How many old phones do you still have lying around the house?

by Daniel Petrov / Mar 15, 2018, 9:03 AM

How many old phones do you still have lying around the house?

Second-hand and refurbished handsets are making a comeback, a recent study showed, as consumers are increasingly balking at the ever-rising average selling prices of smartphones that hit a record last year, and the trend will continue into this one, it seems. Top-tier manufacturers like Apple and Samsung predicted and sensed the upgrade slowdown, and started raising prices to offset the slump in demand for the latest and greatest. This culminated in last year's $999 iPhone X or $930 Note 8, but it is actually backfiring, as last quarter saw the first ever drop in smartphone shipments on record.

Now, there is a statistic to explain why is all of this happening, and it shows that people are just keeping their phones longer, buying refurbished or second- and third-hand devices, and generally not willing to splurge a grand on a phone, or thereabouts. Back in 2014, people were still upgrading their phones every 23 months, in sync with the two-year contract subsidies. This year, the length of time between upgrades is projected to hit 33 months, or nearly three years.

That's a big jump, but the trend is still in its nascence, that is why we wanted to ask you how many old handsets do you still have lying around the house - you know, the type you switch off and throw in a drawer when you get your new device, thinking that you will use it as a backup phone, put it on Craigslist at some point, or give it to your mother, and it stays there for the next year... or two.

How many old phones do you have lying around the house?

None, just my daily driver

10.75%

14.26%

20.84%

17.01%

11.67%

5 or more

25.47%

Options

27 Comments

1. Phonehex

Posts: 767; Member since: Feb 16, 2016

I sell all my old phones. I always keep a max of 2 daily drivers and 1 extra older phone for emergencies. No use keeping the older phones. Just a loss if value if you keep them lying unused .

posted on Mar 15, 2018, 9:05 AM 8

2. bucknassty

Posts: 1353; Member since: Mar 24, 2017

I will keep my htc evo forever. with a cracked screen... still got a samsung nexus and just retired the axon 7

posted on Mar 15, 2018, 9:10 AM 0

3. Humanoid

Posts: 1226; Member since: Dec 11, 2017

Sony Ericson w395 ( not sure if it is dead or if it needs new battery) Galaxy Pocket

posted on Mar 15, 2018, 9:20 AM 0

4. RebelwithoutaClue unregistered

It varies, I have some older phones but usually, I give them away to family or friends.

posted on Mar 15, 2018, 9:22 AM 2

5. toukale

Posts: 652; Member since: Jun 10, 2015

I have a 6S laying in my drawer as a back up in case.

posted on Mar 15, 2018, 9:29 AM 0

6. ssallen

Posts: 202; Member since: Oct 06, 2017

I still have a functioning Motorola Droid Bionic (Loved that phone!) lying around. I even had to bust it out and use it for a couple months last summer.

posted on Mar 15, 2018, 9:32 AM 0

7. luis.aag90

Posts: 277; Member since: Aug 12, 2014

I still keep a Nokia E5. Everything works including the Wi-Fi and battery

posted on Mar 15, 2018, 9:40 AM 0

8. MroziQ

Posts: 33; Member since: Jul 02, 2015

I'm looking for old Nokias like 8810, 8850, 8910(i), 6310i, 7280, 7380, 7270 etc. Someone?

posted on Mar 15, 2018, 9:41 AM 1

17. Sammy_DEVIL737

Posts: 1529; Member since: Nov 28, 2016

Take a search on ebay or OLX.

posted on Mar 15, 2018, 1:09 PM 0

9. Crispin_Gatieza

Posts: 3157; Member since: Jan 23, 2014

I still have a Nextel i580 in my drawer. One of the few material possessions I keep for purely sentimental reasons.

posted on Mar 15, 2018, 10:07 AM 0

10. FaisalWibowo11

Posts: 166; Member since: Aug 12, 2013

I have Xperia Z Ultra, iPad mini 2 and even Sony Ericsson Vivaz laying around in my room XD I currently use LG V30 as my daily driver

posted on Mar 15, 2018, 10:17 AM 0

11. cmdacos

Posts: 4270; Member since: Nov 01, 2016

Brand new iPhone 7 (corporate issued) sitting in a drawer. Otherwise I sell all my phones.

posted on Mar 15, 2018, 10:21 AM 0

12. libra89

Posts: 2298; Member since: Apr 15, 2016

I have 3 now, but I just got the 3rd phone to use as my main phone. I have an easy option to get rid of one or two of them if I want to. I'm always about having a backup phone. Idealistically, 2 phones is good enough for me.

posted on Mar 15, 2018, 10:39 AM 0

13. Huh101

Posts: 20; Member since: Feb 10, 2017

Since I keep phones for quite some times, and also 2 year contracts from AT&T, it's hard to sell those that have become obsolete so I have a drawer full of HTC phones. HTC Vivid, One X, M7, Desire Eye, and a random Lumia 635 that I got for like $20 on AT&T GoPhone when I needed a quick replacement for a week.