Category: Phone FAQs

These days, phones are more than just phones. 97 percent of Americans have cellphones that they use — and this isn’t just because they like to communicate on the go. Our phones are portable dictionaries, encyclopedias, checkbooks, and calenders. However, mobile phones come with a serious disadvantage — batteries. Many people run around their daily lives with low battery anxiety. If you want to keep your phone working, you’re going to have to care about the health of your phone battery. 

But how exactly do you take care of this pesky part of modern technology? Read on as we walk you through everything you need to know. 

1. Stop Charging at 100 Percent 

Of course, if you want to keep your battery healthy, you’re going to have to charge it. Our tradeoff when we switched from a connected-by-wires world to a mobile world was that we’d have to make sure we loaded up these devices with limited lives. 

However, it’s possible to charge your phone battery for too long. 

If you charge your phone after it hits 100 percent, you run the risk of overcharging your battery. If this happens, you’ll create unstable conditions inside of the battery, which can lead to reduced efficiency. 

2. Run a Charge Cycle

To make sure that your battery stays healthy and calibrated, run a “charge cycle” every once in a while. This is when you let your battery drain completely to zero until it turns off. Then, let it charge all the way — without use — straight up to 100. 

This will effectively remind your battery of its full capabilities. It will reduce those annoying severe drops that can happen when your battery isn’t very healthy. 

3. Keep Your Phone Out Of the Sun 

Did you know that direct sunlight can damage your phone’s battery? The effectiveness of a battery is vastly influenced by its temperature. This is why your laptop has fans to keep it cooled down. 

If you leave your phone out in the sun, your battery could very easily get corroded. If this happens, you’ll notice a serious drop in the quality, efficiency, and charge of this phone’s battery. 

The sun can also cause your battery’s fluid to evaporate. If this happens, you’ll see a similar drop in quality from your battery’s performance. 

Heat can also overcharge your battery, which as we mentioned earlier, is never good. 

On top of all of this, excessive heat isn’t good for any part of your phone. Leaving your touchscreen out long enough will cause your touchscreen to lose efficiency and might even cause data loss. 

4. Close Your Apps 

It can be hard to keep track of all of the apps you have open on your phone.

On your computer, you have a large screen to look at. Every one of your tabs and apps are evenly laid out. 

This isn’t true on your phone. It’s easy to accidentally minimize a window instead of exiting out of it completely. You can go days without realizing that you still have this window open. 

Certain apps drain a lot of your battery. If you have several of these open at once while running about with standard phone activities, you can cause your battery some serious strain. 

Make it a point to clear out all your windows and apps at the beginning and end of the day. This will ensure that your battery stays healthy and doesn’t get overworked. 

5. Get it Serviced

Sometimes, you have to simply admit defeat. If your phone maintenance mission has failed, you don’t need to fret. Realizing that your phone needs phone repair is also very important in making sure that your phone battery stays healthy.

Check out the electronic repair section of our website. From there, you’ll see that we’ll be able to repair the battery of any sort of smartphone you might have. 

6. Limit Your Location Settings 

GPS tracking services cause a serious strain on your battery. It’s impossible to completely get rid of these, as they allow you to use many of the contemporary technologies that we consider parts of our daily life.

However, your phone might be set to automatically always give out your GPS information. If this isn’t what you want, then altering your GPS and location settings can help you out. 

Your phone’s battery-saving mode is already able to reduce certain GPS capabilities. If you want to save yourself some privacy and battery health as well, consider turning on your battery-saving mode. 

7. Switch to a Dark Theme

If your phone has the capability of switching to a dark theme, you should try it out. The brighter and lighter your theme is, the more battery it will drain. 

If you don’t want to go dark all the time, your phone might be able to automatically switch to a dark mode exclusively for the night time. 

If your phone doesn’t have a dark theme, you might be able to improvise something. Set your wallpaper as simple and dark and you’ll notice results. 

8. Limit Your Wifi 

Your phone is largely automated to try to help you out. However, as we saw with location settings, this can end up damaging your battery. 

Your phone might have a feature where it automatically tries to link up with whatever wifi is nearest. This can be annoying if you have a good data plan and simply want to use your data. It will also drain your battery. 

Turn off this capability and you’ll see your battery performance improve. 

Keep Your Phone Battery Healthy 

Phone batteries are one of the most important — but one of the most annoying — features of modern technology. If you want to enjoy the amazing things that contemporary cellphones can bring you, you’re going to have to take care of your phone battery.

Make use of the above tips and you’re more likely to have a healthy phone battery. 

For more information on the health of your phone, check out the rest of our blog. 

Did you know that cell phones have over 17,000 bacterial gene copies on them? This might have you feeling a bit grossed out. Even prior to the pandemic this is cause for concern, as the bacteria has the potential to make you sick.

But before you go dunking your phone in water and bleach, think again. While chemicals like bleach can definitely be heavy-duty germ killers, they can damage your phone!

So how can you clean your phone so you don’t have to worry about those germs anymore?

Read on to find out how to clean your phone in a safe and efficient way.

Turn Off Your Phone

Before you start cleaning your phone, you need to turn it off first. This ensures that if any liquid accidentally gets inside the ports, it won’t malfunction.

This is true for all smartphones, even those that are water-resistant. To decrease the risk of damage, it’s best if you avoid getting liquids in your phone, period.

You’ll also want to remove it from its case and unplug all the attachments so you can completely clean all surfaces on your phone.

