How often would you replace a phone or tablet?

[Matt N]

Hi guys. In recent years, smartphones and tablets have become ever more present parts of our lives. But naturally, these devices will have a shelf life. To some extent, that may even be personally decided; some might want the newest device every year, but others might want to cling onto their devices for as long as humanly possible. But I’d be keen to know; how often would you replace a phone or tablet? Are you someone who likes having the newest device every year? Are you someone who will cling onto their devices for as long as possible? Or are you somewhere in between?

Personally, I would say I tend towards replacing a phone or tablet every 5 years or so, maybe around when it stops receiving software updates. I give the yardstick of “when it stops receiving software updates” because in the past, I was burned by a phone not having sufficiently updated software to install an app I needed (TrainLine), and I don’t want that loss of functionality to happen again.

For some idea, the timeline of my “primary Apple devices” over the years has been as follows:

1. iPod Touch (4th generation) (July 2012-December 2013) - Replaced in December 2013 because it couldn’t update to iOS 7. Also, my sister had bought an iPad Mini in September and I wanted one!
2. iPad Mini (1st generation) (December 2013-December 2016) - Replaced in December 2016 because it couldn’t update to iOS 10.
3. iPad Mini 4 (December 2016-May 2020) - Replaced in May 2020 because the battery had deteriorated to be like a sieve (we’re talking 1% per minute under regular use!), which was most irritating when I had to use it for remote school during lockdown!
4. iPad Air 3 (May 2020-July 2025) - Replaced in July 2025 because I came into some money from a relative and fancied taking a punt on the larger 13” iPad size! Also, I figured it was only about a year off not receiving software updates if my predictions about Apple’s exclusions from the next iOS version are correct.
5. iPad Air 13” (7th generation) (July 2025-present) - What a brilliant device; I’m loving the huge 13” screen! I imagine I’ll be clinging onto this one into the next decade; seeing as it’s a brand new 2025 model, I think it’ll be functioning and receiving software updates for years yet.

I have tended to hold onto my devices for longer as time has gone on. When I was younger and had less to do with my money, I maybe tended towards more frequent replacement, but as long as my iPad works fine and is still supported for software updates and app eligibility, I see little reason to replace.

My timeline of phones (which I tend to use less on a day-to-day basis) over the years has been as follows:

1. Nokia Asha (September 2013-January 2017) - Replaced because school required me to have a smartphone by 2017. This phone possibly had better battery life than any I’ve owned since; I think I only charged it once or twice in the whole 3 years I used it!
2. Lenovo smartphone that I can’t remember (January 2017-September 2017) - Received this as a hand me down from an elderly relative. Replaced because we’re fundamentally an iPhone family and my sister had a hand-me-down iPhone 5 that I could have.
3. Black iPhone 5 from sister (September 2017-October 2017) - Replaced because my sister had smashed the home button when she owned it (and she herself inherited it as a hand-me-down from my mum), and a better hand-me-down iPhone 5 with a working home button became available shortly after when a relative passed away.
4. White iPhone 5 from deceased relative (October 2017-August 2018) - Replaced because my dad’s iPhone 6 became available as a hand-me-down.
5. White iPhone 6 from my dad (August 2018-July 2021) - Replaced because the battery had become incredibly erratic, with the phone shutting off at odd times and running out incredibly quickly, and also because my mum’s hand-me-down iPhone 6 with a working battery became available.
6. Black iPhone 6 from my mum (July 2021-September 2021) - Replaced after just 2 months because I needed TrainLine to travel to university, and the iPhone 6 wasn’t eligible for the minimum version of iOS needed to run it.
7. iPhone SE (2nd generation) (September 2021-present) - This is the first phone I’ve had that I bought for myself rather than being a hand-me-down, and it is incidentally the one I’ve had for the longest by some margin. Seeing as I reckon it might be made obsolete by 2026’s iOS update, I wonder if a replacement might have to be nigh within the next year or so… the battery is also worsening regardless. It’s been a good device, but it struggles somewhat to hold its charge these days, even if I don’t use it.

In general, though, I would say “replace when the software needs updating unless its function is impeded in the meantime”. I am erring increasingly towards the “cling on for as long as I can” crowd with age, though, whereas I used to err more towards the “replace frequently” crowd!

But I’d be keen to know; how often would you replace a phone or tablet? Are you a frequent replacer, or are you someone who clings onto devices for as long as they can?

 

[Heth]

My phone has to truly be completely inoperable for me to get a new one. I HATE the process of transferring contacts etc. to a new device.

 

[Nitefly]

Whenever the hardware is significantly updated enough to make it a worthwhile purchase - so every 3-5 years.

But this rate is slowing down. Now that my existing phone has 5g, Wi-Fi 6, 120hz refresh rate, an OLED screen and a battery that can last all day with ease with hours of use, card payment features and a great camera…. Nothing has come out in the last 3 years that’s made me even slightly tempted.

 

[East Coast Mariner]

I think my tablet is from 2014. It doesn't even run the YouTube app any more, but I can still visit YouTube as a website, so that's enough for me.

My phone, on the other hand, I think I'd have to replace when software no longer works for it, as I use it when out and about. Doesn't hurt to get an upgraded camera and extra storage either.

 

[TilenB]

Yeah, I feel that I've changed my phones every 3 or so years in the past, though I had the previous one for as long as 5 years. I've had 2 iPads in this period, though I rarely use them, so it's not exactly worth including them here.
1. Siemens ME75 (January 2007 to June 2009) - it was a decent little phone, though its functions besides calls were fairly limited
2. Sony Ericsson W350 (June 2009 to December 2010) - it was fine, but the plastic cover broke at some point, so I couldn't lock it anymore and needed a change
3. HTC Wildfire (December 2010 to June 2013) - my first smartphone, it got extremely laggy after 2 and a bit years of use
4. HTC One X (June 2013 to July 2016) - liked this one, though it burned through the battery whenever it was connected to Wi-Fi. By the end I also wanted something that I could play Pokemon GO on and this one was too old to load the app on it.
5. Oneplus 3 (July 2016 to May 2019) - it was a decent phone, though the battery didn't last through the entire day and a software update broke the camera just when it went out of warranty. Decided to replace the phone altogetherrather than bothering with fixing that issue.
6. Huawei P30 (May 2019 to May 2024) - far and above the favorite phone I've owned. It got kinda laggy towards the end, but the change was more down to the fact that I wanted something new. If it weren't for Google ditching Huawei due to the US sanctions, I would've gladly stuck with them.
7. Oneplus 12 (May 2024 to present) - It's a good phone, though perhaps not as much of an upgrade over the old one as I'd hoped (apart from the much better battery life and the eSIM option)

 

[JoshC.]

Corrr, look at all the nerds who know what phone they had and when.

I only say that because I genuinely can't remember what phone I had last. Let alone 2 or 3 phones ago.

I tend to get my phones on contract, usually 2 years. And I run the phone into the ground, which is usually 3-5 years. The only exception to the "run into the ground" rule is when I got my current phone, which I got a year ago, and choose to because I was becoming annoyed with my old phone's battery life. Even then, I had that phone for just over 3 years, so battery life reducing on that wasn't exactly a shock.

I don't own a tablet, nor do I really need one.