In the last two or three decades, the life of an electronic device mainly depended on the good use of the user, but that is not the case anymore.
Many of us have heard from our elders how they used the same electronic device for a decade or more. Today’s phones and other smart devices start to feel worn out after three or four years and lose their initial agility.
Smart phones Like humans, they go through their golden age, life crises and retirement phases. Unlike many other devices that have a specific expiration date, the expiration date of smartphones is neither written down nor visible in the device’s settings.
The performance of smartphones depends on the software they run. First, they receive regular updates that include new features, performance improvements, and important security patches. However, as time passes and new models are introduced, manufacturers tend to pay less attention to older models.
Updates become less frequent and eventually stop coming, which means the smartphone has reached its technical expiration date. After this point the device begins to show signs of wear and tear. Weaknesses are not fixed at all, device performance slows down, apps take longer to load, crashes become common and battery draining quickly becomes a headache.
For those who are constantly filling their phones with the latest games and apps, their expiration date may be coming soon. These people, who use the most memory, processing, battery and other resources of their device, may notice the slowdown sooner.
On the other hand, people who use their phones for daily activities and occasional calls may not feel the slow process and reach the end of the line so quickly.
Age check of different phones
Generally, the expiry date of smartphones can be checked from two angles:
1- Based on manufacturer’s security updates
2- Based on performance.
In terms of security, the phone is completely safe to use as long as it receives regular security updates from the manufacturer. But some devices, for various reasons, have a short useful life and may fail before the end of the manufacturer’s support.
Apple continues to provide security updates for older iPhones for up to eight years. But it updates firmware for younger devices. For example, a six-year-old iPhone X cannot get the latest iPhone operating system, i.e. iOS 17.
But it can still receive security updates. Thus an iPhone X user may not be able to have all the applications on his phone because some applications only work on the newer operating system.
If you have an old Android phone from Samsung or another company, it’s a bit complicated to know whether the phone is safe for you to use or not. Samsung says it will typically patch security flaws in new smartphones for five years. But the matter is a bit more complicated.
Samsung releases security updates every month for some phones, every three months for others, and even twice a year for some models.
If you see your Samsung phone on the list of security updates twice a year, it’s a sign that Samsung is on the way to deprecating your phone and your device’s security over time. Security will be reduced. This includes models like Galaxy A20s, A30s, A50s, A70s.
You can check how often security updates are released for your Samsung phone through the Samsung website. Other mobile phone manufacturers also publish information about the support period and security updates for different models of their devices on their official websites.
Tricks to improve the performance of older phones
Aging makes smartphones vulnerable to security risks, especially when the manufacturer stops providing software updates. If you reach this stage, the safest course of action is to replace the phone.
If buying a new phone is out of your hands, considering buying a used phone can be a smart and economical alternative. When entering the world of second hand smartphones it is important to tread carefully and ensure that all parts are working.
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But if it is not possible for you to replace the phone with a newer model, there are practical steps that will largely maintain the security and performance stability of the device. First make sure your apps are up to date.
If you cannot use the latest version of the applications, use other similar applications. Get your desired apps only from reputable stores such as Google Play and App Store Get from Because these platforms have security measures to eliminate malicious programs.
Do not connect to unknown Wi-Fi and make sure your Wi-Fi connection is secure. Using public Wi-Fi can expose your phone to potential risks. If you have to use public and unknown Wi-Fi, use VPN when connecting to Wi-Fi.
Also, keep a strong and lightweight security or antivirus software on your phone to constantly check your device’s security.
According to the company, the ‘flex in and out’ display can be folded both inwards and outwards in a full 360-degree range (Image: Samsung Display)
Deleting apps you don’t use will help improve your device’s performance. You can also clear the app cache from time to time, this will remove excess data accumulated on your device. In the application section of mobile phone settings, enter the required software and search for ClearCache from there.
Use the lite version of the applications. For older smartphones that don’t have the same processing power or memory as the latest models, using ‘lite’ versions of apps can go a long way in speeding up the device. Lite apps are simplified versions of regular apps that use less memory, processing power, and data.
In these apps, the developers provide only the essential features so that these apps run well even on devices with limited resources. Running a heavy, feature-rich app for older smartphones can be like trying to run with a bag full of rocks. It’s possible, but it won’t be quick and easy.
With their small size and simple features, Lite apps require less processing power, resulting in faster load times and smoother performance. Also, turn your phone off and on from time to time. This will clear your phone’s temporary files.
This article was previously published in Independent Farsi.
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2024-10-07 03:30:21