I test a lot of phones every year and here’s how often I think you should upgrade

When was the last time you got a new phone? For me, it was last week. Before that, it might be three weeks ago. Before that, you get the idea – I have some of the best Android phones from the last few years floating around my apartment. In some cases, I have several generations of the same list, such as Google Pixel devices back to the Pixel 6 series and iPhones to the iPhone 12, and I have used them all. It’s a lucky situation to be in, but it also shows how little can change from one year to the next. As someone whose SIM keeps moving, here’s how often I think you should get a new phone.

First of all, you don’t need a new phone every year. I certainly wouldn’t get it so often if I wasn’t in my position. If I’ve learned one thing from my regular run of new phones, it’s that while they claim to be changing, they tend to stay the same. Apple, Google, and Samsung can announce everything new during the keynote address of the hour, but when we get the latest device in hand, it feels like the previous generation. All in all, the iPhone 15 feels just like its predecessors, the iPhone 13 and 14, minus their camera gaps, the last few generations of Galaxy S flagships it all felt – and looked – the same.

That said, sometimes a big change will come along that makes you wonder if it’s time to upgrade. Sometimes it is. Apple added its Dynamic Island to the iPhone 14 Pro series, and Google introduced its Tensor chip and a redesigned camera bar to the Pixel 6 series, both of which felt like steps forward. away from formal structures. The Pixel 6 Pro was the last phone I bought with my own money, and I remember being so happy to see Google finally break away from the constant monochromatic hardware and buttons. cameras installed in the corner. It was ultimately the innovation that brought most of the Pixel’s functionality in-house and marked the beginning of long-term software support and a seamless Pixel experience.

Since then, things have slowed down – and not just for the Pixel. The Tensor chip has improved in its G2 and G3 generations, and Google has changed a few other aspects of its Pixel design, but none of them – at least from a hardware perspective – have improved making some people willing to spend $1,000 on the cheap. a new phone. Google’s chipset still warms up at times, its hardware is outdated for image processing, and it’s still hard to pick out some of the Pixel 6’s original colors.

To some extent, even foldable phones have been caught up in the cycle of small improvements. Both Samsung and Motorola adopted larger display covers for their phones in 2023, but before that, the Galaxy Z Flip and Razr were starting to feel like they were being refined and repetitive. They’ve had the same cameras and nearly identical hinges for a few years, and opting for an upgrade would cost you a cool $1,000 for a phone that might don’t last all its development time.

Speaking of upgrades, this is probably the main reason I would tell someone to buy a new phone right now. Not for the current state of Android or iOS itself – they haven’t changed much in a few years – but for the fact that you can finally expect more than three or four years of continuous improvement. After all, if you’re spending money on a Pro-level iPhone or anything with Ultra in the name, it’s good to know you’ve got seven years of support ahead of you instead of half that. .

However, even with my updated timeline, I find myself tending to promote past generations’ posts even more when I write comments. They tend to pack the same cameras and capture screens, and can often be had for a better price. Sure, you may have missed out on the annual updates, but they’ll be available when you set up your phone, and the savings outweigh your time.

However, there is one thing that can make you watch the update – AI. Now, the AI ​​app isn’t a must-have just yet, but given its strict hardware requirements, it’ll probably push you to a new phone sooner rather than later. Google has reserved its full Gemini Nano experience for the Pixel 8 series, Samsung’s Galaxy AI is only available on the traditional Galaxy S and foldable Galaxy Z lineups, and Apple Intelligence, when it arrives, is exclusive. on iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max only. 16 series.

But, like I said, an AI device isn’t as important as a reliable set of cameras or a crisp, smooth display — at least not yet. Instead, it sounds like Google has started tinkering with an in-house chipset – wrong but a step in the right direction. Where we couldn’t trust the original Tensor to stay cool under pressure, we can’t always trust the accuracy of the AI ​​components as they go down. The resulting graphics are still full of wonky artifacts, and the writing often feels robotic and artificial, but both have come a long way in their short history. They still have a way to go.

Don’t get me wrong, there are powerful aspects of AI that I’ve only just begun to embrace. Circle to Search is a notable improvement over Google Lens, and Magic Editor is a logical step up from Magic Eraser, but other features like Google’s Magic Compose feel a little lacking. I can count on hands zero times I’ve tried to translate a text message to sound like Shakespeare before sending it to a friend.

To put it another way, AI in smartphones currently feels like the first generations of foldable phones. Sure, it does some neat tricks and will catch the eye of your powerful friends, but it’s not for everyone. Of course, foldable phones still aren’t for everyone, due to their low durability and small batteries, and they’ve had generations to iron out the kinks – er, creases. Admittedly, I have AI-enabled devices on the Pixel 8 Pro and Galaxy S24 Ultra, but I don’t find myself using them any differently than my regular iPhone 15.

Now, for the $1,000 question – when should you upgrade your phone? Well, the simple answer would be when it stops working. If something happens to it that will cost more to fix than the phone is worth, like a broken display or a broken battery, it’s time to upgrade. If you’ve run out of Android (or iOS) updates and security patches, it’s time to upgrade. Otherwise, you might want to take a long, hard look at your latest phone before moving it to the big tech cloud above (or selling it to someone else). When you decide to upgrade, you’ll likely have a new slate of the best camera phones and the most powerful hardware to choose from.

With phones guaranteed for extra years of upgrades, easy to repair, and — let’s face it — hit the plateau, there’s little reason to miss out on the latest iPhone or Pixel. Who’s going to make fun of you for not having the latest and greatest phone when it’s almost the same as the first one from two or three years ago? I’d rather have money in my pocket and a phone that does everything I need it to than a street-legal flogging of a Samsung Galaxy Z Scroll Super Max Ultra (this is not a ‘ true, but it might make Unpacked more fun. ).

Yes, I know telling you not to buy a new phone is against what I do for a living. I know I should be pressuring you to upgrade your phone using one of our affiliate links so we can earn money and keep the lights on (which would be fun) . But I also know that phones and accessories like cases and earbuds are very expensive. Life is expensive, too. Unless you can write 1,500 words — about the length of this piece — about why a new phone would make your life better than your current phone, who is being supported, you may have to wait a while.