While there’s quite a bit of information to wade through when it comes to separating fact from fiction – what is 5G, and how does it work with smartphones? 

It’s no secret that we live in the digital age, and our appetite for faster and stronger internet and mobile data is only growing. Like most technology, the infrastructure and functionality behind our phone networks regularly receive upgrades and tweaks to make them work more efficiently, the latest being the 5G network – so what’s changed?

What Is 5G?

5G is the fifth generation of global wireless technology used for mobile and internet services, building on the progress and expectations already established via 4G, 3G, 2G and 1G. Like the earlier generations, it is made up of radio waves rather than physical matter so it is not something you can touch or feel, unlike the equipment that supports it.

5G has been designed to be more efficient, consume less energy from our mobile phone batteries, and provide more advanced capabilities when compared to previous generations of mobile technology. Much like it’s predecessor 4G, the latest release focuses on mobile data coverage, with the primary updates and associated benefits including:

Faster Network Speeds – 5G networks will be capable of download speeds as fast as 20Gbps. However, the exact speeds an individual user will get will depend on how the network has been configured, the number of devices on the network, and the device in their hands. The 5G specification states that users should see a minimum download speed of 100Mbps.

Lower Latency: In simple terms, latency is best described as the time it takes information to get from your phone to the wider internet and back again. While the standard latency for the current 4G network is around 60 milliseconds, 5G could decrease this to as low as 1 millisecond. This massive decrease will be vital for future technology such as self-driving cars.

More Connections: 5G will allow more devices to connect to the network at the same time, without experiencing a lag or slowdown. While smartphone usage continues to grow, this is especially important as 5G is set to facilitate new developments in revolutionary rollouts such as  autonomous cars and connected machinery. 

How Does 5G Work?

While 5G will ultimately succeed 4G, it will not replace it – for now. Both 4G and 5G networks will exist simultaneously, and Australian telecommunications providers intend to keep the older 3G networks around until at least 2021.

Like previous generations, 5G is not a single product. Instead, it is an industry standard against which telecommunications companies (known as carriers) roll out 5G technology with equipment that uses radio waves.

5G networks have higher bandwidths, and are as such more reliable than other mobile networks. 5G will use large scale MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) antennas that have very large numbers of antenna elements or connections in order to send and receive more data simultaneously. What this means is that 5G can be used for a new range of applications that need a lot of data, such as remote health services.

Australian 5G networks are being switched on right now, and the big players in the market like Telstra, Optus and Vodafone have now been selling device plans for over a year. However, as Optus and Telstra networks are still being rolled out, you may not get connectivity where you live and work right away, which is why the older networks will remain active. 

Quite simply, 5G is an extension, upgrade and improvement on existing networks. While 5G is the way of the future, we might have to wait a little while longer to see exactly how the rollout and it’s associated impacts has on our day to day lives. 

Want To Talk 5G With The Professionals?

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remained the same: people and phones.

Whether it’s to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, or to repurpose an old one as a gift, repairing a smartphone might just be easier and cheaper than you think. It’s also a great way to upcycle and keep electronics out of Australian landfills.

Here at SOS Phone Repairs, we offer a lifetime warranty on iPhone screens, a no fix – no fee policy, we dry water damaged phones for free, and offer unlimited advice for any of your phone repair needs.

If you have any questions, come in and see the team and we can help you out!

Whilst there are some lower-priced brands available, the big players like Apple, Samsung, Google, and Huawei are still able to charge a small fortune for their products. So, if you want quality, and the kudos, of owning the best phones, be prepared to shell out. The two main ways to do this are signing up for a contract or buying the handset outright. Understandably, two-thirds of us go for the contract option. That’s not to say mobile contracts are cheap, but it’s a way of spreading the cost over a one, two, or three year period. But there are cost penalties. So, why not consider a refurbished phone?

Not surprisingly then, some customers realise they can potentially save hundreds of dollars by opting to buy the phone outright and getting on a SIM-only deal. Just one thing, the top 5 brand phones are damn expensive! So, let’s have a look at the advantages of opting for a refurbished mobile phone.

A Refurbished Phone Can Be Like Brand New

Buying a refurbished phone isn’t the same as buying a used phone from a mate or eBay. Rest assured, a refurbished phone has been put through strict testing and quality control measures. Moreover, only phones that are 100% working are re-sold. Once the phone is thoroughly tested, they are graded depending on the external wear and general physical appearance. And, you can expect a decent warranty. The result for the customer is an ‘as new’ condition phone at a fraction of the usual price tag.

Finally, A Bargain!

