Author Topic: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone  (Read 5601 times)

MadBikePoet

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After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« on: March 04, 2022, 11:36:50 AM »
I have managed to get 6.3 years from this Moto G 8 Gig phone purchased new Nov 2, 2015 for $221. That prorates to a hardware cost of $2.87 per month! I would still be going; however, planned obsolescence has caught up to me in the form of the CDMA network being retired. The phone still works great, and as you can see is in immaculate condition despite never having worn any protective gear. The battery still holds a charge for a couple of days.

At least planned obsolescence for high tech hardware has the counterbalance of being able to buy better stuff for less money. Of course, it’s interesting to consider the interplay among technological advancements, cheaper manufacturing, planned obsolescence, consumer demand, and the hedonic treadmill.

My new phone is on its way, a new Moto G Power 2021 for $189. How long will it last? My #1 consideration was battery life. I feel like that is a primary factor to stave off the demon of planned obsolescence.

Anyone have any tips or stories regarding getting longevity from your electronics?
« Last Edit: March 07, 2022, 02:44:03 PM by MadBikePoet »

jnw

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #1 on: March 04, 2022, 11:41:53 AM »
That's impressive it lasted so long for ya!

I just bought a 2020 iPhone SE for $200 from ebay in brand new condition.  They sell new for $400 from Apple currently.   I'll use for 2 years and sell for $125.   So it will have cost me $75 for 2 years of use.  That's $3.12 / monthly.   I'll do the same thing again in two years.. buy a used iphone for $200 and sell for at least $100. rinse repeat.

MadBikePoet

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2022, 08:21:27 AM »
What I love about your method @JenniferW is that you get to enjoy pretty close to the latest tech for a lot less. Great tip!

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2022, 08:39:40 AM »
You are going to love the Moto Power. It's a little on the big and heavy side, but it does hold one hell of a charge. I can go days without recharging. The camera is decent but not great.  When you can get so much phone for under $200 bucks, I don't know why anyone would pay more.

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2022, 08:42:00 AM »
I had 2 Nokias that lasted a decade each. Admittedly, they got less and less smart as they aged...and I was teased mercilessly because they looked ancient next to everybody else's phones. I loved them because I could buy a new battery for 10 bucks and keep them going until they died...and I didn't have to learn how to use a new phone every 2 years.

I'm at 2.5 years with my current basic Samsung. I seriously doubt it will have the longevity of my antique nokias.

jnw

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2022, 09:26:42 AM »
What I love about your method @JenniferW is that you get to enjoy pretty close to the latest tech for a lot less. Great tip!

Thanks :)  Plus I am kinda locked into the Apple ecosystem.  I have a Mac Mini M1 (love it for the user interface, loiwer power consumption and silence).  Also have an iPad for PDF's, apps and web browsing in bed.  Also have Apple TV, Apple Watch :) LOL.

SpareChange

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2022, 11:46:57 AM »
Awesome. My Moto G5 Plus lasted about 51 months. Mostly my fault though...no case. It took the beating I gave it like a champ. I managed to crack the back camera early on. Last straw was dropping it on the street and shattering a third of the screen. Still keep it in the kitchen for light uses.     

MadBikePoet

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2022, 11:31:06 AM »
You are going to love the Moto Power. It's a little on the big and heavy side, but it does hold one hell of a charge. I can go days without recharging. The camera is decent but not great.  When you can get so much phone for under $200 bucks, I don't know why anyone would pay more.
Exactly! My price anchor is about $200 now for phones.

MadBikePoet

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #8 on: March 07, 2022, 11:35:57 AM »
I had 2 Nokias that lasted a decade each. Admittedly, they got less and less smart as they aged...and I was teased mercilessly because they looked ancient next to everybody else's phones. I loved them because I could buy a new battery for 10 bucks and keep them going until they died...and I didn't have to learn how to use a new phone every 2 years.

I'm at 2.5 years with my current basic Samsung. I seriously doubt it will have the longevity of my antique nokias.
Awesome that you were teased (good ol' consumer peer pressure!) and held on for 10 years to your phone! Way to stand strong. It reminds me of how I was the last person in all my peer groups to even get a mobile phone in the first place. I worked for a telecommunications company as a software developer, which made it all the more delicious. My reason I gave everyone was so that work could not get ahold of me after hours. It worked!

