The Lifespan of Phones

[sqchram]

I still have an LG flip phone, and a Motorola Razr - both work fine, would need a new battery were I to put them back into service.

Droid 1 worked fine and I sold it around a year later and bought a Droid X. Droid X never needed a modification unless I wanted to play Dungeon Defenders. Even then at 1.3Ghz they made larger and more complex maps that lagged.

I agree that unless you're hard on your phones, its really the OS and software that outdates a hardware spec. Same thing happens with my PC when I try a new version of windows, or a newer video game.

Root, rom, or root and revert to an older OS.

 

[sk102704]

I work at a detention center with a lot of other people who have smartphones. Every type of phone (Motorola, HTC, Samsung, IPhone) is represented. From what I've seen, every one has issues. I've seen a lot of cracked screens on iPhones, cracked bodies on HTCs, and lagging and freezing on Motorolas and Samsungs.

Things get rough there sometimes and I've seen at least 3 HTCs come out of a coworker's pocket after a restraint destroyed while my OG Droid still looks brand new going on 2 years. I am dealing with some of the lagging and freezing but like someone else mentioned, I started noticing these issues after an update.

I think most phones have similar life spans and regardless of the manufacturer, some are going to have better experiences than others. Its in the manufacturer's and carrier's best interest to keep that life span right around that 2 year mark so the makers can sell another phone and the carriers can lock you into another contract.

Sent from my Droid using DroidForums

 

[OriginalDroid]

My D1 was far from having a foot in the grave. Runs great still as my daughter little game pad. These things are all relative. You don't hear people talking up their devices, what you do hear are the complaints. I upgraded because I wanted too not because I had too. I'm sure there's alot of D1's with alot of life left to them out there.
I doubt there's a "designed obsolescence" built into these things. Some just have harder lives than others.
end of line...

When did you get your D1, I got my D1 on launch day and have babied it like no other, and it has a leg in the grave, granted, it got put to work, but these aren't just phones anymore, they're mp3's, gps's, and computers in your pocket.

I don't think there is a designed obsolescence, but phones sure do have a habit sticking a foot, leg, or straight up jumping right into the grave right around upgrade time, it's a shame Verizon wasn't ready for us OG 1 launch day babies, if the D3 had 4G, wouldn't even be typing this right now, but from what I understand, it just wasn't possible.

 

[MattHenson20]

It's software that generally causes lagging, and we know how buggy the software updates are to begin with. To say the Droid 1 is even attempting GB updates is somewhat of a shocker due to the significant changes between the original installed OS and now, even with Froyo in between

 

[Godric]

Peter Alfonso makes great Gingerbread...just saying

Sent from my Droid using DroidForums

 

[Byakushiki]

Agreed. My D1, if the screen is replaced, is far from the grave. Really, if it's still around a few years later(maybe 5?), I'll put up a video of it booting and screamin' DROID! Really, it's just built that much like a tank.

 

[das2042]

Yea anyone who has lag problems on their d1s You really need to get yourself some root love! May I suggest bugless beast, I've tried em all and that ones the best.

Sent from my Droid using DroidForums

 

[GBH2]

Peter Alfonso makes great Gingerbread...just saying

Sent from my Droid using DroidForums

+1

Running 2.3.5 GPA17 @ 1.25GHz SV.

It kind of sucks because it is so good that I keep thinking Maybe I don't really need a new phone!

 

[Dejuanxg]

it looks great too. Other than the gold coating coming off the camera button. It looks brand new.

Yeah my gold is wearing off too, but I hate the color gold so it doesn't bother me too much.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

My dx's red held up to the end not a strach on it.

 

[pyroelite]

You want some longevity, try the SGS2 (or when available) - with over 5 mil sold in 85 days & not even released in the US, I'm pretty sure devs will be playing with that for awhile...

SDCharge (Humble 1.42)

 

[Liderc]

Yeah I used a friends SGSII in London a few weeks ago and it looks and performs amazingly, I'm just a tad worried we haven't heard some solid info about it arriving here yet.

 

[Chris42060]

My X is still in excellent shape. I got it on the release date and then got it wet and I have had a replacement one for 5 or 6 months. I got my final 1 year upgrade so I am just waiting for a phone with upgrading to. I am happy with the X though so i am going to wait and see what shows up.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[wrententen]

droid x

mine lasted 2 years and 1 month before display went out.

 

[hAHAha_Halo]

And thus, a thread that hasn't been posted on in 2 years, is reborn..

Motorola Droid 1 had touchscreen failure about a month and a half after upgrade date (almost 24 months), I hadn't upgraded because I was planning on getting some cool phone that hadn't been released yet.
Droid Bionic crapped out on me about a month after upgrade was available (23 months), software deteriorated and might be able to fix in once I get a USB cable. I haven't upgraded because I'm planning on getting some cool phone that hasn't been released yet.

Seems like my plans of getting a new phone after the upgrade date are always foiled. I think my Env2, which I had before the D1, lasted about 20 months but even then it was extremely slow and buggy at the very end, probably only had a few weeks left before it would've died. So for me, right after the upgrade date is when my phone craps out. It really sucks because it's within a few weeks or a month of some cool awesome phone is released. I can't remember what happened going from the D1 to the Bionic, because I know the Bionic was the phone I wanted to get. I wanted to get the Moto X, and my phone crapped out 2 weeks before it would be available, and about 2-3 months or so (I'm guessing) before the customized versions are available as well.

I think it's Verizon just silently pushing some patch to my phone every time I keep it longer than my upgrade date so that I have to buy another phone. Certainly messed up your plans this time, didn't I?! I went back to my dad's old indestructaphone! HA!

 

[Low Saturn]

I still have my original Droid. FedEx man delivered it December 30th 2009. Functions better now than it did the day I got it thanks to CyanogenMod 7. And it looks great too. Other than the gold coating coming off the camera button. It looks brand new.

Made the post above on 8-04-2011. Everything is still true. Other than the gold coating on the camera button, it still looks and operates like the day I got it. Still on the original battery as well. I also got the Bionic on launch day and now my son uses it as his phone while I now have the Note II.