How often do you change your smartphone?

[Guest Newbie]

Hi guys ,

 

How often do you change your smartphone to the latest model? Like yearly or once in every 2 years etc.

 

I only change my smartphone every 4 years like that.

[lonelyglobe]

Yes,  4 year is a reasonable time frame to change, even if the phone is in good condition, the battery will be dying. 

[bigdanbeam]

2 years when contract is up

[Zealouslogue]

2 years too

[firereaver]

My previous previous phone dropped and cracked so I had to change it. Almost to the 2 year mark, about a few more weeks in.

 

My previous phone dropped into the lake 2 days before the 2 year mark. 

 

I would not change my phone as long as it's functional and not slow or obsolete. Will just use a SIM-only plan.

[Guest Serios?]

Those personalities reflect how often you change your partner.

[Guest Android]

When it dies or contract is up.

[ArchDragon]

My last phone change took me 5 years because the phone is still functioning well. Didnt wanna waste so much money in changing phones every once in awhile.

[Zealouslogue]

7 minutes ago, ArchDragon said:

My last phone change took me 5 years because the phone is still functioning well. Didnt wanna waste so much money in changing phones every once in awhile.

What model was it? 

[ArchDragon]

1 minute ago, Zealouslogue said:

What model was it? 

It was 6S plus before I change it to 11 pro max

[Zealouslogue]

4 minutes ago, ArchDragon said:

It was 6S plus before I change it to 11 pro max

Wow. Interesting... 

[keyboard]

19 hours ago, bigdanbeam said:

2 years when contract is up

Note that re-contract is eligible at 18/21 months instead of 2 years. Contract is just paying installment for the phone.

 

Downside is when you break contract, it's two overlapping termination charges.

[Zealouslogue]

1 hour ago, keyboard said:

Note that re-contract is eligible at 18/21 months instead of 2 years. Contract is just paying installment for the phone.

 

Downside is when you break contract, it's two overlapping termination charges.

You kena ah?

[keyboard]

1 hour ago, Zealouslogue said:

You kena ah?

Oh, no lah. I have been using prepaid for donkey years. Pay like $50 per year for bills. Last/this year haven't paid anything, they keep SMS promo to me to get some money back. Haha.

[Zealouslogue]

19 minutes ago, keyboard said:

Oh, no lah. I have been using prepaid for donkey years. Pay like $50 per year for bills. Last/this year haven't paid anything, they keep SMS promo to me to get some money back. Haha.

Aiyo. Haha

[upshot]

So little these days to prompt me to upgrade. It's almost like throwing good money away or spend on other things. This is just me.

 

From my POV breaking it down given a bit free now waiting for food panda to arrive with my food.  

 

I feel, the days of 'howlian' mobile phone is long over. In the age of instalment payment (to help you buy a phone you barely afford to pay cash)  disguised in the form of TWO YEAR CONTRACT. Back in the old days of my time, a "tai kor tai" cost $3,700 cash. You hardly can get instalment anywhere but I think it was CostTyre being one of them? The Motorola Flip phone was like $5k and phone bills were like paying instalment for a vehicle.

 

I still cringe thinking of my phone bill hovering $600 to 900 per month! (20cent a min or half a min?) These days you flash your phone at me? 99% likley you got it on 2 contract. Nothing impressive about that even if you bought a Samsung Fold 2. Note I am not saying this to show off since I use a HiCard and pay cash for all my phones and never touched a mobile contract with any telco EVER. You will be surprise how much you save on phone bills. I admit back then, it made sense even to 'howlian' and I was doing small businesses and 'flash-it-like-you-made-it' as a confidence booster to clients and intimidate my competitors.

 

So what else is left? Technology and advancement of application and apps? That too, over the last decade has stabilized or mature to the point where entry level phones features are MORE THAN CAPABLE in functionality you need. Good enough quality output or acceptable function for the usual social media apps without compatibility issues.

