot of iPhone users. I'm curious, though - on my 16e the use of AI (Apple Intelligence) seems to be optional and would require the installation of an app. I may be mixed up, though - but can't we opt out?

Well, the reports from iOs27 beta early adopters would seem to indicate that you can't, really. Perhaps that will change- but I doubt it. Given the fact that most developers seem to have succumbed to the contagion and adopted the Microsoft model, and are all agog to force AI into every possible nook and cranny (like it or not), I for one no longer believe that "opting out" will actually opt out- even if a button labeled as such is present. While it is certainly true that older phones with smaller memory capacity will not be able to support the new local/resident model code blobs, they can still digitize and ship e.g. audio off to the Mothership for extraction, a' la Siri, for the convenience of the many aggregators who apparently require that data to market to the masses.

I simply want my phone to be a phone. Regrettably, Apple no longer sells that functionality, at least without far too many disqualifying strings attached for me to continue tolerating. No sale.

 

[NeonNights]

I can and should keep my phones longer, but am easily tempted by new gadgets and features. My wife and daughter, in the other hand, are great at avoiding upupgraditis. For example, my wife had her iPhone 6 for quite a while before reluctantly replacing it with an iPhone 11 Max -- and that was only because of the short battery life of the 6 (even after Apple's battery replacement program).

Nowadays, I upgrade my wife's, daughter's, and parents' iPhones every three years and only because Verizon literally gives you a free iPhone/iPhone Pro, spread across 36 months of bill credits. We've been with Verizon for 10 years and don't have a reason to leave. Besides the great coverage, Verizon is also cheaper for our 10-line family plan compared to Tmobile and ATT. If it wasn't for the "free upgrade" then everyone else in the family would easily hold onto their phones for much longer until battery life becomes an issue.

 

[jrgl050]

As I replied on another thread my daily driver is a iphone SE 1st gen. As long as the couple of apps I use get updates and continue to function I will continue to use it. Being proactive I did update the battery a few years ago while apple was still replacing them. I also bought a refurbished iphone 12 mini for the day I do need to upgrade the phone.

 

[coachgq]

I can tell you why I don’t. First off I’m on tmobile and have no plans to change after joining them with the iPhone 6. I buy the new pro phone for my wife and myself each year on a 24 month bill credit. Cost me roughly $75 in taxes per phone. I then hand the previous phone down to the kids, we have 2. I think take their phones and list on the resell market for $400-$550 each. At the same time I buy the cheapest high value trade in to use for the new phones.

This year for example. I bought 2 16e’s at about $175 each from a prepaid provider. Used those to trade in on a 17 pro. Effectively cost $250 to upgrade each line. $500 out, $1,100 back in for selling the 15 pros. Each year I walk away with $500-$600 positive. I’m also not on the newest plan. My plan hasn’t changed in about 3 years now. Before that I was on a plan for about 4 years.

Works well for our family so far. Wife and I have a new phone, kids have a 1 year old phone.

 

[marekPL]

I have been using my first iPhone (3G) until last month. If I could get new battery for it, I would probably change it for the fifth time. No more batteries available here so I had to upgrade. I like my new iPhone 4s. I do not care for all the options the new iPhone give. I just need a phone for calling and SMSs.

 

[jbachandouris]

I’m on the IUP so I’ve been upgrading every year but it’s not exciting anymore.

People always ask if I like my new phone. At the end of the day it’s just a phone.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I’m on the IUP so I’ve been upgrading every year but it’s not exciting anymore.

People always ask if I like my new phone. At the end of the day it’s just a phone.

I was just helping a family member with their brand new 17PM this weekend and all I could think about was:

1. This is huge heavy and awful (I use a 13 Mini)
2. This functionally and in use does nothing different from my 13 Mini.

It would be amazing to see some device diversity and products that are "making choices" again. There can be better devices for actual users when choices are made and things designed for types of users and use cases.

 

[jbachandouris]

I can summarize my most recent impulse buy in one word. Orange. Then I covered it up with… orange.

View attachment 2641691

Funny. I didn’t chose orange but bought an orange case. Metal bumper and plastic back.

 

[jbachandouris]

I was just helping a family member with their brand new 17PM this weekend and all I could think about was:

1. This is huge heavy and awful (I use a 13 Mini)
2. This functionally and in use does nothing different from my 13 Mini.

It would be amazing to see some device diversity and products that are "making choices" again. There can be better devices for actual users when choices are made and things designed for types of users and use cases.

Yeah. I’m old. My eyes hurt just thinking about a mini anything. Camera quality is trash on 13 compared to 17 pro max though.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Yeah. I’m old. My eyes hurt just thinking about a mini anything. Camera quality is trash on 13 compared to 17 pro max though.

I disagree for most uses.
The photos are so bloody over processed now.

I've gotten some photos out of my old SE1 that are better looking than from my 13 Mini (lower overall size/resolution, of course).

Use case & needs/desires impacts this quite a bit, I readily admit.

 

[seek3r]

I'm preaching to myself I guess, but with the high quality of iPhones both in physical build and OS, I'm curious why we move on to a new iPhone after only a year or two of use? With a couple of my old devices, I replaced them after only a year or so of use - the iPhone SE (1st gen) and the 13. But on the other hand, I kept my iPhone 8 Plus for four years, and I was extremely happy with it from day one all the way to the end of its 48 month tenure. I figure I could have squeezed another couple of years out of it, but the thought of a shiny new device (the 13) was too much to take lol. At the end of the 8 Plus' time with me, it seemed just as capable and fast as when I first got it.

