How often do you upgrade your cell phone?

[Que]

I was thinking this morning I have to upgrade my daughter's cell phone two more times before she graduates college. That would be every two years for us, but I know people who upgrade every year and some who still have the old flip phones w/o texting or internet.

Some people are drawn to the latest and best and some can do with the bare minimum. I guess I fall somewhere in between. I used to upgrade and renew and get a new contract, but T-Mobile has gone away from the contracts, so need is gone. Still, I like the idea of upgrading at least every couple of years. So, how often do you upgrade and why?

 

[Hornett]

My problem is, and I am showing my age here, if I learn to use it I hate to get something else and start all over.
The tech changes so fast that a new phone is completely different than a 2 or 3 year old phone.
So, I pretty much wear 'em out, but that is still only takes 2 to 3 years.

 

[hoosierdoc]

My iPhone is about dead after 2 years. I will never pay $500 for a phone though so I wait

 

[perry]

I had a Nokia candybar phone for 4 or 5 years, then a Motorola flip for 3 - 4 and I only upgraded then because AT&T force me on to GSM. At the time I wasn't interested in texting or data so those phones suited me well. Then an iPhone 3GS for one year, and will upgrade this iPhone 4 in the fall, after 3 years, when the new one comes out. Now I'm so used to texting and apps that I don't want to do without.

I am a computer geek without the budget to spend on all the toys. I'd upgrade annually, or at least every 2 years, if I could.

No keys on these touch screens to wear out, but the home button on the iPhone sometimes takes two presses

 

[andski3]

I trade up every two years or so. More often if I deem mine is in need.

 

[91kcolg]

My cell phone still has an antenna that extends. I upgrade when my phone quits working. Maybe four times in 16 years.
I hate smart phones. We go out to dinner with friends and they cant put their phones down to order food, this to me is rude to the people taking the order. I can't have a conversation with friends without them texting or whatever it is they do.
I guess I don't need or want a new one. All I want is a phone to be able to call someone if I need to.

 

[eldirector]

I'll say 3-5 years. we just upgraded to iPhones, from a set of 4 year old "text" phones. I really needed to get more current for my job (I am an IT consultant, for crying out loud), and I knew my wife would LOVE the convenience (all her friends are big txt-ers, and she uses the heck out of a bunch of apps).

We have always waited until Sprint cuts us a decent deal. I spent less than $200 for both iPhones (a 5 and a 4s). We renew the contract for another 2 years, and they tend to wave all kinds of fees and up-charges. I refuse to pay retail, or buy "cutting edge" just for the sake of being first.

It KILLS me to pay so much every month, but we do get a lot of value out of them. If money were tighter, phones would be in the top 5 things to go. I'd switch to a pay-as-you-go and drop the data altogether.

 

[melensdad]

My cell phone still has an antenna that extends. I upgrade when my phone quits working. Maybe four times in 16 years.
I hate smart phones. We go out to dinner with friends and they cant put their phones down to order food, this to me is rude to the people taking the order. I can't have a conversation with friends without them texting or whatever it is they do.
I guess I don't need or want a new one. All I want is a phone to be able to call someone if I need to.

It is NOT the so-called smartphone that is the problem, the problem is you have bad friends if they can't put their own phone down for an hour while you eat with them.

 

[42769vette]

I upgrade phones as often as I break my old phone. Im much more careful now that I have a smart phone, and its lasted almost 1.5 years wich is a shocker to me.

Im just learning to run one by the time it breaks and I have to get usto new technology.

 

[eldirector]

It is NOT the so-called smartphone that is the problem, the problem is you have bad friends if they can't put their own phone down for an hour while you eat with them.

This x 100

The rule around the office (during meetings and such) is that the meeting stops for EVERYONE if one person takes out their phone. At least one manager has a bowl in his conference room, and all phones (even his) go in it when the meeting starts. Funny to watch folks squirm!

 

[MrsGungho]

It is NOT the so-called smartphone that is the problem, the problem is you have bad friends if they can't put their own phone down for an hour while you eat with them.

I have a husband like this and I love to embarrass him when he is doing this and the waitress comes up and tries to get his order.

I'll sit and watch him play on his "smart phone" all while mine is sitting cozily in my purse.
This behavior from the same man who would ground our daughters from theirs if they did the same thing while teens.

 

[tom1025]

Usually every two years unless I start having issues. I use my phone 24/7. 75% of the time it's business related so I have to have a phone that always works.

 

[RyanGSams]

I used to do every two years but since verizon got rid of unlimited data, im going to stay off vontract in hopes to stay grandfathered in as long as possible.

 

[churchmouse]

My problem is, and I am showing my age here, if I learn to use it I hate to get something else and start all over.
The tech changes so fast that a new phone is completely different than a 2 or 3 year old phone.
So, I pretty much wear 'em out, but that is still only takes 2 to 3 years.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^Exactly this^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I hate to re-train just to send a text/take a pic or access my e-mail.

 

[JollyMon]

I keep my phones usually until they start to make me mad. Now its not as much as they break but have issues when they start upgrading the operating system and the previous models start running slower. usually 2-3 years... unless I drop it in the lake.

 

[SSGSAD]

My cell phone still has an antenna that extends. I upgrade when my phone quits working. Maybe four times in 16 years.
I hate smart phones. We go out to dinner with friends and they cant put their phones down to order food, this to me is rude to the people taking the order. I can't have a conversation with friends without them texting or whatever it is they do.
I guess I don't need or want a new one. All I want is a phone to be able to call someone if I need to.

THIS, is ME !!!!! But I do have a "modern" flip phone..... No Internet, No text.....

 

[Spikedog]

My (original) iPhone 4 has had two front glass repairs and a two backs put on. My wife has been getting the upgrades

 

[indiucky]

When it quits working. Spent alot of time as a young man with my Papaw (Grandfather to those North of Seymour) and he was a child of the Depression and tried to instill that mindset in me.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Pre-smart phone: every 3-4 years. I never had a phone quit working, nor ever lost one.

Smart phone: one phone quit working - got a factory refurb, same model, as a replacement. It's been right at 1-year. I'll keep this one as long as I can... Smart phones are too much money for me to upgrade as often as I'd like....kind of like cars!

-J-

 

[the1kidd03]

For me it's a matter of the phone. I keep them as long as they work. When they get to a point that they won't even last a day or an 8 hour day on a full charge, or if they have any other sort of performance problems that is when I get a new one.

Usually, by the time that happens I qualify for a phone upgrade with the service provider anyhow. I'd venture to guess I upgrade between every 1-2 years. Before smartphones my phones lasted longer than that, but now the batteries take such a beating with all of the use they don't last as long.