![Is Your Mobile Contract Outliving Your Device? [STUDY]](https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/archives/04NkwBVuVDluQh76k6LWjwc/hero-image.fill.size_1248x702.v1647019840.jpg)
With many manufacturers releasing between 15 and 30 new devices each year -- and given the rapid evolution of mobile operating systems and applications -- a two-year contract might as well be a life sentence for some.
A study by gadget site Retrevo shows that 62% of mobile users feel their smartphones are out of date before their contracts are up for renewal.
And it makes sense that consumers would feel this way. Over the past year alone, the 5MP camera as "emerging technology" has given way to the 8MP camera. We now have several dual-core phones; this time last year, single-core phones were standard. And 4G, front-facing cameras and HDMI outs are all new in the past 12 months, as well.
But if you follow the money, this works out just fine for the phone networks and manufacturers. After all, in the same survey, the majority of users said they would not pay extra fees to get a one-year contract instead of the standard two-year contract. And over the term of a two-year contract, users who care about having the latest device might shell out extra money anyway to get the newest gadgets as many times as they want.
Hence, as long as folks will still pay out-of-pocket for the latest phones, don't expect the two-year contract to go away any time soon. The status quo is just too profitable for the major players in the industry to want to change it.