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Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone?

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  Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-04-26 13:07 -0600
    Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-04-26 21:20 +0200
    Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? AJL <noemail@none.com> - 2026-04-26 19:56 +0000
      Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> - 2026-04-26 20:34 +0000
        Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-04-27 00:16 -0600
          Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> - 2026-04-27 12:30 +0000
      Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2026-04-26 21:41 +0100
        Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-04-27 00:23 -0600
          Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? AJL <noemail@none.com> - 2026-04-27 17:09 +0000
      Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? David Oseas <doseas{nospam}@usa.net> - 2026-04-26 14:33 -0700
        Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? AJL <noemail@none.com> - 2026-04-26 22:48 +0000
      Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-04-27 14:06 +0000
        Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? AJL <noemail@none.com> - 2026-04-27 16:09 +0000
          Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-04-27 17:30 +0000
            Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? AJL <noemail@none.com> - 2026-04-27 18:43 +0000
              Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-04-28 14:05 +0000
          Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-04-27 18:41 +0100
            Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? AJL <noemail@none.com> - 2026-04-27 18:46 +0000
          Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? knuttle <keith_nuttle@yahoo.com> - 2026-04-27 16:05 -0400
          Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-04-27 23:45 +0200
            Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? AJL <noemail@none.com> - 2026-04-28 01:10 +0000
              Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-04-28 14:07 +0000
    Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Jason H <jason_hindle@yahoo.com> - 2026-04-26 22:59 +0000
    Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Steve Hayes <hayesstw@telkomsa.net> - 2026-04-27 03:29 +0200
    Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Arno Welzel <usenet@arnowelzel.de> - 2026-04-27 10:32 +0200
    Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-04-27 16:04 +0100
      Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-04-27 15:49 +0000
        Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-04-27 17:04 +0100
          Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-04-27 15:09 -0600
          Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-04-28 09:51 +0000
            Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-04-28 14:57 -0600
              Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-04-28 23:01 +0100
      Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? AJL <noemail@none.com> - 2026-04-27 16:53 +0000
        Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-04-27 18:14 +0100
          Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? AJL <noemail@none.com> - 2026-04-27 18:36 +0000
      Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> - 2026-04-27 18:01 +0000
        Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-04-28 15:02 -0600
    Re: Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone? Brian Gregory <void-invalid-dead-dontuse@email.invalid> - 2026-04-27 23:00 +0100

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#153685 — Survey: How many years do you typically own your Android phone?

I keep my Android devices until they fail (usually via the battery or, in
the case of my current el-cheapo daily drive, the USB port is failing due
to me sleeping on it while charging), but I wonder about your experiences.

Q: How long did you keep your penultimate phone before replacing it?
A: ?

Q: How long have you kept your current phone, to date?
A: ?

Q: When do you reasonably plan on replacing it, and why?
A: ?
-- 
Each Usenet post should strive to add useful value that wasn't there prior.

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#153687

On 2026-04-26 21:07, Maria Sophia wrote:
> I keep my Android devices until they fail (usually via the battery or, in
> the case of my current el-cheapo daily drive, the USB port is failing due
> to me sleeping on it while charging), but I wonder about your experiences.
> 
> Q: How long did you keep your penultimate phone before replacing it?
> A: ?
> 
> Q: How long have you kept your current phone, to date?
> A: ?
> 
> Q: When do you reasonably plan on replacing it, and why?
> A: ?


Till they fail in some manner, or till I need some new/extra feature. So 
it varies.

For instance, I know that I will travel to Canada at some point in the 
future. I just realized that I need an eSIM for that, and my current 
phone does not support it, so... Maybe two years more.

-- 
Cheers, Carlos.
ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;

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#153689

On 4/26/26 12:07 PM, Maria Sophia wrote:

>I keep my Android devices until they fail (usually via the battery or, in
>the case of my current el-cheapo daily drive, the USB port is failing due
>to me sleeping on it while charging), but I wonder about your experiences.

