As is the case with all tech goods, innovation in the mobile phone market occurs at a rapid rate. With significant, game-changing developments normally happening every 2-3 years.
How often you choose to upgrade your device is entirely down to personal preference. Some people love to stay ahead of the latest technology, whereas others just want a reliable handset that will last them as long as possible. While the performance and battery life of most devices will slow down over time, any well looked after smartphone should last for 3-5 years without causing you too many problems.
It's also worth noting that upgrading your device more regularly may not leave you as out of pocket as you might think. If your phone is only a year or two old, and therefore still relatively up to date, its resale value will be a lot higher than in another two or three years, so the net cost doesn’t always have to break the bank!
Some helpful tips on how to prolong the life of your device
Smartphones aren’t cheap purchases, these days, so here are a few handy tips for how you can get more usage out of your device before needing an upgrade:
- Invest in a case and screen protector – this is probably the easiest and most effective way of prolonging the life of your device.
- Restarting phone regularly – this will clear out any background apps, heating issues, memory problems, and issues will call signal, giving your device a fresh start, which will ensure smoother performance and slower-declining battery life.
- Free up storage space – this will help to speed up the performance of your device. It’s easy to back up memory draining stuff like your photos only the cloud, so only keep things you really need stored on your device.
- Clean your device regularly.
When to know when it’s time for an upgrade
Here are the most common reasons for deciding it’s time for a new device:
- The battery life has tanked.
- Your device is too damaged to use properly.
- You’re experiencing delays in response.
- You’re experiencing frequent crashes.
- Your device is constantly overheating. Note: this isn’t just impractical, but also a potential fire hazard, so if this is happening, you absolutely need to upgrade.
Some of the many benefits to upgrading your device
One of the most important benefits of upgrading to a newer device is security. Manufacturers like Samsung and Apple stop offering support for their latest operating systems to older phone models after a while. Not being able to access the latest system will not only deteriorate your phone’s performance, but also leave you vulnerable to security threats.
Aside from the security benefits, sometimes it’s also just nice to have a shiny new phone loaded with all the latest technology! Upgrading to a new device will give you better camera technology, faster processing power, a longer battery life, improved functionality, and allow you access more feature-rich applications. What’s not to like about that?