Durable smartphones: which phone has the best lifespan in 2024?

Is it possible to buy a durable smartphone? Between the different ecological commitments, software updates, and repairability, the selection criteria are not always clear to understand. We invite you to discover which brands offer phones with the best lifespan.

Buying a smartphone is not something that should be done lightly. Indeed, acquiring such a product involves costs, whether budgetary or environmental. Given the prices imposed on the market in recent years, many want to turn to models capable of combining performance and durability, whether in an ecological approach or simply for a better return on investment. This is why we urge you to find out which brand offers the most durable smartphones.

On the manufacturer side, many brands have become aware of such an issue and are not skimping on communication. Companies like Apple and Fairphone ensure that the construction of their devices is as green as possible. Certainly, the effort is commendable, but we must also take into account the total lifespan of a smartphone. Indeed, the phone you keep the longest is, in fact, the most environmentally friendly.

If you are looking to acquire the best smartphone on the market and one that will last a long time, a very important element to consider is the number of Android or iOS updates offered by manufacturers, which extend the lifespan of the device. 'a device. It is also necessary to distinguish between eco-responsible and ecological smartphones. A mobile can be eco-responsible, but very rarely ecological.

If you want to opt for the most eco-friendly option possible, we advise you to invest in a refurbished smartphone (or, more specifically, a refurbished iPhone or a refurbished Samsung ). You thus give a second life to a tech product…

Understanding Lifespan: A Multifaceted Approach

A phone's lifespan is more than just its physical durability. It encompasses several aspects, including:

• Hardware longevity: This refers to the phone's ability to withstand everyday wear and tear, with factors like build quality, battery health, and processor performance playing a crucial role.

• Software support: Regular updates are essential for security, functionality, and maintaining compatibility with new apps and services. The length of time a manufacturer offers software updates directly impacts the phone's long-term usability.

• User behavior: Proper care, including using a case, avoiding extreme temperatures, and practicing healthy charging habits, significantly extends a phone's lifespan.

Apple: 5 years of major updates on iOS for a durable phone

When it comes to updates, Apple is one of the best performers in the global telephony market. However, the Cupertino company is the only one not to communicate openly about software updates. With each new version of iOS, the manufacturer indicates which models are eligible for the update. The latest version of iOS 17 is compatible with the iPhone Xr, a smartphone released in 2018.

In addition to the updates, the Cupertino company imposes real ecological choices on its products. Recently, chargers have simply disappeared from iPhone boxes. This allows the manufacturer to reduce its emissions. In addition, Tim Cook recently made carbon neutrality one of his main priorities for both Apple and its suppliers.

In 2017, a Greenpeace graph put the Apple company just behind Fairphone on the ecological commitments made by the brand. More recently, the company took stock of its progress in recycling, particularly for its smartphones.

Of course, everything is not rosy for the manufacturer since some criticisms are still made about the firm. In particular, it would need to review its policy to move towards a logic of repair rather than recycling. Indeed, rare earths, essential for the construction of a smartphone, are gradually diminishing. The manufacturer has just launched the Self-Service Repair program in the United States.

A first step in this direction. However, if you're looking for a durable and eco-friendly phone, the iPhone has a place of choice - provided you pay the price.

Fairphone: 7 years of Android updates for an ethical smartphone

In this sector, Fairphone is a real UFO. The manufacturer's smartphones impose a dilemma on their future buyers. On the one hand, their ecological convictions and, on the other, their desire to have a modern telephone.

In return, the construction of the device respects many ecological standards by using a large quantity of recyclable materials. But that's not all. For example, the Fairphone 4 obtained at its time the maximum score of 10/10 from the iFixit site. The user can replace all the elements that make up a durable smartphone. Let us add that updates are provided by the manufacturer. The Fairphone 5 comes with Android 13 natively.

Above all, you have to be prepared to make huge concessions on certain features of your phone, taking into account the price, which is high. Thus, the Fairphone 5 is far from being the best in photos in its range, and its performance is at a discount. The plastic and somewhat dated design are not the most attractive either. You will therefore have to be convinced by the environmental approach to choose one over another.

Samsung: 7 years of major updates for the Galaxy S and 4 on the Galaxy A

Android telephony is a good student when it comes to software monitoring. Since the S24 generation, Samsung now offers seven years of major and seven security updates. This does not apply to the S23, S22, and S21, the most expensive A models, which remain at four versions of Android, as well as the brand's folding phones.

A decision that is welcome even if, for the moment, only high-end devices are concerned, and a few A references (notably the A54 and the A34). The Galaxy J and Galaxy M will still have to wait to be entitled to this much support. Especially since it is from a Korean manufacturer, it is the mid-range devices that sell best to the general public. Thus, even a device costing less than 400 euros, such as the A54, benefits from four years of updates.

In the product aspect, after mocking Apple for removing chargers, Samsung imitated its rival. High-end devices are no longer entitled to additional charging blocks, and the company's managers are considering extending this decision. Thus, all ranges may no longer have chargers in their boxes. However, the manufacturer must still make some efforts to improve the repairability of its devices. However, choosing a Samsung smartphone is recommended for a better lifespan.

