MSE Forum Poll: What's the longest you've kept a mobile phone?

MSE_JC · 16 July at 9:47AM

Holding on to your current mobile phone for as long as possible can certainly be a good way to save money, and sometimes getting an 'upgrade' isn't actually that much of an improvement (like in MSE Rob's experience).

But the promise of new features, slicker designs and better technical support can sometimes be very tempting, especially if you've had your phone for a fair while.

As best as you can remember, what's the longest time you've gone without biting the bullet and forking out for a new handset?

darrensurrey · 16 July at 10:04AM

5 years I think - and I tend to buy semi-budget phones (ie not the cheapest but close to, with a budget of around £150). I really struggle to see the point in buying a £1k phone. Mind you, those zoom functions on the latest phones are impressive.

Actually, I still have a working Sony XA1 from 2017. It isn't laggy or anything. The problem is that the charging port is really dodgy so it can take 3 days to charge up. So in theory, the answer is 9 years but the reality is that I can no longer rely on it, hence replacing it.

jackieblack · 16 July at 11:51AM

I keep mine until it can no longer be updated and eventually that prevents certain apps from working

Jemma01 · 16 July at 4:09PM

Until it physically or technically fails 😂

BridgetTheCat · 16 July at 5:21PM

I usually buy refurbished or get a friend’s old phone, so they’re already a couple of years old when I get them. Then I run them until the OS won’t update.

MillQueen · 20 July at 9:39PM

I keep it until it doesn't work anymore. We are probably a self-selecting crowd on here that do that sort of thing. I dropped my current phone and the glass-like coating on the back is shattered and chipping away, so naturally I bought a phone case that contains any sharp bits that come off and have continued using it.