I recently bought an iPhone 16, my first Apple product, and I’m still deciding if it’s worth the investment. How many years will it keep getting updates? Also, how often do people usually upgrade?
The iPhone 16 should get updates until 2031. Most people upgrade every 4 years or even longer.
Lyle said:
The iPhone 16 should get updates until 2031. Most people upgrade every 4 years or even longer.
Four years sounds about right for most people.
Lyle said:
The iPhone 16 should get updates until 2031. Most people upgrade every 4 years or even longer.
I think the 16 might last even longer since it has the same chip as the Pro model.
Honestly, just keep it until it breaks.
With 8GB of RAM and the latest chip, I wouldn’t worry about it for at least the next 5 years. Most people tend to upgrade every 3-5 years anyway.
You’ll probably get 6-7 years of updates, and in my experience, Apple products tend to outlast Android phones. You might need a battery replacement in a few years, but the rest of the hardware is solid. My old Android phones always had issues like microphones or speakers breaking after two years.
@Meade
You can’t really compare iPhones to lower-tier Android phones. Even iPhones have defects sometimes—that’s why there’s a warranty. For example, I’ve had my phone since 2020, and it’s had no problems with the microphone, speaker, or charging port.
@Skylar
The Pixel lineup is flagship-level, not mid-tier or low-tier. My Pixel 2 XL cost $949 new, while the comparable iPhone 8 Plus was $749. I think they’re comparable.
I was just sharing my experience, though. I had more quality issues with Android phones compared to iPhones.
@Meade
What Android phones did you have? My Note 10 Plus is still working great.
Lyle said:
@Meade
What Android phones did you have? My Note 10 Plus is still working great.
I started with an iPhone that lasted about three and a half years, then switched to Android. I mostly used Nexus and Pixel phones, but they would develop serious problems between 18-24 months. I moved back to iPhones about five years ago because of those frustrations. I haven’t tried Samsung, though.
@Meade
Got it. By the way, Samsung now offers 7 years of updates. I’m thinking of getting the 16 Plus to try an iPhone, but I wish it had a 120Hz display—it’s 2024 already.
@Meade
The only real Android competitor to iPhones is the Galaxy series. You can’t compare a budget Android phone to an iPhone.
Zuri said:
@Meade
The only real Android competitor to iPhones is the Galaxy series. You can’t compare a budget Android phone to an iPhone.
Pixels are priced similarly to iPhones, so the comparison is fair.
Expect about 7 years of updates, maybe even longer. With 8GB of RAM, this phone will hold up well for years to come.
Since the iPhone 16 has 8GB of RAM, the main factor will be your storage choice.
I’ve had my iPhone 11 for 6 years now. The screen protector is chipping, but the phone itself is in mint condition. It’s definitely slower now, but if you take care of your phone, it can last a long time.
@Zorion
I just upgraded from my iPhone 11 to a base 16—my wife got it for me as a birthday gift. My 11 was fine, but I had issues with storage mysteriously filling up over time. I refuse to pay for iCloud, so managing it was a hassle. I feel like Apple does this on purpose.
@Mackenzie
Really? How much storage did your 11 have? Makes me think I should go for a model with more than 128GB.
I’m still using an iPhone XR, so that’s 6 years for me. It’s a bit slower now and won’t get updates next year, but it still works perfectly fine. Upgrade when you feel it’s necessary.