How long do you usually wait in between new phone purchases?
In the past it has been the length of the phone contract - usually 24 months. However, the iPhone Xs I got last year is the first phone for a long time that I am totally happy with after 12 months, so I will use this as long as I can.
Plus, the final operator in Australia has stopped subsidising phone costs now, so the lure to upgrade is less now. So when my minimum contract runs out next October, I shall be changing to a lower cost plan.
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!Note I too am in Australia…
When on Android, until I knew It was not getting updates.That was usually 2 years.
Then I switched to a second hand iPhone 6s+ and stayed with it, getting the cheap battery upgrade last year. The OS is still updated, and will be for another year or two, so no need to update.
I use my phone for video a LOT, and the 6s+ could shoot 4K with OIS (optical image stabilisation) and worked beautifully.
I stayed with it because it was working perfectly, but upgraded for the 3 cameras in the iPhone 11 Pro… A very expensive upgrade in Australia, but I will stay with this phone till it dies, probably, if things stay the same, 4 years.
(added) I am keeping the 6s+ as a second camera for two shot situations such as interviews and time lapse videos…
Live and enjoy!
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I wait until the next iPhone comes out - then I upgrade, trade in my previous backup and my previous daily driver becomes my backup
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I wait until it’s not able to do something I really want to do. My current phone (Pixel 3a) I got a few months back because the 1st gen Pixel XL was no longer letting call recipients hear me. I’d done several factory resets, but the problem just kept getting worse. Before that, the Nexus 6 was constantly shifting focus when recording video. And I think I gave up the LG G3 so I could get Project Fi when it (Fi, not the phone) was brand new and I was sick to death of Verizon.
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I usually start getting a new phone once my current one (Android) has stopped receiving official updates (especially when the phone drops support for the latest OS) and/or beyond repair. I could “extend” the updates by flashing a custom ROM in it as long as I could find a one that is decent, stable, and reliable.
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As long as the performance is good, security is also important.
I replaced my Nexus 5x after about 18 months, because it was just too slow (around 5 seconds between touching the screen and it taking a photo, 10 seconds to get from an app back to the home screen etc.).
My htc Desire was 2 years, my Galaxy S4 company phone 4 years, my Nokia 1020 about 2.5 years, I still have my Nokia 950, which still runs well, but no more security updates, it is a spare. My Hauweis (private and business) are both still going strong, the Mate 10 Pro is 2 years old now.
My iPhone 3GS was over 2 years old, when I handed it down to my wife, who used it for another 2.5 years, until it was just too slow to be usable.
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Contracts tend to be 24 months here in the UK. So usually then. Had my current phone, Galaxy S9 for a year. ÂŁ30/month for unlimited minutes/texts and 30GB of data. Phone was included at no extra cost.
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I’ve normally been pretty bad with changing my phone multiple times a year because I like shiny new things (a bad habit 
).
However my last phone (Pixel 2) lasted me just under 2 years and I only replaced it cause there was a fantastic Pixel 4 deal on release here in Australia.
Performance wise, the Pixel 2 still has everything I need from it. I hope the next trend in smartphones is replaceable batteries but I see many excuses being made not to do it.
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Reading that gives me a cold sweat. 
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I also generally wait a few months after release of a new phone, before I buy. I think I saved around 300€ on the Mate 10 Pro, Samsung phones also tend do drop dramatically in price after a few months.
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I used to wait until there was some killer feature. I upgraded for touch ID, then for the size of the 6Plus, then for the OLED screen on the iPhoneX.
Now I am on a budget, so though I would love to upgrade to the 11Plus, I can’t. My whole tech budget for this year and next year is going for a 16 inch MacBook.
I love the iPhoneX, so I think I am going to try to hold onto it as long as possible, then be blown away when I upgrade.
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I used to be quite the phone addict. Back in the day I managed the Blackberry Enterprise Server for a company and I got every new Blackberry as it came out. That set me down a dark path lol. Once I moved to Android I was getting some new device every 6-9 months and playing with custom ROMs and all kinds of other things. It got so bad my wife stopped buying me electronics for Christmas/birthdays because she knew I would only have them a few months and move on. But then I moved to every year. I kept my Pixel2XL for about 18 months before getting my iPhone 11, a record I am proud of. I want to go every two years so we will see how long I keep the iPhone11. I think my chances are better now as new phones offer smaller and smaller advantages every year over the previous generations.
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Usually keep a phone to one of three things happen 1.Battery life is less than 8 hr before recharging 2. No more security updates 3 favourite app stop working.I have no desire to pay the high price or put myself in bondage to a contract.just have some new shinning toy to replace something working fine.
Bought a iPhone 7 about a yr after it came out and still using it 30 months later.
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It depends on your perspective.
To my kith and kin, I am a phone addict, because I look to replace my phone every 2 - 4 years.
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I don’t have a set schedule. First smart phone was a piece of junk, entry level Samsung. Man I hated that thing. Kept waiting and waiting for US Cellular to carry a Nokia Windows Phone. They never did. Then I think I went to the iPhone 5, then iPhone 7 Plus, now iPhone 11 Pro Max. I hope to keep this one for at least 3 years.
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Used to be once a year but in the last couple years it’s more like every couple, basically skip an iteration. I just switch to the iPhone 11 Pro but will be really interested to see the next Apple super cycle which will be 2020.
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Perspective indeed. 2-4 years seems like a snail’s pace to me. Thinking back, 4 years is the longest I have kept a car in the recent decade.
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I wait about 6 years…
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6 years is fine in terms of usage obviously, as long as it meets your needs and the phone doesn’t break. But do you (or anyone on this thread) worry about using a phone past its usable software update cycle? iPhone and Pixel get updates for 3 years I believe (will have to verify) and other Android OEM’s have their own cycles. Missing out on new OS features is one thing, but after that cycle ends you no longer get security updates no matter how severe the exploit may be.
Obviously I upgrade regularly just because I want a new device, but I would not use any internet connected device past its supported update life if I can help it.
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