Wash Your Hands

Another thing you’ll want to do is wash your hands thoroughly before cleaning your phone. Otherwise, you’ll just get more germs on it after cleaning, which will defeat the purpose of even doing so in the first place!

While most of us know how to wash our hands, it never hurts to have a refresher. You’ll want to wet your hands, lather them with soap, and scrub for at least 20 seconds (hum the birthday song; its length is around 20 seconds long). Then rinse off the soap and dry your hands off completely.

Use Antibacterial Wipes

If you’ve got something like Lysol wipes in your house, these are perfect for cleaning your phone! Grab a sheet and wipe down the entire outside of your smartphone.

If you’re wondering how to clean your phone screen, you can use the wipes still. Make sure to wipe gently to ensure you don’t accidentally scratch the surfaces and/or screen.

If you have a cracked screen, you might want to get that repaired first before you start cleaning your phone. The liquids can get in the cracks and possibly damage your phone further!

Now let your phone air dry for at least 15 minutes. Not only does this give the antibacterial wipes more time to work their magic, but it also ensures that you’re not putting your phone back into its case wet, which can cause it to grow mold or mildew.

Use an Alcohol-Based Disinfectant Cleaner

If you don’t have antibacterial wipes, then you can use an alcohol-based disinfectant cleaner instead. Make sure it has at least 70% isopropyl, as this is the strength needed to kill germs effectively.

Get a microfiber cloth and spray it with the cleaner. Now wipe your phone thoroughly with the cloth.

Like with the antibacterial wipes, you’ll want to allow your phone to dry for at least 15 minutes before you touch it again.

How to Clean Your Accessories

In addition to cleaning your phone, you’ll want to clean your accessories as well. Here’s some advice on how to get a completely clean phone!

How to Clean the Case

The way to clean your case will depend on what material it’s made of.

Plastic is more durable, so it’ll be easier to clean. Simply make a bleach or dish soap solution, soak your case for 5-10 minutes, and then scrub it with a sponge or toothbrush to get rid of dirt and grime. Then rinse it off completely.

For all other materials, you’ll want to use a dish soap or vinegar solution. These are gentler!

You can clean your case thoroughly once a month and then use things like antibacterial wipes once a week for maintenance.

How to Clean Your Earbuds

First, pop off the silicone covers if there are any. Soak them in a dish soap solution for at least 30 minutes. After that, dip a Q-tip in the solution and scrub them to get rid of excess dirt and grime.

You can then rinse the covers and leave them to air-dry overnight.

To clean the earbud mesh cover, dip a Q-tip in isopropyl alcohol and rub it over the mesh. Make sure you don’t use too much alcohol since it can drip in and damage your earbuds.

Now dip a microfiber cloth in the isopropyl and wipe the outer surfaces of your earbuds. You should also clean the cords if you don’t have wireless earbuds.

Lastly, let your earbuds air-dry for at least 15 minutes.

How Often to Clean Your Phone

Now that you know how to clean your phone, you might be wondering how often you should do so.

In general, you’ll want to clean your phone and its accessories once a week. However, if you use your phone quite a bit, you’ll want to bump it up to a few times a week, or even every day if you’re out and about daily. On the other hand, if your phone’s pretty neglected, you can get away with a less frequent cleaning schedule.

The important thing is that you clean it on a regular basis so the bacteria doesn’t get a chance to multiply and thrive, which can make you sick.

Know How to Clean Your Phone Right

After reading this article, you should now know how to clean your phone in the correct fashion, as well as your case and accessories.

Make sure you clean them on a regular basis since your phone is a hot touchpoint. Considering we’re in the middle of a serious pandemic, it wouldn’t hurt to step up your cleaning schedule so you can get peace of mind about staying healthy!

If you’ve already tried some ways to clean your phone prior to reading this post, then it might not be functioning correctly. In that case, we’re here to help! Start a smartphone repair with us now and we’ll get you back up and running again!

Whether it’s patching up a cracked screen or dealing with a faulty OS, sometimes having a smartphone can feel like more hassle than it’s worth. One problem that many end up tangling with that complicates this matter is slow mobile data. And when data controls things like your ability to navigate or communicate, slow data can prove much more than an inconvenience. 

So what can you do to alleviate this problem and help your phone run a bit smoother?

Well, we’re glad you asked. It’s time to take a look at the causes of slow mobile data and how to fix them! Now let’s not waste any more time and get right into things!

Poor Signal Causes Slow Mobile Data

The first big culprit when it comes to slow mobile data is not having a good signal in whatever area you’re in. Rural areas tend to have fewer towers to access than urban areas, and some buildings with high concentrations of metal or concrete dull or cancel out cell signals.

In some cases, your data will roam, or give you a weaker signal from a different provider than you have. This happens when your phone cannot find a signal from your provider. This will also give you slower data, with the added downside that you’ll usually get charged extra on your phone bill for any data you use while roaming.

The easiest way to fix both issues is to move to a different area, preferably an open one in a more urban environment. You may also want to look into switching to a network provider with better coverage in your area. 

Outdated SIM Card

If you’re using an older model of phone, an outdated SIM card could prove responsible for your lethargic data speed. This is because older SIM cards are designed to work with the network of their era (like 3G or 4G) and thus cannot connect to newer networks like 5G to gain a faster connection.

That said, swapping the SIM card out for a newer model should do the trick. You’ll just need to find a SIM card of the correct size to fit your model of phone. 

Crowded Network

Sometimes, you’ll experience slower mobile speeds due to the fact that there are too many people using the network at once for it to handle.  As a result, the network slows the connection to compensate for the added load. The most common network jam times tend to sit around first thing in the morning and the evening, though you may experience different high-traffic times. 

