How Often Are You Upgrading Your Smartphone in 2022?

darque on 27/01/2022 - 01:43

I've currently got a Samsung S10 which I has everything I need, plus more over the current flagships like triple camera (some only have dual), expandable storage and the elusive headphone jack.

However, the only thing that bugs me about Android phone is how poorly the battery holds up/amount of major software updates. I believe I've just received my 3rd and last one. iPhones get way more updates and anecdotally hold up better.

So I'm considering switching to Apple after over a decade with Samsung going back to the S2. After they've removed expandable storage and the headphone jack, I don't think there is enough separating flagship androids vs iPhones anymore.

I know that mid range Android phones still have some of the above features but I don't think they have much longevity considering I want my next phone to last 4-5+ years.

TDLR: My S10 is 3 years old, looking for strangers to convince me to suck it up, get a new battery and hold onto my phone for another year (to avoid dropping 1.5k on an iPhone)

Poll Options

  • 63
    Annually
  • 175
    Every 2 years
  • 495
    Every 3 years
  • 175
    Every 4 years
  • 192
    5+ years
Mobile Mobile Phone

Comments

    • Forfiet on 27/01/2022 - 08:30
      +5

      To be fair, you have plenty of time to change your mind whether on purpose or due to nature's whims….

    • FireRunner on 27/01/2022 - 12:32

      I don't plan on upgrading this year but if my phone stops working then I guess I'll have to

      • Thenarrator on 29/01/2022 - 15:46

        well you can opt to fix it instead

        • FireRunner on 29/01/2022 - 16:03

          Yeah, depends on the cost of repair vs buying a replacement

  • dirtyhen on 27/01/2022 - 08:40
    +1

    I upgraded every year for the last two years, then I voluntarily gave my new one to my wife and took her old one :)

    • MS Paint on 27/01/2022 - 08:59
      +4

      A gentleman and a scholar

  • JimmyF on 27/01/2022 - 08:46

    Every 2-3 years or as needed.

  • Ebisu on 27/01/2022 - 08:50
    +2

    still using iphone X from 2017

    • FireRunner on 27/01/2022 - 12:33

      Still plan on using my iPhone 8 Plus for the foreseeable future

      • hellousyd on 27/01/2022 - 12:53
        +1

        Yeah, it still holds up pretty well. Plus you’ve got at least another 2 years of software updates.

    • richmond12 on 27/01/2022 - 21:35

      Same. I am waiting for touch ID to come back on the new iPhone

  • original15 on 27/01/2022 - 08:58

    4-5

  • Nugs on 27/01/2022 - 09:16
    +4

    option 6 - when it dies
    .

    • Thenarrator on 29/01/2022 - 15:47
      +1

      what do you do when theres no more software updates and all the apps you use like banking, maps, messaging, cant update because "sorry you dont have the latest ISO / Android OS"

      • Nugs on 29/01/2022 - 16:37

        Then it's dead. Haven't gotten to that scenario as yet. Last two smartphones (which were both hand me downs) both died due to smashed screens. Previous to that my first two non smartphones lasted total of about 17 or 18 years being much more compact & robust
        .

      • bakemon0 on 30/01/2022 - 11:25

        you root it and extend its effective life

        • Thenarrator on 30/01/2022 - 14:40

          the problem is that the hardware is not compatible with the newest software updates, making it extremely lagging. your phone is as good as the apps on it.

  • Godric on 27/01/2022 - 09:39
    -1

    Had Note 3 Until S8
    S8 To One Plus Pro 7
    OPP7 is my current, still a great phone, and until phones get rid of hole punch on the front display not interested

  • Big Lenny on 27/01/2022 - 09:48
    -1

    i squeezed every inch out of my poco f1 before i upgraded to the F3

    got about 4 years

    • stephendt on 29/01/2022 - 00:25

      I'm still on my Poco F1! Going to replace the battery and sell it I think.

  • pharkurnell on 27/01/2022 - 09:50

    Wheres the 'when this phone dies' option?

