STACK #262 August 2026

TECH FEATURE

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Your phone is undoubtedly the device you use the most, yet many users only scratch the surface of what it can do. From managing storage and battery life to discovering clever built-in features, here are some simple tips that can help your phone perform at its best for years to come. Words Bec Summer SMARTPHONE Make the most of your

Charge smarter, not harder

Smartphones are generally clever enough to manage charging on their own, but a few habits can help keep the battery healthier over time. Heat is one of the biggest causes of battery wear, so avoid leaving your phone in the car on a hot day. If possible, don't let the battery regularly drop to 0% before charging, and use quality chargers and cables designed for your device. Many recent smartphones include battery protection features that slow charging overnight, so your phone reaches 100% just before you wake up.

Storage solutions

Always install updates

A full phone can happen at the worst possible moment, but the good news is that a few simple habits can help you stay ahead of the storage warning. What's taking up the space? Photos and videos are usually the biggest culprits, especially if you shoot in high resolution. Apps also grow over time as they store downloads, updates, and cached data, while offline movies, music, maps, and messaging apps can quietly consume gigabytes. What can you safely remove? Start with duplicate photos, unwanted screenshots, old downloads, and apps you no longer use. Also check messaging apps, which often store years of shared photos, videos, and GIFs. Make it a habit to check your available storage every month. Cloud storage keeps memories safe Services such as iCloud, Google Photos, OneDrive, and Dropbox can automatically back up your photos and videos, freeing valuable space while keeping them available across your devices. Need more room? Many Android phones support expandable microSD storage, allowing you to add extra space for photos, videos, and files. iPhones rely on built-in storage and cloud services, although many models can also connect to external storage devices for transferring or accessing larger files. Planning your next upgrade If you regularly record video, download movies, or keep thousands of photos, consider moving from 128GB to 256GB or more next time. Buying enough storage upfront can help give you the space you need for longer.

Software updates often include important security patches, improve battery efficiency, enhance camera performance, and fix bugs you may not even realise are there. If your phone supports automatic updates, it's usually worth leaving them enabled so you're always running the latest version.

Keep the camera lens clean If photos suddenly look soft or hazy, the camera isn’t necessarily to blame. Your phone spends all

day in pockets, bags, and on tables, so fingerprints can quickly build up on the camera lenses. A quick wipe with a clean microfibre cloth could noticeably improve image quality in just a few seconds.

Make your phone do more

Smartphones include many useful features that many owners never explore. Leave your wallet at home – many phones can securely store payment cards, tickets, and loyalty cards Scan documents – create PDFs using built-in camera tools Translate on the go – use your camera or live translation tools (if supported) Reduce distractions – Focus modes can

128GB – Great for everyday use, social media, streaming, messaging, and taking photos 256GB – Ideal if you shoot lots videos and photos, download movies for travel, or keep a large photo library 512GB / 1TB – Best suited to content creators, mobile gamers, or anyone planning to keep their phone for several years How much storage do I really need?

help separate work, study, and downtime Stay safe – features like Emergency SOS and Medical ID can be invaluable if supported by your phone

10 AUGUST 2026

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