What is the usual "upgrade life" of a phone?

[whitenack]

What is the average amount of times an android phone gets an OS update (excluding minor updates like 2.3.4 to 2.3.6)? It my very limited experience, I have noticed that outside the Nexus phones, phones only get one upgrade for the life of the phone. Phones that started with 2.1 got upgraded to 2.2 but haven't gotten 2.3. Phones with 2.2 probably won't get 4.0, etc.. Is this a pretty good rule of thumb?

I am eligible for an upgrade now but I hesitate to get anything that currently has 2.3 because I fear that even though it might quickly get 4.0 it won't get an upgrade past that. I can't afford a new phone on a regular basis so I need one that will last.

 

[Devinator]

A buddy of mine has a Droid X and it came with Eclair, then it got Froyo, and now GB. So that's two. I have an X2. came with Froyo, now has GB, and I am patiently awaiting ICS with my fingers crossed.

 

[PvilleComp]

I think for most "Flagship" devices they have been getting at least 2 updates. The DInc also started on Eclair, and got Froyo and Gingerbread. The DInc2 started on Froyo, got Gingerbread and is slated to get ICS.

Lower end/less popular devices may only see one update due to the economics. But even the OG Nexus is not getting Official ICS and it's the same vintage as the DInc.

Ultimately it all boils down to hardware requirements, and how many handsets are still active. If the hardware can take an upgrade and there are enough devices to warrant the upgrade then it will happen. No device will get updates forever.

Hope this helps.

 

[whitenack]

Thanks. I've got my eye on the Skyrocket HD and the One XL. Both have virtually the same specs. Could I assume that both will have the same upgrade life, or would the One XL last a little longer?

 

[Devinator]

It's possible, but, there are probably lots of factors that play into it. Like Pville said, if one phone is popular, and, the other isn't, the popular one has a much better change of getting a second upgrade then the one that isn't.