5 Indispensable tips tor protecting your phone this winter

At this time of year when the average temperature in the UK ranges from 2 to 7°C (sometimes even dropping to just below 0 degrees Celsius), we all feel the cold, but so do our phones.

Most modern smartphones have an optimum operating temperature of between 0°C and 35°C, so if the weather does plummet below 0°C, your phone can stop working or become faulty. With the current cost of living crisis, the last thing anyone needs is a big phone repair or replacement bill.

Here are five top tips to keep your phone working at its very best, saving you money in the long run.

1. Be cool and look after the battery  

When the weather gets colder, it’s essential to look at ways to maximise your battery life, as it is common for phone batteries to drain quicker than usual in the winter.

Apple says, “Using an iOS device in icy conditions outside of its operating range might temporarily shorten battery life and could cause the device to turn off. ” And, with the average smartphone battery replacement costing between £50 and £100, it’s worth being mindful of how to preserve it.

If you do find that your battery is draining fast, activating your phone’s battery-saving mode is a great way to make your battery life go further. It works by limiting power consumption by doing things such as automatically lowering your screen brightness, reducing the time before the phone goes into sleep mode etc. this method can add even 1 or 2 hours to your battery life. You can find this mode through your phone’s settings: on an iPhone, it’s called “low power mode”, and on an Android phone, it’s called “battery saver”.

If your battery is really low, carrying a portable charger is a great way to ensure you can recharge your phone on the go.

Anker and Belkin are two great portable charger brands, but many different ones are available online, so you can find the one best suited to your budget and lifestyle.

2. Water you do about liquid condensation?  

When it’s cold outside, we tend to want to keep it toasty indoors. And, what many people don’t know, is that exposing phones to extreme cold for an extended period and then extreme heat can cause internal condensation.

Liquid condensation most commonly occurs beneath the surface of screens or camera lenses, causing a cloudy steam-like effect on the glass.

If your phone has been outside in the cold for an extended period, it’s best to switch it off and allow it to gradually get back to room temperature before use. If you try to rush the process by using a hand or hair dryer, you may cause permanent, irreversible damage.

Replacing a smartphone screen costs £100 to £300 on average, so taking extra care can prevent you from spending unnecessary cash. Camera lens repairs or replacements vary in price depending on the model, but if you go directly to the manufacturer, you’d be looking at a range of roughly £100 to £250.

3. Shield your phone from the elements… it’s snow joke.

This won’t surprise you but exposing your phone to freezing weather, in general, is a no-no. If you are using it, that’s fine, of course, but extended exposure could severely damage its lithium-ion battery.

If you happen to forget that you’ve left your phone in the car glove box, it’s best to retrieve it as soon as you remember instead of leaving it until the morning. As the temperature decreases even further during the night, the cold environment may cause irreparable damage.

4. Keep it warm with a thermal phone case ️

One of the easiest ways to protect your phone from the elements is to use a protective thermal case. Adding an extra layer of protection can ensure that your phone is shielded from extremely low temperatures, ice and frost (and snow, we might get a white Christmas this year!)

There are a few brands of thermal phone case on the market, but not all of them have been given the NASA stamp of approval. Phoozy phone cases have. With patented Chromium Thermal Barrier™,  Phoozy phone cases enable extensive battery life in the cold and protection against overheating in the sun.

You can pick one of these hot items up on Amazon from £7.99 here.

5. Freeze the day with some Smart winter tech

Using tech accessories can enable us to use our phones in the winter while keeping them and ourselves nice and warm.

You’ll be ‘mitten’ with these

Touchscreen gloves enable you to use your phone as usual without having to remove them. This means goodbye to sending WhatsApp messages to the grandkids with numb fingers and hello to scrolling Facebook albums with warm hands.

Touchscreen gloves are made from a unique material that absorbs the electrical current produced by phone screens, allowing them to act the same way a bare finger would. The joys of technology!

You can find a wide range of touchscreen gloves to suit your budget and lifestyle here.

No strings attached 

Going wireless with your headset is a great way to keep your phone safely tucked away in your pocket or bag and still be able to make phone calls. It also cuts down on the faff of untangling your earphone leads from your scarf while you’re on the go!

If you want to push the boat out, you can get a Bluetooth hat. Yes, you read that correctly! This all-in-one tech connects directly to your phone via the BlueTooth settings, and you can chat away while keeping your head nice and toasty.

JD Williams sells these nifty Bluetooth beanies for £16 here (and you could save 48% on it as it was previously £29.99).

Take care of your phone this winter – it will save you money in the long run.