  • Seraphin7 on 27/01/2022 - 09:59
    +7

    I'm now at the point (and have been for some time) where there is very little value to me from the upgrades that come out every year.

    I upgraded to an S21 last year having had the S7 for close on five years. The S7 was starting to die and the S21 gave the upgrade to 5G that was the only actual feature that I cared about.

    I'm hoping to get similar life out of the S21, it will eventually die and I'll get something like the S27 and then keep that going until we get 6G.

    • darque on 27/01/2022 - 14:16

      Out of curiosity, how did you manage with the s7 for 5 years? Did you have to replace the battery one or twice? Or battery pack?

      I agree that there's really no need to upgrade these days which is why I'm looking at the iPhone which seems to have the best battery when it comes to standby/SoT out of a smallish phone (without going over 6.5 inches)

      • Seraphin7 on 27/01/2022 - 22:39

        No battery replacement or other maintenance. Just took general care of it over time. The primary reason for giving it the flick was the battery life was getting low and to get through a proper work day I really needed to have access to a charger at all times.

        • BTP1993 on 28/01/2022 - 09:59
          +1

          I'm with @Seraphin7.

          I had my Galaxy S7 for roughly four years. Phone still works pretty good if a little gluggy at times. But the battery still works fine.

          The only killer as to why I upgraded my phone is the S7 internal memory is capped at 32GB. In this day of APPS having excessive and consistent updates, the phone merely ran out of internal memory.

          Upgraded to a S20 FE 5G, both for a bigger 128GB internal storage and for the point of SD expansion too. Aim to hold onto this phone for a good three or four years.

  • pharkurnell on 27/01/2022 - 10:09
    -3

    insert_foil_hat/

    With phone batteries Im sure like Apple did few years ago they are designed for batteries to fall off a cliff after time (all brands of phone)..

    They all seem to last similar times - and once they start dropping off it gets worse and worse really quick.

    • Dogsrule on 28/01/2022 - 08:30

      These are the limits of current lithium battery technology. One way to drastically increase your battery life is to never charge above 80%. I have never needed to replace a phone because of a faulty battery by adhering to that rule.

      • Tleyx on 28/01/2022 - 14:34

        How do you stop it at 80 percent without monitoring it constantly,

        • [Deactivated] on 28/01/2022 - 15:51
          +1

          You either have to pay attention to it or some phones offer it as a setting, you can set the maximum charge percentage.

        • Dogsrule on 28/01/2022 - 16:07
          +1

          When I used Android phones I installed Accubattery which you can use to set a notification when the battery reaches a certain charge level.

          Haven't found an equivalent for iPhone but I do use their Optimised Charging function that minimises the time spent over 80% charge.

        • ManUtd9 on 29/01/2022 - 09:08

          Not sure about other android phones. Samsung has recently added a battery protection function to stop charging at 85%

        • CheapAddict on 29/01/2022 - 15:31

          If you are an iPhone user, you can create a siri automation with a smart plug like Kasa. I created an automation that turns off the smart plug my charger is connected to once it reaches 80%. I have it set to turn back on when it falls below 70% Thus keeping it below 80.

          That caveat to this is the phone needs to be unlocked for the automation to work otherwise you get a notification to respond to the automation. I find this solution keeps my phone within the healthy range better than iPhone's built-in optimized charging which tries to learn your charging habits and charges the final 20% before you unplug it.

  • blueyez on 27/01/2022 - 11:26
    +2

    My Huawei's are both still working - first one purchased in 2015 and the upgrade in 2018 only due to a really good deal (plus had too many JB hi fi gift cards to use up)

    Not intending to upgrade anytime soon =)

  • niffy on 27/01/2022 - 11:50

    Samsung S10s and above were confirmed by Samsung overseas to have 4 years of Android updates, they just roll slowly into Australia. We just haven't got Android 11 yet

    • Entheogen on 29/01/2022 - 16:26

      Android 12 was released weeks ago for s10's

  • beeawwb on 27/01/2022 - 12:11

    I have an iPhone 8+ that I got when my 6 broke (dropped and damaged the screen / camera, unrepairable) in 2017. I keep saying I'm going to upgrade but then it's still working fine for my needs (pretty much just basic browsing, not much gaming) and I haven't been going out much in the last couple years so I'm not really using the camera either. At this point I'll probably wait for the 14 and then go through the same song and dance (it works, why do you need to upgrade!?) until the 15.

