Learning And Understanding Smartphones

Learning And Understanding Smartphones

Technology has improved significantly over the years and this has never been more obvious than with the current selections of smartphones. Consumers can literally find a cellular phone today that can do just about everything they need it to do, and then some. Cell phones are no longer just for talking and texting. Today, many consumers use their smartphones for everything from shopping online to working, which makes choosing the right smartphone a bit difficult. With new technology coming out regularly from Apple, Samsung and Google, consumers are finding it more and more difficult to choose from among the many offerings. Fortunately, there are things that you can keep in mind when choosing a new smartphone that will make the buying process a bit simpler.

Ease Of Use:

One of the main benefits of using a smartphone is the many features and functions that they offer. However, if those functions are difficult to use, it makes the phone no better than the old fashioned flip phone in terms of overall benefits. When shopping for a new smartphone, pay strict attention to those apps and functions that you use most often and then choose a model that makes it easy to access and use those functions.

Cost:

Smartphones are not cheap. Apples newest iPhone comes in at a whopping $1,000, which may simply be above the budget of the average consumer. While certain carriers will offer a discount for buying the newest smartphones, these discounts often come with requirements. Many will give you a steep discount, hundreds of dollars off of the original price, but only if you sign a two year service contract. If you are planning to get service anyway, this is not at all a bad deal. However, if you already have a service plan in place and are not looking for a new one, this may not be the best deal. There are a number of cheaper options that you can get for just a couple of hundred dollars, so if budget is an issue, take your time and shop around before automatically choosing the latest and greatest on the market.

Battery:

Depending on how you are planning to use your smartphone, you may want to check the battery life. Some models give you more than 10 hours on a single charge, even if you are using apps regularly. Others however, may only give you a couple of hours on a single charge if you are using the internet or another app that pulls a lot of power. If you travel a lot, battery life could be a major issue. Check the current models and find the one that offers the best battery life, particularly considering the apps and other functions that you will be using regularly when the phone is not being charged.

Storage Space:

One of the most important aspects of smartphones for many consumers, is the amount of storage space that they offer. Phones that only give you 16GB of storage are likely not going to be what you need. If you play games on your phone or tend to take a lot of photos or videos, or if you enjoy downloading playlists of your favorite music, you are going to need something that has at least 32GB. 64GB is the most common in newer models and many offer a microSD card slot that gives you expandable storage. If storage is an issue, be sure that you know whether or not the smartphones you are considering offer this additional storage. Some simply give you internal storage without the option of adding an SD card.

Operating System:

You will also need to choose the smartphone that has the operating system that you want. Operating systems will either be Android or iOS. Android is included in many models while iOS is found on Apple smartphones. Android is typically the most commonly chosen smartphone operating system, but there are those who swear by Apple’s system.

Other Things To Consider:

Other things that you need to keep in mind when buying new smartphones include the screen size, resolution, camera operation and display. If you are going to be using your smartphone to watch videos or movies, you want to be sure that you choose one with the display size and resolution that will make this an enjoyable experience. How colorful the screen is, the viewing angle and other aspects should also be considered. You want to be certain that you take the time to look around and try out various models, which you can do in the store, to determine the right phone for all of your needs.

Design And Durability:

Also check that the design is something that you can work with. If you want a smartphone that has good aesthetics, a metal of glass design is often the best choice. There are others that have plastic bodies and while these are certainly good enough phones, if you are not only looking for the cheapest model then these may not be best. Smartphones are not cheap so you want something that is going to last, at least as long as the service contract that you have chosen. Many providers will offer the ability to upgrade your smartphone after your service contract runs out, and for an additional discount on the overall cost, but you want the phone to last until you have the opportunity to buy another one. If durability is a concern, there are a number of models that are water resistant and many that are tougher than others when it comes to dropping and otherwise damaging them. You may also want to opt for a protective case, particularly if you are shopping for smartphones for children or teenagers or if you have a job where dropping or otherwise damaging your phone is a common concern. There are a number of new smartphones on the market and choosing can be a difficult task. Take your time, do your research and look at a few models before making your final choice.