If you want a lot of options, Android has always been the best operating system. There are a lot of amazing options from a lot of different OEMs, which might make picking the best Android phone difficult.
Have you ever been curious about the age of your smartphone? This is especially critical if you’re purchasing a previously used Android. You can be duped by dishonest sellers. You might ask if there’s a method to figure out how old your phone is, whether you’re buying a used phone or simply curious about when it was built. Unfortunately, obtaining this information is not straightforward.
It’s simple to find out when a phone was released, but determining when it was manufactured is a different affair. Your device could have been manufactured a year or more after the model was released. Although every Android manufacturer is different, there are a few places you may look to see how old your phone is.
We can’t promise that the decision will be easy to make. The fact that no two phones are alike is one of the reasons we prefer this operating system. Because each manufacturer produces its hardware and Android version, it all comes down to what you value in a device.
We’ve prepared a few options for you to determine the age of your gadget. You don’t have to be a programmer or an expert to participate. Simply follow these instructions to determine the age of your Android.
Making use of a serial number
Every device, regardless of model or manufacturer, has a unique serial number. Samsung Androids, for example, have an 11-character serial number. These aren’t just symbols thrown together at random. They hold vital information. If you have the serial number, you may quickly determine the manufacturing date. But where do you look for your device’s serial number? Take the following few steps. In the main menu, look for the gear symbol. These are your smartphone’s settings. Locate and select the “About phone” tab. It’s finished. You’ve discovered the serial number. ADB Shell Commands can also be used to determine the serial number. This is a unique tool for getting more information and performing tasks with your Android. You may find out the serial number of your Android by using the command shown below in the image. You may learn not just how old your smartphone is and when it was released, but also a lot more. Before decrypting the serial number, make sure you’ve selected the correct smartphone model on the website.
There’s another simple technique to figure out your Android’s serial number. The serial number is printed on the back of the panel, which will surprise you. To read the serial number, put on glasses or a magnifying glass. It’s written in a small font. The smartphone manufacturing date is included in the device serial number by manufacturers such as Apple and Asus. Every number on these devices represents a date, month, or another identifier that can be used to determine the device’s manufacturing date. The serial number can be found in the About section of your phone. The third digit of an Apple serial number, for example, represents the last digit of the year, whereas the fourth and fifth digits denote the device’s week of the year. In Samsung devices, the serial number also reflects the device’s manufacturing date. The year is represented by the fourth digit, while the month is represented by the fifth digit.
Application of Google Dashboard
Go to Google Dashboard if you recall your Google account username and password. You may find the date of your smartphone’s registration there. The Android activation date, as well as other information, will be displayed on Google Dashboard.
You may also rename your device from there. And, of course, the serial number can be found there. You’ve already figured out what you’re going to do with it.
You can Google your serial number or a specific model to see if the search engine returns any useful information that will assist you to figure out when your device was made.
If it doesn’t work, you can at least figure out how old your phone is by searching up the release date. Of course, your phone’s exact production date maybe a few months before or after its official release date, but at the very least, you’ll have a sense of how new it is. The phone can’t be older than a year if the manufacturer released it a year ago.
Make use of the Google Play Store
The Google Play Store can assist you to figure out when your smartphone was unboxed. Go to the account settings page. In the “My device” tab, you can see the registration date.
So now you know how to find out how old your Android is in the quickest and most efficient method possible. You can no longer be deceived, and you may finally fulfill your curiosity.
Make sure your box is checked.
Some manufacturers are considerate enough to include the manufacturing date right on the package, making your life easier. Simply flip it over and search for the “date.” We can confirm that this information is printed on the packaging of many (at least newer) OnePlus and Motorola phones.
If you’re trying to figure out how old your phone is, the first thing you should do is look at the box it came in. You may have spotted a white sticker on the phone box with some text, numbers, barcodes, and other information while unwrapping the phone. The manufacturing date of your phone will be written somewhere on the sticker.
When looking for the manufacturing date on the box, verify sure your device’s IMEI number matches the number on the label. If both numbers match, the gadget was manufactured correctly; otherwise, the manufacturing date will be incorrect. You can attempt different approaches in such circumstances.
Make sure the settings are correct.
In the settings of some phones, you can find the manufacturer’s date. The exact location in the settings will differ, but it’s usually under About Phone or something similar. Some may plainly label it as the manufacturing date or hardware version, while others will smuggle it into the serial number. Unfortunately, this makes it more difficult for us to find out what’s going on.