MadBikePoet

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #9 on: March 07, 2022, 11:36:58 AM »
Awesome. My Moto G5 Plus lasted about 51 months. Mostly my fault though...no case. It took the beating I gave it like a champ. I managed to crack the back camera early on. Last straw was dropping it on the street and shattering a third of the screen. Still keep it in the kitchen for light uses.   
Yeah, I'm thinking of buying a case for this one.

MadBikePoet

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #10 on: March 07, 2022, 11:38:55 AM »
New phone has arrived. Going with Tello as my service provider. $10/month 1 Gig data, unlimited text, calls. I have a referral code if anyone wants it. I think it gets both parties $10 off.
« Last Edit: March 07, 2022, 02:40:42 PM by MadBikePoet »

RWD

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #11 on: March 07, 2022, 11:55:02 AM »
I have managed to get 5.5 years from this Moto G 8 Gig phone purchased new Nov 2, 2015 for $221.
Don't you mean 6.33 years?

I'm at just over 3 years on my Moto X4. It's my first ever smart phone and I've been quite happy with it. I think I paid around $250 for it. It's a 4G phone so should still be good for a while (though I did read that Sprint is shutting down 4G LTE this year...).

DeniseNJ

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #12 on: March 07, 2022, 12:01:36 PM »
I had my moto g for about 7 or 8 yrs and it worked perfectly, no cracked screen, all the buttons and little holes worked.  Best phone ever and it was 60 bucks.  I finally had to get rid of it bc I needed an app that wouldn't run on my old faithful.

jnw

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #13 on: March 07, 2022, 12:02:30 PM »
New phone has arrived. Going with Tello as my service provider. $7/month 1 Gig data, unlimited text, calls. I have a referral code if anyone wants it. I think it gets both parties $10 off.

Wow $7 per month? I am paying $10 per month for same 1 gb data plan.  Actually $11.99 with tax and fees.

MadBikePoet

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #14 on: March 07, 2022, 02:41:29 PM »
New phone has arrived. Going with Tello as my service provider. $7/month 1 Gig data, unlimited text, calls. I have a referral code if anyone wants it. I think it gets both parties $10 off.

Wow $7 per month? I am paying $10 per month for same 1 gb data plan.  Actually $11.99 with tax and fees.
Whoops, sorry. $10/month is correct. I made a mistake earlier.

less4success

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #15 on: March 07, 2022, 02:44:15 PM »
Wow, was Motorola providing security updates that entire time?

I'm using a (first generation) iPhone SE because Apple seems to be the only phone manufacturer that supports phones for more than 2 - 3 years. (For what it's worth, I dislike Apple and never planned to own an iPhone, but I have to grudgingly admit that the iPhone SE is the least terrible smart phone I've ever owned, mostly due to the long support timeline and lack of carrier malware.)

MadBikePoet

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #16 on: March 07, 2022, 02:45:53 PM »
I have managed to get 5.5 years from this Moto G 8 Gig phone purchased new Nov 2, 2015 for $221.
Don't you mean 6.33 years?

I'm at just over 3 years on my Moto X4. It's my first ever smart phone and I've been quite happy with it. I think I paid around $250 for it. It's a 4G phone so should still be good for a while (though I did read that Sprint is shutting down 4G LTE this year...).
Ha ha, yep! Bad math. I corrected in original post now. Thanks! Sprint is shutting down 4G LTE already? I thought that was going to keep going for a while. Let me know if you can dig up the source on that. Thanks!

RWD

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #17 on: March 07, 2022, 02:55:51 PM »
I have managed to get 5.5 years from this Moto G 8 Gig phone purchased new Nov 2, 2015 for $221.
Don't you mean 6.33 years?

I'm at just over 3 years on my Moto X4. It's my first ever smart phone and I've been quite happy with it. I think I paid around $250 for it. It's a 4G phone so should still be good for a while (though I did read that Sprint is shutting down 4G LTE this year...).
Ha ha, yep! Bad math. I corrected in original post now. Thanks! Sprint is shutting down 4G LTE already? I thought that was going to keep going for a while. Let me know if you can dig up the source on that. Thanks!
https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/t-mobile-will-shut-down-sprints-4g-lte-network-on-june-30-2022/

MadBikePoet

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #18 on: March 08, 2022, 07:54:12 AM »
@RWD Is your MotoX4 unlocked, which means you could switch carriers with a new SIM card? I read the article, and it seems to me you will probably be able to continue using your phone for a while but will probably at least need a new SIM card regardless of if you switch carriers.

