[pengo]

I left the Android ecosystem in 2014 because I couldn't get OS updates despite the hardware still being better than most newer phones.

I moved to a Blackberry Z30 (best phone I've ever owned); it gave me five good years and is still my backup device despite now being unsupported. The Sony XA2+ I replaced it with in 2019 is running SailfishOS. It's given me three years and I expect at least another three. Meanwhile my partner's Samsung S10, also bought in 2019, is already struggling because there are no Android updates.

It seems to me the key to longevity is the availability of OS updates. Or perhaps I should say; the availability of OS updates that don't cynically downgrade your phone's performance to encourage the purchase of a new one.