As a geek, I am pretty much excited about every phone that is launched across the globe! Not all of them are the latest & greatest but have something going for them.
Just like us humans, all smartphones have some good features and some bad. So, it is quite okay for someone to like a phone that you may not.
That said, there are some really BAD phones out there. These are phones that won't offer a great experience to anyone out there. It is the kind of phone that you would not have liked using 3 years back!
Here are some things to look out for before you shell out your hard earned money on that piece of tech (or junk)!
NOTE: If you are an iPhone user, do not read any further. This article won't make a difference in your life!
ANDROID VERSION
This is a sure shot way of getting to know if the phone is good or not. How old is the version of Android? Is it the latest (Android Pie) or is it rocking an older version?
If the phone you are looking for is rocking Android 7 (Nougat), junk it. It means that the OEM is not bothered about the phone and Google won't be providing security patches either, which makes the phone vulnerable to malicious attacks.
Ideally, get a phone that is running on Android 9 (Pie) or get one that has Android 8 (Oreo).
Considering that you will hold on the phone for 1 to 1.5 years at least, it will have the most recent features and you have a good chance of getting updates till you think of upgrading.
BASIC FEATURES / FUNCTIONALITY
Not all phones have all the features. Also, not everyone needs all the features. So, while it is good to have all the set of features, it is completely okay to miss out on things like a dual lens, wireless charging, NFC etc.
What is not okay is missing out on features / functionalities like
1) Basic sensors like gyroscope & proximity sensors
2) A sub Full HD screen
I understand that a large segment of people won't know/care about these features, but it goes a long way in making the overall experience better.
While on this point, if possible, go in for a phone that has USB type C charging port (instead of micro USB) and a phone with basic storage of 32/64 GB & 4 GB of RAM.
BLOATWARE
In an ideal world, all phones should have no bloatware/unnecessary apps out of the box. Unfortunately, even some of the biggest phone manufacturers (Samsung) load their phones with bloatware! Having a duplicate Google app is nothing but a plain nuisance. Why would you need 2 of every app like calendar, notes, browser, mail etc?
The security, cleaner apps are even more annoying. We have noticed that most of these apps from chinese phone manufacturers have severe security risks.
When shopping for a cheap phone, it becomes a bigger problem as it eats into the storage space.
So, what does one do? Either uninstall (If you have the option) all the apps that you do not use immediately after unboxing or go in for a phone that runs the Android One software.
CAMERA CONUNDRUM
Probably, the most important feature of a phone! Even the most affordable phones these days come with a dual lens and upwards of a 12-megapixel count. Do not assume that the phone is a decent shooter on the basis of these 2 factors. a good camera on a phone comes down to software optimisation and pixel size etc.
If possible, check the performance on a friend's phone and (or) read/watch camera reviews of the particular model before buying it.
-----------x-----------
While the above can make or break your experience, here are a couple of things to do/mull over before buying your phone.
READ/WATCH LOCAL REVIEWS
While your favourite international Youtuber or website may have liked or disliked the phone you are considering, make sure that you read and watch your country specific review before making a decision. The reason I say this is because some of the features may be different than the international version of the phone and some functionalities may/may not work in all the countries.
If the local reviews are great, look no further and go ahead.
CAN YOU WAIT?
When it comes to buying an Android phone, timing is everything. There is a good phone being launched every week!
This is not to say that you should hold off your decision to buy a new phone. Just take some time and do some research. Only once you are certain that you are getting a good deal and all the list of features that you want at the given price, go ahead and buy it.
After all, you will be spending a lot of money on something that will remain with you for at least 18 months.
Can you think of any more red-flags before buying a phone? If so, do let me know. I sincerely hope that this article helps you make an informed decision :)
Just like us humans, all smartphones have some good features and some bad. So, it is quite okay for someone to like a phone that you may not.
That said, there are some really BAD phones out there. These are phones that won't offer a great experience to anyone out there. It is the kind of phone that you would not have liked using 3 years back!
Here are some things to look out for before you shell out your hard earned money on that piece of tech (or junk)!
NOTE: If you are an iPhone user, do not read any further. This article won't make a difference in your life!
 |
| Source: Google Images |
ANDROID VERSION
This is a sure shot way of getting to know if the phone is good or not. How old is the version of Android? Is it the latest (Android Pie) or is it rocking an older version?
If the phone you are looking for is rocking Android 7 (Nougat), junk it. It means that the OEM is not bothered about the phone and Google won't be providing security patches either, which makes the phone vulnerable to malicious attacks.
Ideally, get a phone that is running on Android 9 (Pie) or get one that has Android 8 (Oreo).
Considering that you will hold on the phone for 1 to 1.5 years at least, it will have the most recent features and you have a good chance of getting updates till you think of upgrading.
BASIC FEATURES / FUNCTIONALITY
Not all phones have all the features. Also, not everyone needs all the features. So, while it is good to have all the set of features, it is completely okay to miss out on things like a dual lens, wireless charging, NFC etc.
What is not okay is missing out on features / functionalities like
1) Basic sensors like gyroscope & proximity sensors
2) A sub Full HD screen
I understand that a large segment of people won't know/care about these features, but it goes a long way in making the overall experience better.
While on this point, if possible, go in for a phone that has USB type C charging port (instead of micro USB) and a phone with basic storage of 32/64 GB & 4 GB of RAM.
BLOATWARE
In an ideal world, all phones should have no bloatware/unnecessary apps out of the box. Unfortunately, even some of the biggest phone manufacturers (Samsung) load their phones with bloatware! Having a duplicate Google app is nothing but a plain nuisance. Why would you need 2 of every app like calendar, notes, browser, mail etc?
The security, cleaner apps are even more annoying. We have noticed that most of these apps from chinese phone manufacturers have severe security risks.
When shopping for a cheap phone, it becomes a bigger problem as it eats into the storage space.
So, what does one do? Either uninstall (If you have the option) all the apps that you do not use immediately after unboxing or go in for a phone that runs the Android One software.
CAMERA CONUNDRUM
Probably, the most important feature of a phone! Even the most affordable phones these days come with a dual lens and upwards of a 12-megapixel count. Do not assume that the phone is a decent shooter on the basis of these 2 factors. a good camera on a phone comes down to software optimisation and pixel size etc.
If possible, check the performance on a friend's phone and (or) read/watch camera reviews of the particular model before buying it.
-----------x-----------
While the above can make or break your experience, here are a couple of things to do/mull over before buying your phone.
READ/WATCH LOCAL REVIEWS
While your favourite international Youtuber or website may have liked or disliked the phone you are considering, make sure that you read and watch your country specific review before making a decision. The reason I say this is because some of the features may be different than the international version of the phone and some functionalities may/may not work in all the countries.
If the local reviews are great, look no further and go ahead.
CAN YOU WAIT?
When it comes to buying an Android phone, timing is everything. There is a good phone being launched every week!
This is not to say that you should hold off your decision to buy a new phone. Just take some time and do some research. Only once you are certain that you are getting a good deal and all the list of features that you want at the given price, go ahead and buy it.
After all, you will be spending a lot of money on something that will remain with you for at least 18 months.
 |
| Source: Google Images |
Can you think of any more red-flags before buying a phone? If so, do let me know. I sincerely hope that this article helps you make an informed decision :)
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