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

  • plmko on 27/01/2022 - 02:00
    +14

    Why would you not trade in on the S21 FE deal for ~$500.

    • darque on 27/01/2022 - 07:56
      +2

      I've considered those trade in offers, but I never seem to get all those additional codes stacked on. I also usually give my old phones to relatives.

      I don't have confidence that with another Samsung, I'll probably be in the same place in 2-3 years re: battery too

      • Kangal on 28/01/2022 - 10:34
        +8

        So the 2019 phones have the QSD 855 chipset. This is a fast and efficient chipset. The latest QC 8g1 runs slower than this, when it overheats and throttles, as well as it's predecessors. So from that perspective there's no reason to upgrade.
        …. unless you have the Exynos version, I feel bad for you son. Then you should upgrade, that's a slow and thirsty chip.

        Also from the software perspective, no real incentive. There's no big difference in the AndroidOS versions anymore. Samsung has 3 year support starting with the S10 so it should get upgraded to the latest one. Otherwise there's always Custom ROMs.

        The display is still great. There's not much of an upgrade here either, except for enabling 120Hz mode.

        The cameras… it's about as good as current midrange. But the gap to newer flagships isn't as big as it used to be. The limiting factor seems to be getting adequate lighting in your shots.

        Battery life is a bigger reason to upgrade. Although most of the improvements have come from using a bigger capacity. Which I like. But it does make phones heavier (20-40g), and sometimes thicker.

        Downgrades:
        Loss of headphone jack, microSD slot, DualSIM ports. A lot of phones also refuse to get (IP67-69) waterproofing, but they insist on taking away User Removable Battery feature. Other ommisions are FM Radio, LED Notification, and IrDa Blaster.
        …now you pay, get less, and they're more prone to break yet harder to fix. Perfect for business, a nightmare for consumers.

        • Techie4066 on 28/01/2022 - 12:38
          +1

          It's 3 years of Android upgrades + another year of security updates for a total of 4.

        • RedHab on 28/01/2022 - 12:39
          +4

          to add an item to your list of downgrades: Harder to root and install custom ROMs now, too.

          • Kangal on 28/01/2022 - 18:15
            +2

            @RedHab: This is true.
            The reason is that eFuse support has been adopted into Android Core by Google. And the technology has gone mainstream, so you'll find it in most Chinese devices. Even devices that lack this, still have a Widevine status (eg L3) and the bootloaders are locked by default with strong encryption. It requires an access key from the OEM to unlock it.

            On the plus side, most OEM-Skins are mostly Stock-Android with novelty changes. This wasn't the case 5 years ago when they each had their own OEM-Base. And things were atrocious even further back like 10 years ago.

            So there are less reasons to unlock the bootloader. You can even get YT Vanced and certain other "Unlocked Apps" without needing root/su control. And with actual delivery of 3-years of software updates from Samsung (other OEMs to follow), that's one big victory for consumers.

      • Qazxswec on 28/01/2022 - 17:08

        but do you charge your phone every night when you go to bed? you should easily get through the whole day without needing to recharge and with heavy use

    • Mr Haj on 27/01/2022 - 12:45
      +6

      my phone still works

    • RedHab on 28/01/2022 - 12:31
      +7

      IMHO, The S10 series was peak Samsung. It's been corner cutting since then.

    • Qazxswec on 28/01/2022 - 17:04
      +1

      I was looking at the comparison today wondering if the S21 Fe 5g is any better because i was thinking about upgrading, it is pretty much the same, in some case worse than the s10/s10+, its more of a side-grade rather than an upgrade

  • Guerilla89 on 27/01/2022 - 02:20
    +12

    There are phones being released with 5 year software update guarantees. Samsung is now promising 4 years of support (from initial release): https://www.techadvisor.com/buying-advice/google-android/bes…

    You can also get a "battery case", here's an example for your existing phone: https://www.auspowerbanks.com.au/product/galaxy-s10-battery-…

    I'd recommend if you are buying a phone to get a non-chinese one though if possible. I think a good rule for life is to not support a country that commits genocide when possible: https://chinanever.com/categories/phones-not-made-in-china

    • FoxJump on 27/01/2022 - 07:16
      +4

      I thought about a non Chinese phone. Theyre practically all made in china. Except maybe LG who stopped selling phones in au, and Sony, who stopped selling phones in au.

