How often do you change your phone?

**asr10 user** · 08-21-2012, 03:20 PM

As a former iphone owner and current galaxy S3 owner. Wondering how often android users buy or switch devices?

As we know with Apple we only update every two years. Seems like androids have a new king every few months. So how often for everyone?

**Kevin O'Quinn** · 08-21-2012, 04:00 PM

Every 6-8 months for me. Used to be more frequently, but that got too expensive.

**jean15paul** · 08-21-2012, 04:27 PM

Well I've only been with Android for a little over a year. After 1 year I got my 2nd phone, but that wasn't really the plan. I planned to keep my 1st phone for the full 2 year contract, but it just kinda happened. (If you want to know how, I put the long verson below). With the ability to root and flash, I feel like you can really extend the life of these phones, so in general I'll probably keep phones for the duration of the 2-year contracts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The long version...

Signed a contract July of 2011 for the Evo 3D. I planned to hold on to it for the full 2 year contract. But in June of 2012 (11 months) the digitizer started to fail. Sprint ordered me a replacement (a referb), but the replacement was bad too. It could get voice signal but no data. So they ordered a 2nd replacement, but they sent me the wrong phone (a "dumb"phone). There were about to order a 3rd replacement which would have been on backorder for a week, so the manager offered me a free phone off the shelf. So after 1 year with my Evo 3D, I got a Sprint GNex for free without having to use an upgrade. I was getting pretty fed up during the whole process, but when they offered me that GNex, it made it all better.

**paul-c** · 08-21-2012, 04:55 PM

Usually between 6-9 months. Every once in awhile, even sooner than that. All depends on what catches my eye.

Sent from my Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini

**UCLA 15** · 08-21-2012, 08:01 PM

I've had my Sensation for a year and 2 months. I'm sick of it, but what is out right now isn't to my standards of what I want my next phone to be. If the new Nexus phone (or multiple Nexus phones) that comes out this holiday season doesn't meet my standards, I might just make the full 2 years with my Sensation.

**DolphinDroid** · 08-21-2012, 08:11 PM

I had my Droid for 17 months and have been using my Thunderbolt for 14 months and counting.

Sent from my Bolt

**chakdev** · 08-22-2012, 08:28 PM

When my phone stops functioning or there's need for new phone for app testing.

**hbquikcomjamesl** · 09-13-2012, 12:24 AM

When it fails completely.

**Rancid88** · 09-13-2012, 02:17 AM

Annually..... I have a problem.....

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

**MrSmith317** · 09-13-2012, 08:51 AM

I'm swapping out about every 4-6 months these days. Can't wait for the GNote2

**jean15paul** · 09-13-2012, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by Kevin O'Quinn

Every 6-8 months for me. Used to be more frequently, but that got too expensive.

Originally Posted by paul-c

Usually between 6-9 months. Every once in awhile, even sooner than that. All depends on what catches my eye.

Sent from my Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini

Originally Posted by MrSmith317

I'm swapping out about every 4-6 months these days. Can't wait for the GNote2

To the folks who change phones every 6 months or so, if you don't mind me asking, how do you manage?

Do you sell your current phone, and buy a new one at full price? What precentage of the value do you get after it being used for a while? Do you use a prepaid network since you're buying unsubsidized? Or do you have a multi-line account and use multiple subsidized updates throughout the contract? Or is money no object and you spend as much as you want without looking back?

**thedon8253** · 09-13-2012, 01:08 PM

I have been switching phones atleast once a month. I trade my phones on Craigslist for the ones I want.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Android Central Forums

**MrSmith317** · 09-13-2012, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by jean15paul

To the folks who change phones every 6 months or so, if you don't mind me asking, how do you manage?

Do you sell your current phone, and buy a new one at full price? What precentage of the value do you get after it being used for a while? Do you use a prepaid network since you're buying unsubsidized? Or do you have a multi-line account and use multiple subsidized updates throughout the contract? Or is money no object and you spend as much as you want without looking back?

I do a lot of trading. I keep my handsets in perfect condition so they have a high trade value and if that doesn't work I don't mind spending a few hundred for a good condition used phone. I'm on Verizon so this is all I can do to keep my unlimited anyway.

**Princesa** · 09-13-2012, 09:51 PM

I usually keep mine for 2yrs and if not that its cuz I'm in need for a new phone due to my current one not working properly or if something new catches my attention.

**DroidDavi** · 09-14-2012, 11:13 AM

Normally every 3 to 4 months. Thou this time I kept my nexus and just end up selling the others.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

**patruns** · 09-14-2012, 02:55 PM

Usually about every 3 years even though the phone still works. Since I buy unlocked phones it really depends on what new technology I am missing out on.