To get around this, figure out which times your network is under the most duress and try to schedule your data use away from those times. You can also use Wi-Fi to circumvent the clog in the mobile provider’s network. 

Issues with Mobile Provider

Another frequent cause of slow data speeds on smartphones comes courtesy of the data limit imposed by your mobile provider. Some providers impose data limits on plans (even “unlimited” ones), meaning that you get unlimited data but will experience reduced speed once your usage hits a certain number. It’s important to note that your speeds will also go down if someone else on your plan goes past the limit.

This saves the provider money, as it reduces the strain on their network and saves them from having to buff it up more to meet demand.

Of course, if you have a limited data plan, you could also experience slow speeds (or no speed at all) once you’ve used up all your data for the month. You’ll want to upgrade to a bigger data plan or swap providers to help turn those speeds around. If that’s out of your price range, you can also try spacing out your data usage more across the month to avoid hitting that cap. 

VPN Use and Other Settings

While VPN’s (or virtual private networks) are great for adding extra security to your data and spoofing different locations, it’s not so great at bringing your reliable data speed. This is because a VPN works by taking all the data you send and filtering it through a private network before it hits the Internet. Even though this happens in less than a second, the delay between networks still means that your data speed gets slashed down.

So, if you don’t plan on handling sensitive data, try switching off your VPN the next time you use mobile data.

While we’re on the subject of network settings, it’s also worth looking to see if you have the data saver option turned on. Disabling this option will increase your data consumption, but also give a slight speed boost.

Your Phone is Clogged Up

How many data-using apps do you have open at one time? Having too many of these apps open at once divides your speed into small pieces to give each app something, meaning you’ll end up with a lot of slow apps. Close any apps that aren’t in use and try to only keep one or two open at a time to maintain peak data speed.

That said, sometimes the data clog comes from your phone’s memory getting overstuffed, which saps speed for all tasks your phone runs (even those that don’t require data). Get rid of old files, or clear your Internet browser cache. This removes temporary files your phone uses to recall information you’ve entered on websites.

Finally, sometimes your phone needs a quick restart. Whether it’s an OS update you missed that needs a restart to finish or a chance to purge some more temporary files, a restart can do wonders for data speed. 

Back to Lightning-Fast Speeds

And that’s all there is to it! Now that you know about the different causes of slow mobile data and how to fix them, you’re equipped to bring your phone back up to lighting-fast data speed! 

But what if your phone needs fixing or a tune-up to get back to its former glory? In that case, reach out to us and check out the wide variety of repair services we offer!

Are you becoming frustrated with your phone due to a lack of battery? Have you noticed that your smartphone isn’t charging as it should? Many people find themselves wondering “Why isn’t my phone charging and what can I do about it?”

If that’s you, then we have good news: there is a solution! In fact, there are a few things you can do at home to troubleshoot the issue before reaching out to a professional service. Either way, it will be resolved in no time!

See below for an in-depth guide on why your phone isn’t charging and what you can do to get it back into fighting shape.

Try Different Power Sources

Unfortunately, a phone not charging properly isn’t all that uncommon. Many phone users assume that, when that happens, it means there is something wrong with the smartphone. That isn’t always true.

Imagine the horror of paying hundreds of dollars to get your smartphone fixed, only to find out that it was the outlet in your room that wasn’t charging. 

To avoid this problem, we recommend that you try different sources of power. First, try plugging your USB phone adapter into an outlet. If you already tried that, then try a different outlet, just to ensure it wasn’t the one outlet you’d been using.

If the outlet doesn’t work, then take your USB adapter and plug your phone into your computer or laptop. Make sure the computer/laptop is on, or else it won’t power the phone at all. 

If the outlet and the computer/laptop didn’t work, then there’s one last hope: a power accessory. Try plugging the USB adapter (and phone) into a docking station to see if the phone starts to charge.

For those of you that tried all three power sources to no avail, more drastic measures will need to be taken. You’ll need to take it to a professional repair service for an assessment.

Common Reasons the Battery Stopped Working

It’s understandable to wonder why your battery stopped working. Why—seemingly all of a sudden—isn’t your battery able to charge? What happened while you were sleeping that make your phone’s battery suddenly malfunction? Here are the most common reasons a battery would start experiencing some trouble.

Dirt Buildup

Even though it might seem like the battery stopped working overnight, this was probably a long time coming. 

One of the most common reasons that a battery stops charging is due to dirt and dust buildup inside the phone’s charging port. The good news? This will cost less for you to get fixed since it doesn’t require opening the phone at all.

Some of you might try to DIY cleaning a charging port, but we wouldn’t recommend it. Leave it to the professionals so that you don’t cause long-term damage to the port.

Software Isn’t Updated

Believe it or not, the software on your phone could be causing your phone to stop charging. If the software isn’t updated, then it can quickly drain the battery, as well as cause all kinds of weird occurrences to the phone.

To see if you need to update your software, start by opening your settings app and clicking on “Software Update”. If there is an update available, then click on “download and install”. 

Hopefully, the software resolves the issue. Obviously, if your phone is completely dead and not charging, you won’t be able to try this method. Better to take it to a professional repair service right away.

The Phone is Old

It’s never easy to say goodbye. However, if your phone is getting up there in age, then the unchargeable battery might be your phone’s way of saying “it’s time.”

However, don’t drop hundreds of dollars on a new phone if you don’t have to! Take it to Fruit Fixed to see if there’s any way to save the current battery/phone. 

