The urge for a new phone

This time of year is smartphone season, with devices.most of the top tech

companies releasing new Samsung has the Note 8, Apple the iPhone 8 and iPhone X while Huawei and Google are due to release new flagship phones next month.

The announcements have made me look at my current three-yearold phone a bit differently.

Its screen suddenly seems dull even when cranking the brightness to maximum, and I’m now wondering if its 1.2-megapixel front camera could do with an upgrade.

Its plain design also looks boring compared to curved screens and notches, and I kind of like the idea of using my face instead of my fingers to unlock my phone.

Also, its battery life is fading fast.

But while these newly released phones sound great, there is a downside - the need to pay between $1200 and $1800 for a phone with the latest tech. That’s about twice what I paid for my first car.

This is when you need to pause when tempted by tech.

Everyone wants a shiny new phone, but not everyone needs one.

If your phone is a few years old, then you won’t get too much benefit from a new device.

But if you’ve got a phone that’s about five years old, then now may be a good time to upgrade.

A lot has changed with phones in the past few years - bigger, brighter screens, faster wi-fi connections, improved cameras and better battery life.

You also get the latest software and better security.

I’m going to take a close look at all the new devices once they’re released.

I’ll then narrow down my shortlist and compare them to my current phone.

If there’s a feature I really need then maybe I’ll splash out.

But I think I already know the answer - my phone is still good enough.

My main camera still takes good photos and videos and the screen is still easily readable.

However, I might look at a new case that has a built-in battery to make sure it lasts a full day.

It’ll then work fine - until next year when I see the latest crop of new phones and I’ll again be tempted to replace it.

Everyone wants a shiny new phone, but not everyone needs one