      Samsung maybe maybe in Korea
      Apple, made in china I think.
      Google, probably made in .. dunno.

      • abb on 27/01/2022 - 08:46
        +7

        I didn't realise Sony and LG stopped selling phones in Aus, that's a shame.

        ASUS are made in Taiwan. Librem are made in USA.

        Fairphone are also worth considering, although they do use a Chinese factory they're Fairtrade gold certified, they avoid conflict minerals, use recycled plastics, and their phones are designed to be repairable.

      • salin on 28/01/2022 - 12:36
        +1

        Most samsung phones are made in Vietnam.
        Some cheap models of Iphone are made in India (for indian market only)

      • tonsta on 28/01/2022 - 15:12
        +3

        Google, probably made in .. dunno.

        Google it

      • Fobsessive on 29/01/2022 - 15:21
        +1

        Samsung stopped manufacturing phones in china

    • BluebirdV on 27/01/2022 - 10:11

      How dumb is that. Not supporting a country through buying a phone. Yet everything else you buy is probably made in China. You can't avoid it.

      • FoxJump on 27/01/2022 - 12:29
        +8

        Sadface.
        I was saw a ruler that said "made in England". Made me chuckle

      • Tleyx on 28/01/2022 - 14:31
        +3

        You can minimise the damage

      • Fobsessive on 29/01/2022 - 15:22

        If there are alternatives available, then why not?

      • entropysbane on 30/01/2022 - 10:36

        It is a political statement to not buy a Chinese branded product. Like it is a political statement for the Chinese government to ban our products. China should not get a free pass for that.

      • [Deactivated] on 30/01/2022 - 21:01

        There's a huge difference between buying something made in China vs buying from a brand that's Chinese. In simplest concept, buying something made in China means they are just getting paid for their labour. Whereas buying something from a Chinese company means, they are making profit from it.

      • NEGATIVEVIBESONLY on 31/01/2022 - 17:05
        +1

        "I don't want made in china" - same as telling us you don't understand global supply chain without telling us you don't understand global supply chain.
        Go figure what it takes to actually put a phone together. Nobody with the right mind would do EVERYTHING in-house nowadays.

    • darque on 27/01/2022 - 14:24
      +3

      That's a great idea re: battery case, thank you!

      • Kangal on 28/01/2022 - 18:29

        I think the best advice is you should still upgrade. The last best phone used to be the Samsung S10+, but it's now the newly released Samsung A52-s.

        It was on-sale for $370 not too long ago through Samsung.com, and it has hit the $400 price a couple times. So if you can find it for $450 or under, then pull the trigger. It typically retails for $600 which is still a good value at that price, since the market is so inflated with $1,000-$5,000 phones.

        What you get:
        120Hz display, pointless 5G radio, bigger/better battery and charging, slightly better cameras, 2.5 years of software updates, and you get proper 2-year local warranty and support. It's also a little bit sturdier and ergonomic.

        What you keep:
        IP67 waterproofing, Headphone jack, microSD card, DualSIM (if req).

        What you lose:
        USB 3.1 downgrade to USB 2.0, the "S" name, DeX support (might be available from developers).

        • darque on 30/01/2022 - 00:25

          Thanks mate! I've actually looked really hard at the a52s - fantastic value for the 5g, 120 Hz display and battery.

          But from reviews it looks like a downgrade when it comes to camera and processor, so overall it looks like a sideways move for me. Might save the $400 for now!

      • Harold Halfprice on 27/01/2022 - 19:35
        -1

        https://xjdp.aspi.org.au/

      • John Stone on 27/01/2022 - 22:35
        +13

        You are not serious are you?