    Lather, rinse, repeat.

  • TEER3X on 27/01/2022 - 12:16
    +2

    Obey the 20-80 rule with battery charge and the battery will last a lot longer. Almost at the 3 year mark with my pixel 3a and will keep this phone until it dies, snappy enough and good camera. Don't care about other bells and whistles.

    • caitsith01 on 27/01/2022 - 13:41

      Genuine question, is there an actual empirical study anywhere showing the '20-80 rule' actually making a serious difference?

      Surely phone manufacturers determine the optimal conditions for the battery on the assumption that you will (a) fully charge and (b) fully or almost fully discharge your phone…

      • jace88 on 27/01/2022 - 13:51

        I believe there is quite a lot of research into the battery technology that it's the best way to preserve battery life without overstraining it.

        That being said the alternative is to either get it replaced within 2 years (Apple replaced mine for free when battery capacity fell below 80% at the 23rd month), or be very careful with it.

        Personally, I have Applecare+ on my iPhone 12 and Care+ on my Z Fold2 so that I can just keep charging them as much as I want and not worry that I'll be unable to get the battery replaced free (or any of the other issues which those services cover). Even better it means I don't feel as compelled to baby the phone or use an overly protective case.

      • Kikkoman56 on 27/01/2022 - 16:51
        +1

        Check out this graph, short term it doesn't but long term (>2000 charge cycles) the difference can be 5-10% which could mean another 0.5-1 hour of screen on time.

        Source: Battery University Article

        Anecdotally though, I would say that the graphs above underestimate the degradation modern day smart phones face when hit with frequent fast charging and/or kept overly hot long term.

        • caitsith01 on 28/01/2022 - 10:30

          So if you charge once a day that's like 6 years of charging for a 5-10% loss. Versus how much time spent trying to 'optimise' your battery life on a phone you will almost certainly have destroyed in that time?

          • Kikkoman56 on 28/01/2022 - 11:58

            @caitsith01: Yes but like I said, anecdotally it seems to be higher.
            Based on my experiences with past phones - 2 years of high usage 0-100% and using quick charge degrades the battery to about 80%.
            For say a 4000 mAh battery that puts it down to 3200 mAh, for my Redmi Note 8T that's a loss of about 1.5-2 hours of SoT.

            The majority of modern day smartphones at least have 4000 mAh batteries or larger, but it was pretty common to have around 3000 mAh a few years ago.
            Take for instance the majority of the pixel line up, 4 and below - had around 3000 mAh batteries.
            With their flagship grade SoC's chewing through power, they'd often only get 4-5 hours SoT new and with high battery degradation that's at 3-4 hours - not enough for some people.

            This is all to say, it can be worthwhile depending on the phone and your personal usage levels.
            In my situation, starting with a large battery and power sipping SoC, degradation in battery cap was not a major concern when i still get 6.5 hours at least of SoT 2 years in.

            • caitsith01 on 28/01/2022 - 12:52

              @Kikkoman56: I actually have a Pixel (3a XL) and I'm constantly amused by the claims about battery life. It's absolutely fine - I smash my phone all day for work purposes and do a lot of browsing, music listening, photography etc on it when not at work and I comfortably get to bedtime with 20-30% most days, unless I've been watching movies for hours or something. This includes having bluetooth on all day synching to a smart watch, using it for navigation and frequently using it as a wireless hotspot, too.

              I think it's a classic example of an opinion derived from fringe use cases (specifically: people who obsessively use/review mobile phones 18 hours a day) controlling the discussion. IMHO the battery life is more than sufficient for 99% of normal users, even if you allow for 20% degradation in a few years.