RWD

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #19 on: March 08, 2022, 08:00:01 AM »
@RWD Is your MotoX4 unlocked, which means you could switch carriers with a new SIM card? I read the article, and it seems to me you will probably be able to continue using your phone for a while but will probably at least need a new SIM card regardless of if you switch carriers.
I'm on Google Fi which uses a mix of networks (T-Mobile, Sprint, US Cellular). I don't think this will significantly affect me.

Daisy

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #20 on: March 09, 2022, 03:10:46 PM »
I have 58 months on my Samsung Galaxy S7. I thought I was the only one holding on to an "outdated" phone. It holds the battery charge as if new. I had one prior to this, also a Galaxy S7, that after 2 months would not charge. I'm holding on to this for dear life.

The sweetest part is that I FIREd in 2017 from my job, and this is the phone they gave me like 4 months before I FIREd, so I didn't even pay for it. They let me keep it.

I am happy to hear that Motorola is still making good phones. I will consider it for my next phone. Although I believe the cell phones division of Motorola is now owned by Lenovo.

No iPhones for me...

MadBikePoet

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #21 on: March 10, 2022, 08:30:07 AM »
@Daisy Yeah, it can feel like you're the only one hanging on to your old piece of technology since we're inundated with advertising for the latest and greatest, and we see so many others giving in and buying them. Hey, we're in the same FIRE graduating class!

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #22 on: March 13, 2022, 11:48:39 AM »
I have 58 months on my Samsung Galaxy S7. I thought I was the only one holding on to an "outdated" phone. It holds the battery charge as if new. I had one prior to this, also a Galaxy S7, that after 2 months would not charge. I'm holding on to this for dear life.

No iPhones for me...

I'm using a Samsung Galaxy S7. I like the small size and classic look. It's a refurbished Tracfone branded phone (now unlocked). I got it 2 years ago for about $75 from the Tracfone website.

I've been with Tracfone long enough to do some service hacking, taking advantage of deals and glitches. My S7 has service time out to 2039 and many thousands of minutes. I have a lot of Rewards points from diligently playing their system to add more service time as I need it.

Last year I got 4 new phones for free with Rewards points.

One of them is an Iphone SE 2020. I haven't decided if I want to use the Iphone as my regular phone, I do like the small size. The other free phones I got include a Moto G Power, a nice phone but too big for my pockets, I use it as a wifi tablet.

soily

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #23 on: March 15, 2022, 08:31:37 AM »
I have managed to get 6.3 years from this Moto G 8 Gig phone purchased new Nov 2, 2015 for $221. That prorates to a hardware cost of $2.87 per month! I would still be going; however, planned obsolescence has caught up to me in the form of the CDMA network being retired. The phone still works great, and as you can see is in immaculate condition despite never having worn any protective gear. The battery still holds a charge for a couple of days.

At least planned obsolescence for high tech hardware has the counterbalance of being able to buy better stuff for less money. Of course, it’s interesting to consider the interplay among technological advancements, cheaper manufacturing, planned obsolescence, consumer demand, and the hedonic treadmill.

My new phone is on its way, a new Moto G Power 2021 for $189. How long will it last? My #1 consideration was battery life. I feel like that is a primary factor to stave off the demon of planned obsolescence.

Anyone have any tips or stories regarding getting longevity from your electronics?

Respect!

I'm going on 14 months with my 2nd gen iphone SE. Its plenty nice but still people ask "bdavis why does your iphone have a home button?" Holy shit people. MMM should make companion clown phone post to his clown car post.

I think the three big things apple has going for it is 1) much longer software support than other manufacturers, 2) hardware quality that allows you to take advantage of that, & 3) more robust privacy controls than android (at least thats my impression)


MasterStache

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #24 on: March 15, 2022, 03:13:58 PM »
I have managed to get 6.3 years from this Moto G 8 Gig phone purchased new Nov 2, 2015 for $221. That prorates to a hardware cost of $2.87 per month! I would still be going; however, planned obsolescence has caught up to me in the form of the CDMA network being retired. The phone still works great, and as you can see is in immaculate condition despite never having worn any protective gear. The battery still holds a charge for a couple of days.

