Your phone has an expiration date – Here’s how to find it
Trying to squeeze every last drop of life out of your smartphone? It’s one thing to deal with a battery that doesn’t last a day and crashing apps to avoid spending a big chunk of change.
But using your phone past its end of life is risky business. So is clicking any link that comes your way. It’s a bummer hackers are weaving them into AI chatbot results.
Let’s look at one of the easiest ways to keep your digital life safer: Only using devices that get current security updates.
The lifespan lowdown
Today, the average lifespan of smartphones is around 2.5 years. It could be even less for some devices — between 15 and 18 months. That’s not much when phones cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Bigger brands like Apple and Samsung tend to have longer lifespans than smaller companies. Here are the average lifespans for some of today’s most popular phones:
- iPhone – 4 to 8 years
- Samsung – 3 to 6 years
- Google Pixel – 3 to 5 years
- Huawei – 2 to 4 years
These are averages, meaning your mileage may vary.
Find your number
Your phone’s lifespan clock starts from when it was made, not when you purchased it. That makes keeping track of all this a little tricky. If you’re unsure when your phone was made, you can find out with some sleuthing.
- Still have the phone’s original box? The manufacture date should be listed on the package or in any included documentation.
- If you tossed the box, the information should be listed within your phone’s settings under “About” or a similar option.
- You can also use your phone’s serial number to decipher when it was made. Many manufacturers hide the date or year within these numbers. The serial number is tucked in your phone’s settings.
- There are special dial codes and boot logging menus that can show you this info.
Are your eyes glazing over? I thought so.
Fitness app could lead a stranger right to your home — change this setting
If you’re worried about privacy breaches on your mobile devices you should be. Hackers and snoops are everywhere looking to find as much information about you as possible for many reasons. And none of them are good.
There are tons of issues that can stem from using certain apps on your devices, like your personal data being shared or sold. Some apps, like a popular free VPN, have even exposed to selling out its users. Tap or click here to find out why free VPNs are bad news.
Windows 10 updates are crashing, slowing down PCs - here's what to do
Microsoft works its tail off to stay one step ahead of hackers and cybercriminals. That’s the reason it’s constantly releasing new bug fixes and security patches — but these updates don’t always go as planned.
Previously, a Windows 10 update managed to fix several critical bugs while adding a glitch that caused the dreaded Blue Screen of Death. The issue was so bad, in fact, that Microsoft pulled the update altogether. Tap or click here to see why this bug was so bad.
Router warning: Patch your D-Link or ASUS router now
Router security is a dicey subject matter in the tech world. Getting a full understanding of how it works can be a brutal and mind-numbing process, but it’s more important now than ever thanks to rising rates of cybercrime.