Australians are loving their phones to death, with an Australian tech company calling out the top “do not dos” to help you extend the life of your mobile.
V4 IT CEO Vidit Sehgal said if people changed the way they treated their phone, it would last longer and not be prone to glitches or hacking.
“People baby their pets and pamper their plants, but treat their phones like they’re indestructible,” Mr Sehgal said.
“The truth is, our daily habits are slowly frying, clogging, draining and glitching our devices and most people don’t even realise it.”
He said people needed to treat their phones like the expensive, fragile, hard-working tech companion it was.
“A little extra care today could save you a lot of money and stress tomorrow.
“Your phone’s not a toy. If you wouldn’t do it to your laptop, don’t do it to your phone.”
Mr Sehgal outlined eight things you should not do with your mobile phone:
1. Pressing it against your face (a lot)
“Makeup, hairspray, sweat, moisturiser hair gel – it’s like a beauty salon assault on your phone every time you press it to your cheek,” Mr Sehgal said.
“It clogs your speaker mesh, fogs up your front camera, and makes Face ID throw a tantrum.
“Try using speaker mode or earbuds and give your phone a proper clean daily. It’s not a crime scene, but it might look like one.”
2. Leaving it to bake in the sun
“Phones left on dashboards, café tables, benches or windowsills in full sun might as well be on a barbecue,” Mr Sehgal said.
“Overheating can fry your battery, throttle your processor and make your phone shut down to protect itself,” he said.
“It’s not a tanning machine, keep it in the shade.”
3. Treating it like a footy
“Throwing your phone onto the couch, across the bed, on to the bench or into your bag like a brick? That carefree toss is costing you,” Mr Sehgal said.
“Just because it bounced once doesn’t mean it’ll bounce next time. All those little knocks and landings can loosen internal components, damage your charging port or shatter your screen. It’s a phone, not a boomerang.
“And don’t be lulled into a false sense of security just because you spent a fortune on a case that is apparently made of military grade material. Nothing will save your phone if you continually bounce it around.”
4. Running your battery down to zero – over and over
“Some people think letting their phone hit zero percent is good for it. It’s not. That’s battery abuse,” Mr Sehgal said.
“Aim to stay between 20 percent and 80 percent to keep your battery healthy and happy.”
5. Ignoring software updates
“That “Remind me later” button might feel convenient, but it’s a bad habit,” Mr Sehgal said.
“Skipping updates leaves your phone open to viruses, bugs and serious performance problems. Updates are like your phone’s immune system, keep it strong.”
6. Using bargain bin chargers
“That $5 cable you found at the servo? It could cost you a $1,000 phone. Cheap chargers can short- circuit your phone, damage your battery or even spark a fire,” Mr Sehgal said.
“Only use certified chargers from trusted brands.”
7. Sleeping with your phone under your pillow
“It’s warm, it’s snuggly and it’s a terrible idea. Your phone needs ventilation, especially while charging,” Mr Sehgal said.
“Charging it under your pillow increases fire risk and shortens battery life. Give it space to breathe.”
8. Never backing it up
“You’ll cry harder over lost baby photos than a cracked screen,” Mr Sehgal said.
“Back up your data, regularly. It’s the cheapest insurance you’ll ever have.”
