Having a smartphone is pretty much a must these days if you want to keep up with the rest. Even children have smartphones that they use daily. Whether that is good or bad is a debate, but there is no denying that many people rely on these devices for their work and entertainment.
As someone who is new to smartphones, you might find that there are quite a few things to discover. If you wish to learn how to get more out of your smartphone faster, consider the tips below.
Enable the Dark Mode
Using a bright screen in low lighting settings is not great for your eyes. And while reducing the screen’s brightness is one of the options, it is not the same as enabling the dark mode.
If you own an Android, you can enable Dark Mode in the Display pane available in Settings, where you will find the Theme tab.
For iOS, it is the Display and Brightness tab, which is also available in Settings. Keep in mind, though, that the dark mode feature was introduced in the iOS 13 version, meaning that if you own an iPhone that does not support it, you will not have access to dark mode.
Choose the Right Internet Browser
The default internet browser should do its work for the most part. However, iOS users might be questioning themselves is safari better than chrome, while Android users might be asking vice-versa.
Ultimately, it is about personal preference, though there is some merit in using Safari for iOS since it is developed for this specific operating system. Nevertheless, if you feel like trying different internet browsers and seeing which ones perform the best, go for it.
Preserve Battery
A new smartphone should not have issues with its battery. However, if you find yourself charging the battery more often than not, then something might be wrong with the device or how you maintain the smartphone.
Perhaps you have too many background applications that consume the resources. Or maybe the screen brightness is too high, and you should tone it down.
The bottom line is that preserving the battery will leave you with more flexibility when using the smartphone. In some instances, you might not have access to an electrical outlet that you can use to charge the smartphone, meaning that every percent of the battery counts.
Check App Store
As already mentioned, some people use their smartphones for entertainment, such as playing games. Others stick to lifestyle, health, business, and other applications.
Whether you are on Apple Store or Google Play, be sure to check them out regularly and discover new applications. Even if you do not play games on your smartphone or spend a lot of time on it in general, there should still be some useful applications to improve your personal or work life.
Use Digital Assistant
Using digital assistants might feel a bit weird at first, but once you get the hang of them, you are unlikely to go back.
For example, iOS users can ask Siri to flip a coin, tell what the weather is like, send a text or call one of their contacts, play a song, do a quick search on Google, etc. And similar to Siri, there is Bixby for those who own an Android smartphone.
It is also worth noting that there are third-party digital assistant applications that you can download on your smartphone, though they do not provide as much depth as Siri and Bixby, meaning that sticking to these two is a better option.
Disable Notifications
Notifications can be a problem if you have to work and want to focus on a particular task. However, a random pop-up from an application you forgot you even had installed is quite distracting.
Similarly, you might get bombarded by notifications while sleeping, and there is no need to tell how important getting enough sleep is.
After you download and install an application, make sure to check its permissions and notifications, so you are not surprised by what it sends.
Install Updates
The last bit of advice in this article is about keeping the operating systems up to date. Running the latest iOS version or Android version will mean a few things. First of all, OS updates tend to improve the overall device performance. Users also benefit from security upgrades.
Finally, one can expect new features, especially if it is a major update, such as switching from iOS 11 to iOS 12.
Other than the operating system, you should also keep tabs on applications you use and update them as well. Similar to the OS, updating applications also helps with their performance and compatibility with the device.