I keep my Android/Windows toys until I get bored with them and then give
 them away, usually to a grand or great-grandkid. I just gave away my last 2
 Windows toys so am once again Windows free. Yay. They were a mini-laptop
 and a tablet and just ran too hot (physically) for me, especially the
 tablet which was actually uncomfortable to hold. And the fans warmed up the
 area. Heck my Chromebook doesn't even have an air hole...

>Q: How long did you keep your penultimate phone before replacing it?

I actually had to look that word up. So I'll use a long word in reply that
 you have to look up: ireallydontrememberhowlongikeptit...


>Q: How long have you kept your current phone, to date?

6 years

>Q: When do you reasonably plan on replacing it,

When the battery quits.

>and why?

Because for my simple needs it works great...

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#153692

AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote:
> On 4/26/26 12:07 PM, Maria Sophia wrote:
> 
>> I keep my Android devices until they fail (usually via the battery or, in
>> the case of my current el-cheapo daily drive, the USB port is failing due
>> to me sleeping on it while charging), but I wonder about your experiences.
> 
> I keep my Android/Windows toys until I get bored with them and then give
> them away, usually to a grand or great-grandkid. I just gave away my last 2
> Windows toys so am once again Windows free. Yay. They were a mini-laptop
> and a tablet and just ran too hot (physically) for me, especially the
> tablet which was actually uncomfortable to hold. And the fans warmed up the
> area. Heck my Chromebook doesn't even have an air hole...
> 
>> Q: How long did you keep your penultimate phone before replacing it?
> 
> I actually had to look that word up. So I'll use a long word in reply that
> you have to look up: ireallydontrememberhowlongikeptit...
> 

>> Q: How long have you kept your current phone, to date?
> 
> 6 years
> 
>> Q: When do you reasonably plan on replacing it,
> 
> When the battery quits.
> 
>> and why?
> 
> Because for my simple needs it works great...

I mean, if the Donald actually wanted data rather than anecdotes, he'd look
this simple question up. 

In the UK, a 2022 survey of over 2,000 adults found 62% wait up to 4 years:
https://yougov.com/articles/46423-uk-a-fifth-of-consumers-want-to-use-their-smartphones-for-over-half-a-decade

Interestingly, those buying more expensive phones (>£1000) replace them
more often (76% within 4 years). 

And in the US, a smaller survey of 1,000 adults from last year found the
average length as 29 months:
https://www.reviews.org/mobile/how-long-americans-keep-phones/

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#153699

Chris wrote:
>> Because for my simple needs it works great...
> 
> I mean, if the Donald actually wanted data rather than anecdotes, he'd look
> this simple question up. 
> 
> In the UK, a 2022 survey of over 2,000 adults found 62% wait up to 4 years:
> https://yougov.com/articles/46423-uk-a-fifth-of-consumers-want-to-use-their-smartphones-for-over-half-a-decade
> 
> Interestingly, those buying more expensive phones (>£1000) replace them
> more often (76% within 4 years). 
> 
> And in the US, a smaller survey of 1,000 adults from last year found the
> average length as 29 months:
> https://www.reviews.org/mobile/how-long-americans-keep-phones/

Hi Chris,

I am reading ALL the responses, but I will not respond unless I need to
correct something, since the survey is about what the Android posters do.

I'll ignore your incessant insults, particularly given I don't get
political on any Usenet newsgroup because I'm a fan of neither party.

As for "looking the question up", I have to wonder why you asked that?

For you to claim that a world-wide survey exactly captures not only how
long but why, for example, AJL ditched his last phone, is absurd, Chris.

Where in the world would I find the answer from the likes of Andy, you,
David Oseas, AJL, Jason, Steve, et al? 

I'm not asking about the average person, Chris.
I'm asking about those who KNOW Android well enough to post here.

We who post to this Android newsgroup are NOT the average Android owner.
We know what we're doing far better than the next million people do.

It's a survey of experts.

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#153703

Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> wrote:
> 
> It's a survey of experts.
> 

It's not a survey and I doubt anyone on here - apart from you maybe - would
call themselves an android expert. 

