July 10, 2024, 4:02 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
Even on vacation, the smartphone is a constant companion. To avoid a technical emergency or mishap abroad, there are a few things to consider before you travel.
Despite the planned break from everyday life, our number one companion travels with us on vacation: the smartphone. Translator, navigator, ticket holder–the smartphone is indispensable for many things while traveling. However, if this reliable helper doesn’t work as it should or breaks down far from home, stress is inevitable. To ensure the smartphone doesn’t cause trouble abroad, there are a few things to consider in advance. TECHBOOK provides an overview.
Overview
Does the Plug Fit the Socket
Within the EU, there is usually no problem, but outside Europe and in the UK, the socket question arises. After all, what good is the most reliable smartphone if you can’t power it? The solution is an adapter that you place between the socket and the charging cable, or simply a cheap charging cable with the respective country’s plug. In international hotel chains, there are often pure USB ports instead of traditional sockets. Nevertheless, you should find out in advance which socket type is predominant at your vacation destination.
In the EU, the two-pin plugs C, E, and F are common, but they also fit into sockets of type K and the Thai type O. The slim C plug has the widest range of use, also working with sockets in Israel (type H), Switzerland and Liechtenstein (type J), as well as sockets of types L and N. To be on the safe side, it’s best to use a country-specific adapter or a worldwide travel adapter, which can be quite heavy.
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SIM Card for Abroad
If you don’t want to rely on public, potentially insecure Wi-Fi hotspots during your vacation, you’ll need an appropriate SIM card. Within the EU, you can continue to use your home contract without additional costs. Therefore, a complicated switch is not necessary. Travelers staying outside the EU should get a SIM card for the respective country. Remember: Don’t forget your smartphone’s SIM card opener.
Alternatively, a paperclip can also be used to swap the SIM card. You can also purchase an eSIM, which eliminates the need for a physical SIM card exchange. However, you should check in advance whether your smartphone supports eSIM. With modern devices, this is usually not a problem.
Which Apps Do You Need?
To avoid unpleasant surprises on vacation, you should install all important apps before the trip. In addition to relevant traffic apps for flying without a boarding pass or train travel, translation and navigation apps are recommended. For offline apps like Google Translate or Maps.Me, you need to download the respective language or map in advance so you can find your way around without internet access. This also saves data volume in the vacation country.
The same applies to series, podcasts, music playlists, eBooks, and more, especially if you have a long flight or drive ahead. It’s best to download the relevant episodes and movies for the journey in advance. You never know where the next Wi-Fi will be.
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Important Travel Companion: The Power Bank
Taking lots of photos, navigating city tours with location services on, or using the smartphone as a museum guide–all of this drains the battery significantly. Especially with devices that are not brand new, this can quickly lead to unpleasant surprises. If the smartphone dies, it can be liberating at best, but at worst, you can’t navigate or show tickets.
Travelers with a smartphone that already has a weak battery should always carry a power bank. If you’re looking to buy a power bank now, pay attention to the categories: capacity, charging speed, weight, and price.
Last but Not Least: Backups
Despite all precautions, mishaps can happen on vacation: whether it’s water damage, theft, or old age, the smartphone could fail on the go. For this reason, you should create a backup of the most important data on your smartphone and upload it to the cloud, for example. If you want to prepare for theft in particular, you should also write down the device number of the smartphone and the service number of the provider.
At the same time, you should use the smartphone itself for backups of important documents. Booking confirmations, visas, or identification documents usually need to be available in original form. If they are lost or stolen, a digital copy is a first line of defense.
If you follow all these tips before your vacation and pack the right helpers for your smartphone in your suitcase, nothing can go wrong–at least not with your phone.