Thinking: how long can a cell phone last?
Mobile phones are constantly shifting, which usually means that they will last longer. And we’re not just talking about flagships. Nowadays, even middle-class phones for the price of around CZK 6,000 are available decent processor, camera and batteryand. In addition, we have been receiving system updates for Android for several years now if not the latest, then at least security patches. In today’s article, we would therefore like to reflect on how long a mobile phone can last.
According to data from the wearesosure website, people change phones every 12-36 months, which therefore corresponds to a duration of 1 to 3 years. It is said that people generally expect their phone to last 2-3 years, which is often affected by the offers of operators who give their phones to tariffs in the form of installments for a similar period. So there are many people who buy a phone in these cycles and do nothing more. In the USA, he is buying a new model of his favorite brand only 2% of all users, while 44% of people buy a phone once their contract with the operator expires.
Unfortunately, we do not have data from the Czech Republic, but the situation will be quite similar here. Nowadays, phones can last longer than two years, we will probably all agree on that. But if we want the phone to serve us for a long time, we have to take care of it at least a little. There are a lot of users who use their cell phone they are not in the packaging, they do not update their software whenever possible and they expose it to unsuitable conditions such as direct sunlight. All these aspects affect how long our phone lasts.
Contents
What are the main aspects affecting the purchase of a new phone?
Battery life
Battery, whether we admit it or not, is one of the key features of a mobile phone. In the previous reflection, we addressed the question of why battery technology is so underdeveloped compared to other hardware such as a display or chipset. The vast majority of manufacturers still use technology that began to appear in the 90s. Generally speaking, batteries have a number of cycles before their capacity begins to decrease. Therefore, it is important to take care of the battery at least a little. Do not expose the phone to unnecessary heat. We speak from personal experience. Once we accidentally left the iPhone 11 Pro Max on the heater when it was charging, and in one such cycle our capacity dropped by 2%, which is really a lot. But it is not good to expose it to severe frosts.
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Out of date software
Android and iOS are the two largest and most widespread operating systems on the market, and whether you like it or not, you just won’t get a new update one day. Apple is still a little better and is trying to ensure that the latest software reaches 5-year-old devices. However, Android has also improved a lot in this respect in recent years, and we can count on at least three years of support for many phones. Namely, Samsung, Google and Xiaomi are worth mentioning. After this time, however, we usually do not get a new system. What does it mean? We are deprived of some new features, appearance and, over time, support for some applications or games. And this can be a key aspect of buying a new phone.
Physical damage
Sure, no phone can last us forever, but if you accidentally damage it manually, it increases the likelihood of buying a new one. Phone repairs are not a cheap affair and, for example, the display on the Galaxy S21 Ultra will cost about CZK 9,000. Assuming you have such a phone for a year or so you won’t want to pay for the repair and chances are you’ll prefer to buy the latest model. The same can be said about your back (if you have them made of glass) or common abrasions or dirt on joints, etc. I have a friend who has an old Galaxy S7 and always wears it in a case and with glass foil. When he sold the phone, he took it off both after about three years, cleaned the phone, and if I told you it was new, you would believe me without any problems.
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