There is a need to swap out technology due to its obsolescence and advancements made elsewhere, in at times as little as two-year cycles. Noted here is that new mobile phones are introduced every two years or so, and while this rollout goes on, at times the older technologies are restricted or minimized in some way that they do not perform as well as they may have originally, or indeed as everyone else’s devices now operate.
Reputable website Tom’s Guide has a breakdown of when an old phone is no longer safe, suggesting that iPhones can be upgraded in 5 years and Android phones in only 3 years, due to security advancements that are created and now necessary for proper functioning of the device. These advancements are made both on the hardware and software components.
On the computer side, we are now in the midst of the Windows 10 era (excepting for the Apple Computer). There is no other operating system for computers that is able to maintain security for its users except this suite. Additionally, Windows 10 is so large and demanding of resources that a new computer is generally the answer to any problem that is taking place with a 5 year or older computer. While these old computers may still work fine, they are often not up to the challenge of supporting Windows 10. And for those computers that are coming up to the limit of this timeline, one may try to forestall obsolescence by adding additional RAM Memory as week as adding a large Solid-State Drive (SSD).
As for the Apple users, their hardware may last a bit longer, but there is no discount price for these products when the consumer goes to buy one. These products are comparatively premium priced and the challenge of economically disadvantaged people buying these products remains.