Google: 7 years for Pixel 8, 3 years for Pixel 7 and 6

So far, and regarding the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro range, as well as that of the Pixel 6, the manufacturer's devices benefit from three years of major updates and five years of security patches. Which is a bit stingy coming from the owner of Android...

Excellent news, however: the new Pixel 8 and 8 Pro (and their successors, logically) will benefit from no less than 7 years of updates. And this concerns both major updates and security patches! A change that we have been waiting for for a long time and which is a pleasure. Pixel 8 owners will therefore be able to keep their phones even longer.

In addition, the American company has decided to trust the iFixit site to sell spare parts for its high-end phones. As a reminder, the repairability index of the Pixel 6 reaches 6.4/10, while the Pro version is 6.3/10. Google has made great efforts on the next generation: the Pixel 7 reached 7.2/10 and the Pixel 7 Pro, 7.1/10.

As with Apple, the company also communicates a lot about its carbon impact. For all its products, the latter favors recyclable materials to give a second life to each device. So much so that the new devices also do not have chargers in the boxes.

Other Android manufacturers: what is the most reliable phone brand?

In the global mobile phone market, some Android manufacturers are still behind on software updates but are still making some efforts.

Xiaomi: five years of major updates on the high-end

Xiaomi is a heavyweight in terms of sales. So much so that the manufacturer has entered the top 3 of the most important brands Apple and Samsung. Unlike Google, the Chinese brand highlights four generations of Android updates. This is the case for the 13T and 13T Pro series, which will also be entitled to 5 years of security updates.

Vivo: three years of support on the X range

Still fresh on the market in Europe, the Chinese manufacturer still wants to offer its update program. For the moment, only high-end devices, named X, benefit from full software support over three full years. For the other Y and V ranges, we are heading towards two major updates and three years of security patches.

Realme: two to three years of software support

At this point, Realme is far from being a good student. The brand is initially unclear on the issue. The Realme GT would be entitled to two versions of Android and three years of security updates, but the lower ranges could only benefit from a single version of Android and two years of updates.

Motorola: two years of updates

Motorola's premium line, the Edge 20, benefits from two major Android updates and two years of security updates.

The manufacturer has not communicated about the rest of its catalog, but no other smartphone likely offers more than two years of support.

Oppo and OnePlus: 4 years of updates

For its part, OnePlus recently announced that it was moving to four years of major updates and five years of security patches on its most high-end smartphones (for example, the OnePlus 11). This decision places it at the same level as Samsung and makes it a very good student. However, there is a catch: the future of the two brands in Europe seems to be increasingly threatened. Oppo has even left France.

For its part, the Oppo brand, which benefited from the rise of OnePlus, also announced moving on to four years of major updates. It is currently ColorOS 13, based on Android 13, which is deployed on Oppo smartphones. The recent Oppo Find N2 Flip is also entitled to four years of Android support.

For their devices, Oppo and OnePlus have not yet fully implemented an action plan around their ecological discourse. Phone chargers are still present in the boxes, while the materials used are not all certified 100% eco-responsible.

Which smartphone lasts a long time?

What political actions are being taken?

For the moment, different governments are taking various measures around the ecological issue of smartphones. On a continental scale, the European Union is increasing its desire to impose a universal charge. While in France, deputies voted for the private copy tax, making reconditioned smartphones a little more expensive.

Should you choose a repairable phone or a reconditioned smartphone?

Both solutions are relevant when we combine ecology and telephony. In France, a repairability index is now mandatory. This will allow you to extend the life of the product. The alternative is to purchase a refurbished smartphone. This avoids the production of a new device while offering a second life to a model.

What are the criteria for a good eco-responsible smartphone?

So that your smartphone can last over time, you need to pay attention to a few criteria. There are therefore a few elements that must be paid attention to to have a durable product.

• The level of protection with, if possible, waterproof certification

• The internal battery

• The processor

• Ease of repair

• Update duration

• Availability of spare parts

With all these elements compiled, it will be possible to have a smartphone with a better lifespan. Of course, if these criteria are respected, they are not everything. It is imperative that you take care of your phone and not consider it a manifestation projectile.

What is the most eco-friendly smartphone?

In addition to the ecological actions announced by the manufacturer, it is necessary to consult a few constituent elements of the construction of a smartphone. It is almost impossible to have an ecological phone, as the construction of a device is so polluting.

By the rare materials needed, but also the different transits to reach your hand. We cannot, in fact, really recommend an ecological phone since it is almost impossible. To get as close as possible to an eco-friendly smartphone, try to keep it for as long as possible.

Which smartphone lasts a long time?

One brand in particular stands out for its long-term software support to extend the lifespan of smartphones. It's about Apple and its major updates provided for many years on the iPhone. But let's also cite good efforts at Android on the Samsung side. The case of Fairphone is also interesting, with smartphones updated seven years after their release, but with OS versions very late.