 

Slimmer phone more sexy? Yes true. But what the hell do most of us do? Wrap it in some thick ugly cover and screen protector to protect it. Thus thickening it back up. Almost every mobile 'looks' just like the same anatomical generic shape.

 

Faster CPU, better screen refresh time and large screen... how much time does it really save you in total? Can it get any bigger before it looks like a desktop monitor? Better camera and higher resolutions? But can it make you a better photographer? It also means LARGER PHOTO and VIDEO FILE SIZES to deal with. So now you have to buy more storage devices to back up to or store on the 'cloud' and pay for expanded storage as free size not enough? Care to search thru thousands upon thousands upon thousands of photos or videos when too lazy to or just can not be bother to managed all your image files or photo edit them? Once you shoot them, when do you think you might actually review them again later (in life if ever)

 

So the greatest latest mobile you upgrade to, will mean more work, change of accessories and money spent up keeping it heh. On top of that, you have manufacturers who programs bloatware updates into your phones to steer you to upgrade. Flash glossy advertisement to mentally poke to make you feel using some decrepit old model that reflect on you being so 'yesterday person' yourself. So much so, a friend shove theirs newer phone in your face it ends up ruining your day just a little and make you wish you were also in the same new mobile phone cult club. heh.

 

The choice is your of course and nothing wrong buying something new. But for the right reason. These are stuff that goes through my head when it comes time to buy a new ... anything in my life. I strong feel and it is not easy to do, if we take a step back longer each time to reconsider before we commit, our life will be a lot less complicated, clutter and expensive. And might help lessen the pressure by not making us work so much harder just to keep buying 'nicer upgrades' without knowing why    cheers.   Dinner time.....

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2021 by upshot

[Behrhunter]

Previously once the contract ends, more recently an average of 3 - 4 years. 

 

I usually skip at least 1 generation if not 2. There's barely any advantage to upgrading so frequently nowadays. 

[Rhyn]

I had an iPhone X and while it wasn't perfect, I pretty much used and abused it a lot to chat with friends, play games, and maximise the camera by shooting 4K clips of cats and video reviews hahaha! 

 

The only reason I switched was because I was so stupid to think that 64GB would be enough space lol. I only found out this year that you can actually replace the storage module from 64GB to 256GB- and I would've done that and replaced the battery if I knew earlier, rather than spend $1000+ on an iPhone 12 mini. Don't get me wrong though, I reallyyyyyy like the camera improvements jumping a few generations, and I'm a big supporter of using your phones and replacing the parts until it dies. If I knew more and better, I would've stuck to my iPhone X instead. 

 

But I'm glad that some of you guys are sticking to your phones for more than 2 years and not upgrading because it's fancy-schmancy or your telco says you can. The less we purchase as a consumer, the less stuff gets into the landfill. If things work, hey, keep using them! If it broke, fix it. 

[30yochinese]

On 5/22/2021 at 3:52 PM, Guest Newbie said:

Hi guys ,

 

How often do you change your smartphone to the latest model? Like yearly or once in every 2 years etc.

 

I only change my smartphone every 4 years like that.

Tbh one should change every year coz new Technology means a better choosey but i chose to use my OPPO AX5s for 24 months. Felt good to use a phone for so long... & on hindsight i am lucky OPPO is a good maker coz i know for sure a XIAOMI would not be able to last me 24 months!!!

[30yochinese]

*chipset

[30yochinese]

... *but on hindsight

[keyboard]

Please please please please please. Don't be one of those people who sign contract and not get a phone. Contract is prepayment for a phone at a certain value included.

 

But then, Telco chop carrot these kind of people to subsidize the smarter ones...

[feedersmiracle]

I think I change my phone every 2 years lol, esp when the current one starts to give up on me lol.

[superflawless]

I am still using the exact same Iphone 7 Plus and the current model is, what.... 12?

 

The battery was unhealthy so I had it replaced. That costs me SGD 60.00. Still works fine.

I use my iphone every day to watch movies and porn and listen to music, protected by VPN. 

There is no need, in my opinion, to change phones so frequently. 

