With the arrival of summer, water, sand and sun become users’ favourite allies. However, these can also put electronic devices at risk, especially smartphones, which are present in any activity, so care must be taken not to expose them directly to the sun, avoid contact with sand or charge them without a case. The long days of sun and high temperatures that prevail in summer encourage outdoor activities. In these, the smartphone becomes an indispensable device for users, as it is part of their daily life, helping them to collect data from their sports activity, capture photos of experiences with friends or share these moments with other people. However, these contexts can subject smartphones to inappropriate conditions of use and cause serious damage, as they need certain conditions to ensure good operation and prolong their useful life. In this context, there are a number of issues to take into account when looking after the smartphone during the summer. One of the main risks that mobile devices face is high temperatures, which can be especially harmful to smartphones. In fact, overheating can cause various problems in its operation, damage components such as the battery, or even cause it to stop working. This is what the technology company OnePlus has pointed out, who has shared a series of tips that users should follow to ensure that the smartphone does not suffer during summer activities. Thus, to avoid “technological heat strokes”, the company has pointed out the importance of not leaving the smartphone in places with direct exposure to the sun, in order to prevent it from overheating, as happens if it is left on a towel at the beach or pool. On the other hand, in situations of high temperature and exposure to the sun, it is also advisable to reduce the brightness of the screen or even activate airplane mode. In this way, the technology company ensures that it helps control the temperature of the device by removing the workload. The same happens if you close all the background applications that are not being used or if you deactivate the Bluetooth and WiFi connections. With all these actions, OnePlus claims that the temperature can be lowered by between 5 and 10 degrees. Despite all this, if you are distracted and, for example, leave the mobile on a towel causing it to overheat, users should “turn it off quickly and remove the protective case.” KEEP YOUR SMARTPHONE AWAY FROM WATER AND SAND Another of the main risks associated with using a smartphone in summer is water. Whether in the pool or on the beach, users usually go to cool off with their mobile, which can cause the device to end up getting wet. In this regard, OnePlus has pointed out that, although many smartphone models have protection against water, they do not have it against salt water. Therefore, if a device gets wet, it can cause irreparable damage to its internal components, which can become damp or affected by salt. To avoid these problems, the technology company recommends that users use waterproof cases and keep the device away from water whenever possible. However, if the smartphone gets wet, OnePlus has reminded that traditional methods should be avoided, such as covering it with rice to absorb the moisture. Instead, it is preferable for users to turn off the device and contact their specialized technical service, so that they can check the components, identify the damage and offer a personalized solution. Sand is another factor to take into account when preventing risks since, if the smartphone is in direct contact, it can end up scratching the screen or cause small grains to get into the device’s ports. OnePlus has said that it is advisable to wipe the entire smartphone with a cloth to ensure that there are no traces of sand left in case it has been used on the beach or similar places, and to prevent these problems. BE CAREFUL WITH SUNSCREEN Along with water, salt and sand, beach and pool areas also bring with them the use of sunscreen, which is necessary to protect the skin and avoid burns. However, OnePlus has pointed out that sunscreen is not a good ally for smartphones. As explained, using the mobile device without having cleaned your hands after using sunscreen can cause this product to come into contact with the device and, therefore, affect the materials of its finish and, even, its functionality. This is because the cream is a product that adheres to surfaces and stains the product, becoming impregnated. For example, it can affect the touch sensitivity of the screen when it is held in your hands and there are still traces of cream. CHARGING YOUR SMARTPHONE WITHOUT A CASE Finally, OnePlus has also pointed out that the case on mobile devices can act as a thermal insulator, preventing the heat generated while the device is charging when connected to a socket from escaping. For this reason, charging the mobile phone with a case, added to the high temperatures, can cause excessive temperatures and damage the device. In this context, the company has recommended removing this extra layer when charging and, thus, facilitating more ventilation for the smartphone to prevent the internal components from being affected, OnePlus has stated.
