When is a phone too old? | Tech

Half of all Dutch iPhone users have a model that is at least four years old, according to research from Telecom Paper. A few years ago, this percentage was much lower. So it seems that people are spending longer and longer with their smartphones.

However, technology never stands still. A four-year-old smartphone is less powerful than a brand-new model and every device becomes slower at some point.

It differs per user when this starts to bother you. Some people don’t mind having to wait a while when an app starts up, while others don’t have the patience for this.

With smartphones, however, age is not so much about physical age, but about the youthfulness of the software. It is especially important that the device receives security updates. When your (old) phone is no longer being updated, it may be time to go for a newer model.

There are two types of updates for phones. On the one hand, you have so-called version updates, such as Android 13 and iOS 16. These major updates add new apps and features. Version updates come out once a year.

On the other side are security updates. These don’t add any new features, but do important work on the back of the device. Security updates close vulnerabilities in the phone software, so that you as a user run less risk of being hacked, for example. Security updates appear throughout the year.

How many updates a phone receives depends on which ‘camp’ you are in. Apple typically supports iPhones for about five years. If you recently bought the new iPhone, you can assume that the device will be updated until 2027. This is a minimum term: iPhones are often supported for more than five years.

With Android phones it is slightly different. How long (and how often) a smartphone is updated varies per brand and model.

For example, Google, the owner of Android, releases a monthly security update. That just doesn’t mean you can download that update right away. Manufacturers (for example Samsung, Nokia and Xiaomi) are responsible for rolling out new software.

For example, Samsung has greatly improved its update policy in recent years. More and more devices from the South Korean manufacturer receive five-year updates.

That kite also goes for Google, which recently officially brought the Pixel phones to the Netherlands. Brands like Oppo, Xiaomi and Motorola have a more fickle update policy. These manufacturers release updates for smartphones for two to three years.

Want to check if your phone is still being updated? Grab your iPhone and go to the Settings app. Tap General and choose Software Update. At the bottom of the screen you can see which software version the iPhone is using. In this screen you can also install any new updates.

Do you have an Android phone? Then the specific instructions differ per brand, but in any case you start with the Settings app. Then go to “About This Phone” (or something similar) and choose “Status.” Here you can see which Android security update is installed.

Politicians are putting increasing pressure on telephone manufacturers to make their devices more sustainable. For example, it recently came out that from 2024 all phones must have the same charging port, so you no longer need different cables.

Politicians also want to tighten up the update policy of phone makers, so that consumers can safely use their smartphone for longer.

It’s just not that far yet. Therefore, when selecting a new model, pay attention to the update policy. After all, you don’t want to get an (Android) device that is only supported for two years. A phone that no longer receives updates is not safe.