Mobile phones are personal objects that bring so much usefulness into your life. It’s no wonder then that many people get nostalgic about their old phones. How many of us out there had a Nokia back in the day, or perhaps a BlackBerry or a Sony Ericcson. Playing Snake, exchanging SMS messages and viewing the occasional WAP website were so exciting on these early devices. No matter what the brand, they all had a lot of personality.
Technology is advancing in ways that we never thought possible and smartphones are getting smarter while their lifespans are shorter. While your smartphone is dying a death, you need to see that it could be time for an upgrade. When smartphone manufacturers are pushing innovation forward and you are being compelled into a new phone, you need to determine whether you need one or whether you are just being tempted.
Some people choose not to upgrade their physical phone but will upgrade to a SIM-only plan, adding data or minutes as needed. Others get tempted by the upgrade potential and get those beautiful new devices. Forgoing an upgrade could mean missing out on some features more than others but you should consider whether you need a new device, or whether you just have a little FOMO on those newbie devices hitting the market. Let’s take a look at the signs it’s time for a phone upgrade.
- Your phone performance is slowing down. If your device is not as responsive to you as it used to be, and it’s taking forever to answer or to do anything on screen, then it’s a common sign that it’s time for an upgrade. Sluggish performance is not your fault, but overtime as you install more apps and take more photos, you’re going to accumulate data that your phone’s processing speed is not going to give up with. Older phones can struggle to keep up with the demands of the new apps and new phones. Well, that’s your option.
- Your phone is frequently crashing and freezing. If your apps are suddenly closing or your screen is freezing, which means that you have to constantly reset your phone, there could be an underlying hardware or software issue that you’re not aware of. As your smartphone gets older, the battery, processor, and memory may start to degrade. This impacts its stability, and those outdated operating systems and insufficient RAM can contribute to regular crashes. This not only disrupts your entertainment, but makes you less productive.
- Your phone has a rubbish battery life. This is one of those flaws that you’ll find with certain brands. Cough, Apple, cough. While there are ways to extend the life of your phone’s battery, battery degradation is inevitable, which is why so many brands bring out different models of phone, one after the other. If you’re constantly reaching for the charger or your phone is dying out quickly even after you’ve charged it fully, you might need to think about a new phone because the battery is ending its life.
- You’re running out of storage. Running out of storage space on your phone can be incredibly frustrating, especially if you frequently receive error messages that indicate that your device is full. Those videos, apps and photos you keep taking need to be thinned down and deleted, or you need to upgrade.
Your phone isn’t supposed to live forever, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make sure that you are treating it in an optimal way. Looking after your phone can help prolong its life and then give you more options between staying or upgrading.