Ask Lemmy

Started year 5 on this one, if the batteey was user replaceable, I'd so that and keep using it.

Like about every 5 to 7 years as that's usually when it starts getting pretty slow. Not sure why or if it's planned obsolescence, I take good care of my phones. My current one was gifted to me by my aunt last year, at the right time.

As long as the one I have works, I keep using it.

Only when an essential function breaks. Current phone is about to turn 6 years old.

On average every 5 years. The battery life is always the issue. I will get a fairphone next time...

ITT: it is confirmed that nearly everyone on Lemmy is die-hard "if it aint broke don't replace it" about their phone (hell yeah)

Only when it's unusable. I recently got a new phone, my old one was an iPhone XR but the last few months it just randomly restarts and overheats like crazy.

I did a battery replacement a year ago but I think it was time. I also got a cheap Samsung, I'm not about to pay the money that Apple is charging customers just so I can make phone calls and use maps

I use my phones until they're limping and pleading me to just let them die. At that point I look on the used market and buy the best previous-gen phone I can find for the cheapest price, then repeat. I'm not a fan of cell contracts - I like to buy my phone outright to keep my monthly bill as low as possible.

Up until now I was only buying used Pixels so I could install Graphene, but if Goog ever locks the bootloader or anything like that I will move to something else supported by Graphene.

Or maybe just revert to dumbphone and start carrying a small ultralight laptop around for internet stuff. Probably less doomscrolling that way.

When it no longer holds charge.

This is usually about 5 years. I'd change the battery, but by then the web has slowed down and become inefficient enough to warrant a new phone anyway.

In August it will be 15 years since I purchased the phone I'm typing this reply on, Samsung Galaxy S2. All I do is calling, basic browsing, and checking the weather, so I don't really feel like I need a new phone. Battery is replacable, so until the screen is broken, this phone will serve its purpose.

My previous phone was a Xiaomi on which I installed LineageOS. I was very happy with it, but my GF's son had a very very old phone, so I changed it after only 3 years and replaced it with another Xiaomi. I'm deeply unhappy this time because they've made it practically impossible to unlock the bootloader without using dodgy unverified tools. It's only a year old and now I'm replacing it with a second hand Pixel.

Before the first Xiaomi, I had a OnePlus that I kept for six years.

Whenever the old one dies or becomes unusable. A new phone doesn't really offer much new, so I see no reason to upgrade just for the sake of upgrading

5 years if I can't flash open rom and nearly 7 years if I can.

i'm still using an 2013 phone. the touch panel is kinda fucked and I do have a replacement phone already but I'm too used to it, so probably gonna use it till it physically breaks down or the cell towers die. would be cool af if i can make it till 2038 lol

• 2006 or so
• 2009 or so,
• 2012? 13? gifted to me
• around 2017, first smartphone, my previous' phone speaker broke, got a used one
• 2019 or so, used phone's battery died badly, friend gave me this reconditioned one
• 2025, previous phone's screen turned purple, idk what's up with that

If you feel that you need a new phone, but your recent one ist still working (no cracked screen, still sufficient battery life) it could help to tweak the UI settings. Change the appearence of the clock, pick another highlight color, delete apps you don't really use, rearrange apps, change the wallpaper, etc. This way, your phone will feel new to you, despite being still the old one. Also, maybe a new phone case could help.

Try to unclog the charging port with a sewing needle. Switch off your phone and pick dust and lint carefully with the needle. Try not to touch.the contacts inside the port.

I bought my current phone in 2017. It will be replaced when the cons of continuing to use it outweigh the cons of buying a new one. Fortunately phone manufacturers have removed most of the features I want in a phone and added nothing of value so I'm saving a ton of money.

If it aint broke, don't fix it. That's my general idea anyway. The other thing to consider is security upgrades (end of life). Then again, this time around I may just install a de-googled OS instead of buying again.

I use my phone until it is completely inoperable so a few years.

I once used a phone where half the screen was broken but the touch sensors still worked and I'd memorized where all the buttons were so I could still receive and send calls and texts.

People that replace electronic devices that still work confuse and annoy me.

When it is no longer able to do things I actually need it to do, and fixing is difficult/expensive.

So far that's about 5 years per phone for me.

I'm happy if a phone lasts 5 years. I've been using custom ROM the whole time.

Pixel 8 currently with GrapheneOS until something hardware breaks that I can't repair or Graphene due to G**gle.

2006 - 2G Siemens

2016 - 3G Samsung (2G turned off)

2022 - 4G ZTE (3G turned off)

I have averaged about every 5-6 years

Every 3-4 years which is when it starts becoming really slow or something breaks. I still keep and use the old phone though and it usually works, just not enough to daily drive.

My current phone is about to start a fourth year, and it still works fine. I replace only when I need to. (My previous phone's charging port/mobo broke down.)

When I had a phone with a replaceable battery I used it until the power button stopped working. I wish more phones had replaceable batteries.

Haven't had enough phones yet to determine that. I got my first proper phone 3 years ago which was a Samsung Galaxy A14. I LOVED it when I first got it, then had to watch as every update it got made the phone worse until it got so bad I HATED using it. Then out of nowhere just a few days ago, my Mom surprised me with a new Motorola G Stylus 2025. Runs better, has better battery, and DOESN'T look ugly as hell so contrary to what I thought it wasn't Android that got worse (I mean, it probably still did lol) it was all the fault of Samsung SUCKING.

I had a moment of reflection last year about this. I told a coworker that my phone doesn't have service in the building and I refuse to get on company Wi-Fi with my personal device.

He explained that when he gets a new phone, he uses his old one as work only.

My brain hovered for a minute in "but the old one is broken do you get it fixed or something?" Before clicking in "oh, he buys a new phone before the old one goes bad"

My brain genuinely struggled with the concept. Maybe if he'd been a rich person it would have connected sooner. I dunno

When it stops working.

Seven years so far.

Last time i bought one is 2018, then it got replaced for free in 2020, and i am still using it right now

Huawei Honor 10

When I was younger I got new cheap Tracfones at least once a year cause I didn't take very good care of them. Nowadays I've had 2 phones since 2020 with the second being one I got last year since my previous one nearly shattered after dropping it at work (it was a moto g power).

When I can't use the old one anymore. Every time so far, that's been because of a hardware failure.

I'm currently on a Pixel 4A. It's running Android 16 (LineageOS), and I limit battery charge with AccA so that it doesn't wear out. It's currently showing 92% capacity, which seems pretty good for five years. I don't think I'd actually like a new phone; it would be faster and have a better camera, but my current phone isn't a bottleneck, and a new phone's camera will still be worse than my Olympus. It would have 5G, but why should I care? Most new phones are bigger, and as an adult, my hands are not growing.

I love that answers like this are popular here. There was a time when phone tech was improving fast enough that frequent upgrades made a lot of sense, but now is not that time.

I won't replace it unless it's needed. And that includes data security reasons. If my phone stops receiving security updates, I buy a new one. Trying to sort out identity theft is not worth being cheap over.

I've always thought it's a little crazy to buy a new phone on a schedule. Like some people do every year or two. That's expensive and terrible for the environment.

About every 5 years, usually when either the phone breaks, or key software no longer supported.

Usually when I think that its time for a new one because my current one has an unuseable battery or is unuseably slow, but most important is, that I need to be table to afford a phone. My current phone is now closing in on 6 years, but I want to get a new one when I can afford it (maybe until the end of year I should be table to gather enough money for a new one)