iPhone expected lifetime

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#1814207 6-Jul-2017 23:25

Good question, I think 4 years or so, after which they will not run modern apps so well.

However,in future when phones reach a performance level such that it is unnecessary to upgrade to run new apps, i'd expect 7 years. PC's for example reached this 'level' around 2009'ish. There is simply no need for most people to upgrade PC's these days unless you are a hardcore gamer or run niche applications. My old 2008 IBM T400 is perfectly capable of running word and playing videos and multitasking. Chucked in an SSD and you don't notice much difference between that and my modern desktop for most productivity applications.

Coil

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#1814218 7-Jul-2017 07:07

michaelmurfy:

"But it wasn't my fault, The phone is an OOB."

That one lasted 2 years, One careful lady owner then myself...
I have usually seen about 2 years of good performance from iPhones and from then on forwards it declines.
Example: My iPhone 5S (Thanks sister as i mowed mine as above...) was givn to a family member from VF the day it came out. This devices is still going strong! Lags like hell, fingerprint button is shoddy, has screen burn around the edges like evil kinevils fire ring motorbike jump. But its like 5 years old now. Cant complain.

My father just replaced his S4 galaxy with the new Active 4 thing, (Whyyyyyyy) He bought that the month it came out in what, 2013?? Thrashed it around, been used on boats a lot around salt, dropped it many times. The devices screen had a hairline crack but none the less, she was still stable and running smooth. My S6+ lasted a year with me before it started to have battery issues and i sold it cheap to a mate (The local phone destroyer/misplacer) and it lasts 3 months..

Its all down to the user and how its used, also a LOT of luck. Your only carrying a sheet of glass around in your pocket 12 hours a day at least. So expect it to wear out..

Batman

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#1814227 7-Jul-2017 07:32

still got an iphone 4. it still works like new. looks like new. but since iOS 7 it became so slow it was unusable, plus the battery is flat. apple says they are made to last 500 charge cycles. (ipad batteries made to last 1000 charge cycles)

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#1814228 7-Jul-2017 07:37

have an iphone 7 plus .... dipped in swimming pool about 1 -2 feet (nowhere near 1m) ... started behaving weird. it's ok it's got applecare plus.

tdgeek

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#1814229 7-Jul-2017 07:38

I always use a folio case. Great protection, allows the phone to sit up, and its in mint condition. I can't get how many use expensive phones naked.

ZollyMonsta

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#1814231 7-Jul-2017 07:42

I'd say 4-5 years. Usually the temptation springs up to buy the 'latest and greatest' model before that duration is reached. 🤣

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#1814233 7-Jul-2017 08:02

2 years - I start to notice it's not what it use to be

3 years - Performance reductions now becoming obvious and frustrating by comparison and I start shopping for a new one

4-5 years - even if it''s still working it's pretty much obsolete

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Dairyxox

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#1814236 7-Jul-2017 08:38

$100 Phone - 1 year.

~$400 Phone - 2 Years

$800+ Phone - 4 Years

I've still got an iPhone 4 that I use (nearly 7 years old) for odd things around the house. The hardware has aged well, but the software is now slow although functional for many things. Battery is surprisingly good.

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#1814254 7-Jul-2017 09:15

it always works fine, until you update to the next iOS version (eg 5->6, 6-> 7) then it gets slower, until one particular iOS version that just kills it. i put it down to RAM, so it shouldn't be a problem with phones with lots of RAM.

RunningMan

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#1814264 7-Jul-2017 09:59

Not an iPhone, but I've got an iPad mini that must be nearly 5 years old. The home button is starting to get sticky and the battery life is less, but it's still working fine plodding along.

I don't expect it to run the latest iOS and apps (it doesn't) because technology advances so quickly, but I do expect it to keep running, and able to perform the functions it did when purchased (it does). I think these are realistic expectations.

I think it is important to differentiate between an item still working as it should, and an item still being fit for it's current intended purpose. For example, I would expect that a five year old phone would still be fully functional, although wear and tear items (switches, buttons, perhaps scratches etc) would be starting to fail or show. It is likely the battery would have failed and needed to be replaced. The very same 5 year old phone may not however be fit for it's current purpose - technology advances mean that the user's expectations are higher, and it may not be running the latest (secure) software. Just because it is no longer fit for it's current use because it's no longer secure or current doesn't mean that it is totally useless and is not working as designed.

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#1814267 7-Jul-2017 10:12

I got an ipad 2 that still works and still lasts 10 hrs! I think it's because it wasn't updated to newer OS ... also the fact that it's hardly used thanks to (yes went straight to ipad pro!) newer equipment.

either the iphone batteries are really lousy or i am not using the ipads as much so the batteries appear to last longer. the trouble is you can't buy original iphone batteries and i don't know which 3rd party iphone battery to buy. and the official line is you are told you can't replace the battery! dump it when battery is weak or something? ridiculous.

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#1814270 7-Jul-2017 10:26

Batman:

I got an ipad 2 that still works and still lasts 10 hrs! I think it's because it wasn't updated to newer OS ... also the fact that it's hardly used thanks to (yes went straight to ipad pro!) newer equipment.

either the iphone batteries are really lousy or i am not using the ipads as much so the batteries appear to last longer. the trouble is you can't buy original iphone batteries and i don't know which 3rd party iphone battery to buy. and the official line is you are told you can't replace the battery! dump it when battery is weak or something? ridiculous.

My iPad 2 is fine as well. Only issue is the severe lag when bringing the keyboard up on the screen. As that only got introduced with most recent iOS update I class that as corporate enforced obsolesence.

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#1814274 7-Jul-2017 10:33

The OP started a new thread re his iPhone hardware issue, so it seems this thread is solely about hardware standing up for how long

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#1814283 7-Jul-2017 10:59

Very long! But not usable after a while! Although I put it down to next-to-no RAM for the earlier models. Having one core processor also didn't help.

CYaBro

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#1814293 7-Jul-2017 11:21

Batman:

I got an ipad 2 that still works and still lasts 10 hrs! I think it's because it wasn't updated to newer OS ... also the fact that it's hardly used thanks to (yes went straight to ipad pro!) newer equipment.

either the iphone batteries are really lousy or i am not using the ipads as much so the batteries appear to last longer. the trouble is you can't buy original iphone batteries and i don't know which 3rd party iphone battery to buy. and the official line is you are told you can't replace the battery! dump it when battery is weak or something? ridiculous.

Apple offer an iPhone battery replacement service for $139 but you do need to send the iPhone to them.

Edit: They also offer iPad battery replacement service but you get a whole replacement unit rather than just a replaced battery.

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