Extending the life of your smartphone

The Consumer Electronics Association conducted research which suggested that the average smartphone life expectancy was 4.7 years, as of 2015. However, data from Kantar WorldPanel has found that the average US smartphone user is only willing to keep their device for around 22 months before looking to upgrade to a newer model.

Hoping to keep a hold of your trusty gadget for much longer than the figures expressed above? Here are some tips that could keep your smartphone going strong and looking like new for many years to come…

Preventing costly damage

One of the most common repairs on smartphones is a smashed and cracked screen — and it is probably one of the most costly repairs, too.

A report from Engadget recently revealed that between 50 and 55 per cent of all smartphone repairs will be a result of the screen being damaged. Furthermore, Motorola has conducted its own survey and found that 50 per cent of people globally have experienced a cracked smartphone screen at least once in their lives — while a smaller figure, this statistic still sits at 38 per cent when focused on the UK.

Your phone screen is probably the most fragile part of your phone, however, there are means and ways to avoid a smashed or cracked screen. You should look to fit a suitable tempered glass screen protector at the earliest possible opportunity. These accessories will protect the screen from cracking or shattering if it is dropped or mishandled, as well as reduce the number of scratches that ruin the display.

A high-quality phone case for your smart device is a vital investment for protecting your phone from damage, too. These will not only work to protect your gadget’s screen from damage when dropped or mishandled, but will also reduce the risk of chips appearing around your device and elements, like the camera lens, being broken.

Cases won’t reduce the aesthetic appeal of your phone either — there are some very stylish designs available that are likely to enhance the appeal of your smartphone rather than decrease it. iPhone, HTC, Huawei, and Samsung cases from Torro Cases are designed in stylish genuine leather, for instance. Check to see if the case is waterproof, too. Engadget’s also revealed that between 15 and 20 per cent of all smartphone repairs are because of liquid immersion or the devices coming into contact with liquid. With water and other liquids possibly causing damage to a device’s circuitry, hardware components and motherboard; it also makes sense to err on the side of caution and refrain from using your phone while in the bath or when outside in heavy rain showers.

Saving battery

Battery life — or lack of it — is an issue for many smartphone users, as Battery University, a leading resource for information on batteries, has discovered.

Many smartphone batteries have been designed to have a lifespan of a particular amount of charging cycles. According to the institute, most manufacturers have stated that their smartphones’ lithium-ion batteries are designed to have a lifespan of between 300 and 500 charging cycles. To put this into context, a charging cycle occurs every time that you plug in your phone to charge it once the battery has dropped below 70 per cent. Add to this Battery University’s findings that a smartphone battery’s capacity could reduce from between 88 and 94 per cent capacity to 73 to 84 per cent following a mere 250 charging cycles, and it becomes clear that phone batteries are quite fragile.

However, there are home remedies to reduce the risk of being caught short with a poor battery life. One tip is to try and keep Li-ion batteries at 50 per cent or more for the majority of the time. Refrain from charging them all the way to 100 per cent though, as fully recharging a battery regularly can shorten its lifespan. Instead, aim for a full zero to 100 per cent recharge of the battery around once a month — this process will recalibrate the battery a little like you get when restarting a computer.

It is also important that you recharge your phone at the closest possible opportunity after your battery has reached zero per cent. This is because there is the possibility that a battery that has been entirely discharged and then left uncharged for a long period of time can eventually become incapable of ever holding a charge at all again.

Make sure you get the most out of your battery — use your device until it runs to zero per cent. This reduces the amount of charging cycles that can affect your battery lifespan. Dimming the brightness of a smartphone’s screen, reducing how long the screen stays lit after receiving an input, switching off both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, not using the vibrate function, and refraining from running apps in the background are all easy ways to boost a device’s battery life.

How to clean your smartphone

You might be surprised at how dirty some smartphones can be. A study from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine revealed that 92 per cent of smartphones that the institute tested were found to be covered in bacteria — 16 per cent also had E. coli present!

Screen protectors and phone cases prevent dirt and dust to a certain extent, however, there are some points that you might also want to consider to keep your device clean.

Stock up on suitable cleaning supplies — either a cloth or microfibre towel, alcohol or regular dry swabs, water, isopropyl alcohol, distilled water or a special liquid designed for cleaning electronic devices.
Turn your smartphone off before beginning to clean it and don’t switch it back on until the device is entirely dry.
Refrain from pressing too hard on the smartphone’s display if using a cloth, as this can scratch the glass when there’s dirt and debris present.
Ensure to remove all loose debris from your smartphone before using any of the liquids mentioned in the list of cleaning supplies above.
Use just a little bit of any suitable cleaning liquid and try to avoid them getting around the edges of the device, into headphone inputs and under physical buttons by taking special care.
Apply the microfibre towel to your smartphone in a circular motion until the device is entirely dry.