Is it time for a new phone? 10 clear signs you need to upgrade

Earlier this week, we divulged a list of ways to make your phone last longer. Those tips can extend the lifetime of your device, but the unstoppable march of time eventually brings all things to an end. One day it’ll be obvious that you have no choice but to ditch that faithful companion, and we can help you decide when the time is right. Here are ten clear signs you need to upgrade your phone.

You might see articles like this one that tell you that poor battery or full storage are signs you need to replace your handset. We’re not going to cover those things here. If you want to switch devices because of poor battery life, it’s your call, but both that and the storage issue are fairly easily remedied without resorting to an upgrade. You can read the aforementioned article to find out how. What we’re talking about here are terminal issues for your poor old phone.

Signs you need to upgrade your phone

1. It’s painfully slow

Your phone will slow down over time for a number of reasons. There are plenty of measures you can take to speed it up again, but the performance of your device is only going in one direction overall. This affects every aspect of your use, and it’ll eventually become so intolerable that you’ll know it’s time to switch.

Here are just a handful of signs that your device’s performance is suffering:

1. Frequent freezing and lagging during basic operations like opening apps, scrolling through social media, or typing.
2. Slow app launches or delays in switching between apps.
3. A lag between your touch inputs and the phone’s response.
4. Apps or the entire operating system crashing frequently.
5. Your phone struggling to keep multiple apps open or running in the background.
6. Frame drops, stuttering, or long loading times while gaming.

2. No more updates

The updates that your phone receives from the manufacturer are crucial for keeping it viable as your daily driver. This represents something of a built-in redundancy for your device, which can understandably frustrate buyers. It’s also a factor that you need to consider when saving money on previous-generation smartphones.

The biggest smartphone manufacturers have heeded these consumer concerns and moved towards longer periods of update support for their handsets in recent years. It’s a smart move, but there will come a day when your phone gets its last update, and things can start going south quite quickly after that.

Here are some of the reasons why losing update support means that it might be time to upgrade your phone:

1. Phones that no longer receive security patches are susceptible to malware, viruses, and hacking. Some apps also face security compliance issues if they can’t interact with up-to-date software.
2. Many apps are built to only be compatible with the most recent versions of operating systems. If you’re running an outdated build of the OS, these apps won’t work on your handset.
3. Related to the previous section, updates often include enhancements for performance, battery efficiency upgrades, and bug fixes. Not getting these updates may contribute to your phone slowing down.
4. Similar to the apps, new accessories or advances in mobile technology may not be compatible with an older operating system version.

You may want to consider upgrading your phone before you start to face these issues, especially if you plan to sell it once you have a replacement. A phone that is beyond it’s last update is going to command a much smaller resale fee.

3. Screen problems

We’re not just talking about a crack in the glass here — that can be very annoying, but if it’s just the glass protection for the phone screen, your phone is probably fully functional. In terms of drops or impact, you face real problems if the damage goes as deep as the actual LCD or OLED display beneath the glass. This can render part or all of the screen unusable. Also, unlike the glass, it’s often extremely expensive to replace the screen of the device. Unless you only got the phone recently, these high repair costs might make it more financially prudent to upgrade your phone and write off the loss.

Even if you’re careful with your phone and protect it with a case and screen protector, there are a number of ways that your phone screen can break down eventually. For instance, all or part of the touchscreen could stop responding, dead pixels could start to appear, or your device may succumb to screen burn in. The dilemma you’re then faced with is the same as if you’d smashed it: fork out hundreds of dollars in replacing the screen, or move on to a new model.

4. Camera degradation

The ability to shoot high-quality photos and videos is one of the most important aspects of a phone to many people. If the camera on your handset is no longer up to scratch, it’s often another of those problems that range from a pricey fix to a phone upgrade.

There are some phone camera issues that are relatively easily remedied. If it’s a scratch or dirt around the glass, it might be a fairly easy fix at your local service center. Other problems with the camera can be caused by larger issues that we’ve already touched on like the app responding slowly or crashing due to the phone’s overall performance diminishing.

Then there are complications specific to the camera array that could render your device a shadow of its former self. These include the camera sensor degrading over time due to exposure to light and environmental conditions, mechanical parts in the autofocus system wearing out, and similar hardware failures. Like with the screen, a busted camera array is often so expensive to sort out that it might be time for that phone upgrade.

