Americans are holding onto devices longer than ever and it’s costing economy PUBLISHED SUN, NOV 23 2025.10:05 AM EST Kevin Williams Lr ______________________________________________________________________________| ® Americans are hanging onto their smartphones for much longer than they did a decade ago, but new releases like Apple’s iPhone 17 can entice consumers to upgrade. ® Businesses tend to hang onto their devices even longer than individual consumers, especially overseas. ® While it may seem to be a smart money move, it can result in a costly productivity and innovation lag for the economy.