At best this is a collection of anecdotes from tech-savvy enthusiasts. 

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#153693

AJL wrote:

> Maria Sophia wrote:
>  
>> How long did you keep your penultimate phone before replacing it?
> 
> I actually had to look that word up. 
Good job he didn't ask about the preantepenultimate one then :-P

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#153700

Andy Burns wrote:
> AJL wrote:
> 
>> Maria Sophia wrote:
>>  
>>> How long did you keep your penultimate phone before replacing it?
>> 
>> I actually had to look that word up. 
> Good job he didn't ask about the preantepenultimate one then :-P

Hi Andy,

I'm reading all the responses but only responding where I'm needed.
 
As for the colloquial meaning of the word, I thought everyone knew it.
 <https://www.englishgrammar.org/ultimate-penultimate-antepenultimate/>

I apologize if I caused anyone to have to look it up as I thought it was a
joke that someone said they had to look it up, but back to the topic... 

This is a survey of experts.
We who post here know more about Android than the next million people do.

Since you're on a roughly equal footing with me on Android, sometimes
higher, sometimes lower, but about equal to me in knowledge overall,
I'm super interested in the answer YOU would give to the survey.

Q: How long did you keep your previous phone before replacing it?
A: ?

Q: How long have you kept your current phone, to date?
A: ?

Q: When do you reasonably plan on replacing it, and why?
A: ?

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#153710

Maria Sophia wrote:
> AJL wrote:

>How long did you keep your penultimate phone before replacing it?

>> I actually had to look that word up. 
 
>As for the colloquial meaning of the word, I thought everyone knew it.
> <https://www.englishgrammar.org/ultimate-penultimate-antepenultimate/>

>I apologize if I caused anyone to have to look it up as I thought it was a
>joke that someone said they had to look it up, but back to the topic... 

No need to apologize. Though I admit, I did have to look it up, my reply was
 definitely meant in jest. So keep it up with the word enlargements...  ;)

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#153694

> 
>> Q: How long have you kept your current phone, to date?
> 
> 6 years

I also tend to replace phones every 6 years.  My current phone is 2 
years old.


> 
>> Q: When do you reasonably plan on replacing it,
> 
> When the battery quits.
> 

Batteries typically last 3 years for me before they require replacing. 
I tend to replace the battery once while I own the phone.  Battery 
replacement cost is significantly less than the cost of a new phone.


 > and why?

By the end of the six year timeframe, enough new features have been 
added or the version of Android that I was on has become outdated & I 
want to replace the unit to remain productive.

-David

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#153696

David Oseas wrote:
>AJL wrote:
>>Maria Sophia wrote:

>>> Q: How long have you kept your current phone, to date?

>> 6 years

>I also tend to replace phones every 6 years.  My current phone is 2 
>years old.

Mine will be 7 years old in August. 

>>> Q: When do you reasonably plan on replacing it,

>> When the battery quits.


>Batteries typically last 3 years for me before they require replacing. 
>I tend to replace the battery once while I own the phone.  Battery 
>replacement cost is significantly less than the cost of a new phone.

I'm not sure why my battery still works. According to most folks here I've
 badly mistreated it over the years. For the first years I was an overnight
 charger to 100% EVERY night no matter the starting level. In recent years
 when it gets down to around 80% I charge it back to 100%. These days that's
 a (wireless) charge about every 2 or 3 days. 

>> and why?

>By the end of the six year timeframe, enough new features have been 
>added or the version of Android that I was on has become outdated & I 
>want to replace the unit to remain productive.

I mostly use my mobile phone like the home phone it replaced. The up button
 answers calls and the on/off button hangs up. No need to even look at the
 screen as the caller is announced. But occasionally I'm trapped out waiting
 for the wife to finish shopping so its old Android 12 still does the trick
 for reading news and posting here...

>-David

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#153704

AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote:
> On 4/26/26 12:07 PM, Maria Sophia wrote:
[...]

