Tech expert reveals Brits are more likely to break their phones THIS week than any other time of year

•  Tech expert has warned that Brits will need to take extra care when handling their phones, laptops and tablets over the Easter break 
• This follows findings that demand for device repairs rises by 24% at the start of April, making it the riskiest time of year for handheld tech
• Tablets are the most likely to break over the holiday, followed by laptops and mobile phones – leaving many remote workers in the lurch 
• The most common reasons devices break came out as smashed screens, dead batteries, impaired chargers, and faulty USB ports

New data has revealed there’s a 24% increase in demand for device repairs over the Easter break each year, leading a tech expert to urge Brits to keep their handheld tech safe. 

The findings, pulled together by Getac, analysed nationwide Google searches for device repairs to identify any trends – and found that there’s consistently been the biggest increase in tech problems at the start of April, based on a decade of search data. 

Over the past ten years, searches for device repairs rose by a 24% over Easter compared to the start of the year, compared to a 7% increase over summer, and a 6% drop at Christmas. 

Whilst it’s unclear exactly why problems are particularly prevalent at the start of April each year, it’s likely that the half term holidays play a part – as well as a rise in holiday trips. 

In fact, 6.5 million Brits have reportedly planned an overnight trip for the upcoming Easter bank holiday weekend, whilst a further 3.4 million are still considering getting away. 

Even for those who are staying at home, devices are more at risk of breaking this week than at any other time of year – with tablets named the most likely to suffer (accounting for 32% of breakages), followed by laptops (29%) and mobile phones (10%). 

This is bad news for the 64 million Brits that rely on their smartphones, as well as the 44% of people who work remotely during the week, according to the Office for National Statistics. 

It’s also not ideal for those of us looking to save money after a costly winter, with the average phone repair standing at £140, laptop repairs coming in at £105 each, and each tablet fix amounting to £135 – according to Which? consumer data. 

When it comes to the most common reasons devices break, the experts reveal that smashed screens and glitches are top – accounting for 17% of reported issues – followed by dying batteries or charging difficulties (17%) and faulty USB ports (8%). 

Other common reasons include hardware configuration problems, performance issues, related to capacity or lagging, and software complications.

Some parts of the nation were also revealed to be significantly more likely to see broken tech this week than others, as they reported a higher influx of demand for repairs.

Of the 62 cities analysed, device users in Norwich reported the highest demand for repairs – reporting more than triple the device breakages (239% more) than Milton Keynes. Mobile phones accounted for the majority of the city’s broken devices (60%), followed by laptops. 

On the other end of the scale, the regions that report the fewest problems with their devices each year came out as Wakefield, Newport, Bradford, Lancaster and Derry. 

Top 10 cities with the highest rate of device breakages, ranked 

1. Norwich
2. Lincoln
3. Wrexham
4. Inverness
5. Bath
6. Glasgow
7. Chester
8. Preston
9. Bristol
10. Cambridge

Speaking on the findings, a Getac spokesperson said: “Broken devices can be frustrating and disruptive for many – particularly those who are reliant on their phones or laptops to work and communicate with others, and those who can’t afford to pay for unexpected repairs.

“Although some issues can’t be avoided, it’s good for people to be particularly conscious as to when their devices are most likely to break, as it’ll keep safety and security at the forefront of their minds as they’re out and about – or when planning an Easter weekend break. 

“There’s a reason that the first two weeks in April see the most demand for repairs year on year, and ultimately, prevention is cheaper than the cure. For those who are particularly prone to device issues, make sure to be extra vigilant to avoid costly repairs.”

Credit to getac.com who provided the above post.