Depending on how you plan to maximize your mobile phone, it should be relatively easy for you to choose the right handset. But, that’s not always the case. With a variety of smartphones to choose from, we often get overwhelmed and opt for a device that is within our budget but with low quality, or a high performance one that costs the earth.
To help you out in choosing the best smartphone, here are the important features you need to consider first:
Design aesthetics
Since mobile phones are made by a variety of manufacturers, you have a wide range of designs to choose from. You must select the one that fits your needs. A specific feature to consider is whether the handset includes a full keyboard.
While most mobile devices (even smartwatches) come with fully functional touchscreen, there are some that still use a QWERTY keypad, such as Blackberry that have brought back their infamous line of keyboard-based smartphones. Touchscreens may look cool, but they are not always as user-friendly as their QWERTY-based counterpart. Meanwhile, a keypad adds a little bulk to the device, especially if it’s the slide type.
Here are the other design features to consider:
• Size of the handset
• Display resolution
• Ruggedness
• Edge or curved sides
• Physical or built-in Home button
Data connection and capacity
It’s not enough nowadays that a smartphone can connect to the internet, as almost all mobile devices on the market (even wearables) are able to do that. There are specific features that all mobile users need to be aware of in terms of connectivity in order to secure the best option on the market.
Consider the following questions:
• Is it able to connect to 4G? There are some smartphones on the market that can only connect to 3G or EDGE connectivity.
• What’s the maximum speed of the connection (Mbps)? The fastest data connection is up to 450 Mbps, which is three times faster than the handsets from two years ago.
• How many compatible mobile internet bands can it cater to? This will help you determine if a particular handset can only connect to one internet provider or more. Some are able to connect to up to 25 bands.
Mobile internet depends on the provided data capping of your mobile provider. Digital company O2 said that mobile plans have a variety of data allocations from 250 MB to 20 GB per month. It’s ideal to choose the best mobile plan with data depending on your online usage.
Software of the Smartphone
At the end of the day, it will all boil down to the kind of operating system you want to use. Even Android smartphones come in different versions, with some of them not being able to upgrade to the latest version of the OS.
In order to get the most of your handset, learn what the built-in features of the OS (mPayment, NFC, productivity apps, etc.). Given the rising issue of cybercrimes, it’s ideal to choose a platform that offers the best security features.
Secondly, are there any particular third-party apps you want to use? Some apps are only limited to the App Store or the Google Play Store and thus should impact your decision of which platform to use.
Lastly, find out the version of the OS and if it will be compatible with the next system upgrade. Each operating system has its own features and bugs to consider.
The aforementioned mobile features are a must to ensure you have a high-performing handset that is worth every penny you invest in it. Timing is everything when buying a smartphone. New handsets are announced year after year, so today’s new devices could be old news tomorrow. It’s best to take your time and do your research before buying a smartphone, and if you feel that one that is better suited is being released in 6-months, then wait and be patient.
Exclusively written for King of App
by JTechnology
