I refuse to buy a new phone in 2026—here’s what changed

Every year, all the big players release new smartphones. Sure, they’re shiny and have fancy specs, but that $1,300 Galaxy S26 Ultra or new iPhone isn’t all that special compared to what’s already in my pocket. This isn’t a new take, but now the software has started to plateau just as much as the hardware, making upgrades harder than ever to justify.