Tag: cell phone

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Tumbles of the iPhone X

The iPhone X.

In the adage of toast falling off tables, you better hope this phone lands butter (screen) side down.

This isn’t to say we hope anything bad happens to any of the iPhone X’s now popping up in consumer’s pockets now – in fact, we’d love to hear about them having long, fulfilling lives – but being a primarily glass construction, they’re not doing so hot. Social media is already swimming in posts about unfortunate individuals whose devices have already humpty-dumptied.

Screenshot from Apple's iPhone X webpage
Screenshot from Apple’s iPhone X webpage

Several websites this week have posted about how easily the iPhone X’s supposedly ‘most durable glass ever’ breaks. (And let’s be honest, anyone saying “most ____ ever” is basically a challenge to test its claim. This same drama was happening with the Galaxy S8+ when it came out.) It comes as a surprise to no one that glass breaks, however, if it’s going to be touted as the most durable, it should hold up to a fair amount of abuse… which doesn’t seem to be the case for the iPhone X.

From the articles I’ve sifted through online this week, the most prevalent “tests” to be mentioned were those by CNET and SquareTrade. In all fairness, these tests were not highly scientific (CNET just dropped theirs outside on the sidewalk a couple times at about pocket height to see what would happen) or generally applicable (Squaretrade used a mechanical device to standardize the conditions of the drop, but then dropped it from a height of 6 feet); the take away you’ll want to glean from their experiments is that you need to baby this device.

Get the case. Get the screen protector. Get the insurance.

As I generally disapprove of Apple’s authorized repair service model where you’re supposed to take/send it to an authorized Apple repair center to keep your warranty intact – let us fix it ourselves, Apple! *shakes fist angrily* – it may have become fiscally responsible to purchase AppleCare+ with the device.

With a glass front and back, you’ve doubled your chances for damage. The fancy bezel-less OLED screen on the iPhone X is actually developed and manufactured by Samsung (and then tweaked by Apple) and they’re not cheap. Apple reporting it’s iPhone X service pricing at $279 for the screen repair only; other damage, which would be if the glass back panel shattered, is a whopping $549. That’s half the original cost of the phone! Purchasing AppleCare+ for $199 and paying the service fee for replacing a broken screen ($29) twice cost less than repairing the screen once without it, and AppleCare+ with the $99 other damage coverage is significantly less than $549.

So when that device drops, for the sake of your wallet, you better hope it cracks the screen.

Why is the back glass so bothersome? It’s not really repairable. With the way that the device was designed, the back-glass panel is actually welded to the metal frame beneath it where the camera bump is located. From iFixit’s teardown of the iPhone X, they’re speculating that in order to repair the back glass, you’ll need to remove all of the internal components of the phone and reassemble everything in an all new chassis.

But let us not forget that if the phone was better designed to take damage, many of these extra expenses in protecting the device wouldn’t be necessary in the first place.

What I personally find ironic about designing a glass phone to look sleek and beautiful is that it inevitably will be covered up with a case to protect it, so aside from taking it out of the box, you likely won’t see that sleek glass panel again. Want to protect those corners? You’re going to have to cover at least some part of that swanky bezel-less screen to compensate. I understand that Apple didn’t switch to glass backs as purely for aesthetic reasons, glass is better for wireless charging than aluminum or plastic, but you have to ask yourself, is this trade-off for wireless charging really worth it in the long run?

 

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Staying Alive: Smartphones

The average lifespan for a smartphone in America these days is about 21 months. If you’ve spent a small fortune on a new smart phone, 21 months can feel like a ridiculously short amount of time before shelling out another small fortune for the next working model and over time, these numbers add up. At a 21 month lifespan, an individual will go through 5-6 phones in 10 years… which means if each device cost a flat $600 you’d spend $3,000 in ten years time. If we’re looking at repeatedly buying iPhone X type phones then that figure goes up to $5,000 and none of this cost even includes the service fees, this is just the phone itself.

