How Often Should You Buy A New Phone?
It looks like everybody uses a phone. In fact, it’s almost impossible to live comfortably without a phone. But when should you even get a new phone – tomorrow, next month, next year, or the next five years?
In a bit, this post will help you decide on that. You may have your own checklist to decide when to get a new phone – for instance, when an upgraded version of the phone is released or when your contract expires.
Still and all, getting a new phone solely depends on your budget – you can get a new phone every year if that’s what you want. But if you’re frugal, the few tips in this article will help you decide the right time to buy a new phone.
How Often Should You Upgrade To A New Phone?
There is no perfect time to get a new phone. This decision solely depends on you. If you’re frugal or cautious about spending – you can use your phone for more than 4 years before buying a new phone. However, if you have enough money and always want to have the latest phone, then you can buy a new phone every year.
Having said that, there are signs you should watch out for in your current phone – that will show you that it’s finally time to get a new phone. Read further to know about them.
Signs That You Need To Buy a New Phone
It’s always important to save money for other relevant things rather than buying a new phone every 12 months but even with that, there are signs you should watch out for to know if it’s finally time to get a new phone. Here are some of the signs that you need a new phone:
1. The phone runs slowly
When your phone that took just 30 seconds to restart now takes 7 minutes, it’s time to move on. We all want things done quickly, so a slow phone won’t help with making calls, playing games, browsing the web, watching videos, playing music, and more. As your phone’s interior features start to degrade, it’s normal to see a decrease in the phone’s overall performance.
When that happens, the first thing to do is reset the phone(factory reset). Usually, you’d see improvement after that. But if you try that and it’s still slow like using a Pentium II computer, then it’s time to get a new phone.
2. The phone quickly heats up
Several activities such as playing games and watching videos with your phone for a very long time may definitely lead to heating up the phone. Also, malware can cause your phone to heat up. However, if your phone is free from malware and still heats up even when it’s not in use, that should signal that it’s time to get a new phone.
3. If you can no longer update the OS
Being able to update your phone’s operating system is very crucial because it ensures that its inbuilt software systems work smoothly. Moreover, your phone’s security is tightened to protect it from malware. But the truth is that once your phone ages, it won’t be compatible with the latest OS update from its manufacturer. When this happens, the best thing to do is to upgrade your phone.
4. If the phone’s battery is weak
On average, a fully charged battery must last about 8-10 hours before it dies. But after using your phone for about 3 years, components in the battery weaken – making it impossible to last through the day. Even so, you can prolong your battery power by avoiding mistakes such as:
- Waiting for the battery to die completely before charging.
- Exposing your phone to heat
- Not using auto brightness
- Not using “battery saver” mode
- Using cheap or faulty cables.
If you stop making these mistakes, the battery of your new phone will last longer. Nevertheless, if your fully charged battery dies within 2 hours, I think it’s time to buy a new phone.
5. If the screen has over-cracked
One of the annoying things about using a phone with a cracked screen is the wrong interpretation of commands. You may want to go to the gallery but find yourself in the calendar section. This really sucks! Also, streaming videos or playing games on a phone like that isn’t enjoyable. The first alternative is to change the screen – but depending on the phone you use, it may be very expensive(almost the price of a new phone). Therefore, it will be better if you bought a new phone.
6. The phone automatically shuts down
There’s nothing worse than having an urgent phone call and realizing that your phone just shut down. And the annoying part is the minutes it takes when you try to reboot. If this goes on every day, then you need a new phone.
7. The phone freezes when you open an app
Freezing of your phone may occur as a result of the Random Access Memory(RAM) becoming full. Having many games and apps easily eat up RAM, resulting in the freezing of phones. Even if you have enough storage space, you will experience frequent phone freezes once the RAM is full. Therefore, getting a new phone with higher RAM will be the best solution.
8. If the earpiece or the charging port isn’t working
If anytime your phone battery dies it takes you about 15 minutes to connect the charger cord properly, then you have to consider getting a new phone – the same with your earpiece. When phones become old, usually, the charger and earphone jack widen – making it difficult for cords to fit tightly.
Nonetheless, it could happen that there’s a break or stretch in the cord – which can also result in that. But if the cords are new, the fault may be from the jacks of your phone. The good news is that Apple users will not encounter this issue since the latest iPhones have no charging and headphone jacks. With Bluetooth charging ports and AirPods, iPhone users are covered. In fact, many phone models have also settled on the wireless option.
Tips To Help You Decide If Getting a New Phone Is Right For You
In case you’re at a crossroads, here are a few tips to help you decide if getting a new phone is right for you or not.
1. Urgency or Want?
There are situations where you must get a new phone. For example, your phone is broken, or you want to sell pictures of your body online for cool money but your phone has no camera. These are urgent situations so getting a new phone will be certainly right!
On the other hand, there are also tech junkies who always want to get the latest phones just because it makes them feel good. Even if their phone is just 6 months old, once a new phone is released, they’re going to get it. Therefore, ask yourself if you need a new phone urgently – or you want a new phone so you can feel good about yourself.
2. Compare the Pros and Cons of an Old Phone and a New Phone
There are positives and negatives of using an old phone or a new phone so before you get a new phone, try to evaluate. Here are some of the pros and cons of each:
Pros of using an Old Phone
- You are able to fight lifestyle inflation.
- You are able to save money.
Cons of using an Old Phone
- You may not get support from the manufacturer.
- The latest features may not be accessible.
- Storage space may be full.
Pros of using a New Phone
- Get access to more enhanced features.
- Feel good about yourself.
- Full support from the manufacturer.
- Receive regular updates.
Cons of using a New Phone
- You may have to break the bank.
- You might develop an interest in materialism.
3. Check the number of years you have used your phone
Try to check how long you have used the phone to decide when to get a new phone. If your phone is more than 3 years, it may be time to buy a new one. The average lifespan of phones is usually 2 to 3 years according to many sources. But depending on how well you treat your phone, it can last for 5 years.
Final Words
So the answer is simple – you can get a new phone as often as you want but you may want to hold on to your old phone if you’re satisfied with its features. Of course, doing the latter can also help you save money for more important things.
In spite of that, if you choose to buy a new phone you can sell your old phone on a site like Decluttr for some cash, or gift it to your kids.
Manuelo is an entrepreneur and a personal finance nerd. He is the founder of Dollars And Freedom. An expert in side hustles, online gigs, and everything about making money. His works have been featured on major financial publications, like Business Insider, GoBankingRates, Investopedia, Entrepreneur, and more. When he’s not busy with his blog or writing for others, you’ll catch him hanging out with loved ones or reading books on stoicism and self-development.
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