How long do you keep your iPhone?

TidBITS Talk
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Continuing the discussion from Apple Q2 2025 Financials Solid Despite Upcoming Tariff Uncertainty:

Only when my old phone dies or can no longer run the apps I want.

My first iPhone was a 4s. I upgraded from it to a 6+ in order to get 4G/LTE connectivity. I used that for a very long time, replacing it with the 13 mini I’m using now.

I would’ve kept using that 6+ even longer except Apple stopped releasing security updates for it (it tops out at iOS 12.5.7).

I will likely keep using my 13 mini until it dies or loses all support, getting replacement batteries from Apple as necessary.

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Late 2011 4s - put at least one battery in this one

2016 SE (May?) - put two batteries in this, but in doing the second Apple bricked the phone and they gave me a replacement (same model)

October 2021 13 Mini - really needs a new battery but otherwise is working well.

Not sure where I’m going after this. For the first two it seemed an update really slowed the system then I would run out of space anyway. I’m kind of tired of paying so much for a phone.

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While I upgrade other Apple devices (Macs, watches, iPads) much less often, I get a new iPhone every year. I’m on the auto Upgrade program, so $50/month gets me the latest and best iPhone every year (I get the Pro Max with 256GB).

Granted, the differences between new and old models has lessened over the years, but I like the camera improvements and it’s nice to not have to think or weigh the pros/cons and make a decision every year. A few times I’ve thought about skipping a year, but there isn’t much of a financial advantage (the only positive is I can own the old phone after two years and can sell it for a few hundred bucks or give it to someone who needs it).

I like never having to worry about the battery in my phone, so I charge it as often as needed and it always lasts me all day. Phones via the Upgrade program also include AppleCare, so I am covered if I break the phone or have a problem (I probably wouldn’t pay for it separately if I was buying the phone outright, but for renting it, it is required and included).

Having a new phone every year keeps me on my toes as I have to run the latest OS and move all my apps and data over – not the most fun, but at least I’m more aware of the dangers/problems than if I wait and upgrade every 3-5 years and get shocked when there are issues I wasn’t expecting (like a favorite app is no longer available on the App Store). Also, at least this way I always have a least one Apple device that’s fully modern and current, which is good for testing the ecosystem and keeping me knowledgable of the status quo.

With my Macs I tend to not upgrade them as often and I definitely don’t upgrade the OS every year, so I’m sometimes 2-3 years behind on software. But I use those for real work and want them to be stable and consistent. I tend to save my old Macs and reuse them for different purposes (i.e. media server), though I sometimes sell them to friends or relatives. That works out well as they get a good deal and my new Mac doesn’t cost me full price.

Apple Watches I upgrade when the battery isn’t lasting a day and/or Apple introduces compelling new features, so every 3-5 years.

iPads vary, as I have one that’s ten years old and still works fine and is just used for reading ebooks at night, and one that’s a newer M1 device I use during the day and for traveling. (I recently bought a “kitchen” iPad that is also used for guests who want to check their email or whatever. I was tempted by Apple’s latest, but ended up getting a cheap $200 two-year-old model from the Apple refurb store that does all I need and had twice the storage of the old one I had which was sluggish and running out of space for even basic apps.)

I like my strategy, but I realize it’s not for everyone. I kinda wish Apple had an annual Upgrade program for Macs. I might consider that, depending on the cost.

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Generally, I keep my iPhone until it no longer suits my needs.

I started with a 4. I upgraded it to a 5c because I needed more storage. I upgraded that to a 7+ because I needed a larger screen.

I kept the 7+ until Apple released an iOS that it couldn’t run. It took me a year from that point until I was able to afford upgrading, to a refurbished 12 Pro Max. I intend to stick with the 12 Pro Max until Apple retires it as obsolete, unless Apple Intelligence suddenly sprouts sufficient value to be worth the cost of upgrading (not expected in the foreseeable future).

