5 Reasons to Upgrade Your Phone This Year
Even though many cell phone providers offer payment plans to make smartphones more affordable, there’s no denying the expensive nature of the latest phones. For this reason, you might not upgrade your phone every year. Instead, you might keep the same phone for years if it’s in good condition.
Some people, however, hold on to a phone until it completely dies. Of course, it makes more sense to purchase a new phone before your current one gives out completely.
Here are a few signs it’s time for a much-needed upgrade.
Your touch screen stops working
It’s not uncommon for a phone’s touch screen to act glitchy from time to time. This happens to everyone. But if you have an older phone and you notice that your touch screen is becoming slower or doesn’t respond often, it might be time to trade in your older model for a newer one.
Apps crash or the device shuts down
As cell phones become older, they also become less reliable. And once your smartphone is past its prime, some apps may crash unexpectedly or the phone might frequently shut down for no apparent reason.
A shutdown problem can also indicate a problem with the battery. Even so, if your battery starts giving you problems and you’ve had the phone for more than three or four years, it could be your phone’s way of saying, “replace me.”
Keep in mind that some apps may crash if they’re designed to work on newer versions of your phone’s operating system. If you haven’t updated your operating system in a while, an update might improve how the phone functions. If your apps or phone continue to crash after an update, look into getting a new phone.
Your phone overheats
A smartphone can overheat due to heavy usage or if you’re running too many apps in the background. On the other hand, there’s no reason for the device to overheat when it’s not in use.
If your phone is hot upon picking it up, and it hasn’t been charging or left in the sun, take the phone to a repair technician. If age has caused it to overheat, the only option is to replace the phone.
The operating system no longer supports the phone
Even if you have an older phone, sometimes you can update the operating system and take advantage of newer features without getting a new phone. But eventually, operating systems stop supporting older phones.
This doesn’t mean you have to replace your phone once you can no longer update it. Just know that keeping the old phone means you’ll miss out on many of the phone’s newer features.
You repeatedly drop the phone
It doesn’t matter whether you have a good phone case or a screen protector, repeatedly dropping your phone can cause internal damage that slows down your phone and prevents it from functioning properly.
This type of damage can result in a cracked screen, a broken camera, or an operating system that crashes. You may also notice ongoing problems with your phone if you’ve dropped it in water.
If you start having problems with the phone after repeated drops, this is a sign of internal damage, and you’ll likely need a new phone.
Bottom line: Eventually, everyone has to replace an older cell phone. Rather than fight it, plan ahead and save up your money. Make sure you keep an open eye for signs that it’s time for an upgrade. This way you can replace the phone before it dies, and you’re not left without a convenient way to communicate.