Debate: How many years of software updates should flagship phones get?

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Mariyan Slavov
Mariyan Slavov
Phonearena team
Original poster
• 1y ago
↵Alvee1 said:

Microsoft has always offered 10 years of updates for Windows. No reason why Android and Apple can't do the same for phones. Our smartphones have replaced our computers for most things anyway. I'm sure it's so they can sell more phones.

10 years would be great, but we have to sort out batteries as well.

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Mariyan Slavov
Mariyan Slavov
Phonearena team
Original poster
• 1y ago
↵gagiagia said:

android peaked , any update now is just some gimmick that will make 0 difference in user experience , should get at least security patches

True. And also stemming from the fact that smartphone design and general interface have been virtually the same in the past 10 years.

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G1andonly
G1andonly
Arena Apprentice
• 1y ago

We are the ones making these companies rich and spoiled. Let's all pull back and upgrade our phones every 4-5 years and companies will update longer with more care and maybe release new phones every 2 years and cut completely on waste, and for those who will lose their jobs, they now know what it means to save money instead of buying multiple properties that other families could have bought and save money and enjoy your single family home while building a food storage and shelter.

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Mariyan Slavov
Mariyan Slavov
Phonearena team
Original poster
• 1y ago
↵propov said:

For me, more than 3 years does not make sense. Modern phones get old too fast. After 3 years they either fail or their battery is very weak. They also become too slow and buggy. Which of you is using a 3-year-old or older phone? 10% or less. if the phone is still alive, it is given to the children or grandparents. They don't install updates. They are absolutely against it because the changes confuse them. It is better to work more on optimizing the new current models.

True, but I think manufacturers have slowly conditioned us to be like that. If we realize that there's no need to buy the iPhone 15 or the Galaxy S24 just for the tiny redesign and some camera gimmicks, things could sway in the opposite direction... Batteries are a huge problem, though, and companies know this; they seal smartphones not because of water protection or design ;) Remember the LG G3? Super slim, 3,000 mAh battery, removable back; technically not waterproof but will survive a drop in the sink.

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Shkselectah
Shkselectah
Arena Apprentice
• 1y ago

3 years of updates like Google is enough

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Chuck007
Chuck007
Arena Master
• 1y ago

3 years of updates sounds about right for every phone.


I normally change phones every 2 years and the extra 1 year of updates will help its resale value.

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RuthlessK
RuthlessK
Arena Apprentice
• 1y ago
↵MariyanSlavov said:

10 years would be great, but we have to sort out batteries as well.

I love the good old days of removable battery. No fuss, nothing. Easily available. Even stores are selling my old nokia 1100 battery still.

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Mariyan Slavov
Mariyan Slavov
Phonearena team
Original poster
• 1y ago
↵G1andonly said:

We are the ones making these companies rich and spoiled. Let's all pull back and upgrade our phones every 4-5 years and companies will update longer with more care and maybe release new phones every 2 years and cut completely on waste, and for those who will lose their jobs, they now know what it means to save money instead of buying multiple properties that other families could have bought and save money and enjoy your single family home while building a food storage and shelter.

I couldn't agree more! Companies have conditioned us to buy new phones every year. We should find other meaningful things in life (coming from a tech journalist, this sounds funny) ;)

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StanleyKubrick
StanleyKubrick
Arena Apprentice
• 1y ago

For "me" 3 years is enough. I rarely (read never) keep a phone more than a year! What can I say? So for me the issue is RESALE value. I always sell my phones because trade in values are never as good and this way the next owner who might want to keep the phone longer will still have around two years of updates left. YMMV

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ovp_andy
ovp_andy
Arena Apprentice
• 1y ago
↵MariyanSlavov said:

I couldn't agree more! Companies have conditioned us to buy new phones every year. We should find other meaningful things in life (coming from a tech journalist, this sounds funny) ;)

no-one is MAKING you buy a new phone. If you want to spend your money on something more "meaningful" then do it

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