Survey says the days of annual flagship smartphone upgrades are numbered

Flagship smartphone value has mostly plateaued in recent years, with minimal or niche features separating generations. The Galaxy S25 Ultra to the Galaxy S26 Ultra is a good example, with the latter now sporting its swanky Privacy Display but few tangible additional improvements. This makes hanging onto the phone you currently have an attractive prospect — perhaps more attractive than ever before.

It’s always interesting to gauge our community’s thoughts and feelings. In a recent survey, we asked our readers how long they plan to keep their high-end devices, and the results are below.

We received just under 2,000 votes in this poll, and it’s clear that the majority of respondents no longer upgrade their devices annually. Genuinely, who can afford it? Although trade-in deals do drop the prices of flagships, you’ll still need to fork out the equivalent of a mid-range phone if you upgrade annually.

Some readers still do it, though. Just under one in 10 voters (9.7%) reach for a new phone each year, which perhaps accounts for the true smartphone enthusiasts, early adopters, or wealthy users among us.

The rest of the voting population waits at least two years between smartphone upgrades, but there is a clear sweet spot. Around 53% of the total voting population holds onto their phones for at least two to three years or longer. These two answers represented the bulk of the responses.

Interestingly, one in every five respondents (20.6%) hangs onto their devices for “five years or longer.” That’s pretty incredible, but this has become more possible than ever thanks to robust hardware and aftermarket support, improved battery technology, and long-term software support.

Of course, there may be many reasons you might upgrade before your planned date. Jumping between form factors, grabbing a new phone with an innovative new feature you’ve been waiting for, or physical damage are all valid reasons. However, it’s clear that annual flagship smartphone upgrades are now firmly the exception and not the norm.