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How many more years can you get out of your phone?
Trying to squeeze every last drop of life out of your smartphone? I know many of you put up with crappy battery power and random glitches longer than you should to avoid costly upgrades.
But using your phone past its end of life is risky business. I did the work to figure out the lifespan of popular models, plus I’ll help you find out how old your phone is and if you’re still using a model you need to ditch. Why? Because I want to help you.
The lifespan lowdown
Today, the average lifespan of smartphones is around 2.5 years. It could be even less for newer devices, between 15 and 18 months. Woof, that’s not much when phones cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Bigger brands like Apple and Samsung tend to have longer lifespans than smaller companies. Here are the average lifespans for some of today’s most popular phones:
- iPhone – 4 to 8 years
- Samsung – 3 to 6 years
- Google Pixel – 3 to 5 years
- Huawei – 2 to 4 years
These are averages, meaning your mileage may vary.
Happy birthday!
Your phone’s lifespan clock starts from when it was made, not when you purchased it. That makes keeping track of all this a little tricky. If you’re unsure when your phone was made, you can find out with some sleuthing.
- Still have the phone’s original box? The manufacture date should be listed on the package or in any included documentation.
- If you tossed the box, the information should be listed within your phone’s settings under “About” or a similar option.
- You can also use your phone’s serial number to decipher when it was made. Many manufacturers hide the date or year within these numbers. The serial number is tucked in your phone’s settings.
- There are special dial codes and boot logging menus, too.
Are your eyes glazing over? I thought so.
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