LONDON (AP) — If you want to get as much use out of your shiny new iPhone as possible, you should take good care of it.
Most people today keep their smartphones longer instead of upgrading them regularly. And there are many reasons for this.
At the start of the smartphone era, you may have upgraded to a new device every few years to ensure you had the latest must-have features, or because your mobile phone contract subsidized the purchase of the latest model. But that’s no longer the case, as smartphone technology has matured, innovations are incremental, and mobile operators’ pricing models have changed.
There are also environmental efforts to keep old phones out of landfills, as e-waste is becoming a bigger sustainability issue. Smartphones these days are also simply more robust and can withstand bumps and shocks better.
“As long as you take care of your phone and keep it updated, you’ll get at least four or five years of good use out of it,” says Chris Hauk of tech website Pixel Privacy. Some device owners boast in online forums that their phones have lasted more than seven years.
And if you’re paying over $1,000 for your smartphone, you probably want it to last as long as possible. Here are some tips to extend the life of your Apple or Android mobile device:
Battery care
One of the biggest factors affecting the lifespan of your phone is the battery. The chemical age of a battery is not related to the date it was manufactured. Rather, it is based on a complex combination of factors, including “temperature history and charging patterns.” according to Apple.
“As lithium-ion batteries chemically age, the amount of charge they can store decreases, resulting in shortened battery life and reduced peak performance,” says the iPhone maker.
The company says its charging optimization technology is designed to improve battery life and allow iPhone users to safely charge their phones overnight.
Samsung says its lithium-ion batteries perform best when charged above 50%, but the company advises against draining the battery.
“If the battery is repeatedly fully discharged, this can shorten its lifespan and reduce its overall capacity,” said the Company says in an online guide. “If this happens, you will need to charge the battery more frequently and it may, for example, only last a few hours before it needs to be recharged again.”
Avoid extreme temperatures
Apple says batteries heat up when charging, which can shorten their lifespan. It warns against using or charging the phone in very hot temperatures above 95 degrees (35 degrees Celsius), “as doing so may permanently shorten battery life.”
Samsung also says extreme heat or cold can damage batteries, warning people not to leave their phones in the glove compartment of a car, for example, when it’s very hot or cold. And don’t put your phone in a freezer either, it’s a myth that this can extend battery life. “This is not true and can damage your battery,” Samsung says.
Google, manufacturer of the Android operating system and Pixel phones, says Hot batteries discharge faster, even when not in use, and can therefore become damaged.
Adjust your power options
Optimize your device settings so that apps or features use less power, extending the life of your battery and the time between charges.
You can lower your phone’s screen brightness, enable dark theme, and reduce the time it takes for the screen to turn off. Enable the auto-brightness feature, which adjusts the screen brightness based on the ambient light. Also, check the battery usage in your settings to see if there are any power-hungry apps you can turn off or uninstall.
When the battery level drops below 10%, iPhone users can turn on Low Power Mode to extend the battery’s life before it needs to be recharged. Samsung’s Android phones have a similar “Low Power Mode.” You can also leave it on permanently, but this may affect your phone’s performance.
Samsung says users can turn off Bluetooth or Wi-Fi when they’re not using them, but Apple recommends leaving them on because they use little power when not connected.
Use protection
Phones are slim capsules, but their glossy finish means they can easily slip out of your hand, so it goes without saying that you should get a sturdy protective case to cushion the impact if you accidentally drop the device.
Don’t forget a screen protector. Plastic versions are the cheapest option but can get scratched easily, according to device repair website iFixit, which recommends models made of TPU film or tempered glass, which offer better protection against scratches and drops.
Keep your device clean
If you keep your phone in your pocket or purse, lint and other debris can build up in the ports and jacks that you need to remove.
“Take a small toothpick and use it to remove any debris,” Hauk said. “The speaker and microphone grilles on phones also get dirty,” so use a toothbrush to clean them, he said. Just make sure you flick the debris away from the phone rather than pushing it deeper into the tiny holes.
Update your device
Software is another important factor in a phone’s longevity. Experts advise keeping your operating system and apps up to date so they have the latest privacy, security and battery management features.
This becomes easier as your phone gets older, as some device manufacturers have extended the deadline for providing updates.
Google has agreed Pixel 8 and newer phones will receive seven years of Android and security updates, compared to four to five years for older models. Samsung has also extended its operating system updates to seven years, starting with its flagship S24 device that launched earlier this year.
Apple does not provide information about how long it will support iOS updates for devices, although older devices such as the iPhone 6s released in 2014 and the iPhone 8 still received security updates this year.
___
Is there a technical challenge you need help solving? Write to us (email protected) with your questions.
