Technology
Shocker: Your phone has built-in expiration date
Your phone is dying as you’re reading this. Like milk, bike helmets and condoms, phones are sold with a built-in expiration date.
At the low end, we’re talking just a couple years, but most are supported for three to four. It’s not because the hardware will go kaput (though that can happen); it’s all about how long the manufacturer will offer support.
Let’s dive into how to find out your phone’s expiration date, plus tips to make sure it lasts as long as possible.
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The average is really mean
Here are the average lifespans for some of today’s most popular phone brands and makes:
- Apple iPhone: 4 to 8 years
- Samsung: 3 to 6 years
- Google Pixel: 3 to 5 years
- Huawei: 2 to 4 years
These are averages, meaning your mileage may vary.
Cellphones, like many other things you buy, come with their own built-in expiration dates. (Fox News Digital)
What’s your number?
Your phone’s lifespan clock starts ticking from its manufacture date, not when you purchased it, so knowing when it was built is the key. Here are ways to find out:
- Look around: The manufacture date is often listed on the package. If you tossed it, check the “About” section in your phone’s settings for a date or serial number.
- Serial number: Many manufacturers encode the manufacturing date within these numbers. The site SNDeepInfo can help you decode yours.
- Dial secret codes: Special codes and menus can reveal manufacturing information. Dialing *#06# might show your phone’s serial number.
Yeah, I know. This looks like way too much work.
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Hallelujah, there’s an easier way
Instead of taking the steps above, head to endoflife.date. This handy site lists the end-of-life (EOL) dates for devices, software programs and others. Some quick links for you to check your phone’s EOL:
The links below aren’t for phones, but you might want to check the EOL for your other tech:
This is an excellent site to check before you buy any used tech. If it’s about to hit its EOL date, don’t buy it.
You can easily check online how long your phone – and other devices – are set to last. (SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
This is serious stuff
Using tech past its EOL date is bad for a bunch of reasons.
- No important updates: Sure, you won’t receive the latest features, but, more importantly, you also won’t get any new security updates.
- Hackers love you: Cybercriminals can break into your outdated tech much more easily to exploit unfixed bugs and security issues. We’re talking about unauthorized access on your phone to your bank accounts, health data, and even your voice from calls and voicemails.
- Bad battery life: As phones age, their battery performance degrades because lithium-ion batteries lose capacity over time.
- Slow down: Older phones struggle to run newer apps and operating systems.
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So, how do you make it last the entire lifespan?
Maybe you’re a year in on your phone and thinking, no way this thing is going to last four years. With a little maintenance, it can.
Keep it updated: Updates can not only keep your device running smoothly and safe from bugs, but they can often speed things up on the performance side, too. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update. On Android, it’s under Settings > About Phone > Check for Updates.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to maximize your phone’s mileage and ensure it lasts its entire lifespan. (Photo by Silas Stein/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Replace the battery: This is one of the most effective upgrades you can give your phone. Aim to replace the battery every couple of years — though you should get the professionals to do it. Contact Apple, Samsung or Google directly for options. You’ll pay less than $100.
Use a case: Keeping your phone “naked” is too risky. Get an OtterBox if you’re a butterfingers. Spigen makes slim, military-grade cases if you like the sleek look. Smartish has wallet cases, grippy options and lots more.
Look after the battery: Phones do best in temps between 32 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep your phone out of the sun when it’s hot and in your pocket when it’s freezing out. If it’s burning up, turn it off or put it in a shady spot for a while. Putting it in the freezer is a bad idea.
Delete the junk: Phones work faster with plenty of free storage, so delete any apps and files you don’t use. A quick cleanup: Open the Files app on Android, then tap the Clean tab. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see which apps can get the boot.
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Technology
Use this map to find the data centers in your backyard
When Oregon resident Isabelle Reksopuro heard Google was gobbling up public land to fuel its data centers in her home state, she didn’t initially know what to believe. “There’s a lot of misinformation about data centers,” she said. “Google has denied taking that land.”
Technically, she explains, The Dalles, a city near the Washington state border, sought to reclaim that land, “and Google is just a big, unnamed power user.” The city had in fact asked for ownership of a 150-acre portion of Mount Hood National Forest, claiming it needs access to Mount Hood’s watershed to meet municipal needs as its population — 16,010 as of the 2020 census — grows. But critics, including environmentalists, say the city is trying to secure more water for Google, which has a sprawling data center campus in The Dalles that already consumes about one-third of the city’s water supply.
This controversy made Reksopuro curious about the backlash to data centers being built in other communities. So Reksopuro, a student at the University of Washington who studies the connections between tech and public policy, decided to map it out. Using information collected by Epoch AI and data scraped from legislation on data centers, she built an interactive map tracking AI policy around the world. She designed it to be simple enough for anyone to use. “I wanted it to be something that my younger sisters could play through and explore to understand what are the data centers in the area and what’s actually being done about it,” Reksopuro said. She hoped to shift their opinions that way, “instead of like, through TikTok.”