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Depends on my needs. I waited outside our local Apple Store for iPhone (v1), then updated as features I continued useful came along, but I was working then in a way that made iPhone’s capabilities very helpful.
Changed less often as things got more tricky with moving data and complicated settings, apps not working on later OSes, app organization taken out of iTunes etc.
These days I’m more or less retired so am reducing use of iPhone and satisfied with the size and capabilities of the 13 mini.
Have no interest in any of the latest ‘features’ for several years and really do not want anything to do the “AI” so have not updated the OS for many months.
So will probably use it til it dies, or something really compelling hardware wise comes along. Am still using its predecessor, iPhone 7, for a few tasks, after I changed the battery with a kit from iFixit. A couple of iPhone 6’s are also still in use with other family members.
Right tool for the job concept…

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First was the 5s, then SE, and now the SE3. I like the small size form factor so I’m not sure what I will do when it’s time to upgrade. Big (and heavy) phones appeal to a lot of people; I’m not one of them.

I keep everything until I am unable to get work done on the device.

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We’re on a very similar path: 4s to 6s to 13 mini. I replaced the batteries in the 4s and the 6s once each.

I am completely satisfied with my 13 mini. The battery still gets me through a work day, but I generally need to charge it on the way home. When it was new, the battery easily lasted through a full day of waking hours. When I can’t get through a working day, I’ll probably get a new battery and keep it until Apple stops issuing compatible iOS updates.

I have a second phone line that has had an eclectic variety of phones on it, including a flip phone as recently as two years ago. At the moment, I have an iPhone 8 on it.

Interestingly, I just received an offer from my service provider to replace the iPhone 8 with an iPhone 16e “for free” without any trade-ins or changes to my monthly plan. It’s one of those deals where the retail price is credited over three years, as long as I maintain the line/phone. The offer appears to be aimed at getting people using 4G phones to move to 5G models. The only net cost would be a $35 activation fee and the sales tax on the retail price of the phone. If I sell the iPhone 8, I’ll probably come close to breaking even or perhaps getting a tiny profit.

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I used to be on the S plan: 3GS, 4S, 5s, 6s… That’s every other year.

That changed when the OLED iPhone X greatly jacked up the prices. I thought they’d come down when Apple was able to scale production of the OLED displays but it never did.

So now I replace it every three years, and when I do, I get the previous year’s model: iPhone 8, 12 mini, 15.

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I got my first iPhone from the US via eBay since it was not sold in Norway.
Order Date: 2/14/2008
Item Title: UNLOCKED IPHONE 16GB BRAND NEW IN BOX 1.1.3 ANY GSM

Every 5 years since, I have bought a new one. This is not something I decided, but checking now, it seems to be my modus operandi. I like the feeling of getting a real improvement, which I get by waiting 5 years.

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Generally on a 5 year interval for wife and I…about that time the battery life starts to be a pain and there are enough new features to make it worth it…3GS, 4S, X, and 15 for us. I generally get the Pro Max as a photographed advocate of the larger screen…wife gets the small one so it fits in her pockets.

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I usually keep a phone for 4-6 years. I started with a 4S, then about 4 years later I upgraded to a 6S, and then about 6 years later I upgraded to the SE3. I think the 4S was feeling sluggish after a few OS upgrades, but I don’t think I noticed the 6S becoming slow, and the SE3 certainly doesn’t feel slow at all. With the price of iPhones trending up noticeably lately, I may try to hold onto my phone longer. I don’t really need my phone to do dramatically more or be faster, and I don’t take that many photos, so a better camera is nice but not significant.

For Macs, I usually upgrade about every 7 years, typically when Apple stops releasing security updates.

I’ve had two iPads over the years, and I tend to keep those a really long time—about 8 years or so—because they aren’t as critical and it’s hard to justify the expense of a new one for that reason.

In both cases, I want my primary devices to be getting security updates. When Apple stops releasing fixes, I tend to retire or repurpose hardware.

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Two years. Lately the even number models (14, 16) are the “tick” up dates with major changes, while the others have historically been the “tock” refinements.

