Unless your latest smartphone or tablet is brand new, there’s a good chance it has suffered some form of damage over its life. It could be a minor detail such as scratches on your gadget’s screen or case, or something as serious as a cracked screen that renders it useless. In the off chance that you take exceptionally good care of your devices, you likely have a friend with a nice crack across the screen of their device.
It Happens To The Best of Us
It’s nothing to be ashamed of, however. All it takes is a moment of distraction or a slip of the hand to send your device plummeting to the floor or accidentally spilling liquid on it. In fact, 40% of Brits, or an estimated 19.2 million, are walking around with some kind of damage to their smartphones. Considering how most of us can’t live without our electronic devices for a few days, it’s no surprise.
The Staggering Cost of Repairs
Repairing mobile phones in the UK is a multi-billion dollar industry. The total cost of mobile repairs in the UK have reached nearly 5 billion pounds in the past two years, or approximately £78 per citizen. The increasing cost of smartphones is bad enough on its own, but the cost of constant repairs is another huge burden upon the average technology user.
There’s An Endless Number of Ways To Damage Your Devices
Our modern lives are busier than ever, so it’s no surprise that there are so many opportunities every day to accidentally cause damage to our gadgets. Our pets, children, using our devices while eating or drinking, or our need to multitask such as texting while walking all present real dangers to the wellbeing of our devices. This blog by Switched On Insurance has some interesting statistics and insight into some of the risks that your devices face. Would you believe that 28% of British parents have had their phone dropped by a child, or that 20% have had the misfortune of their pet chewing on their gadgets? And embarrassingly, 18% of us have even dropped our devices in the toilet!
You Can Take Precautions To Protect Your Devices
It’s not just smartphones that are vulnerable to damage, but all of your other electronic devices such as digital cameras, laptops, tablets, and more. The good news is that many of these devices can be protected in multiple ways. Consider using phone cases, screen protectors, and other physical ways of protecting your devices from bumps, drops and scrapes. Some are even water resistant for additional peace of mind.
When driving, consider using a hands-free dock to secure your phone. When walking, using a hand strap can help prevent your device from flying out of your hand and smashing on the ground beneath you.
Your Gadget’s Best Protection Is You
Much of the damage Brits incur to their devices each year can be easily prevented. Let’s face it: your devices have no place in the toilet, and technology doesn’t fare well in rugged environments such as the beach or on a rock climbing adventure. Avoid taking your phone into hazardous situations and environments unless necessary and you can cut off a significant portion of your risk in its tracks.