How old is my phone is a very common query sought by many individuals who are willing to know the exact manufacturing year of their smartphone. Although it’s not easy to find the precise manufacturing date & so far, many users have asserted it as a daunting task. However, after thorough research, we have compiled few solutions which are highly effective in revealing the specific manufacturing date of mobile phones. These are all tried & tested fixes & deliver accurate results. Hence, if you need assistance in finding out how old your phone is, reading this article would help you out.
Open & Check Device Box
You get a new device packed in an attractive box with a USB cable, adapter & few other reading manuals. The significant details (barcodes, words & numericals) are printed on a hologram sticker either underneath or on the side areas of the box. This is where you’ll find the manufacturing date of your device & will know how old your phone is from a valid source. In addition, the sticker also displays an IMEI code, so make sure that it matches the IMEI number on your device, as then only you’ll get the right signal if the manufacturing date printed on the box is right or not. If the IMEI number doesn’t match, then the phone box must be of another device and the manufacturing date must be incorrect.
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Discover The Serial Number
The serial number varies for each device, whether it’s Android or iOS. You can get the serial number effortlessly from the ‘About Phone’ option by following the steps mentioned below:
- Step 1: Open the Settings application on your smartphone
- Step 2: At the bottom area, look for the ‘About Phone’ option & click on it
| Note: Inexpensive or old phones have the serial number in the Status tab. |
- Step 3: Try to interpret the manufacturing date in the serial number. As we said, it changesfor each device, so here’s how to find it out.
- iPhone: The 3rd digit here stands for manufacturing year, although 4th & 5th represents the week in that year when the device was developed. For Example: In 2007, 7 is the year
- Samsung: Here, the 4th digit appears to be the year, and the 5th digit is indicated as the manufacturing month of the device
- Honor: The 6th & 7th digit of an HONOR device indicates the year whereas the 8th digit goes for month & 9th, 10th digits for the date
- Asus: In Asus devices, you can find the manufacturing date hidden inside the serial number after the MFD
For smartphones of other leading brands such as LG, Google & Motorola, the technique to extract the manufacturing date also differs & here’s how you can crack it.
- Motorola: You can find the manufacturing date on the device package or in the settings menu
- LG: Those with LG Mobile need to install the LG Phone Info App from the App Store. One can also use an online IMEI checker for this purpose
- Google: Open Phone Settings > General > About. In the about section, you’ll see the manufacturing date of your Google device
Try Using Third-party Info Applications
If you’re unable to locate the manufacturing date on the box nor did you find anything via serial number, then go for external applications such as Droid Hardware Info, Phone Info, Droid Device Info & Phone Info SAM. These apps are capable of extracting meticulous details about android devices, which also includes the current age. To find out the manufacturing date using these apps, download them from the Play Store and see if this solution works for you. In case, if you’re an iOS user then first you need to check whether these apps are avilable on the App Store or not. If not then try to implement other methods .
Test With Manufacturing Code
This method has a lesser success probability because the manufacturing codes are available in two variations, i.e., OEM-specific and model-specific. With these two codes, it’s extremely challenging to get the correct manufacturing date. You can try this method; if luck favors you, it might work. To use this method, open the dialer pad and dial any of the below-listed codes separately. Like try one and see if there are any results; if not, go ahead with the next one.
- *#197328640#*
- *#*#197328640#*#*
- *#0000#
| Note: If this method to determine the manufacturing date works, then a service menu will open on your device. Next, head over to the Version Information & then the Hardware Settings Menu to cross-check the specific manufacturing date of the device. |
Also Read: Efficient Ways To Accomplish Your Wish To ‘Change iPhone IMEI Number’
See Phone Settings
The simplest approach to get detailed information about your phone’s age is via the Settings menu. It’s totally different for all smartphones but generally is found in the ‘About Phone’ option.
Take Google’s Help
Google Chrome has been an ultimate rescuer for everyone and is also a final resort to this problem. If none of the above methods work out & you didn’t get to know how old your phone is, seek Google’s support.
- Open the Google browser on your device
- In the search bar, type the device name or the serial number & whatever data Google has in its database about your device will be visible on the screen
- Check the relevant information & find out the manufacturing date on Google
Prominent Importance Behind Knowing Phone’s Age
While purchasing any device, whether it’s new or old, you should always cross the manufacturing date. It helps analyze the device’s current situation and saves you from buying an outdated device. Some of the major advantages of verifying the phone’s age are enumerated below:
- Gives correct information about the device battery condition & security features. If you’re buying a secondhand phone, then you’ll get to know that it’s not strongly secured as compared to the newer models.
- It’s beneficial if you’re willing to sell your new device. Like, a recently purchased smartphone gets sold at a higher price because it has advanced features embedded within it.
- You’ll be saved from making the mistake of buying a smartphone that delivers poor performance. If you know the manufacturing date, you’ll know how old the phone is; subsequently, you won’t buy it as old devices are poor in function & quality, which leads to unwanted hardware or software issues in the future.
- You’ll get an idea about the phone’s battery life & how long it can function properly without draining the current battery status.
Conclusion
This was everything about unlocking the mystery behind how old is my phone & we hope by you’ve understood the usefulness of checking it. We advise all of you to check the manufacturing date of your device using these methods as it would always keep you updated about the security features, performance, battery life, software & hardware updates etc of your device. Once you implement any of these methods and get the information about the manufacturing date, you’ll surely thank us later. Also, if you have any other queries about your device, you can drop them in the comments section, and we’ll revert back to you at the earliest.
Also Read: Why Does My Phone Vibrate For No Reason & How To Stop It {For Android & iOS}
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q) On average, how many years does a phone last?
Ans: The age limit of any newly introduced phone lasts around 2.5 years, so till then, you can use the same device but should switch to a new one after this shelf life.
Q) How to find out when my phone was first used?
Ans: Open Phone Settings & search for the My Devices section to find out the date on which your device was registered & with this date, you’ll know about the first time your device was used.
