In this world, smartphones have become an indispensable part of our daily routine. From the moment we wake up to scrolling through social feeds late at night, our smartphones rarely leave our side. However, as technology advances at a breakneck pace, the question that lingers for most users is how often you should upgrade your smartphone. In this comprehensive guide, we will be exploring the average lifespan of smartphones in India, key factors that influence replacement durations, and practical tips to get the most value out of your device.
The Evolving Landscape of Smartphone Upgrades
If we delve a bit into the past, we can see that the prices of smartphones have slowly been going upwards post the Covid 19 pandemic due to rising component prices and higher transportation costs, along with various other reasons. Despite these challenges, brands are competing neck-to-neck to offer the best value, especially in the heated segment of under Rs 30,000, also known as the mid-range segment of smartphones. With brands constantly releasing new models where software is the major differentiating factor than hardware, making the right smartphone upgrade decision has become more nuanced than ever before.
Why Smartphone Replacement Cycles Are Getting Longer
According to a recent 2024 Communications Today study, the average Indian smartphone user now keeps their device for about 36 months. There’s more behind this trend than just the rising cost of upgrading:
• Flexible EMI Options: More consumers are purchasing with 24-or 36-month EMIs, discouraging frequent changes.
• Extended Software Support: Many brands now guarantee at least 3 years of software and 4 years of security updates, even for midrange devices, while the flagships are promising up to 7 years of updates, which is a major leap from earlier standards.
The Hardware Factor: Beyond the Software Updates
While updates are crucial for performance and security, hardware is that part of your device that no software can make up for.
- The battery plays the most important role in your device’s longevity, as regardless of the brand, it will degrade over time. After 24–30 months of use, battery health typically dips below 80%, resulting in noticeably shorter battery life.
- With Artificial Intelligence being integrated everywhere, applications are now demanding more RAM and storage than ever before. Even 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which was the gold standard for mid-tier devices even a couple of years ago, struggle to keep up with heavy multitasking, high-resolution photography, and AI-powered features in 2025.
- Smartphone camera hardware is improving every year with newer and larger sensors, which, when paired with excellent computational photography, deliver excellent results.
- Charging speeds have also gotten faster with time. What was considered to be a fast charging speed a few years back seems pretty slow at present.
- With the rise in the adoption of Qi2 magnets in the Android world, newer phones can now charge faster and more efficiently wirelessly, while entering into a whole new world of magnetic accessories that older Androids don’t have.
How Can You Maximise Resale Value?
If maximising exchange value is key for you, you need to prioritise the timing. Consider replacing your device before it crosses the three-year mark to get a better return, but know that most users should expect modest resale offers after 30–40 months of use.
- iPhones, which have a history of having great resale values, are now seeing a decline because of how low the prices go during the sale periods.
- Androids, on the other hand, always tend to lose up to 60% of their value after just 2–2.5 years, even if it’s a flagship.
When Should You Upgrade Your Smartphone?
If you are unsure whether you should upgrade your smartphone or not, these are some tell-tale indicators that will help you come to a final decision for a smartphone upgrade:
- Apps are taking longer than usual to open or are crashing frequently
- Battery life barely lasts half a day, even with light use
- You are facing multiple issues when doing your daily tasks on your device
- You are no longer receiving the latest security updates
- Cameras are not performing up to the mark anymore
- Your phone is struggling with newer AI-driven features
How Can You Extend Your Smartphone’s Lifespan?
If you do not wish to plan a smartphone upgrade soon, and plan on holding onto your smartphone for a long time, and do use these strategies to get the best out of your current purchase until next smartphone upgrade:
- Do not use your phone while charging
- Do not rush for software updates. First see reviews on how the update affects the overall device and then decide if you should be proceeding with the update or skipping it would be a better one.
- Do not install unnecessary applications on your device, and try to get rid of apps you don’t use regularly to keep your storage healthy.
- Do not install unnecessary applications on your device and try to get rid of apps you don’t use regularly to keep your storage healthy.
- Invest in a good protective case and screen protector
Final Verdict
Our take? The sweet spot to upgrade your smartphone in India is between 36 and 48 months at present. This gives you time to take advantage of software updates, avoid unnecessary spending, and get the maximum value from your investment while minimising e-waste. Every unused smartphone contributes to growing e-waste. By using your device for its full lifespan (usually 3–4 years), you not only reduce the adverse effects caused to the environment but you also get the most value for your investment.
Do not rush to upgrade your smartphone every year or every two years because the newer model has one or two small changes, or just looks cooler. Plan smartphone upgrade only when your present device is not able to hold up to your daily usage, rather than planning to upgrade your smartphone without any proper reason.
Note: All images used in this article have been generated using AI
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