        From your grammar, writing style and thoughts on the thread “ Hong Kong Independent Country?”, I am going to assume you are not in the position to acknowledge the evidence.

          • ThadtheChad on 28/01/2022 - 16:08
            +3

            @jowu15:

            My information not from media, but what I know of Chinese government policy towards minorities. Chinese government has many policies that give preferential treatment of minorities.

            Mate, if that's what "preferential" treatment is, if I were you I'd be really glad not to get any :D.

            If you ask 100 Chinese from mainland of China and at least 90 have the same understanding as mine. Many Chinese couples if one of them is minority and they will identify their child as minority because of government preferential policies.

            Yeah because the other 10 have somehow been "disappeared" and will reappear in a couple of years with a public apology on state media on how wrong they have been.

            • jowu15 on 28/01/2022 - 19:13
              -4

              @ThadtheChad: Obviously you know nothing about China. There is a lower entrance requirement into Chinese universities and many other government related jobs for minorities.

              when I said "ask 100 Chinese from mainland of China and at least 90 have the same understanding as mine". Thats including Chinese overseas.

              • entropysbane on 30/01/2022 - 10:40

                @jowu15: I do know for sure your government has banned products from here (worth billions) because our government had the temerity to refused to kowtow and asked about the origins of Covid.

                For that reason alone, while it is impossible to buy stuff without some Chinese stuff in it, we should not be buying Chinese branded products.

            • garage sale on 31/01/2022 - 17:25
              -1

              @ThadtheChad: india and the caste system isn’t exactly great for some demographics or child labour either …. and modi seems to hate muslims ….. so don’t buy stuff from india either ?

      • ThadtheChad on 28/01/2022 - 16:04
        +4

        50 cents have been deposited into your wechat.

        You may continue…

      • [Deactivated] on 30/01/2022 - 21:05
        -1

        Guys guys, just leave jowu15 alone, he has to say it that way, he has no choice, otherwise he'll get "disappeared".

    • nightmarez3k on 28/01/2022 - 09:38
      +3

      Genocide is interesting. The USA is built on genocide of Native Americans and Black Slaves. These people are still being targeted today.

      Australia has been genociding the native Aboriginals. The discrimination continues today. White people running the show with Aboriginals being told what's best for the country.

      If the genocide should stop it should be stopped in Western countries first.

      Don't throw stones living in glass houses and ivory towers.

      • turnip on 28/01/2022 - 11:50
        +7

        Two wrongs don't make a right. I think we can all agree that genocide is wrong regardless of who the perpetrators are. Leave the "They started it" to the children in the playgrounds.

        • uzz32 on 28/01/2022 - 22:05

          Along with the obvious double standard that you have just applied.

      • 91rs on 28/01/2022 - 13:45
        +4

        Bet you're fun at parties.

    • itsme56 on 28/01/2022 - 17:05
      +1

      Hopefully soon more iPhones will be made in India. I’ll buy one when that is the case.

  • scrimshaw on 27/01/2022 - 02:31
    +18

    My upgrade path was:

    2011 - Samsung Galaxy S2. Was on a phone plan with either Vodafone or Three mobile. Can't recall, I think for $29/month for a 2 year contract.

    2013 - LG Optimus 4x. Paid $294.

    2014 - Upgraded to LG G2 16GB because the Optimus 4X had terrible battery life. Paid $328

    2018 - Upgraded to Galaxy S8 Plus Paid $671.19

    2020 - Upgraded to Galaxy Note9. Given as a gift.

    2021 - Traded the Note9 in for a hefty discount on the Galaxy S21 Ultra then stacked $250 in Samsung loyalty vouchers. $660 paid in cash.

    I have basically avoided needing to pay top dollar for phones by either buying phones that aren't the latest or trading in an old phone for new.
    I don't have a fixed schedule for upgrades, but I'll upgrade if there's a good deal that's too good to miss or if the battery life is no longer good.

    There's not much you can do about the lack of software updates by the manufacturer, but you can still prolong the lifespan of your battery via several ways.