Given that brand new phones depreciate rapidly after launch, a refurbished mobile looks like an even bigger bargain. In fact, recent research indicates that new smartphones can lose as much as 70% of their value in the first year.

No Inflated Contract Fees

The fact is, if you start a contract, the lion’s share of the cost will be going towards paying off the phone. The remainder, the tariff part, is a small fraction of the overall monthly bill. So, a SIM-only contract will save you heaps each and every month.

Chat to us at SOS Phone Repairs today about buying a first-class, big brand refurbished phone and save heaps!

If counting sheep just isn’t doing it for you anymore, your smartphone might hold the key via a huge range of apps to help you sleep and get some shut eye.

Along with a good diet and exercise, sleep is one of the key ingredients that we need in order for our bodies to properly function. However, it’s been proven that we are sleeping less than we used to, and the quality of our sleep is also decreasing. When we drift off, our body gets a chance to reset itself and hovers in a reduced state of consciousness. Without it, our natural healing mechanisms are depleted. 

A “good night’s sleep” is usually defined as seven to nine hours for adults, and significantly more for teenagers and children. This is a non-negotiable for our bodies, as sleep allows us to: 

• Stay alert
• Stimulates creativity 
• Boost our memory
• Fight infections
• Restore energy levels to stay active
• Replenish injuries

However, access to a good night’s sleep is getting harder to come by, particularly as distractions via technology creep further and further into our bedrooms – but what if we could harness that technology for good? 

Our Top Five Apps To Help You Sleep

While it might seem somewhat counterintuitive, our smartphones might actually be the answer to improving the quality of our sleep, how much sleep we’re getting, getting to sleep and staying asleep.

Whether you want to meditate before bed, track your sleep cycle, or drift off to scientifically proven sounds that help to calm and relax your mind, there are a wide variety of sleep friendly apps out there that can help you to catch all forty winks. 

Headspace – Listen to a wind down that guides you through falling back asleep, deep breathing exercises, or sleep music instead. If listening to tunes isn’t your thing, Headspace have even created sleep packages that include “sleep casts” which are around forty five minutes per story, and can range between tales about cats at a marina, to descriptions of a stormy night.  

Pillow – One of the best iPhone apps to help you sleep that monitors your overall nightly rest – simply set up next to your bed and head off to dreamland. In the morning, users get a full report on how long they slept, along with a breakdown of time in each sleep phase. You can also track the impacts of different pre-sleep activities, such as reading or eating before bed. 

Calm – The free version of Calm will give users access to a number of soundscapes, timed meditation options, and certain sleep stories. Meditation is a solid way to destress before bed so you can actually sleep through the night, making Calm a great means to avoid taking any anxiety with you to bed and to improve your overall sleep patterns. 

SnoreLab – Snoring, whether it’s you or your significant other, can be a major factor when it comes to getting subpar sleep. SnoreLab records snoring during the night, and gives you a detailed report in the morning. You can link this data to different factors like alcohol or certain foods, and track different remedies so you can find what works for you as a solution. 

Sleep Cycle – Oddly enough, this sleep app is all about waking up. The concept behind Sleep Cycle is that instead of setting an alarm every day, the app monitors your sleep with sound analysis, and gently wakes you up during your lightest sleep phase, or when you’ll wake feeling most rested. Users can still set an approximate time though, so there’s no being late for work. 

If we don’t get enough sleep – the night before or gradually over time – unfortunately, it does have repercussions. Not only is your body missing out on the key benefits above, but it’s also exposed to a range of other dangers that can stem from sleep deprivation. 

If you’re really struggling to regulate your sleep, it may be time to speak to a doctor to find out if there’s any underlying issues, but if you’re just curious or would like to experiment with new techniques, then apps to help you sleep might just be worth a try.

Sourcing Further Advice With Smartphones 

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remained the same: people and phones.

Whether it’s to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, or to repurpose an old one as a gift, repairing a smartphone might just be easier and cheaper than you think. It’s also a great way to upcycle and keep electronics out of Australian landfills.

Here at SOS Phone Repairs, we offer a lifetime warranty on iPhone screens, a no fix – no fee policy, we dry water damaged phones for free, and offer unlimited advice for any of your phone repair needs.

If you have any questions, come in and see the team and we can help you out!

Although released in October 2020, Apple’s latest model still has some users perplexed  – so what are tips for iPhone 12 users to make the most of the device? 

For those eager to start connecting to 5G or capture footage with the most up-to-date Apple camera technology, then the iPhone 12 is definitely worth the purchase price. Even if you’re not the type to jump at the annual models released by the tech giant, tips for iPhone 12 users can surprise both new converts and seasoned professionals when it comes to making the most of the smartphone. 

