I did this until my last phone. Bought a new android and ended up keeping it over 4 years. It was still more functional at that point than prior phones where I was just waiting for that 2 year window to roll off so I could get a new free refurb.
I think AT&T changed their phone pricing around then where free refurb phones from the prior year or so were no longer really a thing. In any case, I like that years 1-2 having really great battery life rather than always dealing with the decline.
That’s reasonable, just a slight difference in frugality. It looks like my phone is about 3 years old, I must have gotten it refurbished when it was 2 years old. The battery is enough that I don’t worry about it unless I’m constantly streaming videos to the TV or similar. As long as I charge it overnight it rarely bothers me. I do have a charge cable in my car for driving just in case and usually attach it just out of habit from the old iPhone 6.
There was never such a thing as a “free” phone. The upgrades were already baked into the cost of the service. That why it was always beneficial to upgrade as soon as you had the chance.
Then, in order to look like they were cutting costs, they just removed the cost of the “free” phones from the price and, voila, lower prices! See, we do care about the customer!
Is that when Ned got the Assassins?
3 years is a good life for a used phone. I never had that sort of luck.
I will say that replacing a 4 year old phone with a new one was sort of underwhelming. Sure, it does things better and faster, but I am not sure it really does anything “new”.
Yup!! I tried finding the clip where Homer has the thought bubble with Ned ordering him to buy the shoes 
.
iPhone 6 user here. I have been noticing that when I plug my phone into the car that the map app in carplay feature was getting interrupted. I may be going to get a new phone soon. I am not looking forward to spending > $1000 on the 12. I don’t take photos, videos. I use it for facetime, maps and texting.
There is an AT&T store close that I will just walk into and upgrade to whatever deal they have.
I’m looking at the 12 mini & the regular 12 tomorrow night. I don’t think I’d like the super big one. I think the mini is the size of my current phone.
My phone already crashes occasionally and the battery is showing signs of age.
AT&T does have some deals now. I would be paying for 3 years instead of 2. But given my tendency to keep my phones a while that probably doesn’t matter.
Last year I went from a 6S to an SE2 and I’m happy with it. Similar size, updated components, and price point of 400-450.
I’ve got the super big one, but I feel pretty indifferent about the size - I think it’s because I don’t leave the house much and thus I don’t feel the impact of lugging it around. It’s kind of nice in that I don’t feel like it’s going to break if I drop it.
Some cons of the upgraded iPhone: (1) The camera is too good and I can no longer take a selfie that isn’t followed immediately by delete, delete, DELETE. (2) I forget what the second con was. I think it was something about not having any idea why the Pro versus the mini versus x number of versions back is comparably any better - a phone is a phone is a phone.
Pros: (1) Music from my old-ish iPod automatically imported itself. (2) I really like the face recognition log in feature - it works even if I’m face smooshed in a couch or only showing my double chin.
Fun fact to know and tell: My daughter can log into my wife’s phone via face recognition.
because it is able to recognize two faces or because it believes the two females are one and the same?
Because it believes they are the same person. Certainly, they look similar, but I would never conclude that they look the same…especially since there’s a 20+ year age difference. 
I don’t have any login features on my phone. Just swipe and I’m in.
I had a iPhone 7 until two months ago. I got the new iPhone SE. It is about $400 and is basically an iPhone 7 with a more powerful chipset. I love my home button
Ok so the 13 comes out next week and there is also a newer SE. That’s an option if I decide I don’t want to spend as much.
I’ve gotten used to not having one, but I do kind of miss it…
I asked my sister the photographer about this (12 v 12 Pro) and she said the two times she bought a “pro” version of whatever phone she didn’t think it was worth the price difference.
I no longer miss my home button. Though I have to admit, having extra screen isn’t all that useful, it’s a very wide aspect ratio. IMO.
I started down the path of getting lured in by the top on the line latest Samsung, then realized last year’s cheap version had all the real features I wanted. I’d never really use the fancy camera and plastic case is just fine given I’m just putting it in another plastic case.