Can your cellphone survive you? 8 basic methods (plus some dumb ones) to wreck your cellphone

Ever watched in gradual movement as your cellphone determined to take a leap of religion off the desk, solely to fulfill its nemesis, the ground, with a crackling thud? Yeah, me too. It’s like watching a horror film the place you recognize the villain is about to get the hero and there’s nothing you are able to do however cowl your eyes and hope for the very best. Our smartphones have just about grow to be extensions of our arms. They maintain us related, entertained and even take us from A to B with out getting misplaced (more often than not). So, it’s an actual bummer once they out of the blue determine to surrender on us – typically, due to our personal quirky mishaps.

Not too way back, we turned our eyes skyward to witness the celestial spectacle of a complete photo voltaic eclipse. Amidst the awe and surprise, NASA warned us that making an attempt to snap a photograph of the cosmic present may really hurt our telephones. Apparently, the extreme rays can fry a few of the internal workings, just like the picture sensor. That acquired me pondering – what different surprising methods are we torturing our telephones with out even realizing it?

Whereas dropping your cellphone in water or watching it plummet to its doom are the headline acts of how one can wreck your digital buddy, there are many different, much less apparent methods we contribute to their demise. Let’s dive into a few of the commonest (and amusing) methods we by chance – or generally, negligently – ship our telephones into an unplanned retirement.

Oops, I dropped my cellphone!

It is virtually a ceremony of passage for each cellphone proprietor. Whether or not it slips out of your hand otherwise you carry out an unintentional juggling act that ends in catastrophe, the result’s typically a display that appears like a spiderweb. Do you know that within the US alone, two smartphone screens crack each second? It is sort of a symphony of oops and ouchs.

Prevention tip: Spend money on a rugged case that may take a success, and possibly add a grip or strap for these further slippery days.

Electronics don’t should be watered

Water and electronics are historical enemies, but by some means, we maintain insisting on introducing them. From the basic bathroom drop to a dive into the pool, since you forgot your cellphone was in your pocket, these tales are virtually too widespread. I heard about somebody who tried to take a name whereas showering. Spoiler alert: it didn’t finish nicely.
Prevention tip: A water-resistant case is your cellphone’s finest good friend, and possibly verify your pockets earlier than a cannonball leap. And hey, subsequent time you might be eyeing that shiny new cellphone, possibly take a peek at its IP ranking. You understand, that little quantity that tells you simply how a lot it might deal with a shock bathe or a mud storm.

A number of the most recent and best, just like the Galaxy S24 or the iPhone 15, boast an IP68 ranking. Translation? They’ll take a splash or a dust-up higher than most. However let’s not get too assured and use them as underwater cameras (particularly if not in recent water) or desert storm trackers, okay? It’s higher to play it secure than to check the boundaries of these resistance rankings.

The inevitable scratched display

Ever reached into your pocket and pulled out your cellphone solely to search out new scratches adorning its display? Keys, cash, and even sand can go away your display wanting prefer it had a run-in with a cat. Consider it as a battle royale in your pocket the place your cellphone display is sadly not the champion.Prevention tip: Display screen protectors are price their weight in gold, and dedicating a pocket solely to your cellphone can prevent a whole lot of heartache. Additionally, think about selecting a cellphone with, as an example, Gorilla Glass. What’s Gorilla Glass? Effectively, it’s a scratch-resistant materials utilized in many cellphone screens, however it might nonetheless be scratched by sharp objects.

Damaged cellphone on account of temperature tantrums

Telephones are a bit like Goldilocks; they don’t prefer it too scorching or too chilly. Leaving your cellphone in your automotive on a summer time day or a freezing evening may cause it to behave out, battery life to plummet, and even {hardware} harm. Excessive temperatures are the silent assassins of the cellphone world.

For instance, leaving your cellphone in direct daylight for too lengthy can cook dinner its inside parts in a number of methods:

• Overheating: The solar heats up the steel and glass in your cellphone, which may shortly attain very excessive temperatures. This may trigger the cellphone to glitch, shut down fully, and even completely harm the inner parts.
• Battery harm: Warmth is dangerous for batteries, particularly the lithium-ion battery utilized in fashionable smartphones. Solar publicity can drain your battery shortly and shorten its lifespan over time. In excessive circumstances, it might even harm the battery to the purpose the place it will not maintain a cost anymore.
• Display screen mayhem: The fragile show in your cellphone can even undergo from solar harm. This may trigger discoloration, useless pixels, or warping of the touchscreen.
• Knowledge catastrophe: Within the worst-case state of affairs, excessive warmth can corrupt or erase knowledge saved in your cellphone.

Prevention tip: Hold your cellphone near your physique in excessive situations. Your heat in winter and shade in summer time could make all of the distinction.

The hidden risks of outdated software program and shady apps

Within the digital age, not all threats are bodily. Typically, the hazard lurks inside, hidden within the software program we neglect or the apps we should not belief. Ignoring software program updates since you are in the course of a Sweet Crush saga? Responsible. Downloading that “too good to be true” app? Additionally responsible. These actions can result in sluggish efficiency, bugs, and even malicious software program taking a joyride in your private knowledge freeway.

Prevention tip: Hold your software program updated and keep on with downloading apps from respected sources.