In the midst of a COVID-19 fuelled recession, now’s an important time to make sure we take the best care of our smartphones, tablets and other devices.

As COVID-19 takes its toll on Australian unemployment, and the resulting impact on disposable incomes, we need to think smartly about how we handle the tech devices we rely on every day.

In recent years, we’ve become less focused on making our tech last as long as possible. Rapid product release cycles from manufactures and planned obsolescence have led to a “throwaway” mindset amongst consumers.

Attitudes are slowly starting to change, though, particularly as the price for new phones continues to soar. Take the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max for example – which at launch was priced at an eye watering price of $2,500. Prices such as these prompted our tongue in cheek article about what else you could spend all that money on. And as these prices continue to climb – and the rate of innovation and new features falls – consumers are increasingly finding it tough to justify the expense of a new phone that they may not actually need.

It only takes a small amount of effort to make sure our phones and other devices continue to provide us with faithful service. Here are five suggestions on what you can do to extend the life of your tech. You’ll also be doing your bit for the planet, by keeping your device out of landfill.

Check your Battery Health

There’s nothing quite as frustrating as a phone that runs out of battery half way through your day. It’s quick and simple to check the health of your battery – if you have an iPhone or iPad, simply open your Settings, then tap “Battery” and select “Battery Health”. Anything below 80% means its time for a battery replacement. As well as increasing the period between recharges, a new battery is also likely to speed up your phone.

Keep your Device Sparkly Clean

Phones, tablets and computers need a regular clean. Dust and grime will build up from day to day use, and in some cases can actually cause some pretty serious issues. For phones and tablets, it’s important to regularly check all ports on the device, as these can easily get blocked with pocket lint – particularly for phones. If you are having problems charging your device this is always the first thing you can check – there may be nothing wrong with the charging port on your phone – it’s just full of dust that is stopping the charging cable making a good connection. Use a non metallic object to clean ports – a wooden toothpick or a soft bristled toothbrush works wonders!

For computers, make sure any air vents are clear of dust and debris to avoid overheating issues. A household vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment can be used to suck the dirt away.

Protect Your Tech

It’s a fact of life that you’re going to drop your phone sooner or later. And with manufacturers increasingly using glass on both the front AND back of the phone, a drop may get quite expensive! A good impact resistant case, as well as a tempered glass screen protector, can both go a long way to protect your phone in the event of a fall.

Get Rid Of The Clutter

As you load up your phone with more and more apps, you may find your phone starting to slow down. Apps that are regularly checking on our location, using bluetooth or refreshing themselves in the background, take their toll on battery usage and available memory and processor resources on your phone. The net result – a slower and less responsive phone. So make a point to regularly spring clean your device – remove apps you no longer need, eliminate large files and consider using cloud services such as iCloud or the excellent Google Photos (available on both iPhone IOS and Google Android) to move your photos and videos off your phone to free up valuable storage space.

Come To You Phone and Tablet Repair

Even with careful maintenance, your phone or tablet is unlikely to last for ever.

  • Mechanical buttons fail, and charging ports wear out from constantly plugging cables in and out.
  • Batteries are consumable items. A battery replacement will be required, at least every 2 or 3 years – and sometimes sooner.
  • Screen replacements and back glass replacements are required if your device is dropped and the glass gets cracked.
  • Sometimes components just fail – microphones, cameras and speakers all may require repair over the lifetime of the device

fix2U is Australia’s only nationwide phone and tablet repair service that comes to you and fixed your device on the spot in less than 30 minutes. They can fix all these issues and more – and all without you needing to leave your home or office. iPhone repairs, iPad repairs and Samsung repairs are all very competitively priced, and their repairs are backed by a 5 Year Guarantee for your complete peace of mind.

With Come To You repairs available from as low as $89, its certainly worth the investment to keep your device running in these difficult times. And with fix2U’s “Zero Contact” repair process, you’ll still be able to receive a repair, despite the current restrictions with COVID-19. To book a repair, head to fix2U’s website at www.fix2u.com.