How often do you change over your mobile phone?

A survey of Australian consumers by retailer Allphones found that 13% of phone buyers plan on replacing their handset every six months, and 40% expect to do so once a year. While the survey size (110) is so small that the figures can’t be taken very seriously (especially in a country where there are more than 20 million handsets), it does raise an interesting issue.

As a tech journalist, I get to test out quite a lot of new phones (though I’m an amateur compared to Nick at Gizmodo) — but I’ve tended to hang onto my actual working phone for two years or more. What’s your preferred phone replacement cycle? And what drives you to change over — a sexy new design, enhanced features, or a dead battery in your old phone? Share your thoughts in the comments.