We rely on our smartphones for help with pretty much everything. Business, navigation, ordering food, you name it. So when a phone isn’t working properly it’s easy to become worried. However, most of this worry is due to one simple fact: we don’t know why.Phone testing tools can help you avoid guesswork and pursue meaningful solutions. Below, we’ll look at some of the most common causes of phone damage and how serious they are likely to be. We’ll also show you some phone testing tools you can use to identify damage, and provide you with a few ideas on how to proceed once you have more information.
Next to your pocket, your phone probably spends most of its time in your hands—which means you’re probably going to drop it at least once. Most people plan for this inevitability by keeping their phone in a protective case, but some people avoid cases because they feel that a case can ruin their phone’s aesthetic.If you’re looking for a case that will preserve or enhance the appearance of your phone, try the elegant sleeves made by Adopted and sold for about $40 each. If you’re looking for something more durable, you’ll find options starting at around $15.Of course, nobody says you have to use a case. Just keep in mind that not using a case increases the likelihood of severe damage like cracked screens or broken cameras in the event that you do end up dropping your phone. This kind of damage can normally be repaired, unless you have dropped your phone from several stories up. Just make sure to budget for repairs, since the Apple Store charges $279 per screen repair.
If you ever keep your phone in the back pocket of your pants or leave it on your chair, there is a very real risk that it could be sat upon. If you realize your mistake before sitting down too hard, sitting on your phone might not cause any real damage. However, if you plunk down onto your seat without a second thought, you could break the screen or crush sensitive internal parts.Broken screens are easy enough to fix as long as you can afford the costs. However, too much internal damage can render the device useless, so it is always best to check the rest of your phone out with a diagnostic tool or service before you spend money repairing the screen.
Some newer phones are extremely water-resistant, like the iPhone 7 Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S8. However, the vast majority of devices still won’t survive a plunge into the sink, toilet, or bathtub. You could even damage your phone by spilling a drink on it (this accounts for 29% of reported phone damage). If this has happened, don’t waste time with rice. Instead, dry your phone off with a paper towel or vacuum, then carefully open it up and use a more reliable drying agent like silica gel.
It should be noted that the information provided in the examples above is approximate in nature. No two cases of phone damage are exactly alike, and the same kind of accident can affect different phones in vastly different ways. For more specific results, consider diagnostic services like those offered by PhoneCheck. Using phone testing tools can help you learn exactly what is wrong with your phone, so that you can understand the chances of salvaging it and the costs involved.It’s also important to realize that not all phone damage is physical. Viruses, malware, and hacking attempts can all affect the way your device functions, or even brick it when left unchecked for too long. Diagnostic tools are even more useful when detecting these kinds of issues than they are for sensing physical problems. Even if you haven’t had a noticeable accident with your smartphone, it’s worth having it checked once in a while just to make sure it hasn’t been compromised.Your phone can become damaged in numerous ways, but the type of accident won’t always be a clear indicator of how bad the damage is. Make sure you have the tools you need to identify phone damage quickly, so that you can make repairs or arrangements to replace your device ASAP.
