I've never had my phone hardware last for 5 years, much less 10.

peterburkimsher · on May 27, 2017

I'm still using an iPhone 4S 64GB from 2011, which my dad bought for me as a graduation present.

Partly because I'm too poor to upgrade, and partly because it still meets most of my needs.

The biggest problem I face is software rot in iOS 6. That would be the same regardless of OS. I can't use WhatsApp any more, or Kakaotalk. Facebook used to forward my messages to email, but now they demand that I use a Messenger app. Instead, I just check Facebook's website using the browser.

There haven't been any really significant apps that I needed that have been released in the last 5 years. I've made a list in case I ever update my OS. I don't need BBM or Pokémon Go. The messenger apps are the worst for forcing software updates, but I hope that people will eventually move back to email and SMS, which just work.

aidenn0 · on May 27, 2017

I got my first smartphone in June 2009. Here's the list of what's happened (in no particular order):

* 2 phones had their 2.4GHz radio die (no bluetooth, no wifi)

* 2 phones were damaged by water

* 1 phone had screen cracked

* 1 phone was lost

I'm now on my 7th phone in 8 years.

Ironically it was my first phone that lasted the longest (about 2.5 years before the 2.4GHz radio died). Since then I've gone through about 1 phone per year. Phones have gotten much more fragile as they've gotten thinner, though water-resistance is now more common so that could solve at least some of my problems.

I do get what you're saying though because my wife's smart phone lineup is:

Palm Centro

iPhone 4S

iPhone SE

Each upgraded because software that had previously worked stopped working.

madez · on May 27, 2017

Your experience is such a compelling argument for libre software and hardware, that I'd stop using Facebook and Google right away, if I still were using them.