Edited May 25, 2021 by superflawless

[passinthenight]

My phone will be 5 years old come November this year.

LG are still sending me App updates.

Until there is an issue, I'm hanging on to it.

 

 I do know that I will need to start doing some research on what exactly to buy next.

I'm thinking LG will eventually want me to upgrade and will stop sending App updates.

 

I still am using a 2012 MacBook Air, so who knows... I might get another 5 years out of my phone.

Edited May 25, 2021 by passinthenight
autocorrect is not correct lol

[keyboard]

On 5/24/2021 at 11:52 PM, feedersmiracle said:

I think I change my phone every 2 years lol, esp when the current one starts to give up on me lol.

How to say your phone gives up on you after 2 years? Its more likely it accumulated junk over time and have the perceived slowness. A factory reset usually makes it like new (unless you are talking about hardware failure).

 

21 hours ago, superflawless said:

I am still using the exact same Iphone 7 Plus and the current model is, what.... 12?

 

The battery was unhealthy so I had it replaced. That costs me SGD 60.00. Still works fine.

I use my iphone every day to watch movies and porn and listen to music, protected by VPN. 

There is no need, in my opinion, to change phones so frequently. 

The sad thing about self replacing batteries is that the manufacturing date of said battery is old stock and not made recently. Some are recycled and had their charge cycle resetted to be sold as "new". 

[upshot]

2 hours ago, Since u r here said:

i didnt - i find it wierd when Most people do that too 
esp 2 yrs later w the techgy nwadys u must change1 as he mentioned too:

 

 My gorilla glass on my HW P3 Pro has yet to scratch after over a year plus of use and falling on the floor or trail. Though I have a active sport back cover (Quadlock) as my fingers too dry so it's slippery plus let me lock it tight to my mountain bike handlebar after a period of it falling off some cheap phone clamp..

 

I always believe.. buy the best if you can like the flagship model or the next one down the rank and it can last you 4 yrs easy and not need to change. I have friends who are still using 5 yr old android and still fine with it heh. I just send my Huawei in for a battery change for $50.!!!... try to see if iPhone offer that. heheh. If you like to believe in carbon foot print and global warming propaganda, changing phone like many other thigns you own SHOULD BE changed less often heheheh.... practice what you preach.

[sum1outhere_03]

On 5/23/2021 at 11:13 AM, ArchDragon said:

It was 6S plus before I change it to 11 pro max

😮 that's long.

 

Mine's also about 2 years

[Zealouslogue]

15 minutes ago, sum1outhere_03 said:

😮 that's long.

 

Mine's also about 2 years

Mine also about 2 years

[superflawless]

This is about buying a new iphone.

Can I just pop out the existing sim card from my iphone 7 plus into an iphone 12? Is it as simple as that or does the new iphones require reconfiguration of the sim card?

[Behrhunter]

On 6/12/2021 at 11:12 AM, superflawless said:

This is about buying a new iphone.

Can I just pop out the existing sim card from my iphone 7 plus into an iphone 12? Is it as simple as that or does the new iphones require reconfiguration of the sim card?

You are kind of off topic .. 

 

But if you need .. short answer - Yes can just swap over the sim card and use

 

Medium length answer - if you dont want to config/transfer data at minimum u should back up necessities to icloud. iPhone will automatically guide u

 

Long answer - start your own thread

 

[chengmingtan]

I am not a heavy user, so usually getting a new phone every 3 to 4 years as the phone is perform well for me unless the phone died in year 2 or 3.

[riverrobles]

For my personal mobile phone, I only change it if it’s damaged.

 

To be honest I still have my Nokia 3310 hahahaha however it can’t be used anymore in Singapore or Germany.

 

I still have an old Samsung I even forgot the model, I only use it for calls as a burner phone to switch SIM cards. The battery is now bloated and it heats up fast.

 

For my company mobile, once the office has new models I get to switch to a new one.

 

 

 

[Koyima]

Once a year. I like the excitment of getting a new phone every year lmaooo

Edited August 14, 2021 by Koyima