Why your phone deserves a new look

Smartphones have peaked. This isn’t a new statement, but it becomes truer every year. For example, the iPhone 16 Pro is almost indistinguishable from the 15 Pro, and the latter is almost a perfect copy of the 14 Pro.

Things are very similar at Samsung, where the device lineup hasn’t changed for almost four years. Yes, even with supposedly innovative foldables, there’s been zero growth in recent years.

The annual upgrade is dead

Of course, the big manufacturers bring out small improvements practically every year: slightly better photos, a possibly more powerful processor and maybe a new shade of grey. But let’s be honest, buying a new phone every year is crazier than ever. If your phone’s less than three years old and not physically damaged, it’ll most likely serve you for the next 365 days without any problems.

But if you’ve bought a new phone in the last 12 months – ideally the direct successor to your last device – it may have been a rather sobering experience. You might play around with the few new software features and be happy about a new button for the first few days. But it’s not long before everyday life starts up again, you stop thinking about the «new» features and the joy evaporates.

Things used to be different and the big manufacturers used to be bywords for innovation. Samsung had displays that curved over corners, Apple’s 3D Touch was always more than just a gimmick in my opinion and HTC boasted about dual front-facing speakers. I miss those days.

Now, we’re questioning why we need a new smartphone every year, or whether a two-year cycle for flagship releases might make more sense.

The modern smartphone has become boring. But this isn’t just because of manufacturers’ stagnation.

The same thing over and over

In all the years I’ve been working as a tech journalist, I’ve changed my phone several times. Sometimes even every month, because I have to stay up-to-date. During this time, I’ve noticed one thing in particular: changing phones has become too easy.

Both Apple and Android now have really practical transfer features. Apple’s Quick Start, Samsung’s Smart Switch and Android Switch make it child’s play to copy all data, settings and information from the old phone to the new one. But there’s one big catch: these tools copy all data, settings and information.

This means your new phone’s practically identical to its predecessor in terms of software from day one. Your home screen and the apps and widgets on it, the background image and the colours stay the same, despite the possibly over 1,000 francs that you’ve just paid for a «new» device.

So, my advice is: maybe it’s time for a fresh look – a digital makeover!

How to give your phone a glow-up

Especially if you’ve been using your current phone for a while, a complete restart can’t hurt. So back up all your photos, data and contacts to the cloud or externally, then reset everything to factory settings. Start again from the beginning.

Not only does this give you a breath of fresh air, it’s also the perfect opportunity to clear out all the apps you haven’t touched in months. More storage space can never hurt. But you don’t have to be quite so drastic.

Simply changing the wallpaper can breathe new life into your ageing device. After all, you may have been looking at that image day in and day out for years. Especially now that both Android and iOS enable strong personalisation, your wallpaper makes a big difference. The dominant colour can also be applied to your app icons and, on Android, it runs through the entire system.

Speaking of app icons: if you have some time to kill and are using an Android device, launchers are definitely an exciting way to give your phone a bit more personality. My favourites include Nova Launcher, Lawnchair, or Nothing Launcher. They all come with their own features and personalisation options.

Tech YouTuber Parker Burton is known for his creative Android home screens. In this video, he explains step by step how you can make your home screen unique.

As always, the internet’s your friend. On Reddit in particular, you’ll find an active community for practically every launcher with plenty of advice and inspiration for your next home screen.

Does your device need a new look outside of its software? A new cover or a stick-on skin will refresh your phone on the outside too.

Et voilà: with just a few small adjustments, your old phone will feel like new again. And you might not have to buy a new one for another year. Your wallet and the environment will thank you.

When was the last time you bought a new phone – or freshened up your old one? Let me know in the comments!