With summer on the horizon, many are looking forward to more time in the great outdoors, making the most of the warm weather, and traveling to their favorite destinations. On top of rising temperatures and busier airports, something else surges in the summer: broken cellphones. Each summer, global tech care company Asurion® reports an increase in lost and damaged phones during the months of June, July, and August, dubbing this period the "summer surge."
Asurion looked at phone repair data from its network of 700+ uBreakiFix® by Asurion and Asurion Tech Repair & Solutions™ stores and saw a nearly 70% uptick in water-related phone issues last summer, plus a nearly 15% climb in cracked screens. The number of lost phones increases in the summer, too. According to data from Asurion's cellphone protection plans, claims for lost phones rose 30% in the summer months last year, including "unrecoverable" phones – those lost where they cannot be retrieved (like the bottom of the ocean).
But don't sweat it. Asurion experts have helped millions of people prevent, fix, and solve phone issues, and they're sharing their top tips to help you avoid the summer surge:
- Remember, no phone is waterproof. Many of today's phones are water-resistant, meaning they can resist water penetration to some degree, but you shouldn't take them swimming. Instead of trusting a plastic sandwich baggie to protect your phone, get a plastic phone pouch – they're just as easy and much more effective. They even make floating versions so you can quickly retrieve your phone if it goes overboard.
- If your phone does take a plunge, skip the rice. While rice can draw out some of the moisture, it leaves behind water vapor, which can cause the internal components to corrode over time, leading to more issues down the road. Silica gel packets tend to work better, but they're still a short-term solution. The best thing you can do is bring the device to an uBreakiFix by Asurion or Asurion Tech Repair & Solutions store, where an expert repair technician will fully disassemble the phone, clean and dry each component and reassemble the device, giving you the best chance at a long-term fix.
- Grab a tempered glass screen protector. While it might seem like a purely cosmetic issue, a cracked screen makes your phone more vulnerable to liquid damage, especially with summer humidity, which can seep through the cracks and slowly damage the phone. A screen protector helps shield your phone from scratches, cracks, and breaks.
- Avoid direct sunlight. Keep your phone in a shaded area or in a protective cloth phone pouch, as exposure to direct sunlight can cause your phone to overheat. Extreme temperatures can lead to permanent battery damage, forced shutdown, and even a literal meltdown of internal parts.
- Always remember to regularly back up data. Schedule regular backups for added peace of mind in case your phone is lost, stolen, or damaged beyond repair.
If your phone, laptop, laptop or tablet takes a dive this summer, don't ditch it, fix it. Visit any of the more than 700 uBreakiFix by Asurion and Asurion Tech Repair & Solutions stores across the U.S. for professional tech fixes, complete with free diagnostics, a low-price guarantee and a 1-year limited warranty.