Have not bought a new phone for 2.5 years

[pete6032]

And I'm not really seeing any reason to upgrade any time soon. It seems to me like smartphones for non-gamers really tapped out when we hit 1080p screens and quad core processors. I have been using my HTC ONE M7 since 2013. The current crop of phones out there don't seem to add much functionality that really justifies an upgrade anymore. Yes, fingerprint scanners or wireless charging would be nice, but I don't think it's worth $400 or more.

Anyone else feel this way? Have we reached the point of smartphone commodification?

 

[Megatomic]

Despite the rather nice PCs in my possession, I use my smartphone as my primary computing device especially when I'm not at work. As such, I enjoy the continued advancement of mobile devices. That said, the rate of advancement has slowed down and the need to upgrade is not as pressing. I am however currently at a point in time where there are new enough features out there that I am eager to upgrade again, but it's not a bigger screen or faster processor that I am after. The HTC One A9 offers enough new features that my OPO seems behind the times. Plus I actually want a smaller device. I know right, how retro of me...

 

[Artdeco]

I think we're about 2 years out from smartphones being commoditized.

The features are there, the price/performance needs to dip a little, and it's all over for premium smartphone pricing.

 

[cronos]

I'm in the same position as you, OP. M7 since early-mid 2013. The dilemma I'm facing is I think the next few months will be the last chance I get in selling this M7, which I have babied and looks pristine, to get somewhat decent value from it. If I missed this period, then it will be a '3 year old phone' and its value will drop down to almost nothing.

On the other hand, besides the damn purple camera, the M7 still works extremely well for me and I really have zero complaint, especially with the latest GPE ROM I put on it. And like you said, there are options out there but they either have the trendy additional features that I'd like to have but priced way up there, or decently priced but not really that much different I'd rather just keep using the M7.

 

[KeithP]

And I'm not really seeing any reason to upgrade any time soon. It seems to me like smartphones for non-gamers really tapped out when we hit 1080p screens and quad core processors. I have been using my HTC ONE M7 since 2013. The current crop of phones out there don't seem to add much functionality that really justifies an upgrade anymore. Yes, fingerprint scanners or wireless charging would be nice, but I don't think it's worth $400 or more.

Anyone else feel this way? Have we reached the point of smartphone commodification?

Depending on how much someone uses their phone and what they do on it, better screens, better cameras, faster processors and a more secure OS that is being updated may not matter to them. If you are one of these folks, more power to you. Put the money into more important things.

-KeithP

 

[Capt Caveman]

I don't upgrade my pc anymore so $400-500 to go from a Nexus 5 to 5x for a better camera, faster processor and better battery life for something I use constantly every day is worth it to me.

 

[ThisIsChrisKim]

Camera and screen is probably the biggest advantages of the newest phones. Other stuff is still similar.

 

[Chocu1a]

Still using a Note 3. There is really nothing a newer phone does this one can't do.

 

[stockwiz]

Bought a Nexus 6. Glad to have upgraded from an S4 active. I'll use the nexus 6 until something breaks or dies on it. Loving it.

 

[boomerang]

I'm still using an S3. The phone fits my needs just fine, my only concern is longevity. I don't really care if the phone starts crapping out, but I'm not too keen on having it flat out die. If I have to scramble for a replacement, I'd like to be able to do it at a more leisurely pace.

I visit this forum everyday trying to keep a little bit current on the in's and out's of what's what so that when the day comes I don't need an accelerated education.

 

[teejee]

Well, for me smartphones doesn't last more than 2 years or so before they are broken

 

[poofyhairguy]

Have we reached the point of smartphone commodification?

No way. This year we finally got cameras in Android that aren't crap. Hopefully next year they will ditch thinness some and we get better battery life. There are still places for improvement.

Honestly what keeps me coming back to the well are updates. Your M7 still works great because there is an official GPe 5.1 ROM for it. But even the GPe edition will not get 6.0, you are cut off from updates on that device. People love to shout "community!" but in actually the best ROM hackers are people enthusiastic about tech who move to new phones quickly. You won't find many people who can compile a bugless CM from scratch to make your ROMs on a three or four year old device (unless its a Nexus). Maybe the M7 is different because it was unique in its time, but in reality most phones don't have a stable upgrade path after two years.

On its new phone HTC committed to getting out updates within 15 days of Nexuses. I am glad they are focused on updates, but I am sure they still see two years as a cutoff point. I would love to see one Android phone maker realize that now that contracts are gone the arbitrary two year window is dead. It would be great for one to commit to updating their devices for three years or more. That would really end my personal upgrade cycle.

Some people will argue that you can live without updates, but Android as an OS isn't as mature as the hardware market is. Anything 6.0+ has iOS-like standby times, anything 5.0+ has full camera controls, etc. There are still a lot of major updates to experience that comes with new Android OSes so being stuck on a two years old version is a nonstarter for me personally.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I just hit year 2 on my iphone 5s. It is showing some signs of wear though. I noticed it was taking hazy pictures a while back and saw that for some reason there's moisture trapped behind the camera glass. That can't be good. Still, it will be nice to replace my phone not because I needed the latest and greatest, but because I literally wore the thing out.

 

[realibrad]

I just hit year 2 on my iphone 5s. It is showing some signs of wear though. I noticed it was taking hazy pictures a while back and saw that for some reason there's moisture trapped behind the camera glass. That can't be good. Still, it will be nice to replace my phone not because I needed the latest and greatest, but because I literally wore the thing out.

