Maybe Hold onto Your Next iPhone for a Little Longer

Surprise.

It’s another year. Another year means another iPhone is coming out.

This time, we’re up to iPhone 16. Yes, 16. 

But when was the last time you upgraded your phone? Many phone users are looking to maximize their iPhone’s lifespan today.  In fact, Sellcell found that people are holding onto their phones for 3.6 years today (almost a year longer than they did in 2009!).

So, what’s driving this change? Keep reading to uncover the wide range of benefits you can enjoy when you hold on to your phone for longer.

Phone Tech Seems to Be Slowing Down

Back in the days of iPhone 3G and 4, upgrading from one generation to the next was seen as a big deal.

The iPhone 4, which introduced retina display, A4 CPU, better battery life, front-facing camera, and FaceTime video calling, was described by then CEO Steve Jobs in terms fit for a moon landing:

“In 2010, we are going to take the biggest leap since the original iPhone,” Jobs said at the time, subsequently winning serious mainstream favour. “We are introducing the iPhone 4. This is really hot. There are well over 100 new features.”

Fast forward from a lifetime ago. In JOURNEY’s own investigation of a small sample of consumer sentiments amongst iPhone 15 customers, we identified that a significant number perceive the iPhone 15 to be only an incremental upgrade on predecessor technology. Others remarked that the design changes were small. And it was observed that the specs didn’t really needle-jump on the iPhone’s predecessor.

As one customer stated: "The iPhone 15 isn't a huge upgrade, but from having this phone for a month now, I can distinguish some things from iPhone 14."

Definitely a far-cry from moon-landing talk. 

Extending Your iPhone's Lifespan  

According to the Upgrade Cycle Survey, 47% of phone users are keeping their phones for three to five years, before upgrading. Eight percent are holding onto theirs for over five years, and 55% expect to keep their current phone for three to five years.

Here are some of the benefits of doing so:

Your Upgrade Probably Isn’t Urgent

Right off the bat, when you upgrade your phone less frequently, you save significant money. The iPhone 16, for example, starts at $799 USD. The Pro Max version goes all the way up to $1,599 USD.

 If you upgrade your phone multiple times in a five-year period, you’re looking at incurring an additional expense of several thousand dollars.

The Eco-Friendly Benefits of Keeping Your Phone for Longer

Unnecessarily buying the latest phone for the sake of it is going to contribute to more electronic waste.

E-waste comprises 70% of our overall toxic waste, and only 12.5% of E-waste is recycled.

A record 62 million metric tons of e-waste was produced in 2022, up 82% from 2010. It’s also projected e-waste will increase another 32% to 82 million tons by 2030.

The good news is that you can substantially reduce your phone’s carbon footprint by holding onto your phone for several more years.

Do You Urgently Need to Upgrade?

The more upgrade cycles you allow between phone upgrades, the greater the wow factor you’re likely to see when you do upgrade.

Research and consumer reviews suggest that upgrading every 3 to 4 iPhone cycles provides the most noticeable difference in performance, features, and design. For example, in this timeframe, users are more likely to experience significant improvements in areas such as processing power, camera quality, and battery life.

Key areas of advancement tend to be:

• Performance: Major leaps in CPU and multitasking capabilities with new chipsets.
• Camera: Significant improvements in low-light performance and megapixels.
• Battery: Higher capacity and better power efficiency, with gains in fast charging technology.
• Display: Upgrades like ProMotion (120Hz refresh rates) and OLED advancements.
• Connectivity: Broader adoption of new network standards (like 5G).