We’ll give you an in-depth quote so that you can determine whether you’d like to repair the current phone or sell it and purchase a new/used one.

Why Trust Fruit Fixed

If you’ve tried all of the DIY methods and tricks we mentioned in this article without any luck, then it’s time to bring in the “big guns” by hiring a professional phone repair service.

Here at Fruit Fixed, we take tremendous pride in repairing phones, tablets, computers, smartwatches, game consoles, and more. A stubborn phone battery is just an average day in the office for us, we’ll take care of it in no time at all!

You can visit the smartphone repair page on our website to select your phone brand, model, and service need to get an immediate estimate for your repair. For example, getting the battery repaired on an iPhone 12 will cost you $198.00 on the dot!

You can also use our website to schedule a time to drop your phone off at one of our locations. We’ll troubleshoot the problem, then get right to work on fixing it. We promise a quick turnaround for you, no matter what the problem ends up being.

If you’re in the Richmond area, be sure to stop by to have us take a look. We have a burning passion for all things technology!

Why Isn’t My Phone Charging: Hire an Expert Service

Now that you have seen an in-depth answer to your question of “why isn’t my phone charging?”, be sure to use it to your advantage.

Take the time to read this blog article for more information on what you should do when your iPhone’s charging port isn’t working as it should. Be sure to reach out to us by phone at 804-698-0004 and we will be happy to assist you further.

85% of Americans rely on smartphones. Despite the promise of the power of a computer in your pocket being a major selling point for smartphones, the many things a smartphone can do drains the battery of the phone and leaves your phone dead at the worst possible times.

If you have been struggling with keeping a charge, keep reading for the best practices on how to increase battery life on any smartphone.

Turn off Background Apps

The main source of a draining battery is applications that run in the background of your phone while you aren’t using them. These can be anything from social media using your location to games sending you notifications.

Be sure to regularly close apps after you finish using them. With an iPhone, you can do this by swiping up from the home button and swiping away any open apps. You should also be sure to regularly delete any apps you don’t use often.

You can also check your settings to see which apps are running in the background. From your settings, you can customize individual app settings to turn off background refresh.

If you are in an area where you are not using your phone and need to save battery, turning on airplane mode will significantly increase your iPhone battery life. Airplane mode does a few things at one time; it turns off your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and cellular data. This shuts down any background applications that rely on these services. 

Battery Saving Mode

Battery saving or low power mode reduces the power that your smartphone is getting, which allows your iPhone battery to last longer. Like airplane mode, this mode affects background processes on your phone but without turning off complete access to important features on your phone.

Battery saving mode stops or limits automatic downloads, background refreshes, email fetching, and visual effects. Some smartphones have settings that allow you to choose the power mode. This creates a flexible way to have more or less power while still maintaining your battery’s charge.

Dim Your Screen

Many people don’t realize that your screen’s brightness is one of the biggest usages of your battery power. If you are keeping your phone screen on often, your battery is likely to drain much quicker.

Dimming your screen prevents the amount of power that is needed to light your screen. Though it can make your screen hard to see in direct light, it is especially helpful in maintaining battery during the day.

If you aren’t using your phone or are only listening to something in the background, consider turning off or dimming the screen while you listen. This way, you can save power while still listening to your video or song.

Charge Responsibly

While it may seem smart to always keep your phone plugged in and ready, you can actually damage your iPhone battery by overcharging your phone. It is recommended that you charge your phone to 80-90% rather than the full 100%. 

While charging your phone to 100% won’t overload your battery, the energy used in maintaining the 100% charge can generate heat and affect your battery life. 

It also isn’t recommended to let your battery drop to 0% before charging either. Instead, plug your phone in around 25-40%. Creating this balance in your charge will improve battery life over time.

Avoid Outdoor Conditions

Believe it or not, the weather can have an effect on your iPhone’s battery. Extreme heat, extreme cold, and even direct sunlight can cause your battery to drain faster. If you know you will be exposed to these conditions, it is important to know what to do to save your phone battery.

If you are dealing with cold, keep your phone covered and close by using a thick case and putting it in an interior pocket. Keeping your phone off and contained in a warm space is the best way to prevent your phone from bricking. If your phone happens to turn off from the cold, keep it turned off until you are in a warm, safe location.

While the cold drains your battery faster, extreme heat can permanently damage the capacity of your phone’s battery. This means that your phone will be unable to consistently hold the same level of battery that it should or, in worse cases, can completely stop your phone from turning on.

To prevent this, try to prevent using your phone to decrease the heat it is producing. Following our other tips, such as turning down your brightness and closing your background applications, will help with this. If you find your phone overheating, take off the case and wait to charge your phone again until the temperature returns to normal.

Buy a Portable Charger

If all else fails, considering buying a portable charger. While these chargers won’t help your battery life, they can help you hold a charge whenever you need to leave the house and can’t plug your phone in.

There are many different portable chargers that all hold different amounts of charge. Be sure to read the reviews and find out which charger works best for your phone and the amount of charge you need.

If your phone is refusing to charge at all or drains very quickly, you might have a larger issue with your phone’s battery. Be sure to have it checked out by a smartphone repair shop like our own.

Follow Our Steps on How to Increase Battery Life

The steps we laid out should guide you on how to increase battery life to keep your phone battery from dying longer. Overall, it is important to be aware of where your phone’s power is going. Be sure to keep track of how quickly your phone is draining in case you have more serious battery issues that should be addressed by a professional.

