One Tech Tip: New iPhones arrive, but you can keep your old phone longer by caring for it

Apple’s latest iPhones, unveiled this week, come with new features, better cameras and hefty price tags — including a folding model with a starting price of $1,999. If you’re planning to splurge on a new iPhone 18, you will want to take care of it to make it last as long as possible. Or save money by holding on to your current device, whether it is Apple or Android, to get the most life out of it.

As smartphone technology has matured and innovations have become more incremental, people have stopped buying into the idea that they need to upgrade to the newest phone. There is also an environmental push to keep old phones out of landfills as electronic waste becomes a larger sustainability issue. Modern smartphones are also just sturdier and better able to survive dunks and drops.

The typical smartphone replacement cycle is now four years, according to Counterpoint Research. Some device owners boast in online forums that they have had phones last more than seven years. Here are some pointers on extending your phone’s life: Take care of your phone’s battery The biggest factor in a phone’s longevity is the battery.

A rechargeable battery’s life span is related to its “chemical age,” which is based not only on the manufacturing date but also on factors including “temperature history and charging pattern,” according to Apple. The company says that as lithium-ion batteries chemically age, they hold less charge, which results in “reduced peak performance.” Samsung warns against running a lithium-ion battery down completely, because that could shorten its life. “The battery is absolutely often the first thing to go in most people’s phones,” said Elizabeth Chamberlain, director of sustainability at the device-repair website iFixit.

Lithium-ion batteries typically last about 300 to 500 charging cycles before degrading noticeably to the point that they can’t last a day without needing a charge, she said. “Many people will hit 500 cycles in two years. Heavy users will get there faster.” Batteries get stressed if they are completely drained or fully charged, Chamberlain said.

So avoid letting your battery die, and also avoid charging it all the way to 100%, “unless you really need a full charge,” she said. “Aim to keep the battery between 20% and 80% charged.” If you are in the habit of plugging in your phone when you go to bed, Apple and Samsung both have charging optimi…