Phone and dollar bills

So what can be done to keep some of our hard earned green? Try to treat it like another large purchase, like your vehicle, rather than the recyclable cardboard box your device came packaged in. Your phone can last you longer than 21 months, but it’s going to take a bit of care on your part to do it. Just like cars need oil changes, batteries, and tires to keep chugging along, some TLC for your phone can keep it in working order. Here are a few basic ways to keep your smartphone kicking.

Use a device with Removable Batteries (if possible)

When shopping for a phone, it’s a great idea to look for a device to that has a removable battery that you can easily access. Many phone manufacturers these days seal the batteries into their devices to make them more water and dust resistant, but also because they know that once that battery doesn’t hold a charge after two years or so that you’ll be shopping for a new device. When you don’t have easy access to a changeable battery, it can lead people to believe the phone has reached the end of it’s usable life; this practice by manufactures is called planned obsolescence where items are deliberately designed to fail so that you’re encouraged to go purchase new items from them.

If you’re unable to purchase a device with a removable battery or currently have a smartphone with a battery sealed in, there is still hope. When your battery eventually wears down, you or a local repair shop can open your device and swap out the old battery for a new one.

Use a Case

pexels-photo-937652

Once you have your new device, it’s important to do what you can to keep it from being damaged. Accidents happen, no doubt, but being prepared can help to avoid some of the worst of them. With glass as the exterior for the front and back of many of today’s smartphones, you want a case that can take an impact, and considering the cost of your new device, it’s well worth it to spend some money protecting your investment. More common brands like OtterBox, Spigen, and Speck are likely to have different lines of protection that will fit your wants and your device’s needs from basic and slim clear cases to more rugged and water resistant designs. Whichever case you decide on purchasing, it’s a good idea to read customer reviews to see how effective other individuals found the case to be in protecting their device.

Use a Screen Protector

While they’re not as necessary now as they were with earlier model phones as many current smartphones are being developed with scratch resistant Gorilla Glass, it’s still an extra layer of protection available to you. It’s important to remember that even though the Gorilla Glass is designed to be susceptible to fewer scratches than the average glass screen, it’s still made of glass, a very fragile substance. Scratches or imperfections in the glass make it more susceptible to cracking, much in the same way that glass cutters score glass sheets in order to make a clean break. It’s also worth mentioning that if you find yourself frequently around sand, a screen protector is a great investment as sand is enough of an abrasive that it can easily damage even Gorilla Glass.

Charge your Phone Appropriately

Close up of hands charging mobile phone

The lithium-ion batteries found in most smartphones today don’t like being drained completely – or charged completely for that matter. They act a bit like Goldilocks and function optimally at the “just right” range for them which is between 40 and 80 percent. Lithium-ion batteries like little charges during the day to keep it in it’s “just right” range. Constantly charging your device to a full 100 percent isn’t great for your lithium ion battery either; it’s not inherently fatal, but done repetitiously it will cause a reduction in the battery’s overall lifespan. However you end up charging your device, it’s best not to let lithium-ion batteries drop below 20 percent. Exceptions to this rule are when you cycle the battery, which is essentially a recalibration. When cycling a battery – which should only be done maybe once a month – you drain the battery to 0 and then charge fully to 100 percent. It’s also important to try and keep your battery away from too hot or too cold conditions for optimal performance.

Use the Correct Charger

This may not seem like something important, but it can be very helpful to your device. The charger that comes with your device is designed specifically for your device and your battery. If you purchase a secondary cable, make sure the power supply is compatible with what your device requires and what your battery needs. We’ve had a few individuals stop into the Garage who were convinced that their devices were dead, but just were using a different charger that didn’t provide enough power to the device.

Clean up the Internal Clutter

Apps on a smartphone

Aside from battery failure, most people decide to get new devices when they’ve run out of space on their device. Sometimes this means simply going through and deleting old apps that you no longer use; other times, it may involve transferring your apps, photos, videos, music, etc. to an external memory resource like an SD card, Mophie case, or a cloud application like iCloud or Google Drive to store them. Freeing up space can help your device run faster and gives you space to do important software updates that keep your device functioning longer.