If you are still having problems with your iPhone battery and don’t know what to do, check out our smartphone repair! By calling us or stopping by one of our stores, we can do a more thorough inspection of your phone’s battery. 

The price tags for Apple, Samsung, and Google smartphones are mind-boggling. And people are fed up with those bloated price tags. Fewer than 10% of people in the United States are willing to spend this much on a new smartphone, according to NPD Group’s recent market research. That’s one of the reasons the sale of used and refurbished phones has skyrocketed. But buying a used phone comes with certain risks. 

Read on for the top 4 questions you must in this used phone buying guide. 

1. Is This Refurbished Phone Unlocked?

The first question you must ask when buying a used phone is whether or not the phone is unlocked.

A locked phone is one that has a software code embedded in it that prevents you from using the phone on another network. So if it is a Verizon phone, you can’t use it through Sprint, for example.

An unlocked phone doesn’t have that software or it comes with a code that unlocks the software. An unlocked phone allows you to pop in your own SIM card and get service. 

You want to make sure you can use any provider you want with the used phone you buy. 

2. Is This Phone Stolen?

Unfortunately, many used iPhones on the market are stolen. Scammers often try to sell stolen phones through Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Craigslist.

Likely, if you ask this question and it is stolen, you won’t get the truth. But the good news is you can find out for yourself. 

When someone’s phone is stolen, that owner likely requests that the phone is blocked from carrier networks. Or they could remotely lock the phone so no one can use it.

Ask to see the serial number before you buy. Then you can check if that number has been marked as stolen. 

Check out the online Stolen Phone Checker tool. Once you put in the serial number on this site, it will tell you all the red flags in a phone’s history.

You can also dial *#060# from the device to get the phone’s serial number or look it up in the device’s Settings menu. 

3. Can It Still Get Security Updates?

Never buy a used Samsung Galaxy, iPhone, or any other kind of cellphone that no longer gets security updates from its manufacturer.

Unsupported phones put you at severe risk for data breaches. Unsupported devices are open windows for hackers to get access to all the information on your device – including banking details, photos, passwords, and more.

Most Android phone manufacturers tend to support their handsets for two to three years. Apple takes that further, however, supporting even iPhone 6S (from 2015) with the latest iOS 14.4.

You can go to the manufacturer’s website to see which devices are supported. Unfortunately, the companies don’t tell consumers ahead of time which items they will soon stop supporting.

Yes, it can be annoying when phones are no longer supported by their manufacturer. Especially when the hardware is still fine. But it’s not worth the security risk.

You can get hints about how much longer your chosen device might be supported. Check out the support page for the oldest device listed.

You can assume that that phone will not be supported for much longer. You can assume that the second-oldest phone will have another year of support and so on. With some basic math, you can give yourself a fair estimate of how long your phone will be supported. 

The best tip for how to buy a used phone is to choose one that was released in the last two years. That way, that device is sure to still be getting security updates.

4. Will I Get a Warranty?

This is arguably the most important question you should ask before getting refurbished or used phones.

Usually, used phones are not covered under the manufacturer’s warranty. But depending on where you buy the used phone from, you might get a warranty of 90 to 180 days from the seller.

Ideally, you want to purchase refurbished phones from a reputable supplier. Ask about their money-back guarantee or any warranty.

Before You Buy – Double Check the Details

Here is one final tip for those of you who are shopping online for a used phone. Read the listing very carefully. 

One teen paid $735 for a picture of an Xbox. You don’t want to repeat that mistake!

Pay special attention to what you are actually getting. Don’t be lured by photos or captions. Read the listing carefully, including any small print. 

Look for phrases like “nonfunctioning” or “battery faulty.” Often, these phrases are buried in a bunch of text in order to mislead people. 

Be sure to read to find out if you are getting the original charging cable, packaging and what sort of damage and scratches are on the device.

Also, as soon as you get the phone in your hands, do a full factory reset yourself. Then, make sure to check for all available software updates before doing anything else.

Best Tips for Buying a Used Phone

There you have it! Now you know the dos and don’t of buying a used phone. If you follow these tips, you can have a modern phone without the high price tag.

At Fruit Fixed, we believe that quality and price don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Our Low Price Guarantee means you get top quality at the best price.

Visit one of our locations or send us a line for more details. 

Samsung is one of the most popular smartphone brands around the world. In fact, there are over 992.4 million Samsung phones being used actively. That takes up over a quarter of the worldwide smartphone market.

As Apple has shifted away from focusing on hardware to services, it’s opened up a place in the smartphone market for Samsung. 

If you’re not familiar with Samsung smartphones, know that there are many benefits of Samsung products. The battle of Samsung vs Apple has raged on for years. Even if you’ve been a loyal Apple user for many years, it might be time to shake it up. 

Read on for a guide that will go over the benefits of using a Samsung device and why you should consider switching brands. 

Android Operating System

The Android operating system is built by Google, and it allows users to access millions of apps through the Google Play Store. With the Android operating system, you can also install third-party apps from other websites. You have the flexibility from choosing where you download the app from. 

The Google Play Store is user-friendly and offers any kind of app you may think of. The user interface is simple, making it easy for people to read while being visually appealing. 

There are also additional customization options with Samsung devices. You can customize every aspect of your device to your own personal preferences. Download a third-party keyboard app to change the look of the stock keyboard. 

With Apple, their operating system limits the amount of customization their users can do. Apple’s goal is to keep it user-friendly and simple. However, many of the changes they make to their operating systems during updates implement features that Samsung devices have been using for years. 

