Phones that were around 10 years ago were survivors. All the phones I have from that period still work.

Phones from the last few years seem a lot more fragile. The two HTC's that I had before the iPhone both died within 9 months of buying them. Most of the people I know that have owned "smart" phones in last 3 years or so have a graveyard of dead devices.

That said the iPhone feels like an exception, at least I hope so... (that said I am on my second one, the first had crap appear behind the screen and my current one has a dead pixel)

And some of the Nokias are still well built. I wouldn't touch another HTC with someone else's barge pole.