Tech fans make an annual pilgrimage to their smartphone manufacturer's retail locations, waiting in line for hours, staying up all night, and sometimes even sleeping outside the store to get their hands on a precious new cell phone. The excitement makes their hearts beat faster. But is all the hype about new devices justified? And how often do we change smartphones on average? Read on to find out. How often do we buy a new mobile phone? This is evident from a study by Nevis Security on LinkedIn62 pctof users change their smartphone every three to four years. For most device manufacturers, this cycle skips two to four generations of mobile phones. But almost 20 percent of respondents replace their smartphone once a year, an estimate every time their favorite brand releases a new model. There are many reasons to make the change. Firstly, the design effect plays an important role. A manufacturer launching a new design for its smartphone gives users the first visual incentive to make a change. Of course, anyone considering replacing their mobile phone should also consider the appeal of new hardware and software. With each passing year, cameras become sharper, storage space increases, and screens become more colorful. In addition, many manufacturers are now improving the technology in the devices so that they can also use 5G networks. The German digital association Bitkom has launched a survey that reveals the eight most common reasons for switching smartphones:You never change a winning team? Why do users switch smartphones?
- Battery performance
The most frequently cited reason, at 75 percent, for switching smartphones is the deterioration of the battery in the devices. - Damage to the screen
Damage to the screen came in second at 55 percent. The cost of repairing a cracked or broken screen on some models is almost as high as that of a new smartphone. Therefore, many users choose to replace the entire mobile phone instead. - Keeping up to date
38 percent can't bear to miss a trend and will switch smartphones as soon as a new model is released. - Smartphone no longer works
Exposing a mobile phone to large amounts of data and 24/7 use will sooner or later cause it to no longer function as smoothly as users want. As many as 38 percent of respondents indicated this reason for buying a new device. - Image quality
Technology is constantly changing, especially when it comes to cameras. New sensors that can detect day and night and digital assistants to sharpen your favorite photos flood the market every year. For 24 percent of users, this is important enough to buy a new device. - A more beautiful smartphone
Seventeen percent of respondents just bought a 'nicer' smartphone because it offered greater visual appeal. - Too slow
Unlike a fine wine, the technology usually does not age well and its performance gradually declines. 13 percent of users bought a new smartphone because their old one had become too slow. - App compatibility
Five percent of respondents decided to buy a new smartphone to fight the pandemic by downloading the 'Corona-Warn-Appen', the German COVID-19 contact tracing app.
A recent study by credit insurer Euler Hermes also confirms the trend reversal already highlighted in the Nevis Security study: more and more users are keeping their smartphones for longer periods of time. For example, Europeans replace their devices after about 40 months on average. However, US users are much less patient and switch devices every 24 months.
Time for a new smartphone – one that uses new security features
However, replacing a smartphone is not always just a matter of aestheticsbut can also offer software benefits.An outdated mobile phone may no longer receive critical software and system updates, which can lead to security issues on the device.
A new smartphone therefore gives us the opportunity to use new security systems based on updated technology. Switching to a new device allows us to do one thing above all: better protect our data by choosing new passwords and password security methods. Since almost all apps require an account before they can be used, you should take this opportunity to come up with new passwords –or even better biometric authentication– it increases the security of your personal data.
Does being trendy come at a price?
Or put another way, when we want a shiny new smartphone, the planet suffers. After all, precious and rare earth metals are used to make these little pocket-sized wonders. Currently, users are quite reluctant to recycle mobile phones they no longer use. A 2021 Bitkom study found that there are almost 200 million devices lying unused in drawers in German households. Currently, it is possible to recycle up to 150 grams of gold from just one tonne of unused smartphones. This is thirty times more than the yield of the same amount of ore from a gold mine and would preserve our planet's valuable resources. So the next time you buy a new smartphone, consider recycling your old cell phone to do something good for yourself and the environment.