Affordability

One of the benefits of Samsung over an iPhone is the price. iPhones typically cost more than the average Samsung device. 

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra launched at $300 more than the highest-priced iPhone at that time, the iPhone 11 Pro. However, there are countless benefits of a Samsung Galaxy that an iPhone can’t compete with, such as the following:

• Larger screen
• A higher-resolution camera sensor
• 5G support
• Additional depth camera

Across the board, the average Samsung phone offers more features and better hardware than iPhones do, and for less money.

Features and Hardware

Samsung continually puts out software features that improve the functionality and ease of use of their devices. One of these features is the ability to mirror your phone’s screen to any TV. All you need is an MHL cable and a TV equipped with an HDMI input. 

You can also record your screen with sound, making it perfect for those recording their gameplay. Easily share your gameplay on Facebook or YouTube with this integrated feature. 

Do you have a wireless Samsung printer in your home or office? Connect to it with your phone using the Samsung mobile print app. 

Some additional hardware features that Samsung devices have include the following:

• Reverse wireless charging, meaning you can use your phone to charge other devices
• 3.5mm jack (the latest Apple devices removed that)
• Infrared blaster to control other devices

Many of the features Apple devices have now were implemented by Samsung years before. 

Widgets

Samsung’s Widgets tie into the customization options, but they’ve been a huge Samsung advantage for many years. With the Android operating system, you can use multiple types of widgets on your home screen. These can include the following:

• Custom clock
• Weather
• Direct calls to your important contacts
• Flashlight
• Alarms
• Messages

You can arrange the widgets in any way you’d like.

Another cool customization feature is multitasking. All you have to do is open the multitask window. Drag the two apps that you want to use simultaneously into the boxes within the window. 

Easily watch a YouTube video while you take notes right below it. You can also watch a video while messaging your friends. 

Apple now offers this same feature but it’s typically used on iPad or some of the larger iPhones. Samsung’s multitask feature has been around for much longer and is more finetuned. 

Ease of Servicing

It’s much easier to have your Samsung device repaired than it is an iPhone. If you need to replace your battery, no problem. You can take it out yourself to service or replace it. 

If you need to replace the battery in your iPhone, you’ll have to go to an Apple-certified store or the Apple store itself. It’ll also void your warranty if you try to fix it yourself or buy from a non-certified store. 

With a Samsung device, purchase a generic battery for whatever type of phone you have. You can then pop out the old battery and put the new one in. 

Universal Chargers

Samsung phones use a USB-C or micro USB charger. Those are easy to find and you can use them with a lot of different types of devices. 

Apple devices use a lightning cable to charge. They’re only used for Apple devices. 

The average cost of a micro USB cable is far less than a lightning cable. You can find inexpensive ones as a replacement, but the quality isn’t as good. 

Dedicated Physical Back Button

Samsung phones have an in-screen back button. You can press the button to go back instead of going all the way back to the home screen. The ability to “swipe back” on an iPhone doesn’t compare to the built-in button on Samsung phones. 

The button is set at the bottom of your screen, right where your fingers already are. It makes it a snap to tap the button to go back. Since Android devices are customizable, you can move the position of the button depending on your preference. 

Explore the Countless Benefits of Samsung Phones

No matter what type of Samsung device you choose, there are multiple benefits of Samsung products. The customization alone is a key selling point that other phones on the market can’t compete with. 

For more tips and tricks on phones and other hardware, check out our blog. 

Smartphones have become the Swiss army knife of the tech world. The multitude of apps and features smartphones possess consolidate many tools and other pieces of technology into a single, easy-to-carry device. Fifteen years ago, the idea of leaving our phone at home wouldn’t register as a problem. Now, the idea of that seems silly. Since our phones carry so much of our information and are so integral to our daily lives, it is difficult to function without them. Like with all technology, problems can occur, which can cause a lot of stress. Phone overheating and battery draining are two common problems that can impact your phone’s performance.

Keep reading to learn some of the causes and solutions to this problem.

Causes of Phone Overheating and Battery Draining

There are a number of reasons why a phone can overheat and drain your battery. Below are some of the most common reasons.

The Environment

If your phone is left in direct sunlight or high temperatures, this can cause it to overheat. iPhones should be kept between 32º and 95º F to maintain normal operating functions.

If your phone gets too hot, it may shut down of its own accord to protect its internal components from damage. If your phone is running multiple apps or is running an operation that requires a lot of power in hot weather, this can make your phone overheat even faster.

Heavy Use

Using your phone in a way that requires a lot of power will raise its internal temperature. For example, smartphone games like Fate/Grand Order and Genshin Impact have gameplay elements that require a lot of power from the CPU and GPU.

As your phone runs these games, its temperature rises.

Long stints using your video camera can also overheat your phone. Recording with high resolution and frame rate can exacerbate this further. Apps running in the background and even high screen brightness can impact your phone’s temperature.

Bugs

Bugs in the apps on your phone or your phone’s operating system can put a lot of stress on your device. Bugs can overtax your phone’s processor, which can drive up your phone’s internal temperature.

Apps are more likely to have bugs than your operating system, but the possibility is still there. Bugs in the OS can damage your phone which means it may need repairs. If you notice your phone heating up a lot after installing a software update, this could indicate a bug in the OS.

Your Phone Case

Phone cases are meant to protect phones from suffering damage from drops. However, the material of your phone case can cause an overheating phone.

Phone cases don’t cause phones to overheat by themselves but can drive the temperature up further if it’s overheating due to another reason. Some phone cases can trap heat and prevent your phone from cooling off. Rubber cases are some of the best kinds of heat traps.

