Here are five tell-tale signs it’s perhaps time to consider getting a new smartphone, from drained batteries and apps crashing to overheating and beyond.
Smartphones are more important than ever these days because they can be used as more than just communication devices.
They are pocket-sized computers that are great for accessing instant information online. They have become the ideal personal management and productivity tools that can be used for work and play.
Smartphones can be used to pay for goods and services at the physical and virtual checkouts of your favourite stores, and they can also now be used for many other things that make our daily lives easier.
According to the experts, people should ideally update their smartphone to the latest model at least every two to four years, depending on the current condition of their device, and they shouldn’t hold onto the same device they have been using for too long.
Let’s dive straight in and take a look at five tell-tale signs that it might be time to invest in a new smartphone.
Five signs that you might need a new smartphone
People often get attached to their smartphones for various reasons and find it difficult to part with them, even when they know it’s time to get rid of the old device and invest in a newer smartphone.
If you’ve had your current smartphone for two or three years or longer, you may have already noticed that it’s not performing as well as it used to when you first got it.
You can try repairing it, deleting some apps, giving it a good clean, or purchasing a new battery, but the problems will persist and gradually worsen over time.
Instead of spending money on constantly repairing your device each time a new issue arises, the cheaper option is to upgrade your current smartphone to a brand-new model.
For example, if your current smartphone has become so prehistoric that you can’t even watch your favourite movies or play live games on web cam sites, which is super annoying, then it’s definitely time to get an upgrade.
Here are five tell-tale signs that you might need a new smartphone:
- Diminished Battery life
- Physical damage
- Storage space issues
- Poor camera quality
- Overheating device
Other signs that might be telling you that it’s time for a new smartphone are when the cords keep disconnecting or it becomes difficult to insert them into the ports. Similarly, your device may no longer get software updates, or you may have found that it keeps crashing or failing to carry out simple tasks that it once found easy.
The other reason to upgrade is that your current contract might be about to end, meaning you should be in line for a new free upgrade. However, you could potentially save money by switching to a new plan or a new network, so don’t forget to see what your options are before making any decisions.
Why are smartphone batteries notoriously bad?
Over the past decade, smartphone technology has dramatically evolved, but the technology used in the batteries that power them hasn’t been able to keep up.
The current lithium-ion technology used in smartphones has reached its limits in terms of energy density, whereas the computing capabilities of smartphones continue to improve, and devices have become more demanding.
Smartphone batteries degrade significantly each time they are charged and gradually lose their capacity over time, so after a couple of years of being charged for several hours each day, your battery will eventually become ineffective.
For example, you may have noticed that your fully charged battery drains quickly these days, and it doesn’t give you as long on your smartphone as it did when the device was still new.
Smartphone manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Motorola, Huawei, Google, and OnePlus, to name a few, must look to other industries and new technologies for inspiration to develop longer-lasting batteries, such as Solar PV batteries that have become incredibly remarkable battery storage solutions for homes and businesses in the renewable energy sector.
A key step to going green in the smartphone manufacturing industry would be to develop a capable battery that can handle today’s demanding mobile and tablet devices, one that doesn’t need to be constantly charged and one that lasts much longer than the current lithium-ion batteries.
With the proper care, smartphones [and smartphone batteries] should easily last anywhere from two to five years, but various factors such as over-usage, constantly damaging or dropping your device, exposing it to harsh elements (extreme heat or freezing temperatures, rain, wind, snow, etc.), and demanding too much from it can dramatically reduce both the device and the battery’s average lifespan.
If you have noticed any of the tell-tale signs mentioned above, then perhaps it’s time to consider investing in a brand-new smartphone. Before investing in a new device, though, remember to shop around to try and find the best deals instead of purchasing a new smartphone from the first website you visit.
Final thoughts
Some of the best-selling smartphones available today, for those of you who are currently in the market for a new one, are the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and the Google Pixel 9 Pro. The OnePlus 12 and the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro are also worth considering.
When deciding which new smartphone might be worth getting, some of the most important things to consider are cost, battery, brand/manufacturer, age, OS (operating system), camera, size, weight, memory/storage, water resistance, connectivity, and applications.
Stick to purchasing your new smartphone from a reputable site, and don’t forget to read the reviews to see what the experts are saying.
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