In today’s market, smartphone users can trade-in and upgrade their gadgets without losing money. You might be thinking it’s time to trade-in for newer version or a different model, but if your phone is seriously worn or damaged, you’ll never get top dollar. Here are five essential tips that will help you to maximize smartphone life and preserve its value.
1. Curate Content
To maximize smartphone longevity, be critical about the content you keep on your phone. Not all apps are useful; some hog battery power, some are nearly impossible to remove and some even come packaged with malware. Your best bet is to stick to approved app stores, and if you’re thinking about selling in the near future, don’t clog up your phone with bloatware or spyware.
2. Just in Case
Scratches and dents can reduce the value of your smartphone. If you don’t have a good case, it’s time to invest. There are a host of companies that make both custom and generic cases for all types of smartphones. A rubber case can limit damage from falls, prevent scuffs and scrapes, and—most importantly—help you avoid the dreaded cracked screen. Once your screen breaks, your hopes of high trade-in value shatter with it. While you’re at it, use a screen protector. Even minor scratched, which are inevitable without an inexpensive screen protector, will lower your trade-in value.
3. Carry Well
Along with a great case, it’s important to carry your smartphone in a way that limits potential damage. This means carrying it in a roomy pocket rather than one crammed with credit cards, keys or coins. You should also never put your phone in your back pocket. Whether it’s bending, breaking or general wear and tear, there’s no faster way to decrease your smartphone’s longevity than by sitting on the device daily. It’s also a good idea to regularly clean the screen with a soft cloth and make sure the buttons aren’t obstructed by dirt or debris. Keep your phone clean and you’ll get a better return.
4. Start With the Battery
Want to get the best value for your trade-in or just make sure that your phone doesn’t die before you’ve gotten your money’s worth? Simply put, take good care of your battery by not leaving your phone out in extreme temperatures and staying far away from water.
There are a few other ways to maximize your battery life. First, try not to run your phone from full to empty on a regular basis. While this won’t cause immediate damage, it will shorten the total life-span of your battery. Leaving your phone plugged in once it’s fully charged has a similar effect: Over time, the battery simply becomes less efficient.
5. Don’t Jailbreak
As a final tip: No matter how tempting it may be to do so, don’t jailbreak or root the operating system. Jailbreaking comes with the risk of requiring a total operating system reinstall; at worst, you’re left with a very expensive paperweight. Jailbroken phones are almost always used to access third-party apps not approved by the device manufacturer—apps that can fundamentally impact the way your phone works. Jailbreaking sentences your device to a shorter overall lifespan.
How do you maximize smartphone life and get the best trade-in value?
Image courtesy of Flickr.
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