The cause for an overheating phone may be as simple as putting a different kind of case on your phone.

Defective Parts

If there are issues with one of your phone’s internal components, this can cause a problem with overheating. 

Heat generating from your phone’s back could be an indication that the phone’s battery is faulty. If the front of your phone is hot, then there may be something wrong with the processor. 

If the bottom of your phone gets hot, there may be an issue with the charging port or the cable. If your phone is still getting hot after using a different charging cable, you may need to fix the charging port.

How to Fix an Overheated Phone

Depending on the reason for overheating, there are many ways to fix the overheating problem. Here are some of the solutions below.

Move It to a Cooler Location

This is one of the simplest things you can do to cool off your phone. If you’re outside and your phone overheats, move inside to an air-conditioned building. If you cannot get inside, stick it in the shade or inside a purse or backpack.

You should never place your phone in the fridge or the freezer. Extremely cold temperatures can affect your phone in the same way hot temperatures do. Plus, the quick change from hot to cold can cause extensive damage to your phone.

Put Your Phone Down

If your phone is overheating, don’t use it for a while. Give your phone a break and let it cool off. 

You can also cut down the strain on your phone by closing apps you aren’t actively using. This can also help preserve your battery life. 

It’s healthy for people to take breaks from their phones and computers, and an overheating phone may be a hint that you could use a break.

Don’t Charge It

An overheating phone can deplete your phone’s battery. If you need your phone, your first impulse will be to charge it.

If your phone is overheating, trying to charge it will add more strain and will cause your phone to generate more heat. Wait until your phone cools down before you decide to charge it.

Remove the Case

Removing the case from your phone can help it reach a cool temperature quicker. If your phone overheats often when it is hot out and you know there are no other problems with your phone, it may be time to get a new case. 

Restart Your Phone

If there are software issues with your phone, a restart can help fix some of those issues. If your phone is overheating due to external factors such as temperature and the type of case you are using, this won’t be an effective solution. 

Handling Your Technology Repair Needs

At Fruit Fixed, we specialize in fixing the problems that ail technology. If you found this guide helpful on your phone overheating and battery draining, we can help you out with all of your tech concerns.

We can fix your phone, tablet, computer, gaming console, and more. If you are in the southern Virginia area and have a problem with your device, visit our website to find a location near you.

Have you searched for the phrase iPhone screen repair + near me before? Do you see the latest price for a Pixel and wonder how people can afford it? Are you on the lookout for affordable iPhone battery replacement services because everything seems to cost so much? If you answered yes to any of those questions, it seems like you’re in need of a deal. It’s hard to function in the modern world without a cell phone, and unfortunately, a cell phone bill can seem like it’s far too expensive for the services you’re getting. 

You think that high costs are just a normal part of having a cell phone, but we guarantee that it’s easy for anyone to save real money on their cell phone bills. 

If you want simple ways to lower your mobile bills, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you use your phone for work or just want a way to make your family plan more affordable, we know there are money-saving tips you can benefit from in our post!

Lower Your Cell Phone Bill For Good: Our Top 5 Tips 

Believe it or not, lowering your cell phone bill doesn’t have to be hard. When you focus on a  combination of making the right decisions around billing, usage, and self-repair, having a lower cell phone bill is a snap.

Are you ready to say goodbye to outrageous cell phone bills? If so, remember these helpful tips. 

1. Switch to Wi-Fi

It can be awkward to ask a store owner if they have public wifi and it can be even more troublesome to type in long passwords. Either way, if you’re out and about, it will never hurt to ask about internet access. 

Visting websites and using your favorite apps can be very expensive. When you’re moving from place to place it’s easy to forget that you’re using precious data each time you move. 

Eventually, moving from place to place won’t be as troublesome as it has been in the past. You can program your phone to remember certain networks and passwords so you’ll be able to automatically connect each time you visit. 

2. Repair, Don’t Buy

Is your phone acting strangely after an update? Instead of assuming the operating system is incompatible, bring it to an expert that can fix it. 

Are you looking at a cracked screen? Getting a new phone may seem faster, but just repairing the screen can save you a lot of money. 

Too many big cell phone providers have pushed buying new phones instead of repairing old ones for far too long. If you want to save money on your phone bill, go down the repair route instead of looking for a new device.

3. Check Your Apps

You may not be using your apps at the moment, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t still running on your phone. If you want to lower your phone bills and notice that your data bills are pretty high, take time to learn which apps are running in the background.

Open your phone’s app settings and see which apps use the most data. After you have an idea of the apps that are using the most data, take time to see which ones are running in the background.

It may be hard to believe, but you don’t have to be actively using an app in order for it to draw power and data from your phone. There are plenty of apps that need to pull at discretely in order to function.

We do want to note that simply shutting down these apps may not be enough. There are some apps that need background data to function properly and disabling them can cause more trouble. Just be sure to take the time to see how crucial each app is for function. Once you know that, it won’t be a problem to understand what needs to run and what you can part with. 

4. Wait for the Upgrade

We know that the latest Apple or Android device has launched and they’re offering existing customers an amazing discount. You have the opportunity to buy a brand new phone and the manufacturers are trying to make it easy for you to get it.

However, if you want to save money, you’ll consider waiting for that upgrade.

We aren’t saying that it’s a bad idea to upgrade your phone. Plenty of new phones have upgraded features that make the money worth it. People that want to save money should consider holding out a little bit longer.