    • Stopback on 27/01/2022 - 07:47
      +15

      You spent 200 dollars a year on phones and that's with a gifted note phone.

      That's a lot. Not really budget.

      • SnowDragon on 27/01/2022 - 07:52
        -2

        If he offloaded his previous phone upon receiving the new one he might be breaking even overall.

        But some people like to keep their old phones for some reason, so perhaps not.

        • Forfiet on 27/01/2022 - 08:20

          :( My Oneplus one is still working fine and so is my Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, so I use them to test software and customisations…. I just recently played around with Nova launcher…. Both devices are running lineage os….

        • scrimshaw on 27/01/2022 - 12:12
          +2

          I sell most of my phones as well as IT equipment. The only exception is the LG's which are in too poor of a condition to be resold

          Optimus 4x died (suspect motherboard failure) while the LG G2 is a failed attempt at battery replacement. Died due to lack of experience with DIY phone repair.

          Generally speaking I feel putting your old phones in the drawer and letting them gather dust is a waste of money. The Ozbargainer way is to liquidate them for cash to fund your next upgrade before they depreciate too much, give them to elderly parents to use or use them yourself as a testing platform for 3rdparty ROMS and software development.

    • [Deactivated] on 27/01/2022 - 20:31

      Three Mobile?

      What happened tp them?

      • miwahni on 27/01/2022 - 23:44

        Merged with Vodafone

        • [Deactivated] on 28/01/2022 - 00:05

          o k

    • Velocita on 28/01/2022 - 14:04

      I've gone a similar path and stopped at the XS Max. Great phone, I can't justify upgrading to a new iPhone yet.

  • AustriaBargain on 27/01/2022 - 02:58

    I have 12 Pro Max but thinking of getting the 14 Pro max for the HDR, maybe I'll start watching TV on my train commute. Then again maybe I should keep it longer as it's running fine.

    • jmagic0 on 31/01/2022 - 09:22

      so you'll be upgrading end of year as 14 is not out yet

  • garetz on 27/01/2022 - 04:24

    I went from a nokia to a htc hd2 to a htc m8 to a lg v30+ , each phone on average has lasted me 5.5 years.

    Nokia is now dead
    Htc is now dead in mobiles
    Lg is now dead in mobiles

    I guess the only path forward for me now is samsung.

    • RockyRaccoon on 27/01/2022 - 06:57
      +19

      With a record like that I think Samsung shareholders should be worried…. 🙃

    • CrispyChrispy on 27/01/2022 - 15:46
      +3

      Was pleasantly surprised with a Poco phone. If you don't want to spend too much, look into some Xiaomi/Poco devices.

  • Hybroid on 27/01/2022 - 04:34
    +5

    iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4, 4S, 5, 5S, 6, 6S Plus, 7 Plus, X and haven't been able to move on from it since. It has been my fav by far and underwhelmed by the 11, 12 and 13 unfortunately.

    Living in the UK it was actually cheaper to get a brand new iPhone every year outright with a cheap SIM only plan and sell the old one for 80-85% of the value year later than to get a line+phone 24 month contract. So lots of people did that.

    • darque on 27/01/2022 - 08:02

      Similarly, I think the S10 was the biggest jump at the time in years moving to the 7nm chip, triple camera, 128gb storage, while still keeping microsd and aux. The phones since haven't impressed and take away, if anything.

      I'd be especially interested if the iPhone 14 Pro models will finally usb c connection, following the iPad Pro lines (one can dream)

      • mountaineer on 27/01/2022 - 23:23

        I would agree with most of your comments about iPhone but not getting what is the deal on UBS-C. I don't mind it but just not sure it will be driver for upgrade. It will be best if Apple can make something working for both USB-C and its proprietary lighting one as moving to a USB-C system will render lots of lighting cables obsolete, creating e-waste unnecessarily.

        • darque on 27/01/2022 - 23:48
          +2

          I've heard this from Apple users. But the existing lighting cables are already a sunk cost. Lightning is a proprietary cable, and its speed is limited because its based on 20 year old usb 2 tech. They'll be redundant much sooner than usb-c.

