So you've finally given in to the urge to upgrade your smartphone for something brand new. Whether your current one is the worse for wear or you simply have the compulsion to get the latest version of your favorite model, you can satisfy your technophile itch with a new device.But what do you do with your old one? You can repurpose it by using it as a gaming machine or an MP3 player, you can donate it or give it away, or you can trade it in towards the cost of a brand new smartphone with all the bells and whistles worthy of a flagship smartphone model.When you consider that top models from the likes of Apple and Samsung can cost you US$1,000 or more, you can appreciate how trading in your current mobile device can make sense. One the one hand, it will reduce the amount you have to pay for a new smartphone. On the other hand, it’ll satisfy your desire to get the new smartphone model that you crave.However, there are things you need to do before you part with your old smartphone. You can’t just take out your SIM card or memory card and hand it over as part of a transaction to get a new smartphone. No, there are steps you have to take to avoid getting burned.Follow this checklist to ensure that you you take the right steps before you trade your phone in:
You’ll want to begin by ensuring that you backup the contents of your smartphone. This is especially important if you’re sure you’ll want the contents for your new smartphone. But it’s still a good idea if you’re not sure you’ll need the data. Have a copy just in case.
Before you trade in your mobile device, you need to restore it to the state it was in when it first came off of the assembly line. That’s the only way you can ensure it’s safe to trade in. You can do this by, firstly, encrypting your smartphone and by, secondly, initiating a factory reset. There are different steps depending on whether you have an iOS or Android smartphone.
If you have an iPhone with iOS 5 or later, you'll be glad to know that it already has encryption as long as you set up a passcode. Do the following and you’ll be fine.
If your iPhone has iOS 7 or newer, you’ll have a slightly different set of steps to take.
This will ensure that your iPhone is wiped clean of the contents that had been on it -- and this, of course, will make it safe to trade in.
If you have an Android mobile device that has Android 6.0 or later, you won’t have to encrypt your device since the data is automatically encrypted. But if you have an Android with an earlier operating system, you'll need to encrypt. Complete these steps to encrypt.
If you're using a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, the steps will be a bit different. Here they are.
By all means, remove your SIM card and SD card from the device before trading it. While some devices give you the option of wiping your SD card, there’s no reason to trade the mobile device with a card intact. So remove it and then to use the SD card for some other personal purpose.If you really want to cover all of your bases quickly and efficiently, you should find a provider of mobile diagnostics software that will identify possible defects and ensure that your phone is ready to be traded. It's also a good idea to pursue a mobile data erasure solution that will permanently erase all data from smartphones running on iOS and Android operating systems.Once you’ve completed these steps, you’ll be able to trade in your old smartphone with full confidence that your personal information won’t be part of the deal. So follow these steps and get ready to enjoy a new smartphone in short order.
