Most smartphone brands release a new model every year and a lot of people will upgrade straight away. However, with prices on the rise, many people are trying to keep hold of their handsets for longer before buying a new one. There are also a lot of concerns about electrical waste and it’s not very environmentally friendly to throw away a perfectly good phone every year.
However, a phone won’t last forever, and if you don’t replace it when you need to, you will be plagued with constant issues. The question is, how do you know when you should replace your phone? This quick guide will help you decide so you can get the most out of your old device.
Your Phone No Longer Supports Updates
The operating system on your phone will update from time to time. This irons out bugs, adds new features, and boosts security. However, there comes a point when the manufacturer will no longer support older devices, or those devices cannot run the latest version of the operating system. You will get a notification about the update and it will tell you that it cannot install. This is a sure sign that it’s time for an upgrade. Even if you aren’t bothered about new features, you need your phone to be secure. Many people use it for banking and a lot of passwords will be stored on there. If you don’t have the latest security updates, you are putting yourself at risk, so it’s time for a new phone.
You See an Incredible Deal
This one comes with a caveat. If you see an amazing deal on a phone 6 months after you have upgraded, don’t go for it. You don’t need a new phone so you’re not saving money. However, if you are already considering a new phone and you have been using your current one for a long time, you should jump on those deals when they come up. Check sites like lenovo.com for the latest deals, and if you can get a good discount, go for it. You could save a lot of money and deals don’t tend to stick around for too long.
Your Battery Is Constantly Running Out
The battery life on a phone doesn’t last forever and it will gradually get worse over time. Eventually, you will get to a point where it only lasts an hour or two before running out. That makes your phone useless because you can’t even go out for the day without it dying and you’ll constantly be looking for places to charge it. You can replace the battery, but this is quite expensive and it only patches the problem, so you may as well get an upgrade.
It’s Running Incredibly Slowly
Phones also tend to slow down a lot as they get older. You will start noticing that apps take longer to launch and webpages don’t load properly. Sometimes, it could be that your phone is just filled with junk and there are some simple things you can do to speed it up. However, if you try those tricks and it still runs at a snail’s pace, you should start looking at upgrades.
Hopefully, this has answered your question and you know whether it’s time to replace your old phone or not.