How old is your smartphone?
The range of new models available for smartphones remains unbroken, despite the fact that the devices remain usable for longer and the market has long since become saturated. But no smartphone is made for eternity, and at some point the time has to come to send our beloved - or long resented - smartphone into retirement.
The reasons for opting out of a smartphone can, of course, be different. Sometimes a device is simply broken and the repair is not worthwhile, sometimes there are no more updates, the smartphone became too slow, the design no longer pleases - the list is endless, but the consequence is the same: Out with the old, in with the new!
That's why we want to know how old the smartphone you're using is. If you use several devices in parallel, we are most interested in your main smartphone.
Then a second question naturally follows: When are you planning to replace your current smartphone?
Thank you in advance for taking part! If you want to expand on your choice or explain your reasoning, please let us know all the details in the comments!
I will update only to a phone that has both a replaceable battery and can use SD cards. I'm also waiting to see how well Android handles transitioning to the ability to easily upgrade between OS versions without needing root/rom, but this isn't a dealbreaker for me.
Splitting Android use between a 5" L phone and 8" M tablet, the phone only needs basic SMS/voice, GPS map support and wifi to go out with while the tablet is the go to device around the house. Until a knockout camera comes along, the phone can last as long as Google doesn't sabotage Lollipop (the way it did Gingerbread.) Otherwise I'll be more inclined to get a more powerful tablet (presumably on a good discount) first. I'd like to see Google take full control of Android system updates (as MS does) but frankly recent Android improvements or security threats haven't set my heart pounding.
Agree with you on hoping that Google doesn't abandon some of the os updates. I had a Droid Incredible that got stuck in gingerbread land. And by that I mean it didn't ever get the final gingerbread update but got stuck on the version before the final one. Left a bad taste in my mouth for Android at the time, but some of that is due to the manufacturer. But I'm all in with a Pixel 2 since Google said it'll get 3 years of os updates.
I got my Pixel 2 just before Christmas last year. Part of what sold me on it was the 3 years of os updates. And the $300 off through my carrier. My last daily driver was an iPhone 5s and the iOS 11 update is what made it virtually unusable. The new iPhones at the time were too expensive which is why I returned to Android. I plan on using my Pixel 2 for at least 3 or 4 years.
I remember when I got the Note1, someone said but it doesn't support 4G LTE...I said yeah, but by the time it comes to where I live, it will be a couple years anyway. Plus, at&t has the better coverage where I live, but their way over sold, and the data speeds aren't anywhere close to 4G LTE to start with, so 5G isn't a problem. Shoot, I only use 4-6GB of data anyway, everything else is wifi.
My last smartphone, the Lumia Icon, I had for 4 years ... the one before that, the HTC Trophy, I had for 3 years. My current phone is the Pixel 2, and I REALLY want to get the Pixel 3 when it goes on sale for Christmas! The camera is mindboggling! It's a PHONE, and you buy it for the CAMERA ... go figure!!
I could care less if it has 5G, since it's going to take several years to fully implement.
I think, support for 5G is esiential for upgrade now....