          I think they are creating more e-waste by producing more usb-c to lightning cables.

          It's always a bigger hassle and wasteful for someone who's never used an iPhone buying lightning than an iPhone user switching to Android, where usb-c is the standard.

          • mountaineer on 27/01/2022 - 23:59
            +1

            @darque: "its speed is limited" … recharging speed or data transmission speed? If it is the later one, the data speed is much less relevant than 5 years ago for iPhone when you must use a cable for iTune for example. Now OTA transmission is much more convenient and speed is at least ok?

            • darque on 28/01/2022 - 00:27
              +2

              @mountaineer: Airdrop unfortunately won't cut it for those outside the apple eco… And those pro res files will be a nightmare on lightning

          • entropysbane on 30/01/2022 - 10:43
            +1

            @darque: I think Apple will go portless for its iPhones rather than change ports.

    • JTTheMan on 27/01/2022 - 08:37

      I've gone from 3 to 5 then 6+ then X now 12 mini and agree that X was probably best overall.
      The battery is the biggest factor with ageing on any phone

    • mrjk on 27/01/2022 - 16:38
      +1

      Almost the exact same as me, although I skipped the 7 Plus. My X is still going strong. Sometimes I wish it would fail so that I could upgrade haha. The only thing I notice now is that the battery has degraded somewhat.

      • Hybroid on 27/01/2022 - 22:04

        Indeed, same here. Battery health now at 80% and you do feel it. Aside from that, not missing anything worthwhile from newer iPhones.

        I have changed third party batteries in iPhones many times previously but now hoping Apple's official parts thing they recently released will roll out to the iPhone X too…

    • ChickenTalon on 28/01/2022 - 21:35
      • iPhone 2G (required soldering to get working in Aus)
      • 3Gs
      • 5,
      • 7,
      • X (which I was mugged for in Sumatra)
      • Now the Xs.

      Haven’t seen much of a need to move on from the Xs. Battery sometimes needs a mid-day charge on weekends when I use it more and I’m not at my work desk with a charger. Bat health says 85% after 2+ years.

      One thing I’ve noticed since getting an Apple Watch is that I use my phone a lot less. No picking up the phone and getting half an hour of distraction.

    • entropysbane on 30/01/2022 - 10:46

      I went from a 7 to a 12 mini. Quite the upgrade. iPhones are all pretty powerful and have years and years of support and iOS upgrades. I reckon four years for meand even then I would have to argue dying battery as a flimsy justification. Otherwise five years for iPhones before things start slowing up too much due to more modern software demand.

    • maverickjohn on 30/01/2022 - 19:07

      Hmm the x had massive camera downgrades with each software upgrade. I never had this with any other phone. But the camera quality on the x became unusable.

  • apsilon on 27/01/2022 - 06:20
    +1

    I've never had a phone last less than 3 years and they were only replaced then because they were under contract via work and new phones were supplied. My current S8 I think is 5 this year and is still fine for my needs. I may upgrade this year because the battery is starting to need charging more frequently though still gets me through most days and because there won't be any more security updates for it.

    • RedHab on 28/01/2022 - 12:42

      You can have your S8 battery replaced at most phone shops. It will cost you around $50.

      • entropysbane on 30/01/2022 - 10:48

        Don't confuse justification with need there fella.

  • onetwothreefour on 27/01/2022 - 07:01
    +7

    I typically spend no more than $250 every 3 - 4 years on a new mobile phone.

    • darque on 27/01/2022 - 07:58
      +1

      I'm trying to justify spending 1.5k on a phone worth it if I can make it last 5 years = 300/year myself

      • skittlebrau on 28/01/2022 - 02:27

        With battery replacements factored in, 5 years is easily achieved.

