Six signs you need a new smartphone

There’s something special about holding a brand-new phone for the very first time. Even though it can be slightly nerve wracking transferring all the data across devices, getting a new smartphone is always exciting.

Whether you’re one of those people that hold off upgrading their handset till it falls apart or were just someone that always needs the latest and greatest as soon as its available, getting a new smartphone is a huge investment.

It may be a good budgeting decision to keep your phone for as long as possible but long term wise, it might cause more headaches than it would save dollars.

If you’re wondering if it’s time to upgrade, here are the tell-tale signs to help you move on and get yourself a new smartphone.

If you’re starting to receive notifications that some of the features in your apps aren’t working anymore and you can’t download the updated versions or any new apps entirely, then your phone is probably stuck in the past.

Unless your mobile was having some troubles connecting to the network or WiFi, the reason your apps are starting to have issues is most likely due to your operating system no longer being compatible. To make things worse, having outdated hardware can also slow down your device and data access.

Generally speaking, and depending on the manufacturer, a mobile as well as its operating system should be updated every three years.

Carrying around a portable charger is always a good idea. But when you have to carry a charger because your phone battery now only lasts a fraction of the time of what it used too, it would suggest that your battery may be worn out and requires replacement.

All smartphone batteries will inevitably depreciate overtime and so if you need to charge your smartphone multiple times throughout the day - then it might be time to start thinking about getting a new phone. You can check your maximum battery capacity in your device setting by either selecting Battery Usage on Android mobiles or Battery Health for iPhones. If the results aren’t where you wanted them to be – maybe, it’s time to start browsing for new a mobile phone.

In this day and age having a decent camera is a must. How else are you going to show everyone what you ate for brunch or curate a great Instagram feed?

If the photos you’re taking look like low resolution images and your camera is not giving you enough options to improve the quality, then a new smartphone is probably in order.

The latest range of smartphone cameras can give digital cameras a run for their money, particularly with their already-installed edit functions, photoshopping features and a range of lighting options. Most mobiles released within the last five years will also provide cameras that have more megapixels, better resolutions and different lenses to suit all occasions. If and when you get a new smartphone, check out our 5 amazing phone photography tips.

We can all endure a few scratches here and there but when our screen is badly damaged it can be very frustrating, especially when our touchscreens become less responsive.

When this starts to happen, please don’t question your swiping technique or the sweatiness of your finger - it’s just your mobile telling you it’s either damaged or needs upgrading.

Getting a screen repaired or replaced can be an affordable option but if your mobile is one of the older models, the cost for repair may be more than what your phone is worth. In this case - instead of upkeeping a dying breed, why not treat yourself to a new mobile? You’ll get a working phone as well as an entire bank of features including widgets, banking compatibility and new video calling functions. Win -Win

Using cabled headphones with your mobile might just be the most obvious sign that it’s time to upgrade.

Headphone plugs gradually wear down with the amount of dust and lint constantly getting caught in the port through regular use. As much as we try and clean out the headphone jack, we all probably just end up wriggling our cables till we get a decent sound or at the very least something we deem good enough to listen too.

Should you be struggling with multiple headphones and find that it is indeed the audio jack that was having sound issues, then you need (and undoubtedly want) a new phone. Best of all, you may as well try out some of the latest wireless earbuds and headphones available right now with our Optus Accessories shop.

Giving your smartphone a quick reboot can only do so much. After years of collecting downloads, app information, caches and cookies - our connection to the internet can get cluttered and as a result can sometimes slow down our access and interrupt our data.

There are certainly a couple troubleshooting tips you could try to improve your connection such as a SIM replacement (free at every Optus store) and a network reset, but similar to how using an old computer can be frustratingly slow – you may be better off just upgrading your handset. This way you will be able to keep all the storage you want and need, while having a clean slate to the network for a smoother and faster connection. Hope you enjoy your new smartphone! Check out our Device Guides for everything you need to know about your new mobile.

If you were looking for another sign to upgrade to a new mobile, try window shopping the latest smartphones on our Optus Choice Plans.