We all have smartphones and use them in everyday life. As a student at UA, I used mine to register and pay for my classes. Years later, I still use my smartphone to pay my bills and help me at work.

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We Love Our Smartphones

We as a society are fascinated by new features available every time Apple, Google, Samsung and various other manufacturers release a new phone. My parents love the Facetime feature on the iPhone.

I remember my first cellphone, the NEC 120. It would be a relic compared to any phone on the market today. I remember paying $99.99 for it and, of course, there was no such thing as a smartphone then.

The Price of Smartphones

Let's be honest: the days of finding a smartphone for less than $500 from a retailer are rarely a reality anymore.

Working for AT&T as a sales rep, our least expensive iPhone was $750 and our least expensive Android-based phone was around the same price. As phones have advanced, so have the prices. Most basic smartphones now are in the price range of $1000 plus.

Some of us can't wait for the next upgrade to our phones, but some want to "squeeze" every drop of life out of our devices before purchasing a new phone. This is where the danger could be.

I just bought this phone. It's not that old, or is it?

The purchase date is different from when the life clock for your phone begins. The life cycle of your phone starts the day it was manufactured. For instance, if you bought a phone in 2023, you would think it's a 2023 model. That isn't always the case; if the phone was manufactured in 2022, you don't have the latest model.

How Can I Find Out When My Phone Was Made?

Feel free to look for the serial number on your phone or search endlessly for the box the phone came in to see the manufactured date -- but who has time for that?

Here is the easiest way: Enter the type of device you have at End Of Life.Date to see your phone's lifespan and if the manufacturer still supports it.

So, What Is the Danger in Using an Outdated Phone?

Here is the bottom line:

We use our phones every day. We input and transmit personal and financial data such as credit card numbers, passwords and other vital information. When your phone is no longer supported with software updates, it can be an easy target for hackers.

The theft of personal data is a severe problem in today's world. Yes, using the old unsupported phone, you may save money in the short run by not getting a newer supported phone. However, it could cost you your personal information.