That is where I am with my Galaxy S1. I have had it for about 5 years now and its amazing that it held up for this long. The plastic cover for the usb port broke off, and the paint over the front speaker wore off. I never had a screen protector or case on it, and it still looks good. Hell, I still have the original battery in it. But, I compare it to my GF's S4 and I realize how far it is even behind her phone. I just ordered a 6P.

If your phone does everything you want it to, and you dont see a new feature you want, then wait. If I can get buy for 5 years then its at least possible.

 

[Mopetar]

I think that we're moving towards a point where phones serve as notebook replacements and we'll have phones powerful enough that we'll eventually dock them with bigger displays and large physical keyboards.

In that sense I think that smartphones has a ways to go in terms of evolution and reason for upgrade, but if you just need a phone that can run apps, we're around the point where it's good enough. The flagship mobile devices of today are about as powerful as a high-end PC from 10 years ago.

Compare the upcoming iPad Pro with the Power Mac (Mac Pro equivalent) from 2005 and it's probably got more computational power. I don't know if we'll be able to follow that kind of trend as easily going forward, but if so, In 10 years we'll have mobile devices that easily have the kind of computational power to serve as a desktop replacement for the vast majority of users if they can dock the device to a bigger screen when they need more real-estate.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I think that we're moving towards a point where phones serve as notebook replacements and we'll have phones powerful enough that we'll eventually dock them with bigger displays and large physical keyboards.

Microsoft is already there:

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/microsoft-display-dock

 

[realibrad]

I think that we're moving towards a point where phones serve as notebook replacements and we'll have phones powerful enough that we'll eventually dock them with bigger displays and large physical keyboards.

In that sense I think that smartphones has a ways to go in terms of evolution and reason for upgrade, but if you just need a phone that can run apps, we're around the point where it's good enough. The flagship mobile devices of today are about as powerful as a high-end PC from 10 years ago.

Compare the upcoming iPad Pro with the Power Mac (Mac Pro equivalent) from 2005 and it's probably got more computational power. I don't know if we'll be able to follow that kind of trend as easily going forward, but if so, In 10 years we'll have mobile devices that easily have the kind of computational power to serve as a desktop replacement for the vast majority of users if they can dock the device to a bigger screen when they need more real-estate.

That is one path. Another thing that could happen is dummy terminals. I know at work, dummy terminals with virtual PCs are where we are going. Its super easy to scale and works great in a corporate world, but personal I'm not sure. Most people are used to computing happening locally, but more and more we are doing the computing non locally. It will take a much more robust network, but that is another option.

 

[biostud]

Same here, although the Lumia 950 looks nice. But as long as my old phone works there's no reason to buy a new.

 

[RGUN]

I just upgraded my Nexus 4 that I've been using since launch day in 2012. No real reason to update except for the fact that it is no longer receiving OS updates and a failing battery.

 

[Red Storm]

Microsoft is already there:

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/microsoft-display-dock

Half way there. That's not "real" Windows. When you think Windows you think of all the applications that have been developed for it over the years. Without those it's really not Windows, at least in my opinion. It's like Android without the Play Store or Google Services.

When we get x86 Windows in a handheld device (with a stylus to use traditional applications), and that can dock and transform to a bigger screen, then I'd say we are there.

 

[Ravynmagi]

I think there is a rapidly growing portion of us that really don't need real Windows on an x86 platform. There are people that have been able to replace their Windows laptops with an iPad and keyboard or Chromebook, because everything they do can be done with cloud apps and a browser or modern apps.

PC isn't going away anytime soon of course. But for a lot of people, I can see them being perfectly served by a phone that expands to a full desktop to run the apps they are already using on their phone in a more comfortable experience.

 

[pete6032]

I think there is a rapidly growing portion of us that really don't need real Windows on an x86 platform. There are people that have been able to replace their Windows laptops with an iPad and keyboard or Chromebook, because everything they do can be done with cloud apps and a browser or modern apps.

PC isn't going away anytime soon of course. But for a lot of people, I can see them being perfectly served by a phone that expands to a full desktop to run the apps they are already using on their phone in a more comfortable experience.

I look forward to that day. I see more and more of my colleagues on Windows tablets with the attachable keyboard. I was at a conference today and wanted to take out my laptop but it would have crowded my neighbor and been really unwieldy. Guy next to me pulls out his Microsoft Surface and folds it to be propped up and attaches the keyboard to it. All of this without making a big fuss or distracting anyone.

 

[desura]

Right now I'd say that I'm valuing battery life and call quality--phone stuff, over fast processors and such. Phones are so cheap now that it makes sense to have multiple devices. One for communication and one for everything else, music games, etc. battery life still sucks because manufacturers are using advances to bring stupid shit like hd resolutions to devices with 5-6 inch screens.

The best thing that could happen to smartphones Imo that would get my attention would be week-long battery life.

 

[pauldun170]

As a galaxy S4 owner (bought when released on verizon) , I'm posting for no other reason than to participate.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

I'm hoping that my recently-purchased used Galaxy S5 will be good for the next 5+ years. Seriously.

Retina-level screen. Good enough horsepower for everything that I would need a *phone* to do. WATERPROOF. I can always add more storage. And I can just replace the battery when the old one gets worn. If it had 4GB of RAM instead of 2GB it would be even more of a tank.

My old S4 was really setting a longevity record until water got the best of it and messed up the GPS.

My Nexus (Samsung) before that just got too slow.