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iPhone life expectancy

I am considering purchasing my first iPhone but am concerned about the realistic life expectancy, having heard about ‘built in obsolescence’ and such like.

I am reluctantly having to replace my current Windows phone, over 5 years old and working as well as it did the first day I had it, and cost a fraction of what am now looking at spending!


So I’d like to know, please, how long should I realistically expect an iPhone to last? (I’m thinking either XR or 8+)

I’m not a heavy user (I’m old enough that my phone doesn’t run my life and I don’t have to be surgically separated from it as if it were a third lung) I would anticipate using it for a few emails a day, a few photos every now and again, messaging/whatsapp and making a few phone calls a week. I turn my phone off at night and while I am at work.


Thanks in advance for any help.

iPhone XR

Posted on Sep 17, 2019 11:32 PM

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Posted on Sep 18, 2019 9:13 AM

Thanks again, ProustGuilio

My daughter got an XR 8-9 months ago and is very happy with it. If I bought an XR I would need/want it to last me at least 4-5 years to be ‘worth’ the cost. The 8+ would only ‘need’ to last me 3-4 years to get the same value from it, but is obviously a year older model to start with so, presumably, the software would lose support a year earlier...



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Sep 18, 2019 9:13 AM in response to ProustGiulio

Thanks again, ProustGuilio

My daughter got an XR 8-9 months ago and is very happy with it. If I bought an XR I would need/want it to last me at least 4-5 years to be ‘worth’ the cost. The 8+ would only ‘need’ to last me 3-4 years to get the same value from it, but is obviously a year older model to start with so, presumably, the software would lose support a year earlier...



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Sep 18, 2019 9:02 AM in response to Higaomo

You're most welcome, Higaomo.

I'm using an XR model now (after a 7, 6, 5, 4, 3g), and I'm totally satisfied. It perfectly meets my needs (just simple/basic needs, as indicated in your original posts), and I hope it can support new Apple operating systems for at least 3-4 years more.

Have a great day :-)

Giulio

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Sep 18, 2019 1:18 AM in response to Higaomo

Higaomo ~ Apple says:

"For the purposes of our assessment, years of use, which are based on first owners, are modeled to be four years for macOS and tvOS devices and three years for iOS and watchOS devices. Most Apple products last longer and are often passed along, resold, or returned to Apple by the first owner for others to use." [Source: Apple]

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Sep 18, 2019 1:05 AM in response to Higaomo

You're not addressing Apple here. This is a user to user tech support forum, and we're just user like yourself, not aware of Apple's future plans.

So, we can't give any proper answer. Each reply you eventually get here (or googling in internet) has to be considered only "speculation" or "rumor".

Regards

Giulio

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Sep 18, 2019 2:15 AM in response to Higaomo

my mum still use my org iphone4 as her only phone


my mum don't use apps which require a newer version of ios than the iphone4 support


but it works as a phone, it works as a camera and the build in apps works as they did when I had it


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Sep 18, 2019 4:20 AM in response to Higaomo

There are posters regularly here who are using iPhone 4 (released in 2010), iPhone 5 (released in 2012) and so on. An iPhone can last as long as it meets your needs and wants. The original iPhone is pretty truly obsolete now but only because AT&T has shut down the 2G network it used (the original iPhone was a 2G network only device).


On the other hand, you have posters here as well with brand new XR’s looking to upgrade to the iPhone 11. People’s avaerage use time before upgrading, more often than not, has nothing to do with their current device not functioning fine as a smart cellular telephone. They just want the newer features of the latest device.

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Sep 18, 2019 8:57 AM in response to Rudegar

Thank you, Rudegar, that is helpful to know.


My daughter’s iPhones only seem to last 2-3 years before she ‘needs’ to replace it (last time it was because the charging port stopped working(?) apparently) however I suspect that she maybe doesn’t look after her phone particularly well...

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Sep 18, 2019 9:04 AM in response to Michael Black

Thank you, Michael Black

I guess I am referring mainly to the actual physical aspects of the phone, the various buttons/ports etc and battery. Whether the ‘build quality’ is sufficiently robust to last for maybe 4-5 years.


But also, I had to replace my 5 year old iPad mini last year because I was no longer able to upgrade iOS and, increasingly, was getting error messages that I wasn’t able to access/complete various things online because “the operating system needs to be updated”, which I was unable to do - frustrating


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Sep 18, 2019 9:45 AM in response to Higaomo

In my own experience (6 iPhones, currently using an XS with the iPhone 7 it replaced still used but without cellular service) I would say that if one takes care with their device, an iPhone can easily remain fully functional for at least 5 or more years. Battery may need replacing during its used lifetime, but that’s because they inherently wear out.


I do use a case with my iPhones. My preference is Sena folio cases so the screen is covered when not in use. My 3 year old iPhone 7 looks almost like it just came out of the box for the first time and everything works as it originally did. And my iPhone is my only telephone so is always with me (so it is not like mine don’t get used all the time, inside, outside and everywhere).


The only iPhone hardware issue I've ever had since 2008 with my first is the power button on my iPhone 5 does not work reliable. This was a known issue with the 5 and there was an extended service program for it, but by the time mine developed the problem I decided to upgrade anyway. And other than the power button, that iPhone 5’s hardware still works just fine today.

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Sep 18, 2019 9:44 AM in response to Higaomo

Well I’m a grown person and may be better at taking care of consumer electronics and know to only disconnect cables by putting the plastic connector itself, and likely dont play random games which may require newer versions of ios and faster cpus, but then now I have a 6s which works fine and I intend to keep for a good while more

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Sep 18, 2019 10:18 AM in response to Higaomo

Well - I personally had an iPhone 4s last me 5 years. The thing that finally made it unusable was that I never replaced the battery and I don't believe Apple had an actually battery service (more like a device replacement similar to the way iPads are done). I made it work by using a portable power pack. But for a current model the ability to replace the battery isn't going to be an issue.


My iPhone 7 is rock sold, although I finally chipped the corner of the glass. Looks pretty minor and after nearly 3 years I haven't had a single issue with the device.


The only caveat is that there are always going to be a distribution of failures that happen throughout the product lifecycle. Some happen during the warranty period while others may happen soon or well after. All electronics will eventually fail, but it's only a matter of when. At least with an iPhone I would think the thing that will inevitably fail even if the electronics still work would be the Lightning port.

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Sep 18, 2019 10:27 AM in response to Higaomo

No such thing as "planned obsolescence". That's just a fairy tale people like to tell when there phone starts experiencing any issue.



In reality, iPhones have a good track record of lasting many years.


I have an iPhone 7 currently, about to be replaced with an iPhone 11. 3 years old and it still works perfectly fine, and will still be getting iOS updates for the foreseeable future.


An iPhone 6 Plus, that also works perfectly fine.


And a 2012 iPhone 5 that still works, with iOS 9, though it does need a battery replacement. It could still make calls, and receive messages if I connected it to a cell service.


If taken care off, iPhones can last quite a while. Just because they stop getting software updates at around 5 years, does not mean they stop working.

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Sep 18, 2019 11:21 AM in response to Phil0124

Thanks, Phil0124


I know that just because they stop getting software updates at around 5 years, does not mean they stop working in terms of making calls, the camera etc, but had to replace my iPad as the inability to update iOS increasingly prevented me from doing various things online (I suspect it may have been due to updates in the various websites security requirements)



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iPhone life expectancy

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