Same as a car, I would maintain my cellphone in order to make it last longer.

There are 3 main areas that I would recommend maintenance.

These are the three areas:

1. Hardware
2. Software
3. Batteries

Let's start with the hardware. First and foremost, please get a cover for your cellphone. Consumers are spoilt for choice when it comes to cellphone covers. Covers with graphics from Angry Birds all the way to those with crystals, I am sure you'll find one you like. Some of my friends even bought more than one cover. Choose one that will protect your device from scratches and also in case you drop them on the ground.

The phone display is another area of the hardware you must protect. Why? This is because the cost of replacing a display is very high. Nowadays, more and more phones have touch displays which means that replacing them is costlier. What you should do is get a high quality screen protector, one that does not only protect it from scratches but still sensitive enough as not to affect the touch functionality.

By the way, please be aware that any damage to display or cosmetical parts of the phone are considered non-warranty. That means you still need to pay for the replacement even though your device is still under warranty.

Enough about hardware, what about software? This is the part where most cellphone owners do not care too much. As long as the phone is working fine, why should I bother? From my experience, it is always good to have the latest software version in your device. The latest software version means less software bugs as well as better performance. Wait! Before you go and update your phone software, please back up your important data. Important data means your contact list, calendar appointments, etc. Don't know how to do the data backup? Go read the user guide, ask your friend, ask the nearest service centre or call the manufacturer. When you do, please learn it so that you can do it yourself the next time.

Regarding batteries, you need to maintain the batteries. There is a limit to the number of times you can charge the battery. Charging the battery everytime you have access to a charger is a lousy idea. This is the reason why batteries typically last only around a year.

Batteries should be charged only when the phone screams Low Battery. Be honest to yourself, when do you wait for that to happen? My recommendation therefore is to get a spare battery. That way, you can use the first battery until the phone screams Low Battery and then replace it with your fully-charged spare battery. If you still refuse to buy another battery, at least do this. Once a week, use your phone until the battery could no longer power up the device and then charge it for 8 hours.

Why are you still here reading? Go and do your maintenance now.