Smartphone manufacturers Samsung and Google now give their phones seven years of OS support. Would you ever use your smartphone for that long?
Apple is often seen as a trendsetter in this area: iPhones now receive five to seven years of OS upgrades and support as standard. Unlike Google and Samsung, it does not make any specific statements about this. At Apple, the exact period also partly depends on how long the phone has been on store shelves. The fact that Android phones will follow Apple’s policy means that the operating system is also preparing for a future in which people use their phones longer.
We have been seeing this gradually happening in recent years. Where Counterpoint Research in 2017 While it was noted that consumers replaced their smartphones after an average of 21 months, this has now increased to more than 36 months. On average, a smartphone will only be replaced after four years in 2024. Dutch research by market researcher Gfk points out similar results. 41.1 percent of all Dutch consumers now own a smartphone that is three years or older. For 2022, Gfk still recorded a percentage of 36.9 percent.
Differences between smartphone models
Gfk and Telecompaper say they see no distinction between different phone models. So it is not necessarily certain that iPhones will last longer than Android phones. The fact that a smartphone receives updates for longer does not necessarily equate to a longer period of use. Parts such as the battery often need to be replaced before then.
Hardly better phones
When purchasing a new phone, consumers are more likely to look at what is new compared to their old smartphone, the researchers report. In recent years, brands such as Apple, Google and Samsung have significantly reduced their development pace. New smartphones often look the same. Apart from slightly faster chipsets and better cameras, there is no reason to upgrade.
When manufacturers do have something to say, it is often accompanied by significantly higher prices. We saw this last year with Google’s Pixel 8 series with integrated AI. Samsung’s flagship, the Ultra model to be specific, has also risen in price again. Apple also does not shy away from asking for more with each new iPhone generation. Ever-rising prices make it less attractive for consumers to upgrade.
OnePlus: updating for longer is unnecessary
OnePlus believes that offering seven years of OS support is ‘unnecessary’ and that it “defeats its purpose”. This refers to the hardware that is no longer exactly fresh after seven years. The idea is that a smartphone that is lying unused in the drawer or has already been recycled does not need to receive updates.
As far as we are concerned, that is just a bit too simplistic. Although phones currently usually last three to four years, that period could easily increase in the future. Partly driven by EU legislation that makes it easier to repair smartphones yourself. If you have the device repaired, you will soon have to have it repaired in the EU one year ‘repair guarantee’ are offered. Moreover, how often does it happen that parents pass their smartphones on to their children?
How long do you use your smartphone?
Four years is slowly becoming the gold standard for the lifespan of smartphones. Let us know in the TechPoll below how long you use your smartphone.
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