  • 87percent on 27/01/2022 - 07:30

    Work gives me a new phone every 2 years. My phone goes to wife/mum/dad/niece

  • mrklaus on 27/01/2022 - 07:37
    +28

    I'd suggest a new option: Only when it breaks / stops working

    Which is how often we do it. :)

    • [Deactivated] on 27/01/2022 - 11:49
      +2

      I only replaced mine because Optus no longer used the 3G bands it worked with. Phone still works perfectly in every other regard.

    • caitsith01 on 27/01/2022 - 13:35
      +3

      Yep, amazing that this isn't the default given the economic/environmental situation.

      I have a Pixel 3a XL, it's absolutely fine for anything anyone could realistically need a smart phone to do. Unless/until it breaks (or a family member's phone breaks, in which case I might give it to them) I will keep using it.

      IMHO phones reached a point 3-4 years ago where any improvements were marginal. Particularly once OLED screens and good cameras became the norm.

      • jace88 on 27/01/2022 - 13:49
        +1

        I think the biggest issue for me is lack of software updates/support and general slowdown since unlike phones of old which were feature phones, the expectations and utility of modern smartphones is far more demanding.

        • mrklaus on 27/01/2022 - 16:48
          +1

          I literally read this piece this morning:
          https://www.vice.com/amp/en/article/dypxpx/google-is-forcing…

          Absolutely awful that companies as big as Google do planned obsolescence and nothing happens.
          Of course, as consumers we can vote with our wallets but still…

          • caitsith01 on 28/01/2022 - 10:34

            @mrklaus: LOL at that guy switching to Apple to avoid planned obsolesence, i.e., the company caught red handed deliberately slowing down performance on their older devices:

            https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51413724

            The security update thing is bullshit by Google, but like a lot of other issues I'm interested to see any actual evidence that phones are regularly exploited if they aren't fully up to date with security patches.

            • bargaineer on 28/01/2022 - 11:32
              +4

              @caitsith01: They did deliberately do it, but it was exactly for the reason stated in the article.
              If you replaced the battery, it would return to full speed again. It was a damned if you do damned if you don’t for them with that debacle. The bigger controversy there was the crappy batteries that triggered the need for the throttling.

              Security vulnerabilities are a big threat, especially on mainstream models like Samsung Galaxy S lines or Google Pixel where the blast radius is huge.

              Out of any device manufacturer that I’ve owned, Apple have EASILY had the most longevity. MacBook Pro from 7 years ago has been faultless hardware wise and still receives the latest MacOS and security updates (and Will for years to come).

              Up until last year, my mother in law was still using my old iPhone 5S, it was still fast and receiving security patches and got 6 years of iOS updates. That phone still works perfectly and is as snappy as ever.

              Apple Watch Series 3 (Stainless Steel) bought in 2017 has been the most reliable, and durable piece of tech I’ve ever owned.

              You can crap on Apple for other things they do, but their modern era business model has always been around keeping devices in their ecosystem for as long as possible, so I will call out anyone who considers Apple devices to lack longevity.

              • caitsith01 on 28/01/2022 - 12:58

                @bargaineer: I get the sense you are younger than me.

                Through the late 90s onwards Apple led the charge on:

                1. Non replaceable batteries

                2. Limiting your ability to modify the software environment (and therefore keep your device useful in future)

                3. Removing your ability to use standard chargers and headphones (and thus easily replace the most easily lost/damaged accessories)

                4. Preventing third parties from repairing or upgrading their hardware

                They have won some brownie points back with their relatively good position on privacy, but in the early 2000s Apple were synonymous with treating products you bought from them as though you didn't really own them.

                So yeah, the quality of their hardware has generally been high, but the trade off is that they destroy your ability to use your own hardware as you choose. Google sucks in some ways, but you can typically flash a stock ROM onto an Android phone to use whatever software version you prefer, choose a phone that has a headphone jack, use a standard charger, get it repaired anywhere, etc.

                And as for their supposed explanation for the performance degradation, they could of course put an option in for users if that was the real explanation…

                I would also argue that their hardware today is no better than their main competitors and typically underpowered at the same price point. E.g. you would have to have rocks in your head to by a Macbook over the equivalent Microsoft Surface for work purposes IMHO.

