For some people, the idea of buying a new mobile is thrilling. They can’t wait to get the prized “toy” and experience the novelty. And then there are those of us whose lives depend on our old, well-worn phone with the cracked screen and would need someone to yank it from our death grip in order to force us to let it go. It’s a matter of personal preference.
The thing to remember when considering the option of letting go of what is more like a hand-held computer in today’s digital world, there is a lot of content-sensitive and otherwise that people carry on their mobile devices.
Not only do you want to ensure that every syllable gets transferred to your next system, but you need to ensure nothing is remaining on the old mobile once everything has been transferred. That means sending it back to factory reset and ensuring it’s blank of all your private information.
It’s challenging enough to keep your identity safe from hackers, cybercriminals, and threats on the internet; you don’t want to merely hand it over to them in a nice neat little package. Let’s look at some tips on things you should do before taking the plunge and buying a new mobile.
Things to consider when purchasing the next phone
According to much research, buying a new mobile is an exciting undertaking, like taking a child to a candy store and allowing them free reign. Users with a new device have the thrill of exploring the unknown and playing with varied new features.
The reality of this situation for those of us who rely staunchly on our phones for varied purposes, including research and other work-related activities, is that not all of us would rush out to trade our faithful companion though cracked, worn, and sometimes unresponsive.
A reason for that, in all seriousness, is the mobile has become somewhat of a personal, hand-held computer carrying loads of sensitive data.
It isn’t easy in society today to keep details private and secure, even with significant effort. Still, if you erroneously leave any bit of information on an old mobile and someone were to get hold of that sensitive data, it could be severely detrimental.
So, let’s look at a few details on making the transitions from your old mobile to the new model somewhat less traumatic.
1. The investment
Some phones come with all the bells and whistles meaning you can do virtually anything you can think of with them, things you wouldn’t even begin to know how to do and will probably never learn.
These aren’t necessary unless you do intend to figure out every functionality and put each to good use. In many cases, a lot of the premium features offered on these mobiles tack on extra fees to your monthly bill, which is already exorbitant to start.
You also don’t want an incredibly low-cost device because typically, you get what you pay for, with many of these not lasting for the duration of the contract.
A solid median-priced option that offers features pertinent to your day-to-day might not be exhilarating, but it will save you considerably, plus grow to be a well-used piece of equipment.
These systems are not at all lacking in features or capabilities, nor are they necessarily all budget-friendly; some can be relatively expensive. Still, as a tool for the average person, the moderately priced devices are adequate, practical, and capable.
2. System backup
When you decide that you will switch mobiles, it’s vital to ensure that all of your data on the current phone has been backed up. The old system will transfer all content to the new unit in most situations.
That will include your drive details, texts, photos, contacts, documents, emails, and on. But as the representative will explain, there is always the risk that the two will not communicate adequately and some information will not get transferred.
Plus, if you go from one operating system to another, like an iPhone to an Android, these risks significantly increase because these systems are not entirely compatible.
The suggestion for backing up your data is to use “cloud storage.” Some mobiles come with a cloud feature built-in. For those who don’t have this, the recommendation is to use a “third-party storage app” where you will upload all your vital information.
It’s crucial to go through every bit of your phone in case there are files, documents, photographs, or anything you might have forgotten about, ensuring it gets backed up to avoid experiencing loss.
It is sheer devastation when a mobile rep declares that the transfer didn’t work and everything has been lost, which is why I’m probably still holding onto a cracked and sad little phone.
3. Apps and program passwords
When you get a new phone, you will need to sign in to your programs and apps where, on the old mobile, you likely never signed out. Instead, these just popped up for you. That means you probably don’t recall the passwords for these and won’t be able to get back in to accomplish your tasks.
This can actually be a good thing for many reasons but primarily for identity-saving purposes. Most people tend to use the same password for everything or different variations of the same password, which is unsafe and easy for hackers to figure out over time.
Before you get your new mobile, or right after getting one, it’s the ideal opportunity to use a “password manager app” to set up a unique password for each app and every program.
These are a blend of upper and lower case letters, characters, symbols, and numbers that are virtually impossible for anyone to guess. The app stores both the password and username for each account, plus it will automatically log in by auto-filling the information on your new device.
4. Two-factor authentication
Before you turn in your old phone, especially if you’re getting a new phone number, it’s vital to update all security you have in place, like two-factor authentications that use your phone number as one of the measures.
If you don’t change the number, you won’t be able to get into your accounts with the new mobile.
5. Battery life
The amount of time you hope the battery will last is crucial for some people. No one wants to be working for 14 or 15 hours and have the battery start to blink when they’re getting down to their last bit of work. Nor do you want to be tethered to an outlet to charge while you work.
“Power banks” can be helpful, but ideally, users want mobiles with batteries that will last as long as they need to use the device.
The indication is that a battery capacity is expressed as “milliampere-hours or mAh” a standard mobile battery can range as great as 4000 mAh. The higher, the better since, the greater the capacity, the longer it will last after it has a full charge.
A user also wants to ensure that the battery can charge rapidly. Some smartphones have technology allowing speeds as fast as 20 minutes for charging power.
6. Trading in your old phone
Critical before trading in your old phone is ensuring that you do a factory reset. That will take out any sensitive information you input into the device, putting the system back to where you found it when you first bought it.
After doing the factory reset, go through the entire system to ensure there is no sensitive information left anywhere, contacts, texts, files, photographs, nothing pertinent to you left on the mobile.
You can trade your phone in a few ways, but probably the safest, most secure way is to take it back into the store where you’re purchasing your new device.
In this way, they can double-check that no sensitive data is remaining. In many cases, the retailer will give cash back for the trade-in based on the device’s condition.
Ensure that everything has been transferred to the new system, you’ve updated your security authentications, and you have new passwords for all your accounts before you reset.
Conclusion
When it comes time to get a new mobile device, most people feel a sense of joy and exhilaration at the idea of the novelty and the possibility of being exposed to some new features.
A few things to remember when switching your mobile from a well-used system full of sensitive content to a brand new option is to ensure that a complete transfer is possible of all the material before making the trade.
It can be devastating once the transfer occurs, and not everything takes. But it’s a significant risk when moving phones. Just make sure you backup everything so it’s saved.
It’s almost like moving houses; you have to ensure the gang’s all there, especially when you use your device for everything. It’s like losing an appendage if the information becomes lost.
Perhaps, not an appendage but a severe letdown, to say the least. Some of us might need counseling for our mobile or maybe get a new one to break the attachment.
