How long do phones last?

A phone bought in the UK in 2026 lasts 5 to 7 years with full software support, and the maker's update promise sets the number: Google gives Pixel phones 7 years of OS and security updates, Samsung dates the Galaxy S26 Ultra's security updates to 28 February 2033, and Apple commits to a minimum of 5 years from an iPhone's first supply. Compare Electronic's rule is to count the years left from the day of purchase, not from launch, because that is the period a buyer actually pays for.

The battery usually wears out first. Apple designs iPhone 15 batteries to keep 80 per cent of their original capacity after 1,000 complete charge cycles, about 2.7 years at one cycle a day, so a battery replacement is part of reaching year five. The picks below match Best mobile phone UK 2026 and Best budget phone UK 2026, at Amazon UK prices at the time of writing (October 2026).

How many years of updates do Google, Samsung and Apple promise?

Google and Samsung promise the longest support in 2026. Google gives the Pixel 8 and every later Pixel 7 years of updates from the month it first went on sale on the US Google Store, according to Google's Pixel Help pages. Samsung UK dates the Galaxy S26 Ultra's security updates to 28 February 2033 and promises the Galaxy A57 5G up to 6 OS upgrades and up to 6 years of security updates. Apple publishes a minimum of 5 years and has a record of longer support.

Apple's figure is a floor. Its UK statement of compliance for the iPhone 15 Pro Max lists a defined support period of a "minimum 5 years from the first supply date", with a first supply date of 22 September 2023. Apple's practice runs longer: its iOS 27 page lists the iPhone 11, released in 2019, and the iPhone SE (2nd generation) as compatible, so an iPhone 11 is in its eighth year of updates.

UK law now makes every maker state a number. Since 29 April 2024 the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) regime has required makers of connectable products to publish their minimum security update period in a clear, accessible and transparent way, according to gov.uk. That rule is why Samsung UK prints a "Security Update Period (Valid until)" line on its spec sheets.

When does support end, and what does each phone cost per year?

The Samsung Galaxy A57 5G is the cheapest phone here per year of support left, at £59.72, with the Google Pixel 10a close behind at £62.18. Compare Electronic's support-end table counts the years from October 2026 to each maker's published end date and divides the Amazon UK price by them.

A cheap old phone is expensive to own. The renewed iPhone 15 costs £360, less than every new pick, but its guaranteed support ends in September 2028, so each year costs £187.83, three times the Pixel 10a. On Apple's minimum, the iPhone 18 Pro costs £243.86 a year; if Apple supports it for 7 years, as the iPhone 11's run suggests is possible, the cost falls to £171.29 a year.

The Google Pixel 11 Pro has the latest end date in the table, August 2033, but costs £999 on Amazon UK, £206.01 more than the Galaxy S26 Ultra for six more months of support. Buyers weighing a renewed iPhone against these figures should read Is a refurbished iPhone worth it?

When should a phone be replaced?

Replace a phone when its security updates end, and replace only the battery when the battery is the problem. A phone keeps working after its last update, but it stops receiving fixes for newly found security flaws, which is the point of the PSTI end date.

Battery wear runs on a rough timetable. Apple designs batteries in iPhone 14 models and earlier to keep 80 per cent of their capacity at 500 complete charge cycles, about 16 months at one cycle a day, and iPhone 15 models at 1,000 cycles, about 2.7 years. Samsung UK lists a minimum battery endurance of 1,200 cycles for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, about 3.3 years. The full battery-or-new maths is in Should I replace my phone battery or buy new?

Phones are replaced sooner than the other screens in a home. A TV bought in 2026 gets 5 to 8 years of software support, as covered in How long do TVs last?, and HP puts most laptops at three to five years, as covered in How long does a laptop last?

Which phone will last the longest?

The Google Pixel 11 Pro will stay supported the longest of any phone here, at £999 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026): Google gives it 7 years of OS, security and Pixel Drop updates to August 2033. It pairs that with the Google Tensor G6, 12GB of RAM, a 6.3-inch 495 ppi LTPO OLED rated up to 3,600 nits, and a 50 MP wide, 48 MP ultrawide and 48 MP 5x telephoto camera system, headroom that matters more in year six than in year one.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra runs out six months sooner, on 28 February 2033, but costs £206.01 less at £792.99 and has a battery Samsung rates for at least 1,200 cycles. Buyers on a budget get almost the same support for far less: the Samsung Galaxy A57 5G at £323.49 and the Google Pixel 10a at £399 each cost under half the Pixel 11 Pro per year left. iPhone buyers get Apple's longest minimum, to September 2031, with the Apple iPhone 18 Pro at £1,199.

Verdict

A phone bought in 2026 lasts 5 to 7 years with updates: 7 on a Google Pixel and the Galaxy S26 Ultra, 6 on the Galaxy A57 5G and at least 5 on an iPhone, with one battery replacement likely along the way. The Google Pixel 11 Pro at £999 is supported the longest, to August 2033, and the Samsung Galaxy A57 5G at £59.72 per year left is the cheapest to own. The full shortlists are in Best mobile phone UK 2026 and Best budget phone UK 2026.