There was some theory going around that major phone manufacturers had to introduce brand new phone models every so often because survey says the average lifetime of a phone in the hands of consumers is about 8 months.
I’m not sure if there is truth in this but based on my observations with friends and relatives, that number is not very far off. People tend to switch phones very often so manufacturers have to hurry up introducing new ones before each cycle ends.
I’d like to take that theory into a test a do a little poll here — how often do you switch/buy/replace your primary phone?
- Less than 6 months
- Around 9 months
- About a 12 months
- 18 months or a year and a half
- I have a dinosaur of a phone — more than 2 years
My personal experience is a little off since I have 4 phones — E51, E71, 5800, iPhone 3G — which does not include the ones given to me. Normally, I would have just 2 or 3 to service both public, business and private numbers. All 4 phones were bought in a span of less than 6 months but the motivation there was more for review on this blog so they don’t count.
Please share your thoughts on the comments below and send me your vote/feedback on the poll.
I find that if you choose the right phone 1 year and a half is ok especially with Nokia models since the phone platform is predictable enough, although admittedly the wow! yuga! factor wanes quickly. I also delay purchasing the newest models to decrease the price for the older models. So all in all, I end up disposing(not selling) my phone which is a 2 year model. Sulit!
Im not changing my phone, since im perfectly happy with my SE W902 :)
Hmm… since I first bought a phone back in year 2000, naka 17-18 phone na ko.. so average will be
108 months / 17
every 6 months..
I change phones randomly. There’s no fixed time.
My 3210 lasted one year, my 3330 last two, smartphone (from smart addict) only for 10 months, P800 for almost three years (2years, 9 months to be exact), 6680 for a year (lost it). My last phone was a samsung whose unit i do not remember which lasted 3 months. It broke two weeks ago. I’m currently surveying the market for a sulit phone.
So there. Randomly. But looks quite often to me. :-)
My N70 is now 3.5 years in my possession. I’m planning to get an E71 since I want something with faster responses, but my N71 is undamaged until now even though I abuse it.
Gotta hand it to Nokia for making sturdy phones.
I want my phone to last at least 3 years
im not a phone addict, in fact cellphone ko binigay pa. di ako bumibili. hehehe… ang importante ay text and call lang, yun na.
Palm 600, 650, 680 roughly 3 years. So that would be one per year i guess. The new Palm Pre looks impressive.
Sony is so far my most durable phone. I’ve had the Sony T610, W550i, K800i and I’m a Sony fan ever since! :)
I have a trusty SE k800i. Never fails to deliver the Sony quality in terms of pictures and sound. I have a Nokia 2630 as a secondary phone. I like the touchscreen sony and I’m more than willing to pay the same amount I would if I were to buy an iPhone.
SE k800i – one and a half year
nokia 2630 – less than a year, bundled with a phone plan.
there were times when i switched phones almost every month because i was really looking for something that i’d be comfortable using and that would fit my lifestyle. but whenever i found the phone i was looking for, i could use it for as long as i can. some of the phones that stayed with me for many years are nokia 3100, SE K750, N73.
i tried the iPhone 3G last year and i find it great, but it’s just to big for my hands so i am not so comfortable with it. now i’m using the cool SE W902 for 4 months now and i intend to use it for a long time.
i used to change very often before but after using my first nokia communicator(9210i), i cannot text using ordinary keyboards, i can only text using qwerty and since communicators change models only after a year and a half or so, then it took me time to change my phone. to suppress my craving for a new phone i just kept on buying my wife new phones so i could try it,just recently bought her a cookie. i currently have a nokia e70 bought last nov 23,2006…phones usually change looks and add some features,nothing really dramatic. ive tried touchscreen phones(iphone,xda ,etc)but still old school qwerty is the best for me..i think the younger set change phones every 6-8 months