Americans upgrade their smartphones every three years, according to studies. That’s up from a little less than two years in 2016.
While these devices last longer than ever, there are some signs that it’s time to consider a smartphone upgrade. Let’s look at 6 signs that it’s time for a new model.
1. Battery Life is Too Short
Batteries are one of the few components in modern devices that can wear out. The more charge cycles they go through, the shorter they’ll run between charges.
If your phone’s battery life is too short to get you through the day, it might be time to look at a new model. You can’t replace the batteries in most phones without special skills and equipment so you could end up spending a good chunk of the cost of a new phone on just a new battery.
2. Problems With the Display
If your smartphone’s display has problems, it makes it hard to use the phone. Most of your interaction is through the touchscreen.
This could be a broken screen resulting from a drop or other accident or it could be that the touch interface isn’t responding. Either way, the cost of a repair is going to be close to a whole new phone.
3. Physical Damage That Affects Use
The display isn’t the only part of the phone that can get damaged. If the camera, fingerprint scanner, buttons, or other components aren’t working, it’s probably time to replace it.
Like the screen, these parts are costly to repair and you’re better off putting that money towards a new device.
4. Performance Is Suffering
Phones are a type of computer and like all computers, they eventually get outdated. Apps for smartphones need more processing power and more memory so they may run too slowly to be useful on older devices.
And unlike most computers, you can’t upgrade any of the components in your smartphone. The only option for getting more memory or a faster processor is to replace it with a new phone.
5. Can’t Run the Latest Version of the Operating System
Whether you use an iPhone or an Android device, you’ll eventually get to the point where the latest version of the operating system won’t run on your phone.
Most manufacturers support phones going back three or four years but once your phone gets beyond that, you’ll be stuck on an older version of the OS.
6. The Phone is No Longer Supported by the Manufacturer
It’s not only the OS that eventually stops getting support on older smartphones. Security updates and other patches will also stop at some point.
When that happens, your phone won’t get any fixes for security flaws or other bugs. If an exploit is discovered after that, you’ll be exposed to those risks.
Is It Time for a Smartphone Upgrade?
If one (or more) of these signs hits close to home for you, it’s probably time for a smartphone upgrade. Whether you’re an iPhone or an Android user, you’ve got plenty of options to choose from.
And when you get a new phone, you’ll need new accessories for it as well, especially a new case. Blackbrook offers a large selection of high-quality leather iPhone cases and Samsung Galaxy cases as well as many other mobile accessories.
Visit our website once you have your new smartphone picked out to get all the extras you’ll need.