> >Q: How long did you keep your penultimate phone before replacing it?
> 
> I actually had to look that word up.

  Perhaps you should become a motor racing fan: "the penultimate lap" is
often when the most interesting part of the session starts, especially
in NASCAR and INDYCAR.

[...]

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#153708

Frank Slootweg wrote:
>AJL wrote:
>>Maria Sophia wrote:

>>>Q: How long did you keep your penultimate phone before replacing it?

>>I actually had to look that word up.

>Perhaps you should become a motor racing fan:

Nah. I don't like racing motor fans. I got rid of my last Windows tablet
 just because it had one. It never stopped cause the thing ran so hot...

>"the penultimate lap" is
>often when the most interesting part of the session starts, especially
>in NASCAR and INDYCAR.

Actually English isn't my first language. Pig Latin is. Osay Ihay avehay
 anhay xcuseay orfay otnay owingknay atthay ordway. Wow, my spell checker
 really went nuts with that sentence. Give Google a try for translation if
 needed...

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#153712

AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote:
> Frank Slootweg wrote:
> >AJL wrote:
> >>Maria Sophia wrote:
> 
> >>>Q: How long did you keep your penultimate phone before replacing it?
> 
> >>I actually had to look that word up.
> 
> >Perhaps you should become a motor racing fan:
> 
> Nah. I don't like racing motor fans. I got rid of my last Windows tablet
>  just because it had one. It never stopped cause the thing ran so hot...

  Good one! At first I thought to use 'enthusiast', but considered it
too posh, so I used 'fan'.
> 
> >"the penultimate lap" is
> >often when the most interesting part of the session starts, especially
> >in NASCAR and INDYCAR.
> 
> Actually English isn't my first language. Pig Latin is. Osay Ihay avehay
>  anhay xcuseay orfay otnay owingknay atthay ordway. Wow, my spell checker
>  really went nuts with that sentence. Give Google a try for translation if
>  needed...

  I think there are some errors in your Pig Latin, but I got the
message. But perhaps inconsistency is one of the properties of Pig
Latin?

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#153716

On 4/27/26 10:30 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote:
>AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote:

>> Actually English isn't my first language. Pig Latin is. Osay Ihay avehay
>>  anhay xcuseay orfay otnay owingknay atthay ordway. Wow, my spell checker
>>  really went nuts with that sentence. Give Google a try for translation if
>>  needed...

>  I think there are some errors in your Pig Latin, but I got the
>message. 

Perhaps that's because it's not a written language?

>But perhaps inconsistency is one of the properties of Pig
>Latin?

Pig Latin is best used to make grandkids smile. Well, not all. My 41 year
 old granddaughter looks at me like I'm nuts when I talk to her using it...

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#153732

AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote:
> On 4/27/26 10:30 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote:
> >AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote:
> 
> >> Actually English isn't my first language. Pig Latin is. Osay Ihay avehay
> >>  anhay xcuseay orfay otnay owingknay atthay ordway. Wow, my spell checker
> >>  really went nuts with that sentence. Give Google a try for translation if
> >>  needed...
> 
> >  I think there are some errors in your Pig Latin, but I got the
> >message. 
> 
> Perhaps that's because it's not a written language?

  No, I mean encoding errors/inconsistencies. For example "avehay" is
ambiguous as written, but granted it's OK-ish when spoken. "atthay" is
probably only OK-ish in some weird dialect. But I think "owingknay" is
wrong, whtever way you look at it.

> >But perhaps inconsistency is one of the properties of Pig
> >Latin?
> 
> Pig Latin is best used to make grandkids smile. Well, not all. My 41 year
>  old granddaughter looks at me like I'm nuts when I talk to her using it...

  There are people who can fluently talk backwards, i.e. all letters of
the words in reverse order.

  In my younger years, me, my friend and his family could speak by
swapping parts of the syllables of longer words around. Quite fun when
nobody could understand us.

