Smartphones have become our indispensable companion. They help you stay on top of email and social updates, take photos, videos, listen music, play games or even share updates. So, it’s pretty obvious how much it matters when it comes in choosing the right phone. Check our ultimate Smartphone-buying guide to that will give details ranging from the operating system to the screen size, camera, and OS. Use this advice to make an intelligent choice and choose the best handset for your needs and budget. Read along to know what are the important things to consider before purchasing a smartphone
Quick Tips
• iPhone mobiles are well known for their ease of usage. Choose an iPhone if you wish to get the hottest apps first and the timeliest software updates.
• Android is mostly opted to get more choices, are budget friendly and offer more customised user experience.
• A mobile phone with a screen size of 5-inch screen or smaller is better for one-hand use. However, a bigger screen is more loved if you like to watch a lot of video and play games.
• The camera has always been an important feature. Better zooming, pixel sizes, etc. See our Best Camera Phones for our top picks.
• If you crave speed, love gaming and are a multitasking person, buy an Android phone with the latest Snapdragon 820 processor and 4GB of RAM / 8GB RAM. iPhones have come up with the A9 chip in the 6s and the 6s Plus is to offer speed.
• Never settle for a Smartphone with less than a 3,000 mAh battery. It is because more the technology is improving, more apps are coming and thus your phone requires endurance. Don’t forget to see our list of Big Battery Phones.
• Rip those 16GB phones. They are okay only if you use cloud storage. Get 32GB or more of storage for hefty download, games or 4K videos.
• One of the best wireless carriers for coverage and speed is Verizon. However, T-Mobile offers the best overall value.
OS – Android, iOS or Others?
Android – The primary reason why Android mobile phones dominates the worldwide sales is the choices in terms of – design, display size, specs, capabilities and price in contrast to iOS. Plus, Android is an open OS, which means it’s easy to customize awesome launchers and widgets, while giving you a choice of keyboards and more. Android phone manufacturers like Samsung mobiles and LG have gone to the extent of adding lots of enhancements to make more-robust multitasking and easier access to settings. However, when a new version of Android arrives, you need to wait for the updated OS to hit your phone.
iOS
Most iPhones today come with iOS 9 that offers all sorts of enhancements. For instance, Siri offers proactive suggestions, the robust Notes app and the Maps to transit direction. The biggest reasons to opt for an iOS Mobiles include its ease of use, access to OS updates from day one and ability to work seamlessly with Apple devices. Apple’s App Store tends to get the hottest apps and games before Android. Also, iPhones enjoy the broadest array of accessories, because there’s less variation in design from one model to the next.
Windows Phone –
Microsoft’s compelling features are universal apps and Continuum. The former allow developers to create one app for Windows 10 on the desktop and mobile, whereas Continuum enables you to run Windows 10 Mobile on the desktop with a compatible dock.
BlackBerry –
BlackBerry is now showing signs and launching Android-powered devices that pairs with Google’s OS and app store with a slide-out keyboard. Although the pricey ‘Priv’ didn’t please the audience much, further releases promises to give audience the best bang for the buck.
Screen Size
Bigger screens are in vogue! However, other screen sizes too are preferred. Small screen mobiles (Less Than 4.5 Inches) are loved for their compact design and comfort of handling the device single handedly. Mobiles in this range are both powerful and affordable. Medium Screen (4.5 to 5.4 Inches) are fairly comfortable to use with one hand. Coming to Big screen mobiles or Phablets (5.5 Inches or More) requires two-handed operations and are mostly preferred by the people who love watching videos, reading eBooks and running two apps side by side.
Display Quality
It is crucial to consider a Smartphone’s resolution, brightness, color quality and viewing angles. The sharpest displays have quad-HD resolution, or 2,560 x 1,440 pixels. However, a full-HD panel with 1,920 x 1,080 pixels (1080p) shows plenty of detail. Screens with 1,280 x 720 pixels (720p), typically found on budget phones, can result in lost detail in text or movies. Also, ensure that the mobile phone you choose has a panel that’s bright enough for you to be able to read it outdoors in direct sunlight and has wide angles.
Design
Every person may have their unique taste when it comes to defining the design. However, if you want to have a good build quality and aesthetics and a unibody design iPhone 6s and HTC 10 can be the best options. The glass-and-metal design as in The Galaxy S7’s is very charming. The Galaxy S7 Edge with its dual curved display portrays elegance.