*A way to free up a bit of space quickly is by clearing the system cache (pronounced cash). Cache stores information from things you’ve pulled up on your device, like background information on webpages, images, etc. so that they’re ready to load quickly should you need them again. – You can think of cache as something like your kitchen countertop. When you’re cooking you’re getting out all the ingredients and tools you need to make a meal. Once the meal is prepared, all of the stuff just sits out on the counter waiting for you to use it again. So, clearing the cache is essentially clearing off the countertop.

Last but not least, Repair!

Time and use will wear out your devices; things will break. Keep your devices running by having them repaired or repairing them yourself. Some models and replacement parts are easier than others to find, purchase, and repair, but keeping the device running longer keeps a substantial amount of money from being spent on a new device. Not to mention that keeping you phone in your pocket helps to keep them from ending up in landfills.

 

 

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Splish Splash, the IP Ratings Bath

Sitting poolside this summer, the electronics never seem to be far from hand. Whether it’s a Bluetooth speaker you have sitting out to listen to some tunes, a phone chilling out next to the cold beverage you’re sipping on, or a wrist watch that you forgot to take off before that really impressive cannonball, your devices have a good chance of encountering liquids.

Some of you may be less concerned about this than others as you own devices that are promoted as being water resistant, so let me just start out by saying that water resistant does not mean waterproof.

Companies are trying to make electronics more water resilient since so many of them end up going for a swim. In testing their devices, they assign them IP ratings which are good for letting consumers know just how dust and water resistant your device can be. The first digit following IP gives a rating for dust or other solid objects on a 0-6 scale, and the second digit following IP gives a rating for the device’s resistance to water on a 0-8 scale. The higher the numbers, the greater the level of resistance. For example, a device that is labeled IP67, like Samsung’s Galaxy S5 or the iPhone 7, has a dust resistance of 6 which is the highest rating, meaning it is essentially as dust resistant as a device can be; and a water rating of 7 which means that the device has been lab tested to survive a temporary immersion (30 minutes or less) in less than 1 meter of water.

(Click here for more information on what your device’s IP rating covers.)

So, your phone’s immersion safe. Sounds great, right? Let’s take pictures underwater with it.

Mmm, no, not so much.

Even smartphones with the highest rating, IP68, like the Galaxy S7 , can still manage to drown.

The problem with IP ratings is that they only prove that they’ve passed the required tests in a controlled lab; real world conditions will vary. Perhaps the tests were performed for the IP ratings were done with a gradual submersion opposed to a sudden dunk; using fresh water rather than damaging salt or chlorine; or using static water rather than running water; or in lukewarm water versus a hot tub or frozen lake. There is such a wide array of variables that impact the water resistance of a device that your safest bet is to keep it away from liquids as much as possible.

Companies like Apple, Samsung, and Sony have lots of caveats for what should and shouldn’t be done with their devices regarding their interaction with liquids such as: not using the device while submerged, letting the device dry out for a few hours afterwards, and not opening the device when it’s wet as it can damage the adhesives that help give it its water-resistant rating.

Most device warranties, even those with higher IP ratings, do not include liquid damage due to the high levels of unpredictable conditions that can affect them, including water resistant components that can wear out gradually over time. And if you think you can try and take it in to see if you can get it replaced after its taken a dunk and dried out, think again. A good portion of smartphones have water damage indicator stickers inside the device and on batteries that will change colors when exposed to liquids or water vapor, a red flag to anyone opening your device for repair.

Due to the nature of phones, it seems unlikely that they will ever be truly waterproof, needing open areas for ports, picking up sound vibrations, and maintaining equal pressure with the surrounding atmosphere, but companies are making an effort to keep liquids from destroying them. And as liquid damage is the second most common way of destroying a smartphone, I think it’s a device safety net that we all can appreciate.