At least planned obsolescence for high tech hardware has the counterbalance of being able to buy better stuff for less money. Of course, it’s interesting to consider the interplay among technological advancements, cheaper manufacturing, planned obsolescence, consumer demand, and the hedonic treadmill.

My new phone is on its way, a new Moto G Power 2021 for $189. How long will it last? My #1 consideration was battery life. I feel like that is a primary factor to stave off the demon of planned obsolescence.

Anyone have any tips or stories regarding getting longevity from your electronics?

Respect!

I'm going on 14 months with my 2nd gen iphone SE. Its plenty nice but still people ask "bdavis why does your iphone have a home button?" Holy shit people. MMM should make companion clown phone post to his clown car post.

I think the three big things apple has going for it is 1) much longer software support than other manufacturers, 2) hardware quality that allows you to take advantage of that, & 3) more robust privacy controls than android (at least thats my impression)

I just finally gave up my original iPhone SE. Still working but battery life is pretty bad and picture quality just isn't as good as newer phones. Rocking an iPhone 12 Pro now. Picture quality is night and day vs the SE. I am finding that more and more important for taking pictures at my job sites. Battery life is fantastic.

jnw

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #25 on: March 15, 2022, 05:34:17 PM »
I have managed to get 6.3 years from this Moto G 8 Gig phone purchased new Nov 2, 2015 for $221. That prorates to a hardware cost of $2.87 per month! I would still be going; however, planned obsolescence has caught up to me in the form of the CDMA network being retired. The phone still works great, and as you can see is in immaculate condition despite never having worn any protective gear. The battery still holds a charge for a couple of days.

At least planned obsolescence for high tech hardware has the counterbalance of being able to buy better stuff for less money. Of course, it’s interesting to consider the interplay among technological advancements, cheaper manufacturing, planned obsolescence, consumer demand, and the hedonic treadmill.

My new phone is on its way, a new Moto G Power 2021 for $189. How long will it last? My #1 consideration was battery life. I feel like that is a primary factor to stave off the demon of planned obsolescence.

Anyone have any tips or stories regarding getting longevity from your electronics?

Respect!

I'm going on 14 months with my 2nd gen iphone SE. Its plenty nice but still people ask "bdavis why does your iphone have a home button?" Holy shit people. MMM should make companion clown phone post to his clown car post.

I think the three big things apple has going for it is 1) much longer software support than other manufacturers, 2) hardware quality that allows you to take advantage of that, & 3) more robust privacy controls than android (at least thats my impression)

And the brand new iPhone SE coming out also has a home button :) I love them.

alsoknownasDean

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #26 on: March 19, 2022, 08:30:43 AM »
Wow, was Motorola providing security updates that entire time?

I'm using a (first generation) iPhone SE because Apple seems to be the only phone manufacturer that supports phones for more than 2 - 3 years. (For what it's worth, I dislike Apple and never planned to own an iPhone, but I have to grudgingly admit that the iPhone SE is the least terrible smart phone I've ever owned, mostly due to the long support timeline and lack of carrier malware.)

I think the original Moto G topped out at Android 5.1, but I had 7 running quite comfortably on mine with LineageOS. I'm amazed that the OP managed to put up with a phone with 8GB of storage for so long. I owned a cheap Huawei with 8GB and it was an utter pain.

Newer Samsung phones are going to get four years of security updates, and I hear the newly released Galaxy A models will get five (and four Android version updates).

I've currently got a 27 month old Xiaomi, which works well but I'm kind of getting the upgrade bug. My NFC is flaky (software issues) and battery life isn't quite what it was, and I don't think it'll get too many more security updates. After a failed attempt at a battery replacement on my old HTC, I'm kind of reluctant to try again. The new Galaxy A53 is really tempting.

MadBikePoet

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #27 on: March 23, 2022, 09:24:35 AM »
@alsoknownasDean Yes, the 8Gig storage had limitations, and I was frequently clearing cache. I liked it though because it forced me to not put distracting junk like Facebook on my phone. I am now carrying that philosophy into my new phone.

Fun addendum to the story is that now that my new phone has arrived, my old phone's battery is starting to die very quickly as I considered using it for light duty in the kitchen. It's almost like the old phone recognized the arrival of its replacement and has realized it can now just let go and slip into the great void rather than accepting a semi-retirement role as a kitchen/workout timer and recipe reference.