              The whole thing reminds me of similar attitudes in hi-fi reviews, where weirdos who don't actually just sit and listen to music for fun tell everyone how terrible and useless objectively excellent gear is because they were able to detect a 0.01% drop off in the 11KHz range.

              • Kikkoman56 on 28/01/2022 - 14:55

                @caitsith01: Your example perfectly illustrates my point and is practically the same as my phone.
                Your phone has the SD670 chipset which again is the more power sipping mid range chipset.
                To put the numbers in perspective, the SD670 TDP is 5 Watts, the Pixel 3's Full fat SD845 TDP is 9 Watts.

                So at full load - the Pixel 3 will use 80% more power than the 3a.
                And yes the situations that are using full power are infrequent but any photography or videography or gaming will chew through power and this difference in TDP will come into play.

                Moreover you mention the XL variant which has a 3700mAh battery, which again would mean pre-degradation your battery life would be in excess of your requirements.
                Several years later your battery capacity at 20% reduction would still be close to that of a normal Pixel 3a when new!

                In addition to this, since you say you seldom let your phone go to full discharge state you unintentionally don't put as much stress on your battery as a power user might.
                Depth of discharge makes a real difference to the longevity of the battery, according to the above article I linked you get 50% more discharge cycles by only using 80% vs the full 100% of your battery.

                So yes it may seem superfluous and excessive to worry, but it's highly dependent on your use case and device.

          • TEER3X on 28/01/2022 - 15:53

            @caitsith01: There's an app that alerts you when it's 80% charged, what extra time are you spending?

      • Dogsrule on 28/01/2022 - 09:13
        +1

        There most certainly are, which is why two of the world largest companies have battery protection mechanisms that attempt to keep the battery SOC below 80-85% where possible.

        Apple have their Optimised Battery Charging strategy, and Tesla have their 90% ‘Daily’ limit on the charge slider (which is actually more like 85% SOC).

        Android manufacturers just don’t give a damn so they’ll give you ridiculous 60W chargers that slam tonnes of heat into the battery right up to 100% without any battery preservation strategy.

        • caitsith01 on 28/01/2022 - 10:31
          -1

          Ok, but it all depends how much difference it makes. I have been on android for a long time and I can't say I've ever noticed a drop off in battery performance before the phone has required replacing for other reasons (generally, physical damage). I think my last phone lasted 3-4 years and the battery was not perceptibly worse despite being charged to 100% every single night.

          So it kinda sounds like one of those problems that are only a problem if you focus on it to me…

  • Menzoberranzan on 27/01/2022 - 12:30

    I stick with at least 3 years before needing to upgrade however I see less and less need to upgrade these days. My phone has 120Hz (Essential), a decent battery, decent camera, S Pen, expandable storage, a beautiful OLED screen. There isn't anything new I particularly need or want now.

  • spersephone on 27/01/2022 - 12:34
    +1

    Since I moved to iPhones, I’ve had 4S, 6S and XR. The 4S was bought new, but when it was already old (the 5 had already come out). I had that for four years.The 6S I got on contract when it was already a year old. I had that for about two years and then upgraded to an XR on contract three years ago. I upgraded to a 13 mini late last year and decided I didn’t really like it, and returned it. I’m still using the XR because I really like it. But I will probably upgrade within a year.

    Three phones in almost ten years, I’m okay with that. Works out to an average of $250 a year or so. I’d rather pay more upfront and keep the phone for several years than regularly buy a cheap phone I’m not that happy with.

  • locknuts on 27/01/2022 - 13:25

    Just bought a Galaxy S20 FE because my Pixel 4A just went in for its second warranty repair. I'm trying to run a business and will never cheap out again. Lesson learned.

