Nice to Have Accessories for Cell Phones

Published May 28, 2021

Whether you have a prepaid or a contract phone, there are a few accessories you should consider purchasing to enhance your cell phone experience. None of these products are absolutely essential. However, having them makes phone life easier.

Protective Cell Phone Case

The first item is a case for your phone. This is a no-brainer. A phone case helps to protect your phone. Even if you’re very careful with handling your cell phone, cell phone manufacturers seem to stack the deck against us in the way they make these new attractive phones.

New phones are not only sleek, but they’re slick. I mean slick in that the smooth surface can easily slip from your hands. Most phone cases offer a more tactile feeling which helps to prevent the slick slippage that can occur.

Black Ops or Otterbox

Whether you purchase an expensive heavy-duty case such as the premium Black Ops case for the iPhone 12 or something less expensive but also heavy-duty like the Otterbox, it’s important to protect your phone. After all, a phone is an investment and you want to keep it functional for the life of the phone.

The Otterbox and Black Ops cases are great for folks with labor-intensive jobs such as gardeners, construction workers, delivery personnel, and more. It’s less necessary for office workers as most times office workers have their phones on their desk, pocket, or purse. People who work at more physically active jobs, on the other hand, are out and about with an increased likelihood of a potential phone drop. The heavy-duty phone cases are also good for folks who are... Let’s say, not so coordinated (aka clumsy) or forgetful (like leaving the phone atop a car and driving off).

Less Expensive Cases

The two cases mentioned above might be overkill for the average individual. If so, there are less expensive, functional cases that offer some type of protection. In addition to protection, phone cases can make a statement. Whether you’re a Trekkie or a basketball fan, there’s a phone case for every interest.

Screen Protector

Often, people will purchase a case to protect their phone, but forget to protect the screen. With a glass screen protector, the chances of scratching the phone’s screen decrease significantly.

When it comes to screen protectors, there are plastic screen protectors and tempered glass protectors. Both will protect your phone screen, but the tempered glass protector offers stronger coverage

With the tempered glass, dropping the phone from a certain distance may shatter the tempered glass screen, but your cell phone will remain intact.

The cost difference is minimal, so why not go for the higher protection?

Mobile Cell Phone Battery Charger

The last thing you want to happen is to have your phone run out of power right when you need it. Even worse than that is to be in an area where there’s nowhere to recharge it. To prevent such an event, pick up a portable battery charger.

They come in various sizes and power options. If you do a lot of traveling, i.e., plane, make sure you select a battery charger that is small enough to prevent it from being confiscated by the TSA. Last check, batteries must be 100 watt-hours or less. If you’re unsure of the watt-hour of your battery, there’s a calculation you can perform. However, it’s simpler to find out at the time of purchase whether or not it fits within the TSA battery-acceptable guideline.

Because there are so many connection options for charging devices, take inventory of the number and type of devices you have. Also, consider whether or not you intend to upgrade shortly. With tech changing so quickly, you want your battery to work not only for today’s devices but for your next upgrade.

Not too long ago, USB A was the standard. Then it was USB B. Now there’s USB C. Keep that in mind when shopping.

Bottom Line

The above recommendations are just that, recommendations. None of the above items are absolutely necessary for your phone, but buying one or more of them will not only protect your phone investment but make things easier.

Last Modified: 7 November 2022

Did you know?: If you meet the Lifeline and/or Affordable Connectivity Program criteria, you qualify to receive a free device (smartphone or tablet) along with discounted or free wireless service (plans vary by state).

About the Author: LaForey is a person who was fed up with contract phone plans and opted for something more practical.