Asking because… On one hand I do see smartphones being released left-and-right, and they are rather integral to modern life
On the other hand I’m still chugging alone with my Pixel 6a that I bought 3 years ago with a replaced battery and a somewhat clogged charging port… and all my previous phones I only replaced when they have serious deficits that make them difficult to use
Wondering when you all replace phones. Please definitely mention it too if you ended up repurposing the old phone for something else
Lately every two years. I also have a Pixel. When a new Pixel comes out Google offers a good trade in deal where you get a $100 of store credit on top of what AFAICT is a good trade in value. Get on the Google Store mailing list to be alerted of it. The resale value on Android phones seems to drop off really sharply after 2 years. So when I calculate the long term annual cost of owning a phone I think it comes out pretty good.
I’m not shooting for the absolute cheapest. Phones are so integral to our lives, I don’t think it’s rational to cheap out on any part of the phone that matters. IMO what doesn’t matter is the difference between the Pixel a-series and a flagship phone. Battery life definitely matters so having a pretty new battery is worth some of the premium of upgrading so often.
Warning, the store credit applies to your next purchase. But I’m pretty loyal to Google and Pixels.