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I upgrade every two years now. My employer subsidizes my iPhone purchase, as we develop iOS & Mac apps. I might upgrade every year, but I need to keep up with all Apple hardware, so I can’t do it all at once.
Currently on an iPhone 15 Pro Max, the minor wear & tear (screen scratches, battery) are the only reason I feel compelled to upgrade when the iPhone 17 models are released.

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Generally we upgrade on a 4 year cycle. Last upgrade was from a 10XR to a 14 Pro. My wife upgraded from a 10S Max to a 14 Pro Max. Primary reason for the upgrade was to get 5g and better cameras.

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I’m still using an 11 Pro Max. The battery gets me through an entire day without any trouble and battery health is listed as 84%. The new iPhone features don’t offer me that much. Better cameras are always nice, but the 11 is good enough for my casual use. AI features are not yet developed into anything I find useful.

The only feature of the newer phones that I would like is the USB C charging port, as that would simplify the cables I need when I travel. I’m not likely to upgrade the iPhone until software updates no longer support my phone, I have a hardware failure, or unless some great hardware feature appears, and I doubt the last will occur.

As for my Apple Watch, I traded in my series 3 for a series 6 at the beginning of the pandemic for the pulse ox features. I know they are not “medical grade” but they always matched the readings I got from the medical grade sensors to which I have access.

My series 6 was just replaced with a refurbished Ultra 2 I got at about half price. After almost 5 years of daily use the buttons on the 6 were starting to be slightly flakey. I do miss the pulse oximiter and was hoping the refurbished Ultra 2 would have been one of the models sold before the pulse ox ban took place, but alas. With a little luck they’ll reimplement that feature when the relevant patents expire in 2028. I do find I like the larger, brighter screen, and the increased bulk doesn’t bother me, though at 6’3" I’m a big guy. While the young man in me wishes I had use for the the “adventure features” the guy who replaced him really doesn’t. I’m hoping as this is supposed to be a more rugged model the buttons will last longer. The larger battery doesn’t impact my daily use, but I can see how I may appreciate it during some irregular travel schedules.

Battery health on the refurb was 99% when it arrived, so essentially perfect. Again, I’m unlikely to replace it until software updates are no longer forthcoming, a new feature I really want appears, or there is a hardware failure.

All I can say is that I hope Apple doesn’t move toward shortening software support for their devices to increase the hardware refresh schedule. Right now I can’t complain about how long software support is provided. They easily could shorten it though, and that does worry me a bit, but is well out of my control.

Kevin

edited for clarity

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My vanity may be showing, but I keep my current phone for as long as possible as I like to get different covers that I like, and they never fit the new phones. Why they have to keep changing the sizes (even by small amounts) is curious but I’m sure it drives an economy.

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Your 13 Mini supports two eSIMs, so you could activate both lines on it and dispense with the 8.

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Thanks! That’s a great point, but I have some use cases where it makes sense to have two physical phones.

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3 years, unless there’s some compelling reason to do it sooner. Wife and I are offset by a year, it’s her turn this fall.

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My previous iPhones (3G, 4, 6, SE, 12 mini) only saw an upgrade when new features convinced me.

So unless it gets destroyed or stolen, right now I’d need one or several of these to feel an urge to replace my current 15:
• smaller and lighter (like 13 mini), and thinner (where thickness = measured at the thickest part, not the thinnest)
• brighter screen that doesn’t get hot and dim when it’s needed most (use in bright sunshine)
• flat back & no camera bulge for zero wobble
• significant reduction of dynamic island (I like being able to see if I’m on wifi calling w/o bringing up Control Center)
• runs macOS when connected to TB peripherals (think Samsung DeX)
• somehow vastly better still image capture
• frame that doesn’t get dinged and screen that can’t shatter
• real color (where’s that courage now, Apple?), no more of this milky washed out stuff

All the other stuff rumored to come soon (“AI” malarkey, iPhone Air, Pixel style camera bar, foldable iPhone, even bigger iPhones) creates zero excitement here. Couldn’t care less about that kind of stuff.

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