How long do you use a smartphone before upgrading to a new model? According to a new report, consumers are waiting longer and longer to upgrade.
The average U.S. smartphone upgrade cycle has grown to 33 months, says a report from Strategy Analytics. Baby Boomers are waiting even longer, waiting an average of more than three years to upgrade to a new smartphone.
Looking at specific brands, Apple customers are now waiting an average of 18 months before they upgrade, while Samsung users wait an average of 16.5 months.
There are a couple of reasons for the average upgrade window growing. According to David Kerr, SVP at Strategy Analytics, consumers feel that new generations of smartphones are only adding marginal upgrades over the phone they've already got. The price of new flagship phones reaching $1,000 and above is also a factor, and it's expected that the prices for 5G phones will be a major barrier to upgrade for many consumers.
While smartphones are always getting better and gaining new features, these powerful devices are also able to handle many peoples' needs for longer periods of time, especially for users who just use their phones to browse social media, take photos, and call, text, and email. Considering both that and the rising price of flagship phones, it's no surprise to hear that more people are waiting longer before they upgrade to a new device.
How long do you usually wait between phone upgrades?