New phones can be exciting, but sometimes they aren’t worth the extra cost. Some of the new features you’re seeing may not be as impressive as they seem in ads. It’s also possible that there could be bugs that could ruin your entire mobile experience. 

Sometimes just waiting 90 or so days can be enough to get a price drop. Instead of rushing to get the latest phone, wait to see what people have to say about it then wait for a potential discount before you buy.

5. Change Your Billing

Do you still receive paper bills in the mail? Are you logging in to pay all of your wireless bills and haven’t thought about setting up automatic payment?

Sometimes making a simple change to the way you receive and pay for your bills could be what you need to save money on your cellphone bills.

A lot of popular carriers give discounts to account holders that get their bills through email instead of paper letters. They could even offer a small discount for people that get their bills taken through automatic deductions.

It’s important to remember that some things that seem more convenient for the customers are actually good for the business as well. When you’re saving money it isn’t unusual for the business to save money too.  

Say Goodbye to High Bills 

Your cell phone bill may be high now, but if you follow the tips in this article, it won’t stay that way. There are plenty of ways to save money on your mobile costs, the trick is to find the right ones that work for you.

If you need a device fixed or just more advice on the best way to manage your mobile needs, we’re here for you. Be sure to contact us today so we can talk about the best way to meet your needs.  In the meantime, visit our blog so you can learn more about repairing and maintaining mobile devices. 

Smartphones come up with new models every year, introducing new features while reinforcing and updating existing ones for better usage. 3.50 billion people all over the world own a smartphone. By 2023, the number of owners may increase to 7.33 billion.

Depending on the reasons you have, selling your old phone can provide well as an emergency source of income. It can also be an opportunity for a collector to have said device with them. Before slating your phone to sell to potential buyers, you need to make the necessary preparations.

Today, we will look at the preparations you need to take before selling your phone. The last thing you need when you sell your phone or mobile device is getting your information compromised.

1. Remove Your SIM Card

The first step to have your phone to sell is to remove any user fingerprint on the device. You start by removing the SIM card from the phone. More so if you still plan to use it due to how easy it is to transfer your information from one phone to another with it.

If you plan to get a new SIM card, it would still be a wise decision to take the old SIM with you. The reason behind this is that your old SIM card may still have your contacts recorded in it. It may also have other bits of information stored in it that you may want to keep with you.

To remove your SIM card, use the SIM ejection tool to open and eject the card tray. This usually comes with your phone after buying it. If in case you don’t have one available, you can use a pin or an earring to open the tray.

2. Unmount or Remove your SD Card

The next thing you need to do is to unmount and remove your SD card. This works for phone models that have slots for external memory such as micro SD cards. You can find this on either the edge of your phone or behind the battery cover.

What you do with this is to transfer all forms of media saved on your phone into this storage volume. If you have music, video clips, photos, and such content on your device, you can transfer it here as a backup. This way, you can migrate them and transfer them either on the new phone or on your computer.

3. Back-Up and Erase Your Data

This is a crucial step in maintaining your data privacy and prepping the phone to sell. You need to transfer your data from your phone into a backup. This can be through your cloud storage system or to your computer.

These bits of data includes your call history, text message logs, and so on. Your media files are also among these bits of data that you want to back up.

Once you have your information backed up, you may proceed with erasing the data on the phone. You would also need to encrypt the data to make sure that no one gets to see the information on the device. You can also apply this approach to the SD card if you plan to give it along with the phone.

4. Reset to Factory Settings

Now, you need to have your phone seem that it looks new again. This is where resetting the phone comes in. By doing so, you erase all sorts of information and data you stored in it.

Before you do this, you need to double-check a few details. Check if your device has the Factory Reset Protection disabled. The steps for this vary depending on the type of device and the operating system used.

For iPhones and iPads, you can remove the Activation Lock after erasing your device. On later iOS versions like iOS 11, you can do this by entering your device passcode. This works when you have two-factor authentication on.

For Android devices, you need to remove your Google account from your phone. After which, go to Settings and then to Accounts and Sync. From there, go to Google and select your account.

From there, select Remove Account after pressing the three dots and opening the menu from it. Once you have the account cleared out, proceed with the Factory Reset.

5. Clean Up the Phone on the Outside

Cleaning the phone up from the inside is one thing, ensuring that the phone comes in fresh and ready for the new user. You also need to clean up the outside as well. This way, you remove any traces of the previous usage and give it a more impressionable appearance.

One of the things you should clean up is the smartphone screen. You can use touch screen wipes to clean the screen surface and then apply a screen protector as well. You can also move to replace the battery cover in case there are such accessories available. 

6. If Damaged, Have it Repaired

If it comes with damages, you need to have it repaired. Areas that receive notable damage include the touch screen. A damaged touch screen could result in making the phone unusable and unappealing.

As much as possible, have the phone checked and repaired. You can consult the nearest iPhone or iPad screen repair technician for this. Make sure it also doesn’t need an iPhone battery replacement to ensure that the sale goes through smoothly.

7. Rebox the Phone and Accessories

Once you have everything fixed and cleaned up, you now have a phone to sell. It is time to add the finishing touches. Have the phone packed with its accessories into the box.

The box helps in your efforts of selling the device. Include the essential accessories that came with the smartphone. This includes the chargers and the other default devices.

Prep Your Phone to Sell Today

Preparing your phone to sell would need the proper preparations. Clean up the data inside the phone and make sure no trace of your information is in there. Clean and touch up the outside as well, to make it look fresh and new.

To make sure your phone is in great condition, you can check out our repair services. We work on smartphones and mobile devices of different brands!