In today’s fast-paced world of ever-evolving technology, it’s not uncommon for people to ask “how old is my phone” or lose track of how old their smartphones are. With new models and updates constantly hitting the market, it can be a challenge to pinpoint the exact age of your mobile device.
However, understanding your phone’s age can be valuable for various reasons, including assessing its performance, eligibility for software updates, and potential resale value.
In this article, we will explore different methods and tools you can use to determine the age of your smartphone and gain a clearer perspective on your trusted companion’s journey through the digital landscape.
How Old is My Phone: Where and How to Check
The box
If you have retained the original packaging of your phone, it can provide you with valuable information regarding its manufacturing date. Typically, you will find a white sticker affixed to the back of the box, containing a series of symbols and numbers.
The manufacturing date is usually embedded within these characters. To ensure that the box indeed corresponds to your phone’s original packaging, compare the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number on the box with the number found in your device’s settings menu. The following steps will guide you on how to locate this information.
The phone settings
You can also discover your phone’s manufacturing date by navigating to the settings menu. On Android, access ‘About Phone,’ while on an iPhone, go to ‘About.’ Locate the serial number within this series of digits, and you will find the year and month of your device’s manufacturing.
Please note that the format of the serial number may vary depending on the manufacturer, so if the provided method does not correspond to your serial number, consider verifying the details online.
Using Samsung as an example:
- Find the fourth character in the serial number. This letter will tell you the year the phone was made e.g. M is 2019, N is 2020.
- The fifth character determines the month e.g. 4 is April.
- Combine the two to form the date your phone was constructed e.g., M4 is April 2019.
To find the date on iPhones, decoding works slightly differently:
- Find the model of your phone e.g. is it an iPhone 11.
- Look for the fourth character in the serial code. On Apple products, this is the year or half-year in which it was made e.g. C covers the months of January to June, while D covers the months of July to December.
- The fifth character is the week of manufacturing.
- As an example, if the fourth and fifth characters were CJ, this would be either 2010 or 2020. If we know the phone is an iPhone 11, this was released in 2019, and so the creation year must be 2020. The J tells us it was made in the second week of April.
Use an app
Certain applications, like Device Info, have the capability to provide your serial number without the need to navigate through the settings menu. These apps will subsequently present your phone’s essential information in a user-friendly layout. Although not all apps offer serial number decoding, they serve as a convenient method for consolidating such details in a single location.
The manufacturing code
Entering a particular code through your phone’s dial keypad is another method to unveil its production date. While this approach may not be compatible with all phone models, it’s certainly worth attempting as an alternative. To initiate this process, use your device’s dial keypad and input one of the following codes:
- #197328640#
- ##197328640##
- #0000#
Subsequently, a menu will be displayed on your phone. Navigate to “Menu Version Information,” followed by “Hardware versions.” Here, you’ll find the “Read Manufacturing Date” option, which will reveal your phone’s assembly date.
If you’re considering upgrading from your current phone, there are numerous alternatives to explore. For instance, the Apple iPhone 14 is one such option. For a comprehensive overview of what to anticipate, you can refer to our detailed review.
Google can help you find out how old your phone is
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
Google is your friend! You can Google your serial number or specific model to see if the search giant pulls up any interesting details that might help you determine your exact device’s manufacturing date.
If that doesn’t work, you can at least get an idea of how new your phone might be by looking for its release date. Of course, your phone’s exact manufacturing date can be a little before or significantly after its release date, but at least you get an idea of how new it can be. If the manufacturer released the phone a year ago, it can’t be more than a year old.
FAQs
Finding out a manufacturing date can help you figure out how old a phone really is. For example, this can help you price a used phone accurately to sell it. This information isn’t as helpful as it seems, though. It’s more important to compare it with similar devices and see how the market values it. Information like the exact launch date, if it’s the latest generation of its lineup, how much demand there is for it, its condition, etc. People don’t usually care when a phone came to existence.Will my manufacturing date affect how many updates my phone gets?
It might make sense to worry about this, as most manufacturers offer an update promise. For example, Samsung promises four generations of Android updates and five years of security updates on select high-end devices. This is based on the phone’s launch date, though. It doesn’t matter if your Samsung Galaxy S23 is from 2023 or 2024; the clock should start ticking in 2023.Is it better to have a phone manufactured more recently?
Not really, but there can be slight differences. It’s common knowledge that phones start slowing down, and batteries wear down with age. Newer devices may have been stored in non-optimal conditions for longer, and their battery chemicals may be starting to age. This means you’ll get slightly less performance, depending on your device’s components and materials.
That said, the difference likely isn’t significant. Wear and tear usually show up in substantial ways with constant use. A phone just sitting in a warehouse probably doesn’t age noticeably.
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