QOTW: How long do you expect a smartphone to last?

[HEXUS]

Upgrade cycles can be expensive, so how long do you hope to hold out?

Read more.

[hellig]

a minimum of 5 years, that said my phone is now 11 years old, and the calendar has run out

[will19565]

even though I upgrade every year I would expect a modern smartphone to last 3/4 years (along with at least 3/4 years of OS updates)

[3dcandy]

For me I guess I'm different, so for me 2 years to cover the usual 24 month contract is fine.
I'd love it to last longer but I realise that it won't due to things like battery etc.

[outwar6010]

If we're not talking about apple phone several years at the least.

[3dcandy]

even though I upgrade every year I would expect a modern smartphone to last 3/4 years (along with at least 3/4 years of OS updates)

With a replacement battery - possibly. But I can't see it happening

[Ferral]

I used to upgrade at earliest possible time but as of past few years I have been doing 2 year contracts and the one I signed last year was two and a half years long. So I think I would like to be upgrading now around every 3 year, I have the iPhone 8+ now and as long as the battery lasts that duration I will be happy.

[Smudger]

I would expect it to last 3 years, but usually get the itch for a new phone after 18 months - 2 years. I always buy outright so also on the hunt for bang for buck rather than latest top-end device.

[Saracen]

Dunno. Never given it much thought. Or bought one.

[3dcandy]

I used to upgrade at earliest possible time but as of past few years I have been doing 2 year contracts and the one I signed last year was two and a half years long. So I think I would like to be upgrading now around every 3 year, I have the iPhone 8+ now and as long as the battery lasts that duration I will be happy.

I seriously doubt it will last that long! Unless you keep the cycles down I'd expect the battery performance to be seriously depleted in that time period. However I reckon you'd be covered by Apple with a battery replacement as long as the phone is in perfect condition as they have been in the press for charging well over the odds recently for battery replacements

[Iota]

If we're not talking about apple phone several years at the least.

How did you come to this conclusion? I'm still sporting a rather nicely designed 5S that isn't made of all glass and actually fits in my pocket!

[outwar6010]

How did you come to this conclusion? I'm still sporting a rather nicely designed 5S that isn't made of all glass and actually fits in my pocket!

Android doesn't have kill code and their hardware doesn't have massive design flaws....

[Xlucine]

My last phone (note 2) lasted 4 years before I replaced it (it got a weird bug, and started turning itself off randomly when in sleep mode), so I'm hoping to get a similar lifespan out of my phone

[nar53]

I know its silly but I like a new one every couple of years. Having said that I'm still very happy with my One+ 3 which I bought at launch so its almost 2yrs old. I reckon I'll skip the 6 but probably go for the 6T if there is one.

[stevie lee]

my non smartphone still going strong with 25 ish days battery , from jan 2011.

Asus memo HD7 tablet for all the smart things that should be on the phone. still works on all the websites I use it for, camera decent enough, no image stabilisation though so lots of blurry photos. on android 4.2. that's from December 2013.

so if I was to combine the 2, which would be useful only for the free stuff on o2 priority. then i'd want it to last 5 years at the minimum. and have a battery that lasts a few weeks.

[3dcandy]

How did you come to this conclusion? I'm still sporting a rather nicely designed 5S that isn't made of all glass and actually fits in my pocket!

And won't have the latest updates etc. etc.