Twelve Tips On Making The Most Of The iPhone 12 

The iPhone is a line of smartphones designed and marketed by  Apple Inc, that use Apple’s iOS mobile operating system.  As of November 1 2018, more than 2.2 billion iPhones had been sold worldwide.

The humble iPhone has a user interface built around a multi-touch screen. They connect to both cellular networks and Wi-Fi, and can make calls, browse the internet, take pictures and videos, play music, and send and receive text messages and emails.

Since it’s initial release in 2007, the iPhone’s features have certainly come a long way. Improvements have been made to keep up with consumer demand, such as larger screen sizes, waterproofing, the ability to install third party apps, and many more accessibility features. 

In August 2011, Apple founder and visionary Steve Jobs resigned as CEO due to health complications. Jobs died just two months later, marking the end of an era for the company. However, under new CEO Tim Cook’s command, Apple shifted the release dates for iPhones to an annual September event, and is now considered to be somewhat of a yearly launch party. Starting in 2020, we are beginning to see two iPhone announcements each year.

As a result, each iPhone model generally has slight tweaks and improvements on the previous release. However, it can be all too easy to miss these changes, which is why we’ll outline our top twelve tips for iPhone 12 users while we wait for the next “batch” to hit the market. 

Don’t Forget To Back Up – Before you even think about tinkering with your new smartphone, one of the often forgotten tips for iPhone 12 users is to ensure that they have first backed up their previous model in iTunes, in order to transfer all the files and information over. 

Understand 5G – By incorporating the new 5G network, expect incredible download and upload speeds of up to 4.0bbps and 200mbps on new iPhone 12 models. However, with that comes three different status icons that you may want to keep an eye out on – 5G, 5G+, and 5GUW.

Manage Your Data – While 5G is a gamechanger, it can drain battery life and increase the cost of your data plan. Thankfully, users can manage this in their settings via Smart Data Mode, a functionality that switches between 5G and 4G depending on network activity.

Use MagSafe – New iPhone 12 models also include MagSafe, which consists of an array of magnets on the back of the phone that allows users to “snap” on a host of accessories such as wireless chargers, wallets, and smart cases. 

Upgrade Power Adapters – While iPhone 12’s do still come with a charging cable, the adapter is no longer included. This is because they are now capable of charging at 20W ratings or higher, which is quite the upgrade from the older 5-10W adapters of previous releases. 

Image Privacy – There’s nothing worse than accidentally opening a “private” photo in front of someone you didn’t want to. Apple has taken steps to reduce this faux paux via the new “hidden” photo album, which allows users to stash specific photos away without losing them. 

Enable HD FaceTime – For the first time on an iPhone, you can perform FaceTime video calls in 1080p HD. Go to Settings > Cellular > Data Mode and select “Allow More Data” on 5G  to FaceTime in HD over 5G or WiFi. 

Turn On Eye Contact – In the era of Zoom meetings, you can go to Settings > FaceTime and enable the “Eye Contact” option. This new feature lets your iPhone 12 detect where your eyes are, and in turn makes it appear as though you’re looking directly into the camera.

Try Low Light Photography – The one thing many of us love about the new releases are the cameras. The larger f/1.6 aperture on the wide camera can capture 27% more light, allowing for photos that look noticeably better in quality when compared to the older iPhones. 

Shoot In 60fps – According to Apple, the iPhone 12 Pro is the very first smartphone that is capable of capturing Dolby Vision HDR, along with the ability to record 4K 10-bit HDR video up to 60fps. What’s more, you can edit the captured footage directly on the phone itself. 

Tweak Your Home Screen – With iOS 14, users can completely customize the home screen on their iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro by adding and modifying Home screen widgets, removing unwanted apps, and even hiding entire home screen pages. 

Change Your Default Browser – Not a fan of being forced to use Safari to surf the internet? Good news, as the iPhone 12 now lets users select their default browser of choice, such as Firefox or Chrome instead. 

Sourcing Further Advice And Tips For iPhone 12 Users 

SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remained the same: people and phones. 

Whether it’s to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, or to repurpose an old one as a gift, repairing a smartphone might just be easier and cheaper than you think. It’s also a great way to upcycle and keep electronics out of Australian landfills. 

Here at SOS Phone Repairs, we offer a lifetime warranty on iPhone screens, a no fix – no fee policy, we dry water damaged phones for free, and offer unlimited advice for any of your phone repair needs.

If you have any questions, come in and see the team and we can help you out!