Experts share the maximum time you should keep your phone for before upgrading it

Experts have weighed in on how long you should hold onto your old phone before upgrading, and it might not be as long as you think.

Some people love to rush out and buy the latest iPhone or Android as soon as it drops. 

Whereas others prefer to get their money’s worth and hold onto their old phone as long as they can. 

But how long is too long, and when should you take the plunge and upgrade your tech?

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If you’ve had your phone a while, it’s battery may have taken a dive

If you’ve had your device for a while, you’ve probably noticed that it can no longer perform quite like it used to. 

Some experts warn that even if your old phone looks in good condition, its hardware might start to struggle, meaning it’s probably time for an upgrade. 

How often that is depends on several factors, like how much you use it and which model you have. 

You can typically expect things to slow down as your phone ages, while the battery will likely take a hit, too. 

An average battery will start to lose its original capacity after around 500 to 1000 recharge cycles, which equates to just two or three years. 

After this point, you might find that your phone’s battery has around 20 percent less than when it was new and requires more frequent charging. 

And while there are plenty of tips and tricks to extend your battery life – such as never charging up to 100 percent, and shutting off energy-zapping permissions – there will come a time when you need to get a new phone. 

You can fork out for a new battery to replace your older one, but chances are, if your battery is past its best, the rest of the hardware is too, meaning it might be wise to cut your losses.

The hardware isn’t the only thing to consider

Another vitally important thing to consider is whether you can still get security updates and patches for your phone. 

Experts warn that if your device is too old to receive important security fixes and updates, then it’s probably time for a new one.

Apple, for example, will stop typically stop providing system updates for iPhones that are more than seven-years old and deemed obsolete. 

And it’s a similar story for Android, with phones running on much older operating systems no longer getting regular security updates. 

As well as these older operating systems not being as safe and secure as updated ones, you might also find that some apps won’t work on the older software, which means it might be time to treat yourself to an upgrade – and you don’t have to spend a fortune to get yourself a decent device.

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