Omy

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #28 on: March 23, 2022, 09:37:22 AM »
Whenever my old phones start behaving poorly, I Google "new phone plans at rival company". Oddly enough, they start behaving again.

uniwelder

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #29 on: March 23, 2022, 09:40:59 AM »
Wow, was Motorola providing security updates that entire time?

I'm using a (first generation) iPhone SE because Apple seems to be the only phone manufacturer that supports phones for more than 2 - 3 years. (For what it's worth, I dislike Apple and never planned to own an iPhone, but I have to grudgingly admit that the iPhone SE is the least terrible smart phone I've ever owned, mostly due to the long support timeline and lack of carrier malware.)

I'm also a first gen iPhone SE person.  Small size, still updates, not an Apple person but do like this phone.  Bought in August 2019 for $90 and costing $12.50/month for service.  That brings my hardware cost to about $3/month, with no plan of retiring it.

LibrarIan

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #30 on: March 23, 2022, 12:31:11 PM »
I'm glad I saw this post. I keep feeling the pull of new phones and the temptation is real. I have had my Moto G4 since December of 2016, so I'm over the five year mark on it. It's really showing its age. Last year, the power button fell out but I was able to replace it myself for $6 (part + shipping). Time to go NOT buy a new phone until I have to.

GuitarStv

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #31 on: March 23, 2022, 12:58:30 PM »
Fingers crossed, but I'm hoping to quit my job without ever having needed to own a cellphone.

The savings add up.

soily

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #32 on: March 24, 2022, 12:32:14 PM »
I'm glad I saw this post. I keep feeling the pull of new phones and the temptation is real. I have had my Moto G4 since December of 2016, so I'm over the five year mark on it. It's really showing its age. Last year, the power button fell out but I was able to replace it myself for $6 (part + shipping). Time to go NOT buy a new phone until I have to.

Heck ya! Your're a boss!

Daisy

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #33 on: March 25, 2022, 01:22:15 PM »
@alsoknownasDean Yes, the 8Gig storage had limitations, and I was frequently clearing cache. I liked it though because it forced me to not put distracting junk like Facebook on my phone. I am now carrying that philosophy into my new phone.

Fun addendum to the story is that now that my new phone has arrived, my old phone's battery is starting to die very quickly as I considered using it for light duty in the kitchen. It's almost like the old phone recognized the arrival of its replacement and has realized it can now just let go and slip into the great void rather than accepting a semi-retirement role as a kitchen/workout timer and recipe reference.

Your old phone was exerting its FU money power.

elysianfields

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #34 on: April 02, 2022, 04:50:07 AM »
I have managed to get 6.3 years from this Moto G 8 Gig phone purchased new Nov 2, 2015 for $221. That prorates to a hardware cost of $2.87 per month! I would still be going; however, planned obsolescence has caught up to me in the form of the CDMA network being retired. The phone still works great, and as you can see is in immaculate condition despite never having worn any protective gear. The battery still holds a charge for a couple of days.

At least planned obsolescence for high tech hardware has the counterbalance of being able to buy better stuff for less money. Of course, it’s interesting to consider the interplay among technological advancements, cheaper manufacturing, planned obsolescence, consumer demand, and the hedonic treadmill.

My new phone is on its way, a new Moto G Power 2021 for $189. How long will it last? My #1 consideration was battery life. I feel like that is a primary factor to stave off the demon of planned obsolescence.

Anyone have any tips or stories regarding getting longevity from your electronics?

So what are you going to use your old phone for?

I repurposed an iPad 2 we had lying around into a digital photo frame.

Daisy

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #35 on: April 14, 2022, 12:46:03 AM »
I have 58 months on my Samsung Galaxy S7. I thought I was the only one holding on to an "outdated" phone. It holds the battery charge as if new. I had one prior to this, also a Galaxy S7, that after 2 months would not charge. I'm holding on to this for dear life.

The sweetest part is that I FIREd in 2017 from my job, and this is the phone they gave me like 4 months before I FIREd, so I didn't even pay for it. They let me keep it.

I am happy to hear that Motorola is still making good phones. I will consider it for my next phone. Although I believe the cell phones division of Motorola is now owned by Lenovo.

No iPhones for me...