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#153713

AJL <noemail@none.com> writes:

> Frank Slootweg wrote:
>>AJL wrote:
>>>Maria Sophia wrote:
>
>>>>Q: How long did you keep your penultimate phone before replacing it?
>
>>>I actually had to look that word up.
>
>>Perhaps you should become a motor racing fan:
>
> Nah. I don't like racing motor fans. I got rid of my last Windows tablet
> just because it had one. It never stopped cause the thing ran so hot...
>
>>"the penultimate lap" is
>>often when the most interesting part of the session starts, especially
>>in NASCAR and INDYCAR.
>
> Actually English isn't my first language. Pig Latin is. Osay Ihay avehay
> anhay xcuseay orfay otnay owingknay atthay ordway. Wow, my spell checker
> really went nuts with that sentence. Give Google a try for translation if
> needed...

Koay osay avinghay iscoveredday hatway Igpay Atinlay siay, Iay skedaay
Iaay otay riteway aay rogrampay otay ranslatetay nglisheay ntoiay Igpay
Atinlay. Ndaay heytay aysay hetay rtaay foay onversationcay siay eadday!

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#153717

On 4/27/26 10:41 AM, Richmond wrote:
>AJL <noemail@none.com> writes:

>> Actually English isn't my first language. Pig Latin is. Osay Ihay avehay
>> anhay xcuseay orfay otnay owingknay atthay ordway. Wow, my spell checker
>> really went nuts with that sentence. Give Google a try for translation if
>> needed...

>Koay osay avinghay iscoveredday hatway Igpay Atinlay siay, Iay skedaay
>Iaay otay riteway aay rogrampay otay ranslatetay nglisheay ntoiay Igpay
>Atinlay. Ndaay heytay aysay hetay rtaay foay onversationcay siay eadday!

What have I started...8-O

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#153718

On 04/27/2026 12:09 PM, AJL wrote:
> Frank Slootweg wrote:
>> AJL wrote:
>>> Maria Sophia wrote:
> 
>>>> Q: How long did you keep your penultimate phone before replacing it?
> 
>>> I actually had to look that word up.
> 
>> Perhaps you should become a motor racing fan:
> 
> Nah. I don't like racing motor fans. I got rid of my last Windows tablet
> just because it had one. It never stopped cause the thing ran so hot...
> 
>> "the penultimate lap" is
>> often when the most interesting part of the session starts, especially
>> in NASCAR and INDYCAR.
> 
> Actually English isn't my first language. Pig Latin is. Osay Ihay avehay
> anhay xcuseay orfay otnay owingknay atthay ordway. Wow, my spell checker
> really went nuts with that sentence. Give Google a try for translation if
> needed...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
You need to replace your mobile phone?  I thought it was like my old 
land line phones that lived for ever.   So my for our modern technology

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#153720

On 2026-04-27 18:09, AJL wrote:
> Frank Slootweg wrote:
>> AJL wrote:
>>> Maria Sophia wrote:
> 
>>>> Q: How long did you keep your penultimate phone before replacing it?
> 
>>> I actually had to look that word up.
> 
>> Perhaps you should become a motor racing fan:
> 
> Nah. I don't like racing motor fans. I got rid of my last Windows tablet
> just because it had one. It never stopped cause the thing ran so hot...
> 
>> "the penultimate lap" is
>> often when the most interesting part of the session starts, especially
>> in NASCAR and INDYCAR.
> 
> Actually English isn't my first language. Pig Latin is. Osay Ihay avehay
> anhay xcuseay orfay otnay owingknay atthay ordway. Wow, my spell checker
> really went nuts with that sentence. Give Google a try for translation if
> needed...

DeepL thinks it is Spanish, and translates as "Osay Ihay, please excuse 
me for not being able to attend the meeting." Google thinks it is 
Bengali, and translates as "This is not a good thing, it is a bad"



-- 
Cheers, Carlos.
ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;

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