  • jace88 on 27/01/2022 - 13:25
    +1

    Biggest difference is iPhones don't come cheap and there's rarely anywhere near the level of discounting that you see on Samsung stuff. I'm still gobsmacked that just before Christmas I picked up a S21+ for low $500's… granted, it'll have crap (but not as bad as other Android) resale value though. I'll be interested to see how the 4 years of firmware updates pans out because even on my Z Fold 2, which I bought at a not that cheap price a bit over a year ago, the updates are out there, but they just aren't available in Australia for my particular Z Fold 2 for some reason. This contrasts my Apple experience where the moment the software update is available, it's available for everyone and I get it pretty quickly (assuming I want to be a fast upgrader - not always the best move but at least it's a choice).

    FYI I use an iPhone 12 and a Z Fold 2 as my two phones. My old Pocophone F1 is still doing well though and use that to entertain my daughter.

    Rather than getting into the whole iOS vs Android debate, at least from a cost/issues/effort perspective, I have found things to be easier in the Apple walled garden, and the support has been great whenever I've had issues. It's not for everyone though, but if you plan to keep your phone for a while, then at least you'll get support (eg. if battery capacity falls below 80% or you have issues within 2 years, Apple was happy to replace the battery free of charge, same day of walking into the Apple Store).

    My Apple path: iPhone 4 > 5 > 6 > 7+ > X > XS Max > 12
    (the X > XS max was because I swapped with my wife who wanted my smaller X)

    My Android path: Zenfone Max > Mi Max > S7 Edge > Pocophone F1 > Z Fold 2
    (the early phones were more just for fun since they were pretty cheap outright in Singapore and I needed a second phone for Pokemon…)

    • darque on 27/01/2022 - 14:21

      @jace88 typically, how much is the damage to replace a battery outside of 2 years?

      • camr00 on 27/01/2022 - 18:10
        +2

        Not much - run down of costs is here - https://support.apple.com/en-au/iphone/repair/service/batter…

        I replaced my 8+ battery about 9 months ago after it had dropped to ~83%. That was about 3 years of usage.

        On the whole 'when to upgrade' thing? Apart from the 8+ (bought new with company subsidy) I normally buy (every 3 or so years) the last gen phone for cheap when the new gen phone comes out. Saves me ~40% of the original purchase price. Currently on a 12pro 256gb which cost me $1100. It is enough of an upgrade (all round incremental improvements rather than any one killer feature) without the cost. TBH I am the same as you - the 8+ did everything I needed of it, but the 'new' phone was enough of an upgrade when I gifted my old phone to my mum.

      • jace88 on 28/01/2022 - 00:40

        Just whatever you do, don’t ever go third party for battery repairs if you want to maintain resale or trade in value, or even retain water proof. Especially if you’re able to ask apple to see if they’ll swap you for free if within two years of buying (or three with applecare+).

    • TEER3X on 27/01/2022 - 17:51

      S21 deals were amazing, still couldn't convince the Mrs to switch out of iPhone unfortunately

  • BartholemewH on 27/01/2022 - 14:14

    Just moved from Mate 10 Pro to Realme X3 Superzoom yesterday. So that is approx. 4 years. Only updating because of diminished battery life, which had been awesome for first couple of years. The Huawei was much sleeker and better built but it cost near 4x the price.

    Edit: Chose 3 years in poll because I should've updated sooner.

  • [Deactivated] on 27/01/2022 - 14:34

    I used to upgrade every 6-12 months when the advanced in phone tech were huge but nowadays there's only small differences between yearly releases so I am for every two years or so. I upgraded when high refresh rate screens came out because I thought that was a worthwhile upgrade. Will reassess in maybe a year to see what's around.

  • serpentxx on 27/01/2022 - 15:01

    In my line of work my phones typically get damaged before I see any battery issues.

    I had a google pixel XL back in 2017, it fell flat on a floor from ~70cm, no cracks or anything but the screen died.
    used a Xiaomi Mi A2 for a year before It broke, then i bought a replacement screen for my pixel XL for $80 and fixed it myself.

    around June last year the pixel finally died and im now on a "Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G NE" (What a mouthful)
    The camera isn't as great as the Pixel XL was which is sad to say given a 4 year gap, but the mi 11 lite is half the cost of when the pixel launched.

