When a new smartphone launches, there’s a general clamour for the latest and greatest version of a company’s device. Most users feel the urge to purchase these new and improved models. However, some believe that there’s a conveniently hidden factor that drives the demand: Slowing down on Older devices. So, do new smartphones make older models obsolete? It’s a generally accepted theory that companies like Apple slow down older devices in order to drive up the sales of their newest hardware. The evidence of this doesn’t exactly help Apple’s case either.

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Apple revealed on record that they have carried out this practice. However, the reason cited differs from what the general public believes. Apple stated that the throttling was introduced as a way to help phones that were running on older batteries. Essentially, it is a way to avoid unnecessary crashes. However, both Apple’s reason and the theory from users could be true. Even if Apple had a valid reason to slow down old devices, it works as a convenient motivation for an upgrade when these changes are made around the release cycle of new hardware.

So, where do regular users stand? Well, Apple is not likely to change anything, even after admitting that this practice takes place. But as a casual Smartphone user, whether you’re on an Apple or Android device, your phone’s manufacturer will eventually roll out updates that will make your hardware obsolete.

The best way to handle this problem is by changing your approach to installing new updates. Instead of using the automatic update feature, set it to manual. Once that’s done, here are a few suggestions:

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Perform A Fresh Install

One thing tech companies don’t tell users regarding updates is how difficult it is to balance. Most of the older devices that are installing new updates are probably equipped with 50+ apps installed. On top of that, an update has to make its way through the already existing complex network of data stored within a device. It’s understandable when smartphones slow down due to this.

An occupied, older device already has enough on its plate, so adding updates that are primarily designed for the latest generation of processors will make things harder to compute. That’s why you should use a clean install. It won’t guarantee smoothness, but at least the biggest issues with the update process can be avoided.

Before updating on a fresh install, back up all your storage to the cloud or to your computer. This way, you can simply add them back after the update is installed.

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Clear Temporary Files and Storage

If you own a Smartphone and you take tons of photos and videos, leaving them on your local storage is not worth it. Instead, upload them to a cloud service to give the OS enough space to work with. Operating systems must compete with the limited space available in a fully occupied device, resulting in a slower experience.

Regularly clearing out your temporary files will help speed up the user interface. You can do that by clearing the cache consistently.

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Although devices get slower over time, there are still ways to mitigate the worst outcomes. By following the tips included here, you should have an easier time prolonging the survival of your ageing Smartphone.

Do you think that new smartphones make older models obsolete? Let us know in the comments below!

Do New Smartphones Make Older Models Stop Working & Obsolete? Written by Tobi Olanrewaju for Fortress of Solitude