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How long do Android phone last?

Just curious, how long do Android phone last? I have an iPhone 4s for 6 years now and it still works perfectly. I have an Android smartphone as well but it usually last for atleast 1 to 2 years then I would have to change it into a new one.

Is it a good quality Android phone or a cheapo crappy one? iPhone 4S is a known device. Android phones come in thousands of different variants.

How long is your piece of string, and what's its quality like?

How long does your car last? Is it a Rolls-Royce or is it a Yugo?
 
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I started with the HTC Eris. Went through the HTC Incredible series. The Eris probably still works. All the others died.
Went to the LG G2. Screen partially died days after the warranty expired. My Verizon can be triggered to ask for root when you are talking to them. Phone was rooted. Bought a new screen.
That died so I got another off Craigslist. My contract was up when it failed so I got an LG G4 for free. Best Buy. That phone died in my hand a couple months ago. In the middle of a sentence.
Typing on the replacement now. It has a charging problem.
Verizon sent me a Samsung $167 phone so I finally have a backup. I'll run this one until it quits, then switch to the backup.
My experience with Android. The phones die suddenly. Back everything up. You will be restoring to a new phone every year.
Apple is way easier and more dependable but doesn't do what I need.
 
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My Nexus 5 still works, and does everything I want. A replacement battery means it'll go on for several more years.
But it depends on your attitude. Some people want the latest and greatest new shiny thing. That's ok, and if your definition of 'lasting' is staying fashionable, then yes, expect 1 to 2 years. But from a functional point of view, a good quality phone will work for many years. Even O/S updates (or lack of from the OEM) isn't an issue, as there are third party custom ROMs you can flash, to keep your phone's firmware nice and current.
 
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My first Android phone lasted 3 years. Actually it still works fine, but it was far enough behind the curve (especially in storage) that I decided to upgrade anyway.

My current phone is 4 years old, and beginning to show its age, largely in terms of reduced battery life. That said, both of my iPhone-owning brothers replace theirs after 2 years because they say the battery degrades badly after 18 months, and my daughter's iPhone 4s was being charged several times a day by the end of the 3 years she used it, while I only became watchful of the battery after 3.5 years, so I'd say it's done well by comparison. I also know a number of people using similar age Android handsets, and still see others using the same model as me most weeks.

As said above, it really depends what Android you buy: they are not all the same.
 
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My OG Moto Droid that I bought on it's release date way back when still works. Sure, it's stuck on 2.2.3 and ridiculously slow but it works. I use it as a radio for my parakeets and it's still going strong.

My son just recently upgraded his '13 Moto X, the screen cracked but other than that it was going strong. One of my sister's sons has a fully functional '13 Moto X and her other one had one but switched to an iPhone because peer pressure but that phone still works.

So yeah, they last a while.
 
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I see Motorola mentioned as dependable. I'm not impressed with hTC or LG. They don't make it two years.
My 4 year old phone is a HTC. My 2010 HTC Desire also still works, and my wife's old Desire C (real budget model) lasted more than 4 years.

So I guess my experience is different from yours.

(My old Motorola V3 flip phone still works too, and that is about 12 years old now, but as that's not Android it doesn't count for this thread).
 
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