    When this fella dies id like to get whatever xiaomi flagship is going at that time, maybe a Mi 15 or something, ive always wanted wireless charging

  • PissLUR on 27/01/2022 - 15:12
    +2

    I am still using my LG V20 bought in June 2017.. wanting to upgrade. but dunno which phone..

    • CrispyChrispy on 27/01/2022 - 15:32

      Don't get a new LG phone - LG stopped producing smartphones late last year, so their support will drop too probably.

      Also had a bad history with LG phones, the G6 in particular.

      Get a Samsung, or a Poco/Xiaomi device if you want to stay with Android.

  • CrispyChrispy on 27/01/2022 - 15:40

    I really only upgrade when I need to, typically 3-4 and a half years.

    Sony → LG → Samsung (some rather crappy budget one) → Poco

    Sony Xperia held up well, the LG G6 lasted 6 months, used a cheap Samsung (J series, was ~$200) until I upgraded to a Poco X3 Pro. Will probably stick with this phone for a while, as long as it lasts.

  • endolphin on 27/01/2022 - 16:30

    I'm still perfectly happy with my Galaxy S7. I might think about upgrading in a year or so, but I don't want anything stupidly big.

    • darque on 27/01/2022 - 17:27

      Wow, how did you deal with the battery all these years later? Power bank or battery replacement(s)?

      • endolphin on 27/01/2022 - 18:20

        Ohh I should have said. I lost one about 3 years ago and I didn't consider any other phone being better so I got another brand new S7 for cheap, like $400.

  • ribze1 on 27/01/2022 - 17:01
    +5

    The price of phones is way too high these days, and model on model difference is getting narrower and narrower.

    • Powershopz on 27/01/2022 - 23:58

      It cost me $400 upgrading from a 3yo Samsung S10+ to a Google Pixel 6 Pro (JBHIFI $500 sign up deal/Sold old phone). It's really not that expensive considering I'll get 2-3 years out of the device.

  • MrThing on 27/01/2022 - 17:33

    Still have my samsung S8 from 4 years ago, works fine still, in no rush to upgrade unless this one shits itself.

    Battery life is fine, doesn't cause me a drama. Have replaced the screen once

  • stedmaster on 27/01/2022 - 17:45
    +2

    I still use a Huawei mate 20 Pro since Jan 2019. It's been flawless, the battery life is excellent and it hasn't gotten slower, I think Hauwei was really onto something when they released this, like it was ahead. The camera holds up well too, I still get people asking me what phone it is when they see the photos especially at night. I've been tempted with the later Mate models but the latest Honor series seems more likely, but I don't think I'd be getting significant gains for such an expense.

    • SBOB on 27/01/2022 - 21:15

      I have the p20 pro..just annoying they stopped security updates so early :/

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 27/01/2022 - 18:13

    Usuallyni upgrade once every 3-5 years

  • MrMarket on 27/01/2022 - 20:03

    iPhone every 4-5 years whatever is available at that time
    last one was iPhone 12 so next purchase would be iPhone 16-17

  • baker bob on 27/01/2022 - 21:58
    +2

    Whenever it dies. I don't see anything I need in new phones, GPS, can text and make calls, read forum posts about people complaining about housing affordability because they waste money on stupid shit, can all be done on my 5 year old phone.

  • berger on 27/01/2022 - 22:09

    iPhone 4,6,8,10,12 and contract end of this year so 14!

    Yay for 2022!

  • OzzyOzbourne on 27/01/2022 - 22:40

    Only once in 2022

  • CheapskateQueen on 27/01/2022 - 22:43

    ordinarily, when my phone dies or my mums phone dies so she inherits my phone and I upgrade.

  • Bullion78 on 27/01/2022 - 22:45

    I only update when it's an absolute killer deal, and by that I mean close to a free phone. Such as this one. https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/537449

  • Powershopz on 27/01/2022 - 23:54

    I used to upgrade roughly every 2 years in line with my plans expiring.

    My last phone (S10+) I used for 3 years as it was still excellent after 2 years.

