The New York Times – “…Depending on what phone you have, you may be able to repair it on your own. iFixit breaks down the most popular phones and gives them a repairability score. “On average, most smartphones have become less repairable over the past few years,” Ms. Clapp said. Whether you repair a phone yourself or take it to a service center, there are a few common parts that can make your phone last longer. Replacing your phone’s battery will get you more mileage than any other repair. “Most manufacturers’ batteries last about two years before serious degradation,” Ms. Clapp said. “Think of it like tires. Even if you don’t run over a kitchen knife on the highway, you’re going to have to replace them. They’re consumable.” If you’ve held onto a phone for a couple of years, it may not hold a charge the way it used to. As Apple’s “Batterygate” controversy revealed, this can also lead to your phone slowing down or shutting off randomly. The more you charge and deplete batteries, the more they degrade…”