With my iPhone 8 Plus experience under my belt, I've decided to keep my 16e, which I've had for only 3-1/2 months, for 5 years. Or at least try for 5 years. Since I'm retired and have limited income, it seems the smart thing to do - especially with the high quality of iDevices I've experienced, and specifically my experience with the 8 Plus.

Who else wants to keep their iPhones for a looooooong time?

I personally mostly do. I’ve kept most of my phones 3-4 years. I used my 8 for 5 years and that felt kinda one year too long, the last year it felt dog slow, I used my 6 for 2, which seemed in retrospect too short. I think 3-4 is the sweet spot.

 

[Rychiar]

The batteries usually go to crap by year three. I would replace mine for new cameras, but every so often I’ll switch year to year because you can sell the old one for a really good price and not have to pay much for the new one if the upgrades are worth it. They only go down in value yearly.

 

[ElPaso]

I personally mostly do. I’ve kept most of my phones 3-4 years. I used my 8 for 5 years and that felt kinda one year too long, the last year it felt dog slow, I used my 6 for 2, which seemed in retrospect too short. I think 3-4 is the sweet spot.

I agree with you - 3 to 4 seems to be the sweet spot, based on my experience with the 8 Plus. But with my 16e, I think I'm going for 5! We'll see if I can.

 

[ElPaso]

Sense in what way? Like you normally would? Probably not.

But sense in using an older iPhone to watch Youtube, stream music, monitor servers on your network, etc? Sure. I have an iPad Mini 1st Gen running iOS9. I specifically bought it because Google Maps still works on that iPad in a logged out mode. It goes in the car in a dash mount and serves as my GPS/NAV unit. iOS 9 isn't getting a large amount of updates last I checked.

People seem to think that the moment there are no more updates a device's usefulness goes right out the window. It doesn't.

Thanks for the response. Generally, my phone is just a communication device - phone calls, texts, other messaging services like GroupMe. I also use it for home management (adjusting the thermostat, monitoring the house's security system) and tracking health metrics from my old Fitbit smartwatch. Any social media, AI, Research, YouTube, Bookface, etc etc is on my MBN. Sounds to me like I wouldn't need the "upgrades".

Oh, yeah lol -- I have games on the phone. 🙂

 

[ElPaso]

The batteries usually go to crap by year three. I would replace mine for new cameras, but every so often I’ll switch year to year because you can sell the old one for a really good price and not have to pay much for the new one if the upgrades are worth it. They only go down in value yearly.

With my 8 Plus, the battery was still good (more than 80%) at the four year mark when I sold the device on ebay. I'm thinking that simply replacing the battery, which is around $100-$120 or so without the applecare plan, would be a better option than a new phone - that is probably what I'll do with my 16e when the battery tanks. A couple of people have posted in this thread that they simply replaced the battery on an aging iPhone and it was "like new".

I would add that an Apple Store is easy walking distance from my home . . . . makes everything really easy 🙂

 

[TVreporter]

Because too many people simply want to have the latest and greatest and especially if money is not an issue.

I’m not one of them, I’ll stretch it out as long as I can. Held onto 8-plus for 7 years for the 15. Gave the 15 to my son and I got the 17 which I will hold for as long as possible given the ridiculous price hikes.

 

[eyoungren]

Thanks for the response. Generally, my phone is just a communication device - phone calls, texts, other messaging services like GroupMe. I also use it for home management (adjusting the thermostat, monitoring the house's security system) and tracking health metrics from my old Fitbit smartwatch. Any social media, AI, Research, YouTube, Bookface, etc etc is on my MBN. Sounds to me like I wouldn't need the "upgrades".

Oh, yeah lol -- I have games on the phone. 🙂

Yeah, that's pretty much what I do with my 11 Pro Max. Communication. Also, my banking apps. I've got other things for other stuff.

Having these older phones around though is useful. They can still function for certain things and that's what I put them to. I'm not doing with those devices what I do with my primary phone (or my Mac).

 

[LanerJ]

We're probably the wrong demographic, I kept my 11 Pro for 3 years and hope to keep my 16 Pro for 5 or more. I suspect the reason most upgrade yearly (or just before obsolescence) is because carriers offer upgrade plans where the carrier buys the old phone and sells them a new one on contract.

 

[eXan]

2011-2016: iPhone 4S - 5 years
2016-2019: iPhone SE - 3 years
2019-current: iPhone X - 7 years

The SE was a mistake in hindsight. Sue to its size it became inadequate (for me) very quickly.

 

[capamac]

Just retired my iPhone 7 after seven years. Got a Samsung A17 now.

Buying a new phone every year is poor use of funds.

Growing up, our family touchtone landline was in use for ... jeez I don't even know. 20-30 years, maybe? Same phone.

Smartphones might seem "inexepensive" with those monthly plans but people are paying full price ($700 to well over $1,000) for these phones. It's baked into the plans. They are not inexpensive devices.

Also, I kinda dislike phones, and I'm more interested in desktops and laptops, which I also typically keep for six or seven years at a time.