Cellphone storage and longevity?

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

In recent years I have switched to the budget cellphones since I honestly don't use my phone for much and the last $300 google phone I bought stopped working 3 months after a system update. I got incredibly lucky and Amazon refunded the purchase price as a courtesy.

My issue with these budget phones is that it seems like the closer they get to full storage the more of a pain in the rear they become even with an SD card. The constant app updates just eat up the internal storage and you can't move most of the apps to the sd card anyway. The phone gets incredibly buggy and I find I have to replace them within 2 years because the frustration is just too much.

Question for the gurus:

If I go out and spend the several hundred bucks again for like a Pixel 3a with 64GB storage, will I get 5 years like I used to out of my phone again? The math works better if I invest up front than to keep replacing the cheapie 16gb every other year. But if the extra storage doesn't mean anything and I'll be replacing anyway cause they are just not built to last anymore, I'll stick to cheap.

BTW, I am an unlocked person so I don't do contracts or plans to keep upgrading as you go. I bring my phone to my current plan. Thanks!

Toot1920 · ‎07-22-2018

@Laura14, that’s one reason that I went with Apple. I’ve had Samsung’s, LGs, and a Motorola before. They all have apps from Samsung, LG, or Motorola, apps from Google, and apps from whatever carrier that you have (I assume even the pay as you go companies have their own apps) and you can’t delete those and most have no idea what they even do. It seems that the extra SD cards are mainly good for photos and things like that, not transferring apps to them to free storage. I know that you can get unlocked iPhones and as long as you get 32g or more, storage shouldn’t be a problem especially if you don’t have a lot of apps. Plus, you can update the operating system when you want when Apple has updates. Now, granted if you get an older iPhone, it might not be eligible for updates but it still will work. Even with the apps that automatically come with Apple, you can delete those off of your phone if you don’t want them.

gardenman · ‎03-09-2010

Five years might be asking a lot. Technology changes quickly and in five years time the new 5G service will likely be the standard and the older cellular networks may be either shut down, or greatly limited. I'd say you were safe for three years, but five might be pushing your luck a bit.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

@Toot1920 Thank you. I've considered it but Apple is out of my budget especially unlocked.

Nuttmeg · ‎03-09-2010

@Laura14 wrote:
In recent years I have switched to the budget cellphones since I honestly don't use my phone for much and the last $300 google phone I bought stopped working 3 months after a system update. I got incredibly lucky and Amazon refunded the purchase price as a courtesy.

My issue with these budget phones is that it seems like the closer they get to full storage the more of a pain in the rear they become even with an SD card. The constant app updates just eat up the internal storage and you can't move most of the apps to the sd card anyway. The phone gets incredibly buggy and I find I have to replace them within 2 years because the frustration is just too much.

Question for the gurus:

If I go out and spend the several hundred bucks again for like a Pixel 3a with 64GB storage, will I get 5 years like I used to out of my phone again? The math works better if I invest up front than to keep replacing the cheapie 16gb every other year. But if the extra storage doesn't mean anything and I'll be replacing anyway cause they are just not built to last anymore, I'll stick to cheap.

BTW, I am an unlocked person so I don't do contracts or plans to keep upgrading as you go. I bring my phone to my current plan. Thanks!

You be able to run the 3a or XL for 3 years. Google updates their phones for a while. The average update period for an Android phone is 18 to 24 months.
A 64 GB device will store 50 GB of data.

You may want to consider the 3aXL. This phone has a larger display and battery.
I like a site PhoneArena. You will reviews to help buy phones or tablets.

sunshine45 · ‎03-09-2010

right now i am still using my samsung note 4 as my personal phone.

it is almost five years old and going strong.

i do have an SD card also and i move as many apps to the external storage as i can.

it came with 32GB of storage, but of course, lots of apps pre-installed.

a good phone is worth purchasing, especially when it lasts that long.....at least it is for me, especially if there are no problems. it still had the original battery up until about 3 months ago when i replaced the batter for about $30.

at the time i purchased the phone it was about $300+ with a contract.....financed it through att.

i would totally get another note and i will probably cave sometime this year or early next year. i dont even mind signing another contract with att. i have had excellent service from them.

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"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein

Nuttmeg · ‎03-09-2010

@sunshine45 wrote:
right now i am still using my samsung note 4 as my personal phone.
it is almost five years old and going strong.
i do have an SD card also and i move as many apps to the external storage as i can.
it came with 32GB of storage, but of course, lots of apps pre-installed.
a good phone is worth purchasing, especially when it lasts that long.....at least it is for me, especially if there are no problems. it still had the original battery up until about 3 months ago when i replaced the batter for about $30.
at the time i purchased the phone it was about $300+ with a contract.....financed it through att.

i would totally get another note and i will probably cave sometime this year or early next year. i dont even mind signing another contract with att. i have had excellent service from them.

I have a Note 5. I brought it in 2015 from Verizon. The price then was not so bad. I like my 32GB phone running Android 7.0. There are many folks still using their phones.

Samsung will bring a new Note 10 to market August 7 with an event in Brooklyn. The new phone may not have a headphone Jack.

There are quite a few sales on the Note 9 and the S10 phones.

Apple will bring new iPhones to market in September.