    I just upgraded to a Pixel 6 Pro a few months ago and main reason is that the new cameras are significantly better. Light and day difference between the devices.

  • mawe on 28/01/2022 - 00:56

    If you are almost happy with the features of the s10 at the moment you may be better off just buying mid ranges phones with fresh battery, all the features you want (like headphone jack), then upgrade every 3-4 years as they go out of vendor support.

    i.e.
    1. Wait for a good deal on a mid range phone then buy and keep it for 3-4 years until out of vendor support (e.g. updates & security)
    2. Invest the other $1000
    3. Profit?

  • [Deactivated] on 28/01/2022 - 01:00

    Never - until it breaks.

  • Ghost47 on 28/01/2022 - 01:17
    +1

    Been using my iPhone 8 for around 4 years now, not sure when I'll upgrade as I really don't like Face ID compared to Touch ID. It's still performing pretty good on the current version of iOS but the battery should be replaced sometime soon. To me a phone is really just a phone, it's a nice to have but I don't need the latest and would even consider trying to go back to something like a K800i (because those were the good old days before social media encroached into people's lives, headphone jacks were removed from most phones, climate change was still on the horizon, house prices weren't too stupid and all you needed to do was SMS, call or play very average mobile games on your phone etc).

    If I were you I'd just try to see if the phone can be factory reset then restored or something to perform better, or replace the battery. Are the software updates you're missing out on really that beneficial? I went from iOS 13 to 15 and honestly missing out on 14 wasn't that big of a deal at all.

  • Falbium on 28/01/2022 - 01:43

    I love my Galaxy S9 so much I've seriously considered buying another in case this one fails. Shame they are all refurbs now. Might go to Gumtree.

    I got my S9 late 2018 so around 10 months after release, it's a bit newer than most, battery life still excellent. I had the best glass screen protector I could find professionally installed and use an OtterBox Pursuit case making it small but indestructible, case has raised edges which fix the only thing I don't like about the phone - curved screen. Case also redirects the bottom speaker to face forwards for a better stereo experience. Case really changes the whole phone.

    I'm struggling to find another phone approaching this:

    Res: 2,960x1,440
    Pixels: 570 ppi
    Micro SD
    Headphone jack
    Proper fast fingerprint scan
    Iris Scan
    Awesome stereo speakers
    Pocketable size
    USB 3.1 (HDMI out & DEX)

    Sony is the only real candidate. And I'd totally pay the premium and risk the import/warranty issues, except Australian mobile providers won't whitelist it for VoLTE and WiFi calling because it's not sold in Australia.

  • Noire on 28/01/2022 - 02:09

    2-3 years but I probably upgrade more often in the future depending on Samsung trade-in deals.

  • Hahuh on 28/01/2022 - 02:24

    We have project Mainline (google it).

    As for my phone, it's about 2.2 year old. Looking to keep it for another year or two pending a battery renewal.

  • Binchicken22 on 28/01/2022 - 07:02

    Once you've invested in a flagship is really only costs you about $300 or a so a year to keep upgrading yearly, as long as you are an ozbargainer and get a good deal on the latest flagship.

    To me it's worth say $1 a day to have the latest phone as I enjoy tech and I use it every day.

    • kalithreaver on 28/01/2022 - 10:02

      what do you normally do to keep your upgrade costs to around $300 a year?

      • Binchicken22 on 28/01/2022 - 11:33

        Usually either taking advantage of the Samsung education store pre order deals then selling off the pre-order bonus (usually wireless earbuds with Samsung) or the trade in deals etc.

        Samsung usually do very good pre order deals, the price you can get Samsung phones for generally goes up after release and doesn't start coming down again for 3-4 months, and even then it normally just goes back to around what you would have gotten it for if you pre-ordered.

  • jerjergege on 28/01/2022 - 07:19

    Currently using a Z fold 3.

    Depends on the phones that are releasing.
    When I had the S9+, I upgraded to Note 9, that was around 6 months.
    Then I used the Note 9 for 3years before upgrading to the Z fold 3.

