8 Signs You Need a New Phone

In modern times, technology is changing so quickly that devices purchased just a few years ago are quickly becoming obsolete. This means that every few years, we find ourselves facing the challenge of determining when it’s time to replace an aging phone. Of course, if your device dies outright, replacing it is a no-brainer. But what other reasons justify purchasing a new phone?

To answer this vital question, the experts at Recycell present 8 signs that it’s time to get a new phone.

1 – Your battery drains quickly

Do you find that you need to carry a charging cable and power bank with you at all times? A short battery life is one of the most common phone problems. According to smartphone manufacturers, batteries should be able to go through 300 to 500 full charge cycles before their capacity begins to diminish, but depending on how much you use your phone and how often you charge it, you may reach that threshold fairly quickly.

Before assuming that your battery is reaching the end of its life, it’s a good idea to check whether you have a lot of apps open in the background—that can be a major source of battery drain. You can also check your battery’s maximum capacity by going to your battery settings and selecting “Battery Health” on an iPhone or “Battery Usage” on an Android.

Generally speaking, if your phone is over two years old and needs to be charged multiple times a day, it’s probably time to replace it.

2 – Your phone overheats easily

Tasks that require a lot of battery space or data can make your phone heat up. If you’re running power-intensive apps like mobile games, YouTube or TikTok, keeping multiple apps open or using your device for long periods of time, it’s normal for it to get hot.

However, if your phone heats up even when it’s not in use or gets too hot to touch, it should be replaced right away. Phones that overheat like that are at risk of exploding, which endangers everyone around them.

3 – Your phone reboots randomly

If your phone keeps restarting by itself, it may be time to replace it. Random reboots can be caused by a variety of factors, including hardware problems such as a defective battery and software issues such as malware, an outdated OS or a lack of storage space.

If you think the problem is hardware, you can look into getting your phone repaired. You can also try updating your OS and using an anti-malware app to determine whether your device has been infected. But if those strategies don’t work, your phone might just be wearing out. As smartphones age, they have a harder time running their software and become more prone to glitching. Frequent reboots might just be a sign that you need a new phone.

4 – You lack storage space

Do you find that you constantly need to delete photos and uninstall apps because your phone’s storage is almost full? Pictures take up a lot of storage space, and newer apps tend to be quite bulky as well. Older phones tend to have around 4 to 8 GB of storage space, which doesn’t really cut it for most modern use. As a comparison, the new phones coming out now have up to 1 TB of space.

You can always back up your photos and delete them from your device to free up storage space, but if you find yourself constantly deleting data and apps and leaving only the bare essentials you need to function, it might be a sign that you need a new phone.

5 – Your apps crash often

If you find that your apps often crash or fail to open, it might be because your phone doesn’t have enough space left to run them. In addition to long-term storage that holds your pictures and other data, smartphones have RAM, short-term memory that is used to handle active tasks and apps.

RAM allocates a certain amount of memory to run each app. With older or lower-end phones, this threshold can be very low. Apps that are optimized for more recent phones or require a lot of RAM space, such as mobile games, may exceed the threshold, causing crashes.

6 – You have a 3G phone

3G is on the way out. Cell phone carriers want to focus their resources on rolling out the 5G network rather than maintaining 3G. Most major carriers in the U.S. are shutting down their 3G networks in 2022. Canada’s “3G sunset” won’t be for another few years, but it is on the way.

Newer phones are able to connect to high-speed service networks such as 4G and LTE, but older phones don’t have that capability and rely on 3G, which is slow and difficult to use. Phasing out 3G will make millions of devices obsolete, unable to use data, text or make calls, even to 911. If your phone relies on 3G, it’s definitely time to think about making a change.

7 – You can’t update the OS

Having trouble updating your device with the latest operating system? Older phones might not be compatible with the latest OS or might not have enough storage space for it.

Unfortunately, not being able to update your OS is a definite sign that you need a new phone. Devices that are using an outdated operating system can be slow and vulnerable to security threats. An outdated OS can also cause apps to crash.

8 – Your ports are temperamental

Needing to wiggle your headphone cord or charging cable to get the sound to come through or start charging your device can be incredibly frustrating. Unfortunately, headphone jacks and charging ports can easily get caked in dust and lint and eventually wear out with repeated use.

Of course, you’ll want to test out several different headphones and charging cables to make sure the problem is the phone, and there are always wireless options such as Bluetooth headphones and inductive chargers to charge a phone with a broken port. But worn out ports are a sign that your phone is aging and may need to be replaced.

Upgrade your phone with a device from Recycell

If you’ve noticed one or more of these signs and decide that it’s time to replace your phone, Recycell is here to help! We sell used devices at unbeatable prices. Our online store is a great way to get a more recent phone model without breaking the bank. Check out our inventory of cellphones or contact us today!