How/why do people go through so many phones?

[Gracos]

I also find this trend to be absurd. I've had three phones in my life. First a generic cell phone, then the voyager, and now an iPhone. The only reason I even got the iPhone at the time was because I took my voyager in due to some of the buttons not working anymore. The store practically begged me to just upgrade instead of getting it repaired because it was "so old." I'm happy with what I have now. I haven't felt the least bit of desire to get the latest iPhone or whatever else is on the market.

[Deleted]

2008: iPhone 3G
2009: iPhone 3Gs
2010: iPhone 4
2011: Samsung Galaxy Nexus
2012: LG Nexus 4

Before my first iphone I had some nokia dumbphone. I may have had more than one in the period between 05 and 08 but I honestly can't remember.
As for why I've bought a new phone since 2008 ? I love technology. It fascinates me. Smartphones are really cool in that regard. I've always taken good care of my phones which combined with not keeping them for more than a year (give or take) means I've been able to recoup alot of my initial investment whenever I sold one (I think I sold all the iphones above 2/3rds of what I paid for them myself).

[Alcomo]

Ive had 3 since 2005 I believe. Had a Nokia on contract when I was younger, eventually got rid of it and bought a pay as you go phone. Now I have a Galaxy S2 on contract. Have no interest in upgrading it as anything better really isn't much better. The S4 really doesn't do much more than what my S2 does so there really is no reason to get one in my opinion.

Of course that's the same reason I can't understand Apple users lining up for the "next gen" when really its nothing but the last gen with a prettier screen or higher pixel camera lol. Oh well, whats the saying "a fool and his money are soon parted" or something like that?

[Abysal]

2 and I only got the second one because I changed carriers when my contract was up and got a free phone for signing the new contract.

[Deleted]

I've had mine since 2005... Could really do with a new one. Black and white pixelated screen makes me feel cheap lol.

[Deleted]

I allways get like 25-40 euroe cellphones ..
I end up destroying them one way or another anyway, sometimes they last nearly a year, sometimes the screen gets destroyed after a week .. all random :P
Don't see why i would wanna have an 600 euro Iphone in my pocket when i know i break phones all the time by letting them fall, they drop outa my pockets, etc etc

[Tziva]

It's worth pointing out that a lot of people are on contracts that give them free new phones every year or two.

I've had a number of phones over the years. However, I pretty much keep them until something breaks on them; I've probably had a mobile for longer than some people on this site have been alive.

/old!

[bekilrwale]

You answered your own question in your first paragraph. People want the "latest and greatest" thing as a status symbol.

[Powerogue]

Because people love shallow materialism. Is that so hard to grasp?

Plus they're small and breakable, but mostly the former.