5. The sound is shot

It might sound antiquated in 2024, but you sometimes want to use your phone as a phone. This requires two delicate parts of the hardware to be in good working order: the speaker and the microphone. Even if you’re Gen Z and allergic to the idea of actually giving someone a call, losing the mic means the end of voice notes. Without the speaker, you’re not going to be streaming the sound on TikTok or YouTube anytime soon without a pair of headphones.

There are dozens of reasons why either your mic or speaker can stop working, and quite a lot of them a fixable. You might even be able to remedy it yourself if either has become clogged with dust or debris or if the problem lies in some sort of software failure. An intermittent or crackling sound might be attributable to a loose connection in your device, which a professional at your local service center may be able to sort out.

For all these reasons, diagnosis is needed before a phone upgrade. But if there’s a fundamental hardware failure causing one of the issues, the time to bid the device farewell may have arrived.

6. Connectivity issues

Connectivity issues could mean that your phone is on its last legs. However, even more so than the sound issues, it’s essential to rule out all other possibilities first. Connectivity problems are almost always related to something else. It could be an issue with software compatibility, your network provider, your Wi-Fi router, something interfering with the signal, or any number of other factors..

If you’ve exhausted all other avenues of inquiry, the issues might stem from a hardware fault in your device. Which bit of the hardware depends on where you’re struggling with connectivity. It could be the antenna, the Bluetooth module, the GPS component, or something else. Whatever it is, you’re back at that same dilemma: a potentially expensive fix or phone upgrade time.

7. Refusal to charge

It’s obvious to say, but if you can no longer charge your phone, its best use-case is as a bookend or a doorstop. Some charging issues are easily fixable, but some will mean a phone upgrade is more practical. An increasing number of phones have both wired and wireless charging options now, so a failure to charge via cable isn’t as fatal as it used to be, although it does limit your options if you can only charge wirelessly.

If you’re trying to charge with a cable and find it only works from certain angles, it could be that the prongs on the charging port are misaligned, or you have a loose connection. Dirt and debris can also contribute to charging problems. You can try to clean the ports, check the cable you’re using is working properly, or see if a professional can see an obvious issue that isn’t too expensive to fix. Charging issues could also relate to the battery rather than the connection itself. This is easier to diagnose on a phone that can also be charged wirelessly.

More serious charging issues can be related to damaged circuitry within the phone. If wired charging is your only option, this means either an expensive repair bill or upgrade time. If wireless is an option, then you could soldier on with it and accept that you’ll have slower top-up times and fewer opportunities, as you don’t find many wireless chargers out and about. If both your wired and wireless charging capabilities are suffering from circuitry problems, it’s pretty much game over for the device.

8. It’s extremely hot

All phones heat up with use, especially if you’re running resource-intensive apps or games for extended periods. Sunlight, a faulty charger, software issues, and a defective battery are among other reasons why your phone might be getting hot. A bit of heating up is normal, and a lot of heating up for any of the aforementioned reasons is something you can address.

If you’ve ruled out those types of issues and your phone is still overheating when you’re not using many resources, it could be an internal hardware problem, such as defective components or poor thermal management. That’s probably the point at which it’s time to upgrade your phone.

9. Random crashing

We’ve already mentioned that struggling performance can cause individual apps to crash or the phone to freeze. An even more ominous sign that your phone is on the way out is if it either shuts off or restarts at random intervals. It could even get stuck in a cycle of continuous restarting without fully booting up.

This could be due to a number of issues that have cropped up throughout this article. Overheating, battery issues, and software glitches can all cause your handset to go a bit haywire in this way. Malware can be another culprit. You’ll probably need your local service center to get to the bottom of it. The worst news they can deliver after an inspection is that the source of the issue is a failing motherboard or damaged components. While they might be fixable for a high price, you might just decide to write it off at that point.

10. Bulging or warping

You know that your device is about to bite the dust if it’s started becoming warped or bulged. This might be caused by a specific component, like the battery expanding. It could also be a result of an accidental drop or general overheating.

Whatever the reason, you can’t just hammer it back into shape like a dented car hood. Smartphones are highly refined pieces of equipment, and becoming misshapen can have all sorts of bad consequences. These include significant safety hazards, such as leaking, overheating, or even exploding. There’s also a higher risk of components being damaged and reduced functionality.

You can have the local expert take a look at the damage if you like, but don’t get your hopes up and keep an eye out for a good deal on your next handset.