Four times a day, the map searches for new sources and checks them against the existing database Reksopuro built out. “Once it does that, it will write a new summary, add it to the news feed, and populate it on the sidebar,” she said. “I wanted it to be self-updating, since I’m also a student.”
Reksopuro isn’t against data centers, but she thinks tech giants benefit from a lack of transparency around data center policies. “Right now, it’s this really opaque thing — and all of a sudden, there’s a facility,” she said. “I think that if people knew about data centers beforehand, it would give them leverage. They would be able to negotiate: ask for job training programs, tax revenue, environmental monitoring, things to improve their community.”
Technology
Fox News AI Newsletter: Graduation speaker praises AI, gets instantly booed
UCF commencement speaker Gloria Caulfield (University of Central Florida via Storyful)
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.
IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:
– UCF graduates clobber commencement speaker with boos after she says AI is the ‘next Industrial Revolution’
– OPINION: DIRECTOR KASH PATEL: We brought the FBI out of the past and into the AI age
– OpenAI backs creation of global AI governance body led by the U.S. that would include China as a member
TOUGH CROWD: During a recent commencement ceremony at the University of Central Florida, a speaker was met with loud boos from the graduating class after declaring that artificial intelligence represents the next industrial revolution. Fox News Digital reporting captures this tense cultural moment, illustrating the mixed public sentiment and skepticism surrounding AI’s growing footprint in daily life.
A statue on the campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. (iStock)
BADGE MEETS BYTE: Reflecting on the modernization of national security in a Fox News op-ed, FBI Director Kash Patel explores how the bureau must adapt its strategies to address modern threats and advance beyond the artificial intelligence age.
TECH DIPLOMACY: OpenAI is throwing its support behind the establishment of a new global artificial intelligence governance organization that would be led by the United States while notably including China as a member. Fox News Digital reporting examines the geopolitical dynamics and regulatory implications of this proposed framework as global powers race to set the standards for AI development.
EQUITY ELEVATION: The massive wave of wealth generated by the explosive growth of ChatGPT and the broader AI industry is driving a sudden surge in the San Francisco Bay Area’s luxury real estate market. Fox News Digital reporting breaks down how the influx of new tech capital is reshaping local housing dynamics and fueling a high-end property frenzy.
FBI Director Kash Patel listened as Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke during a press conference at the Department of Justice on April 28, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
STRATEGY RESET: Tech giant Cisco is planning to eliminate thousands of jobs as the company shifts its primary focus to accelerate its artificial intelligence initiatives, a move that comes despite the company beating earnings expectations. Fox News Digital reporting details the corporate restructuring and broader economic trends pushing legacy tech firms to aggressively pivot toward AI.
ROAD HAZARD: Waymo is issuing a sweeping recall of its autonomous vehicle fleet following a concerning incident that highlighted significant safety issues with the self-driving technology. Fox News Digital reporting outlines the specifics of the recall, the nature of the safety flaw, and what this setback means for the future of fully autonomous transportation on public roads.
BOTS IN THE BAY: A newly developed, artificial intelligence-powered robot has been engineered to seamlessly change and balance vehicle tires without human intervention. Fox News Digital reporting showcases this latest innovation, exploring how automation and AI mechanics could soon revolutionize the automotive service and repair industry.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks during the 2026 Infrastructure Summit in Washington, D.C., on March 11, 2026. (Kylie Cooper/Reuters)
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Technology
Microsoft’s Edge Copilot update uses AI to pull information from across your tabs
Microsoft Edge is adding a new feature that will allow its Copilot AI chatbot to gather information from all of your open tabs. When you start a conversation with Copilot, you can ask the chatbot questions about what’s in your tabs, compare the products you’re looking at, summarize your open articles, and more.
In its announcement, Microsoft says you can “select which experiences you want or leave off the ones you don’t.” The company is retiring Copilot Mode as well, which could similarly draw information from your tabs but offered some agentic features, like the ability to book a reservation on your behalf. Microsoft has since folded these agentic capabilities into its “Browse with Copilot” tool.
Several other AI features are coming to Edge, including an AI-powered “Study and Learn” mode that can turn the article you’re looking at into a study session or interactive quiz. There’s a new tool that turns your tabs into AI-powered podcasts as well, similar to what you’d find on NotebookLM, and an AI writing assistant that will pop up when you start entering text on a webpage.
You can also give Copilot permission to access your browsing history to provide more “relevant, high-quality answers,” according to Microsoft. Copilot in Edge on desktop and mobile will come with “long-term memory” as well, which can tailor its responses based on your previous conversations. And, when you open up a new tab, you’ll see a redesigned page that combines chat, search, and web navigation, along with the Journeys feature, which uses AI to organize your browsing history into categories that you can revisit.
Meanwhile, an update to Edge’s mobile app will allow you to share your screen with Copilot and talk through the questions about what you’re seeing. Microsoft says you’ll see “clear visual cues” when Copilot is active, “so you know when it’s taking an action, helping, listening, or viewing.”
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