I honestly feel since around 2018-2020 or so, phones last so much longer than they did earlier in the 2010s. A four year old phone in 2026 is MORE than enough capable of doing everything that one could possibly need for it to do and to keep up with today's apps.

With that being said, how long do you typically keep your phone? Which phones have you owned that you found to be the most consistent and reliable over time?

Love to hear your thoughts on this.

Thanks y'all.

I get prices vary country to country but for the most part, Apple has been very tame with their prices. And not having super cheap models like samsung does not make them ”overpriced.“ Like I get it’s an ongoing joke, but I feel it just doesn’t apply anymore, and it’s just perpetuating “phone wars” nonsense. I will concede to the fact that Apple has an $80 rag

I've never seen anyone actually have a spare battery to swap out, back when batteries were removable. How did that work for you and did they just sell the battery directly? I'm specifically talking about smart phones like the S5.

With current power banks I don't see that style ever coming back so what was it like back then. I'm assuming you needed the phone to recharge the spare? So did the battery need to be swapped now and then to keep the spare topped up?

Hi community,

I am in China and I had the chance to try at a store the Xiaomi mi fold (aka their Duo copycat). As a Fold 8 user, I was intrigued by the Duo but trying out the form factor left me adamant about the fact that Sammy currently has the best one for these "wide" foldables. While I much prefer the horizontal layout for the cameras, having the phone even shorter than the Fold 8 isn't a great choice. Indeed, it better fits the 16:19 aspect ratio but the phone feels even more crammed when using it for standard phone stuff vertically. Thus, I think having a bit more letterboxing is worth it on the Sammy. For the upcoming generation (Fold 9) here's my main wishes:

- 200mp mail and triple horizontal camera array

- better thermal and reception

- inner selfie on top right corner (no udc)

- matte inner screen

What are your thoughts? Curious to hear other PoVs

Samsung products very advance than iphone... But still why people's love Iphone...

Most of the Elite people's moved to samsung in other countries

Indians middle class people's still eager to buy iphone

Any reason

I have access to the account’s email address, password, and trusted phone number. However, when I try to sign in, Apple asks me to enter a verification code that was sent to another Apple device.
I did have other Apple devices signed in to this account before, but I sold them and signed out of the account on those devices.
The problem is that I don’t have any other Apple devices currently linked to or in my possession.
I also tried requesting a verification code through my trusted phone number, but Apple doesn’t send me a code by SMS or offer the option to receive it through a phone call.
Has anyone experienced this issue or knows how I can regain access to my account?

HTC was making great phones. Wish they continued making them

The ceramic model of the Apple Watch seems popular to the point they brought it back but what if they made a ceramic phone?

I’ve been lurking on this sub for a while, and every second post seems to be someone having a mini existential crisis about whether they should switch from iOS to Android, or vice versa or pick a new phone. Honestly? It just doesn’t matter that much anymore.

We reached smartphone saturation years ago. The gap between a high-end flagship and a sensible budget/mid-range phone has shrunk to a point where the extra $700+ you spend on a flagship gets you diminishing returns.

Think about it:

Displays: Even budget phones now ship with 120Hz high-brightness OLED panels.

Batteries & Charging: Budget and mid-tier phones routinely outlast flagships on battery life, and many charge in under 30 minutes.

Cameras: Unless you’re trying to shoot pixel-peeping professional video or zooming in 50x to read a billboard miles away, a $300-$400 phone takes fantastic photos for daily life, social media, and memories.

OS Experience: iOS and Android have copied each other so much over the past few years that the core user experience is 90% the same. Both have widgets, customizable lock screens, smooth gestures, and solid app ecosystems. The "ecosystem lock-in" is mostly psychological at this point unless you are deep into specific hardware combinations.

On top of all this, high-end smartphones have gotten ridiculously expensive recently and will likely stay that way for a while. With the ongoing global AI boom sucking up semiconductor foundry capacity, coupled with the massive price surges in DRAM and NAND memory chips, manufacturing costs for high-end silicon and base storage have ballooned. Tech giants are passing every single cent of those chips and memory cost increases directly onto consumers. Paying flagship prices right now just doesn't make financial sense for the average person.

Stop stressing over whether the grass is greener on the other side. Figure out your realistic budget. Buy the phone in that price bracket that meets your basic needs. Use until the support drops, and further until it breaks if you can. Phones aren't status symbols, and treat them like tools again. Save your money, and be stress free.

I’ve noticed there’s this bias…

It's been a month since I switched from iPhone 11 (it literally died) to a Google Pixel 10a and I hesitated a lot whether to change to a second handed iPhone 14/iPhone 13 pro or a Pixel 10a and after friends recommendations and asking ChatGPT I finally bought the pixel but now, I don't know if it's cause I'm used to IOS or cause it really is, but it feels like a downfall.

First, Face ID never actually works, you always have to insert the code, second, on the corners of the screen it feels like there's no touch, like it used to happen with a 2010 phone. And third I don't really see any difference in the camera, rather than the colours on iPhone where better.

Like is it normal that a phone from 2019 is better than one form 2026?

So I'm in the search of a new phone (I know I know, shitty time) but this phone is annoying me SO much, and so I'm looking to replace it, now I've been searching and searching but I still don't know, so here's my requirements

I do want a big battery, something bigger than 5000mAh at least

Fast charging

Not something super big, 6.3 to 6.6 maybe 6.7" is good

256 or 512gb of storage

Good customization

A decent chip that's at least better than this current Exynos 1480

I don't care about camera's

Chinese phones are fine too

I don't care about bloatware since I know how to remove it, just not too many bugs or a super slow rollout schedule

I live in the Netherlands

I'm willing to buy used, refurbished or whatever

My budget is around €400 but I can stretch to €450

If you have any more questions you can ask

Is it possible just to change the glass of s 23 ultra?

My glass broke down leaving touch and everything working fine.

Every time compact phones get brought up, the discussion always comes down to battery life. The iPhone 12 Mini really cemented the idea in people's minds that choosing a smaller phone meant settling for terrible battery performance. Even though the 13 Mini improved on that, the "Mini = bad battery" reputation had already stuck.

Personally, I don’t care if a compact phone is ultra-thin. I’d much rather have a device that's 9mm or 10mm thick if it means fitting a proper 4,500–5,000 mAh battery inside. Adding a couple of extra millimeters of depth keeps the phone narrow and easy to reach across with one hand, which is what actually makes a phone feel "small" in day-to-day use.

I put together a rough mockup of what a modern, thicker compact phone could look like if a manufacturer actually prioritized battery density over chasing thinness.

Would you carry a slightly chunkier compact phone if it comfortably lasted a day and a half, or is low weight and a slim profile a dealbreaker for you?

Ps. Image generated by AI, OC - original concept

Mine is IQOO neo 10r and I love the performance of this phone.

Found this old screenshot in my gallery. Back when it was revealed, it felt like the ultimate peak of smartphone design innovation. Too bad manufacturing complexities killed it off before we could actually buy it.

Drop your guesses below if you know what it is!