We asked how you feel about yearly smartphone launches, and the results are depressing

We’re an enthusiast-first website, and that’s precisely why results from a recent poll we ran are particularly telling. There was a time when a new smartphone launch was genuinely something to look forward to. With an audience like ours — people who follow the smartphone industry closely — you’d expect excitement surrounding annual smartphone launches to be high. That doesn’t seem to be the case.

We asked our readers how they feel about annual smartphone launches, and only 5% of respondents showed any meaningful excitement. The majority, on the other hand, said that they were starting to lose interest.

42% of the respondents (721 votes) said that they were starting to lose interest in annual releases, while 34% of the voters (577 respondents) said they outright do not care. The remaining 19% (333 voters) said they don’t mind annual releases, provided they bring meaningful upgrades.

The interesting finding here isn’t that a large portion of our readers are losing interest in annual releases. Instead, what’s interesting is just how few people are still genuinely excited about them. So even if enthusiasts, like our readers, aren’t excited about annual releases, who are these releases really for?

The poll in question was part of an article we published back in August, arguing that annual iterative releases were becoming increasingly pointless. We argued that modern smartphones have reached a point where new generations only offer minor upgrades, which don’t warrant buying a new phone every year. Add the fact that Samsung, Google, Apple, and other OEMs now offer 6 to 7 years of software updates on a growing number of their devices, and the incentive to upgrade becomes even weaker.

Many of our readers’ comments on the original article tell a similar story.

Reader kevriveroc wrote that they have a two-year-old flagship and struggle to see the point in upgrading.

Ever since I switched to a brand-new Galaxy S24 Ultra last year (and that was after the S25 series was already out), I’m struggling to see the point in upgrading, even when comparing it to the latest Pros and Ultras from China, which are objectively better.

Similarly, reader johnwilsonfiver wrote that they’re happy with their OnePlus 13.

My latest phone is a Oneplus 13. At $ US 550.00, a great battery recharging in about 25 minutes, good camera with 3x optical zoom, I won’t be buying another phone for years.

Of course, this doesn’t mean annual smartphone releases shouldn’t be a thing. Just because I bought a phone last year and don’t see a reason to upgrade this year doesn’t mean the same applies to someone who’s looking to upgrade their four- or five-year-old device. In that sense, annual releases still serve a very important purpose. It’s just that manufacturers aren’t doing enough to make each new generation feel exciting. Commenter DFranch echoed that sentiment:

Just because a new phone is released annually, doesn’t mean you need to upgrade. Also, just because you aren’t looking for an upgrade doesn’t mean somebody else doesn’t have an old phone that needs replacing.

That’s why not everyone is against annual launches, provided they bring meaningful changes. Take the Pixel 10a, for example. It offers the same Tensor G4 chip as its predecessor, complete with the same battery size (with faster speeds), the same cameras, and the same RAM. I wouldn’t want to spend big bucks upgrading to the Pixel 10a from a Pixel 9a, especially after its recent price hike. On the other hand, I’d spend on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, especially because of its new frame, more rounded corners, and the novel Privacy Display screen, among other changes. That’s exactly what 19% of the respondents felt while voting.