Why you should hold on to your old smartphone

I once had a manager who would run out on the first day a new iPhone was available, then show off his shiny new toy to all his underlings — who felt forced to ooh and ahh over its capabilities.

But I took the opposite path, holding onto my smartphones until they basically curled into a ball and died. My current device, an iPhone 13 Pro from 2022, still works great, except for the battery. It stopped getting juiced by wall chargers; then the car charger couldn't perk it up. Now, only a charging cord plugged directly into my laptop will do the trick. Our separation draws near.

My reluctance to make a new purchase is partly anxiety about going to the Apple...