Weekly poll results: the upgrade cycle extends as people keep their old phones longer

12 July 2020
In 2018 the norm was buying a new phone every two years. Now most people want an extra year of use out of their phones.

Sort by:

The reason I hate today's phones:-

1. removal of 3.5mm jack,
2. extra heavy for no reason, S7 weighed 152 grams for example.
3. going too large,
4. removable batteries gone,
5. World of bloatware, it seems every new feature they decide to add, they make it mandatory for all to keep.

Now, I'm eyeing LG V40 Thinq, once the finances settle in after the rough Corona season.

    • .
    • .
    • pVc
    • 13 Jul 2020

    Android.Master, 13 Jul 2020Then why aren't more people dying to be part of that s... moreOSX marketshare is 18% and iOS in phones is 25%, in tablets 58%. Now compare average Android phone/tablet and average Windows computer prices to iPhone/iPad/Mac prices and you will get your answer :)

      ., 13 Jul 2020Damn man you're pathetic, just read how iPhone/Watch/A... moreThen why aren't more people dying to be part of that seamless integration?
      5% marketshare In PC segment and 20% in smartphone segment is laughable.

      All that seamless integration comes at the cost of the entire ecosystem being locked and restricted by nature, things that nobody wants to be part of.
      Enjoy your prison.

        • .
        • .
        • pIZ
        • 13 Jul 2020

        [deleted post]Ever heard of striving for financial freedom?

          AnonD-893029, 13 Jul 2020I said that oem's have takes steps to mitigate the dam... moreThey are already taking those steps.
          You wouldn't be suspecting them if the same fast charging tech was coming from Apple.

            • T
            • ThePong
            • xZI
            • 13 Jul 2020

            ypcx, 13 Jul 2020I want a new phone! What are my choices? iPhone: muppet ph... moreXiaomi: vacuum cleaner (Redmi Note 9 Pro), LCD screen burn-in (Redmi Note 8), adware/spyware on most models

            Realme: mould growth on plastic back models, terrible software, poor QC

            Oppo: pricey and high depreciation, lack of software support

            It's all the same 🤔

              • D
              • AnonD-893029
              • TkJ
              • 13 Jul 2020

              Android.Master, 13 Jul 2020You must have an F in physics. Fast charging causing batte... moreI said that oem's have takes steps to mitigate the damage done by high watt charging didn't I, it remains to be seen the long term effects.
              Reading would not appear to be your own strong suit there pal.

                • .
                • .
                • pIZ
                • 13 Jul 2020

                ., 13 Jul 2020Damn man you're pathetic, just read how iPhone/Watch/A... moreOh I forgot, does Snapchat still take a picture of your screen instead of through camera? Yet another feature of your so called "ecosystem", developers never know if Camera2 API is supported and which level of Camera2 API is supported so instead they just take a screenshot lmao.

                  • .
                  • .
                  • pIZ
                  • 13 Jul 2020

                  Android.Master, 13 Jul 2020Apple has already lost the smartphone War the same way they... moreDamn man you're pathetic, just read how iPhone/Watch/Airpods/iPad/Macbook/Apple TV all work together seamlessly and now tell me there are similar products in Android (Google) ecosystem. I mean Google can't even have Play Store on every Android and you're talking about an ecosystem? Lmao.

                    With even mid-lower range phones now having 4GB of RAM and 64GB+ storage, and even mid-range chips are fast enough for most, there's really no reason to upgrade every year or two just for the hardware alone. Smartphone hardware have matured, just like PCs.

                    The bottleneck becomes the battery (which is conveniently not user replaceable), and OS updates. Thus, don't expect Android OEMs to have decent OS update cycle anytime soon. They need something to push people to buy their newer phones.

                      • S
                      • Simon
                      • 7AH
                      • 13 Jul 2020

                      I remember how exciting it used to be to upgrade. So many new features, so much new cool technology, and that was just a year or two since my original phone launched.

                      Today I look at my $600 flagship from 2017, look at today's $1000 flagships that look pretty much the same, and hope my current phone doesn't break because I really don't want to upgrade.

                        Note7 owner, 13 Jul 2020I love it when people find all the reasons from the marketi... moreNo need for you guys.

                        A phone you buy today charges fully under 1 hour and has a chipset with better efficiency + has a bigger battery.

                        Try it out yourself.

                          PartTimePhoner, 12 Jul 2020Better camera Better battery life Faster charging Are... moreI love it when people find all the reasons from the marketing department to spend big dollars on a new phone. It keeps me employed.

                            • y
                            • ypcx
                            • HBt
                            • 13 Jul 2020

                            I want a new phone! What are my choices?
                            iPhone: muppet phone
                            P40 Pro+: narrow ultrawide, broken camera UI, no Gapps
                            Galaxy/Note: Exynos

                              AnonD-893029, 12 Jul 2020Then yours and my own experience on iOS differ greatly. Yes... moreYou must have an F in physics.
                              Fast charging causing battery degradation has been debunked so many times.
                              As usual Apple users will accept it when Apple gives them higher Watt fast charging.
                              Don't get your hopes up, that might take upto 5 more years considering Apple's track record of adopting latest technology.

                              New features and latest apps run way better on older Android compared to that on iOS.
                              Heck even Android from 2012 can do things better than current iPhone can't.
                              The widget system is more polished than IOS from 2020.

                              You are relying on lies, not facts to think that iOS does it better.

                                Anonymous, 12 Jul 2020Having used an iPhone for 5 years, this is what I have to s... moreSpot on.
                                These are the things that Youtubers and other reviewers don't tell you when talking about Apple's long support and update program.

                                  AnonD-893029, 12 Jul 2020Yeah.... No. Android has far larger user base than ios, not... moreApple has already lost the smartphone War the same way they lost the PC war long back.
                                  Steve J*bs absolutely failed to stop the growth of Android.
                                  His thermonuclear war failed and so will his minions.
                                  Had to take an L in both smartphone and PC sectors.

                                  So happy to be associated with the best ecosystem on smartphones which meets the requirements of every kind of user and provides a no compromise experience.

                                    My Oneplus One with LineageOS is 6 years old now. It's on Android 9 and still gets security updates. Performance is still good and battery life is acceptable. Will probably keep it for another year or so.

                                      • j
                                      • just having a beer
                                      • B{X
                                      • 12 Jul 2020

                                      AnonD-893029, 12 Jul 2020Then yours and my own experience on iOS differ greatly. Yes... moreBattery health should not affect the software. It is more related to software being more demanding, then the battery being worn out. Battery health is more related to the device running our of juice sooner.

                                      Unless Apple makes the software slower due to the battery being expected to be worn out, which is different issue, but it would also mean that Apple knows about the batteries not being great and purposefully makes the software slower for those devices.

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • nmP
                                        • 12 Jul 2020

                                        I keep the upgrade cycle at 2 years. Some amazing phones I did keep a bit longer, but this is only like a few months extra. After I've had my OP 6T for 2 years, I will order a new one.