Another company that adds the manufacturing date to the serial code is Asus. In the form of the year and month, it’s frequently near the end, directly after the letters “MFD.”
If you suspect your serial number is concealing this information, we suggest conducting a Google search. You’ll have to look for this one yourself because there are so many different OEMs out there. “[your phone brand and model] serial number manufacture code,” for example.
Experiment with an app
Look for a phone information app on Google Play. These programs can extract data from serial numbers, IMEI codes, and other codes that we don’t generally comprehend. It isn’t always successful in determining the age of your phone, but it is worth a try.
This method will work best on Android phones, but if it’s accessible on the App Store, you can try it on your iPhone as well. These phone information applications collect information about your phone and tell you how old it is. You’ll have to allow these apps access to read your phone’s information. Apps such as Device info, Droid hardware info, Phone info SAM, and others are available for download. Go to the Play Store and search for ‘Phone info app’ to find more similar apps.
Manufacturing codes
Unfortunately, if you can’t locate it on the box, in the settings, or through an app, checking manufacture codes is one of your final options. The issue with these codes is that they are often not only OEM specific, but also model specific. As a result, we are unable to provide you with direct guidance. Go to the Version Information menu, then Hardware Versions. Check the date of manufacture. If this doesn’t work, you’ll need to use Google to search for your device’s manufacturer code.
This is the final method for determining your phone’s age. However, these production codes are not only OEM specific, but also model specific. As a result, there’s a risk this technique won’t work on your phone. In any case, it’s still worth a chance. Go to your phone’s dialer and dial any of the codes below to find out how old your phone is using the manufacturer code.
*#197328640#*
*#*#197328640#*#*
*#0000#
If this strategy is successful, your phone will display a secret service menu. Now go to Menu version information, followed by Hardware versions. To find out the precise manufacturing date of your phone, go to Read manufacturing date.
Applications
Developers have created apps that can look through your phone’s data or utilize the IMEI number to search web sources and tell you exactly when your phone was made. Because these applications are frequently created in partnership with manufacturers, they may be manufacturer-specific. To access the data, you only need to download and install the application.
Confirm the date of activation
This isn’t an exact method, and it won’t work if you’re buying a used phone. If you’re the original owner of the phone and logged in with your Google account the day you unboxed it, you’d at least have a date for when it was unboxed.
Step 1: On your mobile or desktop browser, go to the Google Play Store settings page.
Step 2: After logging in, you’ll be able to see all of your phones, as well as when you registered them and when you last used them. You may also change the device’s nickname from here.
How can I figure out what year my phone was purchased?
It may be as simple as looking at your phone’s invoice to see when you purchased it. You should be able to find the date on the phone’s retail box and purchase the invoice if you still have them.
The IMEI number is another quick way to figure out how long you’ve had your phone. That’s only one of the many things you can do with a number like that.
It’s simple to figure out when a phone was released, but determining the device’s specific manufacturing date is more difficult.
There isn’t a simple answer to this. Every manufacturer marks manufacturing dates on their equipment in their unique way.
What Is the Importance of a Phone’s Age?
The release dates of various smartphones are generally known. Your phone, on the other hand, could have been produced months or even years after the initial release. There are various reasons why you would want to look for your phone’s manufacturing date.
It may provide you with information on how secure your device is. In comparison to newer models, older phones are often less secure.
The age of your phone has an impact on its resell value. If you decide to sell your device, a more modern model is likely to bring more money.
The overall performance of your phone is affected by its age. Older phones have slower processors and are more subject to wear and tear.
The battery life of your phone decreases as it gets older.
Final Words
When the occasion arises, knowing how to tell how old your phone is can come in handy. Don’t look too far if you’re buying a secondhand phone or just curious about how long it’s been in your possession. To find what you’re looking for, try any of the ways listed above.
If all you care about is how long you’ve had your phone or when you bought it, the simple trick is to check its warranty expiration date. After all, double-checking a phone’s manufacturing date is time-consuming and often unnecessary.
You might want to know how to tell how old your phone is for a variety of reasons. Whether you’re attempting to sell it, buy a secondhand phone, or just want to know how many years your phone has been alive, the good news is that you can find out how old it is for free.
You’re probably trying to buy a used phone if you’re looking for this information. The manufacturing date is important, but not as important as other factors to keep an eye out for.