                • bargaineer on 28/01/2022 - 19:27

                  @caitsith01: Like I said, you can hate the ecosystem and the locked down aspect of Apple, but in many respects, that is why Apple are able to make products that work so well.

                  For the people that like things to just work and be tightly integrated, the locked down nature enables that to happen.

                  Maybe they could have told the user, but what is that choice really. Do you want your phone to randomly reboot or do you want us to manage the problem and throttle the phone slightly so you at least have a working phone? Not a great proposition to put to the user.

                  I fully agree they should have been more upfront about the battery issue, but I don’t think they deserve the planned obsolescence charge.

                  If you haven’t looked at Apple hardware in the last 12 months, I think you should. The M1 silicon is blowing the doors off anything Microsoft offers (and really any Intel processor in any notebook and many desktops). Apple hardware has actually rewritten the game recently, go have a read up on it.

                  I’d say you’d be crazy to pick anything over an M1 MacBook.

                  • pompompom on 30/01/2022 - 22:20
                    -1

                    @bargaineer: Does apple pay you for advertisment or something ?

                    Intel core9 already leaves M1 in the dust. For the cost of a M1 MacBook you can get a high end laptop with the best graphics chipset on which you can even play games (unlike a Mac). You can expand the storage of that laptop, add more ram and get a decent number of ports without having to use dongles. My windows laptop from 7 years ago also recieves regular updates which for some reason you think is exclusive to mac. So remind me again why do I need a MacBook ?

                    I bought a S10 much like OP 3 years ago for about less than half of what an iPhone costs. It's running the latest official Android 12. No battery or performance issues. If there is a battery issue I can get it replaced for 50 bucks. I can get a swap on this phone and get the latest Samsung next year and it would still cost me less than what you would have paid for a 4 year old iPhone just so you could get X years of updates on it and hand it down to your mother in law. So remind me again why do I need an overpriced iPhone that costs twice or thrice as other flagships so I can get 6 years or so of updates ?

              • entropysbane on 30/01/2022 - 10:51

                @bargaineer: All very true, the only really issue is Apple’s crappy communication about the purpose of the software fix allowed those not interested in facts distort the story to suit their narrative.

                iPhones are supported the longest. End of story. The only PS is you pay for that reality.

    • [Deactivated] on 28/01/2022 - 15:48

      Im with you on this, i am into year 4 with my Oppo R15 Pro.
      Working from home as well so the data needs are a fraction of what they used to be so i am on the Woolies $150 12 month expiry pre paid. Saving fist fulls of cash over getting new phones and $100 per month plans.

    • Savas on 30/01/2022 - 11:51
      +1

      i like that mentality but using a Windows phone in 2020 was like next to impossible.

  • Stopback on 27/01/2022 - 07:53
    +1

    The days of removable batteries on phones are sadly over

    My cheap android phones last me about two years on AVG.

    Its mostly software issues that is the problem and the phone slowing down

    • abb on 27/01/2022 - 08:52

      Fairphone and Librem both have replaceable batteries.

      Seems you're right about the 'high street' brands though :(

    • Tleyx on 28/01/2022 - 14:32

      I had my note 10s replaced by a store. Ok it was $70 but as a new phone is $1500 that's really not much for another year

    • garage sale on 31/01/2022 - 17:32

      replaceable batteries went out the door years ago ….people wanted smaller phones and soldered battery is more reliable than opting contacts stay clean ……somethings get adopted to make a better phone at a post in time e.g micro usb vs lightning and some things become standard e.g usb-c ….

  • jonagrah on 27/01/2022 - 07:54
    -1

    S7, Pixel 2XL, Pixel 4, S21+

    But we have two kids, so there's always hand me downs.

  • Muzeeb on 27/01/2022 - 08:25
    +10

    How Often Are You Upgrading Your Smartphone in 2022?

    Title is misleading.

    I am upgrading my phone 0 times in 2022

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