Some of today’s top mobile phones cost more than the average TV – so it’s well worth doing what you can to look after your own handset. With that in mind, here are some of our top tips for taking care of your smartphone.
Buy a cover
Many of us know that gut-wrenching feeling when you’ve just dropped your expensive phone onto a hard floor. In reality, most smartphones are built to take a bit of abuse, but that won’t necessarily stop your phone from bearing the scars.
Dents and scuffs can seriously hit the resale value of your smartphone, so it often makes financial sense to buy a cover for it. You can pick a basic cover up fairly cheaply, but it may be worth paying a little extra if you want the very best protection.
Not everyone wants to cover up their shiny new phone, but even if you only use the cover when you’re out and about, it could save you a lot of worry.
Give your phone a ‘software spring clean’
As mobile phones have become more complex, the number of things that can go wrong with them has also increased. Like a PC or laptop, the more you do with your phone, the more it can slow down.
However, you can avoid this trouble by giving your phone a ‘spring clean’ every few months – for example, removing apps you don’t need or deleting / transferring old photos. Better still, a full factory reset (normally buried somewhere in the phone’s options) every so often can restore the software to how it was when you bought the phone, meaning it should work like new. Just make sure you back things up first, or you could lose some important stuff.
Gadget insurance
Being careful with your phone can only go so far. No matter how cautious you are, sometimes accidents will happen. You might drop it down the stairs, or down the toilet, or it could get stolen – the list goes on. Unless you’re prepared to pay the full amount for a replacement, gadget insurance can be an excellent ‘line of defence’.
You might be able to make do with basic mobile phone insurance, but gadget insurance policies can also cover other expensive gadgets like laptops, games consoles and MP3 players.
However, be sure to shop around. You may be offered insurance when you buy your phone (or other gadget), but you could save money / get a better deal by taking a look at the other insurance deals on offer.
Great advise. To add, the best covers are the ones that come in silicon forms. In case our handset might be dropped, it cannot have that amount of impact which is commonly the highest source of damage. There is also a certain app whose job is to alarm our handset or erase valuable data when it’s misplaced or stolen. Isn’t that amazing? Thanks a lot!
All of these tips are really important but for someone who wants to sell his smartphone later on, I think the most important tip would be to try keeping it safe from scratches and dents. I once had to give a customer a huge discount only because of someone scratches on my iphone. This is an unnecessary loss considering the fact that you could have prevented it.
Seriously, this is the first time I heard of gadget insurance by my own eyes. I used to only hear from friends about it. It is certainly not cheap as well to buy a gadget insurance. It costs more or less like the price of a personal insurance for a budget package.
Accidents do happen and it’s good to get a gadget insurance. It saves you money in cases that you will lose or damage your gadget. I believe that they will replace you a brand new gadget if this happens.
The cover I bought also has a wallet on the back…one of the best inventions ever! It can hold 7 credit cards plus my ID and quite a bit of cash. The phone is accessible on the other side. Saves me a ton of time, I don’t have to look for both my wallet and phone.
Getting a cover for my iPhone was the best thing I ever did, it has kept it free from dents and scratches and still looks brand new 18 months after I first got it.
It’s true that smartphones costs more than a regular household appliance nowadays and it’s tough to just misuse and abuse it. I agree with you that every smartphone owner must make sure that their smartphones are protected and cared for.
Well I can choosing the right phone has a lot of benefit. but the problem we are encountering right now is the latest updates regarding on smart phone, some company keep on changing it features to advance more. I never thought about this insurance before I am glad I have read this article.
I have used the factory refresh for my phone every 4 months or so. It helps to keep it working fast and also gives me a chance to delete any unused apps. Thanks for the tips!
Thanks to my Otterbox case I was able to sell my old Blackberry for a nice sum on eBay, even though I had dropped it a couple of times. A good case is cheap and easy insurance.
I followed step one but not the others two well. now I have to wait until my new every 2 rolls around. My daughter broke me screen after dropping it. It’s usable but annoying. Well only a few months left. Next time I will be getting insurance.
I love otterbox cases. Also, although I hate paying for insurance, it’ a must with gadgets, especially portable ones. I know of many people who have left their phone on the train,, or in a bar..
this artice may help to save one’s smartphone.but my smartphone already got scratched š
Aww .. !!
I really should have found this Guide to Look after my Smartphone much before.
Now my Smartphone is a crap…
But I hope I will be able to take good care of my upcoming Smartphones.