Improvements to Apple’s iPhone’s are advancing at a rapid pace in recent years. Many rush to buy the latest Apple product right at launch to get their first hand experience with the product line they love. In equal measure there are plenty of consumers who keep their hands on their device as long as they possibly can for the same reason, even repurposing it if need be as iOS updates render much older devices obsolete. There are many ways you can increase the longevity of your iPhone’s lifespan. Being mindful of how and when you charge the device and what kind of physical protection you have in case of incidents can dramatically increase the lifespan of your iOS device. Even when eventually software advancements go beyond what your old iPhone or iPad can handle, there are many things you can do to repurpose them if you are looking to get as much out of it as possible. Let’s take a look at what can make your device last as long as possible.
Being mindful of your battery is key. How you can help increase battery longevity is a question I get often while helping clients and it is how you can get the maximum lifespan out of a device. Turning your iPhone off while charging, turning off location services, closing any apps open in the background and turning on low power mode can all help extend your time with any iPhone battery. If you would like to maintain use and repurpose the device later, then replacing the battery at least once is going to be recommended. You can check your Battery Health at anytime in the battery category of your settings if your iPhone is on relatively current software and it will actually warn you if you are in need of a replacement. After long enough though replacement batteries for an older model may not be in production or available anymore, so getting it replaced within 5-6 years of purchase is recommended.
Having a good case, even a good few cases for specific situations in my opinion is a must. You can put an incredible amount of effort into maximizing your battery’s lifespan, but the moment it gets dropped on hard tile the wrong way and smashes it will make all those efforts feel futile. To protect yourself ahead of time I’m going to recommend a couple brands that make cases I’ve had save my devices more than a few times. There are many other brands as well as these that can provide equal protection, but these are the two I have great personal experience with.
1. Otterbox:….did you see that coming? Yes? When it comes to drop protection, I just as many others do swear by their brand. I’ve been using my iPhone 7 for years now and I’m certain I would have had to replace it due to a break if it wasn’t for the Otterbox on my phone today.
2. LifeProof: This is a company I trust for a different kind of protection; water damage. I very long ago was recommended LifeProof when I was looking for a case that would turn my old iPhone SE Generation 1 into an underwater camera. I was extremely pleased with the result of my leap of faith at the time. The phone treated me very well for 7 years, I replaced the battery once and had it tested for liquid damage to find none! This after it was used for 2 years as strictly an underwater camera, all because of the LifeProof case.
That touches on what I want to talk about next. There are many uses for an old iPhone. One of the most common or obvious is using it to buy a new iPhone be it via trade or finding a reputable buyer. There are many more things you can do with them though that can give you even more time for your investment. When I get my next iPhone be it the 12 or another model later on, my iPhone 7 will become my music player/radio for my at home office and replace the old iPod classic that still works plugged into a dock. There are also apps that support older iOS version that can turn your old iPhone or iPad into a baby monitor or home security system.
I hope this has been helpful in achieving your goals to maximize your iOS device’s lifespan. If you successfully avoid accident and be mindful of your battery, you could maintain it long enough to repurpose it later and get even more time for your dollar. Whatever you do with your old iPhone, I hope it treats you well in whatever its purpose may be. Thank you for reading.
Best Regards,
Quinn Maxfield – Sales Associate