  • kaleidoscope on 28/01/2022 - 07:24
    -2

    I'm considering switching to Apple after over a decade with Samsung going back to the S2

    good choice. /thread

    —-
    I change them 3-4 years as needed. Currently on iph 11 pro and hasn’t skipped a beat since purchased around launch.

  • mctubster on 28/01/2022 - 08:10

    Three years but likely longer now Apple are coming out with DIY battery kits.

    I’m on a Mini 12, but I do sometimes miss my S8. Bomb proof phone that one and camera holds up well

  • Morphio25 on 28/01/2022 - 08:13

    I purposefully haven't voted. I normally upgraded every second year but that's because the phone I had at that time would literally die in the ass (battery life would degrade to the point I was having to charge the phone twice a day or more).

    Then in early 2020 I bought the OnePlus 7T. It was basically on par with top of the range smartphones at the time, only the screen resolution and camera let it down but for half the price of the latest Samsung/Google phone I didn't care.

    Fast forward two years and the battery life on this thing is only marginally worse than the day I got it. Otherwise the phone performs just as good as the day I bought it.

  • hopper on 28/01/2022 - 09:16

    For andoird I say keep ur phone 3 until u keep receiving security updates.

  • kalithreaver on 28/01/2022 - 10:01

    I tend to upgrade my phone yearly, i'm a sucker for new tech. It is offset partially by being on a $150 a year Boost plan. So i'm paying $12.50 a month for mobile access while my friends tend to pay between $60-100 a month.

    My last phone was an iPhone 12 Pro which was a great phone but i cant stand how locked down iOS is, so i sold that and it worked out that i only paid $250 to use the phone for a year. I then got a Galaxy A52s which isnt bad for its cost and has good battery life, which i plan to use for a year or so and then upgrade to something else.

  • jaypee06 on 28/01/2022 - 10:18

    I upgraded on boxing day just gone from Pixel 2 to Pixel 6. 4 years, longest I've ever had a phone. I honestly felt the Pixel 2 could've gone another year, but the battery is cactus (and I'd already replaced it once) and I had some gift vouchers from work to drop on a new phone.

  • ameyas7 on 28/01/2022 - 10:34

    I'm kind of in the same boat as yours. Got my S10 around last Vivid Sydney deal back in 2018. Although, my battery is still doing great. Gets charged in an hour and holds on for a decent amount of time. The only reason I am considering an upgrade is due to cracked screen but other than its still decent specs with my S10. Also its very hard to find a good deal on 512GB units so not that easy to replace with a new one without spending > 1.5k so I'd probably just wait another year or for another good deal. But most likely it will still be Samsung.

  • automatoes on 28/01/2022 - 10:38
    +1

    I usually upgrade every 3-4 years and buy the flagship at the time.

    I've never had a phone break or fail on me so I only upgraded when I thought there was some benefit to the new model.

    My phones so far:

    2004 - Sony Ericsson T610
    2007 - Sony Ericsson W810
    2011 - Samsung Galaxy S2
    2014 - Samsung Galaxy S5
    2017 - Samsung Galaxy S8+
    2021 - Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

  • BlahBlahBlaah on 28/01/2022 - 10:46

    I'm running my 2 year old Note 10+ (Star Wars Edition), and it's still perfect, so no need to spend $2k on a phone at the moment. Got both work and personal sims in there, I'll never go back to carrying 2 phones either. The screen is also the perfect size while still able to fit it in my pocket

    The only thing Apple beats Samsung on is Carplay; Android Auto still has a long way to go to be as smooth. Plus my car's 8.8" widescreen displays Carplay beautifully, whereas AA only show in split screen mode.

  • PurchaseAnxiety on 28/01/2022 - 11:06

    I used to be once every 1.5 to 2 years but would always get budget android phones that had a few shortcomings that would eventually get on my nerves. For the first time I've dropped the ludicrous amount of money for a flagship with the hope that I'll hold onto it for at least 3-4 years. Time will tell.

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