My iPhone 16 is less than a year, but I usually keep them 3-5 years.
Actually, I usually save one or two old ones to repurpose. For example, I have one of our older iPhone XR’s mounted on the entertainment center in our camper. That one is connected to the campers AV system via an HDMI so I can use it for music and video streaming.
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I loved my Star Tac. I think that was my 2nd cell phone. I don’t remember what the first one was, but it was a bar type.
I had a Palm Treo for work from around that time and loved that one.
In the early days of cell phones, my nephew worked at an independent cell store. He always gave me cool stuff he no longer wanted. I had a flickering battery for my Nokia 5110. Here is a video of what the 5110 looked like.
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“…released in 1996, was the world’s first flip phone and became highly popular due to its compact size and lightweight design.” -wiki
I’d forgotten it was the first flip. 
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It’s the one I always think of as the first to use that form factor, anyway. I think my uncle had one. My parents had the RAZRs when those were popular.
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@WildBill 's was flippish.
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I suspected The Pager would get dinged. 
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Other than work-issued company phones, when obtaining a phone for personal use, I almost always buy a used unlocked phone, either from fleaBay, or more recently from FB Marketplace. I have also managed to buy a few used out-of-contract phones from work. for very little money. I have given a few of these to my parents and other family members for their use.
Usually when I am issued a company phone, I leave my personal phone inactive (no carrier). While we are usually allowed to use our company phones for personal use, for some things I still prefer to use my own personal phone. As our company allows personal use, I usually leave my personal phone deactivated (no carrier), and just use it on Wi-Fi at home.
A few weeks ago I decided to leave my job and start an early retirement in my mid-50’s. In preparation I decided to “upgrade” from my iPhone SE to an iPhone 12 or newer. I found one on FB marketplace; it’s a bit of a hot mess. The rear glass is badly cracked (the camera is OK), the front screen has a very slight crack that is only visible at certain angles, and the battery says “Service”. But the price was agreeable at an $135. The battery capacity isn’t a huge deal; I am usually at home so I have access to a charger, and I have 15W MagSafe chargers in each of my cars. I bought a cheap MagSafe case for about $8; it almost completely covers the back so the cracks are largely unseen. I looked it up just now and it was originally purchased in December 2020.
On a whim I just purchased a used iPhone 13 on FB Marketplace last weekend for $150 USD.
It is in very good physical condition, with no scratches or cracks. Like the 12, the battery capacity is below 80% (says “Service”), But the other issue with this phone is that the Lightning port doesn’t work (or is a bit glitchy), which the seller clearly declared in their listing. That’s probably why it was so cheap relative to other used iPhone 13’s. (She had dropped the price from $300 to $150 in her listing before I saw it. She was even nice enough to bring it to my house rather than me going to hers.) But as I have MagSafe chargers, this is no issue. I swapped over the eSIM from the 12 to the 13, very easy and quick process. So now I’m rolling with this as my main phone. I even had a leftover case and screen protector for it from when I had a 14 (they fit exactly the same). I looked it up just now and it was originally purchased in June 2022.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get a case and screen protector for your phone, any time you get a new or new-to-you phone! You don’t need a $50 Otterbox military-grade case; a $10 case from Amazon offers more than enough protection against most drop hazards. A screen protector will act as a sacrificial layer to protect your phone’s front screen against cracks and scratches. These together are the cheapest and best insurance you can have for your phone.
BTW I almost always activate my personal phone with a monthly prepaid plan through an MVNO, never a contract with Big Mobile.
Regards,
-Raj
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I ain’t embarrassed in the least!
I have 2 daily use phones, one is a 5 years and one is 8 years…I am only mildly considering replacing the 8 year one.. Mildly. The 5 year one.. meh.. hadn’t thought about it. and really the only reason on the one is that it can be flaky at times to drop off from the cell network, unless I disable 802.11.. shrug.. weird..
We’ll see what maybe comes around for Black Friday or maybe even “Back to School” deals… no rush.. and I only spend $100-150 MAX PERIOD for phone. And thats been the rule since the 80’s!
YES My original StarTac in the car, installed $99! My original 8000UH Brick, $99… and everything since except one the A10 at $150..
I will not be standing in line, nor will I be paying $1000+, nor will my device be anything from a fruity company. This is the DROID you are looking for!
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5 years or older makes sense.
“Google expands OS upgrades to five years for Pixel 6, Pixel 7 and Pixel Fold”
I just updated my Pixel 6 Pro to Android 16. I will also get Android 17 next year (which should get me through 2027).
Right around when Android 18 is released (estimated in 2027), I will probably get a Pixel 12 Pro in 2027 if my math is correct.
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Thanks for dropping that. I have a Pixel 6 (still on Android 15 but I see an update is available) I’ve been using as a secondary Wi-Fi-only test phone, because I prefer to carry my Pixel 4a (still running the v2.50x app) since it’s a more convenient size. Eventually I’ll probably have to move to something else because of Pixel 4a’s known battery issue, so this seems like a good incentive to move to the Pixel 6 and stick with that for a while. 
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Welp.. nope. That has zero to do with my upgrade cycle.
It ain’t broke, I am not wasting $$$ on it.
My phone(s) work, do what I need, there is no reason to upgrade.
5G? Meh.. what ever… There just is nothing to do this stuff.
Again, it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
No argument there.
For me, my charging port on my Pixel 6 Pro is starting to get flakey. I bought a wireless charger so that should get me to 2027 when I will be ready for a new Pixel.
So for me, “it is kind of broke, and I will fix it in 2027”.
Oof. Wireless charging? That might be another good reason for me to go ahead and move to the Pixel 6. Thanks. 
My Pixel 6 Pro also has a Battery Share feature.
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I guess I just learned something else, then, because I also see this on Pixel 6. Thanks!
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Same with my Samsung phone.
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