Hold that iPhone for 3 years or more!….

We’ve been testing the new phones and think they’re swell. But so was the iPhone X from two years ago. So we approached this review with a different lens: Instead of comparing it to last year’s iPhone XS, we’ve been using the 11 alongside iPhones that are two and three years old — the X and the 7. To measure the most important change, the cameras, we used a three-way selfie stick to make all the phones snap the same photo at the same time.

We were hard-pressed to find features we couldn’t live without on the 11 — and surprised at how well the X has aged. Our takeaway: Anyone with an iPhone 7 (or older) will appreciate that the 11 shoots better photos in the dark, promises a longer battery life and has a larger screen. Otherwise, save your cash for next year, which will likely bring bigger changes like support for ultrafast 5G networks.

Apple’s iOS 13 adds enough features that you may not need an iPhone 11

Our three-year rule reflects the reality that many people are already holding off. In 2013, Americans bought new smartphones after 20 months, on average, according to research firm Kantar. As of this year, we’re waiting 24.2 months.

Where did the two-year cycle come from anyway? In the U.S., phone carriers used to subsidize the cost of new phones with two-year service plans. Apple also used a naming system — 4, 4S, 5, 5S — that suggested big improvements came in two-year cycles.

But the hardware breakthroughs haven’t been rolling as fast lately. And Apple itself has made it easier to keep using old iPhones, with software updates for older models and by adding waterproofing and stronger glass. Cheaper battery replacements help, too.

Of course, our rule is just a guide. It’s okay to hold on to your iPhone even longer. Apple’s latest iOS 13 update supports models going back to the four-year-old iPhone 6S. You might even decide to switch to an Android phone….

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