Should I Upgrade My Android Phone Now, or Wait?

Dear Lifehacker,
I'm ready to get a new phone, and [insert phone here] looks great, but [another, different phone] comes out in two months. Should I upgrade now or hold off for [slightly better phone]?

Antsy Android

Dear Antsy,

I get asked this question all the time, and while the answer is "it depends", it's probably not as hard of a decision as you're making it. Android's a bit different than the iPhone because new devices are coming out all the time. As such, there's always going to be a better phone two months down the road, and if you want to always have the "best phone", you're going to be disappointed. A phone will only be the "best" until something new comes out, and you can play the "should I wait" game forever. It depends on why that next phone is "better" than the one that's currently out.

What Features Are Worth Waiting For?

Should I Upgrade My Android Phone Now, or Wait?

Generally, a phone is only worth waiting for if it has a major new feature that the current generation of phones don't have—like a new version of Android. For example, if you're really stoked about new, polished Ice Cream Sandwich, it might actually be worth waiting for the Galaxy Nexus (or any other phone that comes with it preinstalled). Of course, that's only available on Verizon, so if you want to stick with another carrier, the best you can do is go for a phone that's confirmed to be getting Ice Cream Sandwich. However, you'll probably still be waiting a while for the update (but you can always get its best features now).

Similarly, if you're looking for a phone with Near Field Communication (or NFC, the technology that powers things like Google Wallet), you can either grab the Galaxy Nexus on Verizon, or the Nexus S and Galaxy S II on T-Mobile. Again, if you're on another carrier, it's worth waiting for a phone on those carriers that have it. Want a phone with a hardware keyboard and 4G? It's worth waiting for the Droid 4, rather than compromising and getting a phone with just one of those features. Check out our feature on the Android specs that matter, and guide your decision on that: phones with a new version of Android (coming soon), 4G (finally becoming standard), or a magical battery that has double the life of every other phone out there (here's hoping) are worth waiting for.

What Features Aren't Worth Waiting For?

Should I Upgrade My Android Phone Now, or Wait?

However, those are exceptions to the rule. If all you're holding out for is a slightly better processor, 256MB more RAM, or a few more megapixels on the camera, you're probably better off upgrading now rather than waiting. Like we said before, there's always another phone on the horizon, and it'll always have slightly better "tech specs" than the last one—and if you're always waiting for the best Android phone, you're going to be disappointed in two months when something mildly better comes along.

How Much Will an Upgrade Cost You?

Lastly, don't forget to factor in the cost of a new phone. If you aren't due for an upgrade, you're going to have to pay full price for a new phone, and you're probably better off waiting until your contract is up. Of course, this is all up to you and how much you feel like spending on a new phone, but the upgrade price is definitely one of those features "worth waiting for". You could also track price drops with something like CamelCamelCamel or wait for one of Amazon's many phone sales to get a new phone for super cheap.

All in all, the decision's up to you, but in general we wouldn't worry too much about incremental updates or new hardware that's only moderately different from the currently available devices. When you're so annoyed with your old phone that you can't stand it anymore, go ahead and upgrade. Unless you're waiting for a major new feature, you probably won't be missing anything.