Guide · Phones, tech and TVs

How long should a mobile phone last in Australia?

A mobile phone bought for around $800 should last about 3 years or more.

A phone should keep working well past a 12 month warranty. The more it cost, the longer you can reasonably expect it to last.

That’s our guide, and plenty last longer. CHOICE’s lifespan research puts it at about 4 years.

The law doesn’t set a fixed number. Goods have to last as long as a reasonable person would expect, given what they are and what you paid. If it fails sooner through no fault of yours, the shop that sold it has to put it right, even when the maker’s warranty has run out.

Check yours

Takes a minute. It works out where you stand and what to say.

Is mine still covered?

Our guide to how long a mobile phone should last, by price:

Price paid	Should last about
Up to $400	2 years
$400 to $1,000	3 years
Over $1,000	4 years

For one bought around $800:

Under 22 months: very likely covered.
22 months to 3 years: borderline, so worth asking.
Over 3 years: harder, but it isn’t a cut-off.

If it failed before the typical lifespan CHOICE gives, say so when you ask.

These are guides, not law.

Signs it’s a fault

The battery fails much sooner than it should, or the phone swells
The screen develops lines or dead patches, or lifts away
It keeps rebooting, overheating or losing signal

What usually isn’t covered

Cracks and water damage from a drop or a dunk
A repair by a third party who opened the case
A change of mind, misuse, or a fault you knew about when you bought it.

What to do

Find your proof of purchase. The receipt is best. A bank or card statement, an order email or a warranty registration also works.
Go back to the shop you bought it from. Not the maker. The shop is responsible, and it can’t send you to the manufacturer instead.
Say what’s wrong and what you want. For a minor problem, the shop can choose to repair it first. For a major one (it’s unsafe, or you wouldn’t have bought it if you’d known), you choose a refund or a replacement.
If they say no, go up a step. Ask again politely, in writing if you can, and keep copies. Then contact your state or territory consumer protection agency. If you need to, your state tribunal is the next step.

What to say at the counter

“I bought a mobile phone here on [date]. [What’s wrong.] It hasn’t lasted as long as I’d reasonably expect for what I paid, so it isn’t of acceptable quality under the Australian Consumer Law. I’d like it repaired, replaced or refunded.”

A tip for a mobile phone

Ask the seller first, with proof of purchase, before you go to a repair shop. A repair by someone else can give the original shop a reason to refuse.

Check yours

It's Stuffed works out where you stand, helps you find your proof of purchase and writes what to say. It also keeps your receipts and warranties in one place, so you’re not hunting for them next time.

Check yours

Common questions

How long should a mobile phone last?

By our guide, a mobile phone bought for around $800 should last about 3 years or more, and plenty last longer. The law doesn’t set a fixed number. Goods have to last as long as a reasonable person would expect, given what they are and what you paid.

Does the consumer guarantee still apply to a mobile phone after the warranty ends?

Yes. They’re separate from the maker’s warranty and from any extended warranty, and they don’t have an end date. What matters is whether it lasted as long as a reasonable person would expect for what it was and what it cost.

Who do I go to if a mobile phone fails, the shop or the maker?

The shop that sold it. The shop is responsible for putting it right under the consumer guarantees, and it can’t send you to the manufacturer instead.

Do I need the receipt to take a mobile phone back?

You need proof of purchase, but not the original receipt. A bank or card statement, an order email or a warranty registration can do the job.

More guides

Where this comes from

ACCC: consumer rights and guarantees · CHOICE: how long should your appliances last