Smartphones have become an integral part of our life. We use them for texting, calling, browsing, taking pictures, and a lot more. There are so many smartphones available in the market that anyone can feel overwhelmed. While I’m not going to tell you which smartphone to pick, I’m going to simply lay down the foundation for picking one.
The biggest point: Android or iOS?
Pick Android. Well, what did you expect my answer was going to be? You are reading this article on an Android blog. You were bound to get a biased answer.
Alright, jokes apart, both, Android and iOS are awesome operating system and account for more than 90% of the smartphone industry. To keep things simple – choose iOS if you want an easy-to-use device and early access to the hottest apps along with timely software updates. Choose Android if you want affordable prices and more hardware options.
Price: Make It Or Break It Factor
If you pick iOS, you are locked to the reserved Apple ecosystem and don’t have a lot of choices. Sure, getting the latest iPhone X sounds enticing but do check out the iPhone 6S which you can get for less than half the price of the latest iPhone.
For Android, there are just too many options. You can get a device for as low as $50 or you can go all out and spend more than $900.
My advice is to get a mid-range device, somewhere between $400-$500. And if you do want a high-end device, I’d suggest you wait for a while. Do not go for a new flagship as soon as it hits the market. Wait for a few months, even a year if you can. The prices will go down. Sure you’ll be buying “old” hardware. But, is it really such a bad thing? Old hardware doesn’t necessarily mean bad experience. Smartphones slow down due to excessive usage over a long period of time. So if you buy a brand new Samsung Galaxy S6 right now, it would run extremely smooth even today. Plus, you could save almost a $100.
Avoid Getting Locked Into A Contract
Getting into a contract to buy a new phone and then pay installments for 24 months sounds absurd to me. I mean, what if you get bored and decide to sell the smartphone in 3 months and buy a new device from the cash that you receive? Well, that can’t happen when you are in a contract. Sure, the upfront cost could seem a little high but it’s much better than paying installments for the next 2 years and not having the option to sell it whenever you want.
Do You Even Need A Flagship Device?
An average smartphone user uses their device for the basic purpose of communicating and browsing the internet. A mid-range device is more than capable of performing all the above mention tasks.
Most of the flagship devices are built with insane specs which an average user seldom takes advantage of. Before buying the flagship handset you need to ask yourself why you actually want to do with your phone. You could, literally, save hundreds by opting for a cheaper model and still get everything that you want. Just do proper research before buying your next smartphone.
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