It does not matter whether you are buying a flagship device or a mid-range one. If the phone has good build quality and capable hardware, it should run flawlessly for several years. But as time goes on, you will notice a couple of hiccups. Eventually, the phone will become completely unusable. You should upgrade your Android phone before that point.
But the question is, how do you know which signs tell you that you are close to that specific point where your Android phone will become unusable? Well, there are specific signs that indicate just that. Want to know what those signs are? You will find all about them below.
1. Your Android Phone’s Battery Drains Quickly
On average, you should get anywhere from five to eight hours of SOT (Screen On Time) after a full charge. However, after using the phone for a few years, the battery degrades and loses its overall capacity. And at one point, the total capacity becomes less than half.
This is inevitable. And while you can slow the process by taking care of the Android phone’s battery, it is mainly for the chemistry of lithium-ion batteries. The chemical components start to wear out over time, making them less capable of holding charge.
Nonetheless, when your Android phone’s battery degrades too much, you will hardly get two hours of SOT. And that is when you will always find yourself staying near the phone charger or carrying a power bank.
Now, it’s possible to change the battery of the phone. But you should only make that call when you do not see the other signs explained below. If those signs are also present, you need to upgrade your Android phone.
2. The Android Phone Is Too Slow
Even if you have a flagship-grade Android phone, its performance will go down as you continue using it. Again, this is not something that you can control or delay. It’s simply because the apps and operating systems are developed with new hardware in mind. They have optimizations for the latest systems.
Moreover, manufacturers use better and faster hardware for new Android phones. For example, you get more RAM and faster cores on modern flagships. And newer versions of apps and operating systems can properly utilize better and faster hardware.
That’s another reason why the new devices perform way better than their predecessors. Nevertheless, when you notice that it takes you minutes to complete a simple task, such as posting a Tweet or sending a mail, you should upgrade your Android phone.
Likewise, if you are a gamer, you should purchase a new phone when your favorite games start running slowly on the device. Now, before you argue, yes, it’s possible to make your Android phone faster with some tweaks. But if the phone is too old, you will be better off with a new device that comes with more resources.
3. The Android Phone Has Stopped Receiving Android Updates
Android updates are another vital sign that tells you that it’s time to upgrade your phone. Phones these days offer up to four years of Android updates. But the Android phones released last year get, at best, two to three years of update. However, major Android update is not even the main concern. It’s the security updates.
The thing is, each day, a new mobile operating system vulnerability comes out. And these are patched through security updates. So, when your old Android phone stops receiving these Android security updates, it means that your personal data will become vulnerable when a major security threat is uncovered.
In short, you should consider upgrading your Android phone when it has stopped receiving security updates.
4. New Apps Are Incompatible On Your Device
In general, developers want to make their apps compatible with as many devices as possible. However, in some cases, the apps require some functions or features that are available only in modern Android versions. Moreover, certain apps require more resources than others. In both cases, newer phones will have an advantage.
And it’s not just the apps. You will see that old Android phones will not have support for the latest games. Therefore, if you notice that your day-to-day apps are no longer running on your Android phone, you should consider upgrading.
5. Apps Offer Lackluster Performance
Sometimes, you will find support for apps on old devices. However, they will fail to offer you a smooth overall experience. For example, the apps may just crash right after you open them. This mostly has to do with the resources available on your Android phone. And it’s a big problem.
You might also see the apps crashing due to the Android phone not having enough storage space. Newer phones these days come with increased storage to solve this particular issue.
6. You Need Better Camera Performance
The camera performance of Android phones has taken a major leap recently. Consider the Galaxy S23 Ultra, Xiaomi 13 Ultra, and Pixel 7 Pro, for example. With them, you will not even feel the need to carry professional camera equipment.
That said, if photography is important to you and you are not pleased with the performance of your current phone, now would be the great time to upgrade. And if you are budget is tight, last year’s flagship phone is a great pick.
