I have a tendency to go through phones pretty quickly. It doesn't even matter if I really like the phone I have at the moment. There's a chance that something new is going to come along and I'm going to want to get my hands on it. It's one of the reasons why I'm not a fan of the technology and mobile industry moving so quickly. But, at the same time, it's one reason why I love it.

I love new stuff. Especially if it's shiny. (Own up to it!)

With that being said, I'm honestly in awe with people who can manage to keep phones for an "extended period of time." I mean, six months is the longest I've gone. And I'm not necessarily talking about the folks who've kept their phone for seven months, either. I mean the people who really stick it out. The ones that actually sign a two-year contract and keep that phone for the duration.

Back when I was selling phones, times were different. There were software updates for our phones, but no one cared about them nearly as much as they do now. Now, it can make or break a purchase, or it can mean that someone gets rid of their phone and goes with something else simply because they don't get the new software in a reasonable amount of time. This is one reason why I'm shocked that people hold out for one, or two years to get a new phone.

Because the times have changed. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's just a reality.

I recently met someone who has had their phone for one year and three months, and who does not plan on picking up a new phone anytime soon. I was so shocked by this, that I couldn't help but ask the seemingly most obvious question: what's the longest you've owned a phone? They responded with, "Three years" and my jaw dropped open.

Three years. That's pretty incredible. In three years, there are so many different new phones released, new software announced and published, that it would be seemingly impossible for me to stick with a phone that long.

The phone that this person owns is a simple flip-phone, so I may try to convince them that switching to something more . . . Touchscreen-y is way overdue, but based on their phone habits I'm thinking that I may not get very far in that conversation. Here's to hoping, right? They are missing so much!

So tell me, Dear Reader. How long have you kept a phone? One year? Two years? Three!? If you've had a phone for an extended period of time, please let me know why you decided to keep it (any particular reason, other than the contract?), and if it's something you'll stick to for the foreseeable future.