I am quoting myself...feels weird...

I just had to order my third Samsung Galaxy S7 otterbox case for this phone. My phone has lasted longer than the protective cases. The buttons on the case have worn out again.

I was debating whether I should just get a new phone, but I am hoping my Galaxy S7 continues to perform well. My phone hits its 5 year/60 month birthday in May. :-)

shureShote

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #36 on: April 17, 2022, 03:27:45 PM »
I kept my Blackberry Bold for seven years, and miss it everyday since my company sent an IT hit squad to my cube and tore it from hands. Indestructible, pure function. Kept the iPhone they replaced it with for another seven years until once again the goon squad came knocking (3G decommissioning) I’ll never get seven years from the new one because I will turn it in when retiring before then.

I use a personal laptop everyday that I bought refurbished in 2009. I spend most of the time booted up in Linux, but probably once a month I boot to Windows 10 for various reasons. Swapped to a SSD about a year ago.

LibrarIan

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #37 on: April 28, 2022, 11:58:49 AM »
I'm glad I saw this post. I keep feeling the pull of new phones and the temptation is real. I have had my Moto G4 since December of 2016, so I'm over the five year mark on it. It's really showing its age. Last year, the power button fell out but I was able to replace it myself for $6 (part + shipping). Time to go NOT buy a new phone until I have to.

Heck ya! Your're a boss!

Boss status did not last. Just a few days ago my Moto G4 bit the dust. So I did end up buying another phone. Whomp.

namasteyall

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #38 on: May 07, 2022, 06:05:45 AM »
Advice for caring for cell phones please.
 Thanks

shureShote

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #39 on: May 07, 2022, 08:37:13 AM »
Advice for caring for cell phones please.
 Thanks

Keep them stored (pocket purse backpack) and out of your hand. Experience the physical world. That’s my tip.

Daisy

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #40 on: May 19, 2022, 12:53:47 PM »
Uh oh...I received an email from my cell provider that my phone may need an update. I suspect it is that they will no longer support 3G and although my 2017 phone is 4G capable for data, I use 3G for calls. I have to go to the store and see what is going on, but I may have to reluctantly get a new phone.

RobertFromTX

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #41 on: May 22, 2022, 09:44:59 PM »
I'm going on about a year with a Moto G Power. It's a great phone for the price. No complaints (as long as you don't care about having a super fancy camera)

Jules Anne

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #42 on: May 29, 2022, 11:59:08 PM »
I like this. My last phone was purchased 12/2015 and died last year.

I'd rather be outside than on my phone. Also, let the phone battery drain down to 25% or less before recharging. I just found out about letting the battery drain last year and it probably knocked some months off the life of my phone.

TheWryLady

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #43 on: June 21, 2022, 07:03:01 PM »
I would have kept my phone longer (got it 2017), but it just started getting puffy. It still works fine, but it no longer flat on top or bottom. I guess it's the battery. So, I upgraded to the cheapest and non puffy Samsung 5G and am supposed to get $150 rebate card from Xfinity (diamond level rewards perk).

Abe

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #44 on: June 21, 2022, 08:15:27 PM »
Still have my iPhone 8 Plus (splurged for a bigger screen) that’s about 5 years old apparently. Works just fine. No issues whatsoever. Did dig some dirt out of the charging port last year.

lazycow

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #45 on: June 21, 2022, 10:41:55 PM »
I have a Samsung Galaxy A5 which is 52 months old. The rest of my family all have iphones but I will not buckle under the teasing/pressure! The battery lasts a day and storage is an issue (I like to keep my photos on the phone).

(Hmmm wonder what the diff is between the A5 and A7 was...)

Sugaree

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Re: After 77 Months I Must Say “Goodbye” to My Smartphone
« Reply #46 on: June 22, 2022, 07:10:55 AM »
My Galaxy S8 Active, which I love and which was *supposed* to be okay with the transition stopped making or receiving phone calls over the weekend.  No problem with texts or data.  Turns out that because it's unlocked and originally a T-Maybe phone, AT&T's network won't recognize it (there is a U instead of an A on the end of the model number so the A model number is on the whitelist, but the U version isn't).  I'm very upset about this because I've only had it about two years, it worked, and it is probably the phone I've liked the most in the last 10 years.  I've ordered a refurbished S10, but I'm not happy about it.