I think that really is a great point. If Google actually sold their phones for more than 24 months, they'd stop supporting software updates before they stopped selling brand new phones!

Would you buy a Dell, HP or Lenovo today if Windows 10 would only get software updates two years after it was released (July 29, 2015...)?

To be sure, phones (and computers) don't need software (feature) updates, necessarily. They can still perform functions (and install apps) long after the updates stop coming.

Security updates, on the other hand, should have a guarantee more inline with computers - say 5 years after the product is no longer sold. (Of course, that's much more ambiguous then "2 years after release date" but 5 years for security doesn't seem unreasonable to me.)

This comparison requires context.

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First, timelines:

Nexus 5X

Released: October 22nd, 2015

Discontinued: October 5th, 2016 - (12 months from release)

Mainstream Software Support Ended: December 5th, 2017 (13 months from discontinuation, 25 months from release)

iPhone 5C

Released: September 20th, 2013

Discontinued: September 9th, 2015 (24 months from release)

Mainstream Software Support Ended: July 19th, 2017 (22 months from discontinuation, 46 months from release)

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Next, positioning:

iPhone 5c: Bottom of the lineup, released as a budget/$0 contract option in comparison to the rest of the iPhone line.

Nexus 5X: Flagship of the Nexus line. You could argue the Nexus 6P was the flagship, but it's irrelevant as it was also released, discontinued and exited support on the same days. Point is, these were the top-of-the-line Nexus phones at the time.

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Here is how I see it:

Apple had a reduced support lifecycle for a bottom-of-the-line experimental phone that they never repeated. They typically support a phone for 3-5 years, this one was 2-4 years depending if you count from release or discontinuation date. This was still longer than the support life cycle for the flagship, top of the line Nexus phones, the only Android phones with the reputation and stated goal of offering extended software support. They managed to make it just over 1-2 years.

I don't care how you slice it, that's embarrassing. Even the flagships can't begin to approach Apple's support timeline for their worst and most neglected device. Throw in non-flagships, even from just the major manufacturers, and it just gets depressing. There are phones being sold right now that will never see an update after the customer purchases them. They've exited support before the customer even unwraps them.

I think any way you look at it, Apple is the only company who can be trusted to provide a reasonable support lifecycle, regardless of when you buy the phone.

lag that didn't used to be there when you bought it...

I use a 5s as well. I cracked the screen on my first one but I'll be replacing it to use the phone as a hardware key soon.

The only time I suffer lag is sometimes with the share button in Safari. My storage was chronically full on my last one, and that didn't seem to affect anything. My batteries still last a handful of hours, but the 5s wasn't part of the iOS voltage-limiting patches, so I don't know if that would be a cause.

I'd try a factory reset then restoring from backup.

The 5s was not throttled.

More info on this support page:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208387

> For iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, and iPhone 7 Plus, iOS dynamically manages performance peaks to prevent the device from unexpectedly shutting down so that the iPhone can still be used.