Who is buying smartphones

If you're an Android fan, your options lie with Google's Pixel phones. The most recent Pixel 5's screen measures 6-inches although it feels like less to hold, thanks to its narrow bezels , while the Pixel 4A or 4A 5G, if you want faster data speeds is smaller still at 5. Camera features have been a major point of bragging rights in recent phones, with manufacturers always wanting a bigger, more exciting number, be it numbers of megapixels or numbers of actual camera lenses.

Three rear cameras is now common -- a super-wide lens, a regular lens and a telephoto lens -- with even more budget-focused phones packing multiple cameras. This is great, as more lenses mean more shooting options when you're out and about. But that doesn't mean that any multi-lens camera is as good as another. As with processor performance, the more you spend, the better the results you'll typically get, with the absolute best cameras around usually being found on the most expensive flagships.

Look out for features like optical rather than digital zooms, night mode for better low light images, and optical image stabilisation. Sometimes these features might not be clear and it's not possible to judge a camera's performance just by looking at the specs. If you really care about your phone's photography skills then take some time to look at the reviews and see how its camera performs before you spend your money.

Most phones, from the budget end through to elite flagships, can last most of a day on a single charge. Bigger phones might have bigger batteries, but they also have bigger screens and often more powerful processors, so they suck that extra juice down quickly.

Here are some things to keep in mind:. It's enough to make these phones run any task without breaking a sweat, but you don't need to spend flagship level money to get great performance. Most decent midrange phones offer enough power to handle all of your everyday needs.

You'll still be able to play almost any game from the Google Play store and edit your high-resolution photos in apps such as Snapseed. There's little you could throw at most midrange phones that they wouldn't be able to handle. As you move into the budget end of the spectrum then you'll start to notice some slowdown with things like gaming. Android looks and behaves slightly differently depending on who manufactures the smartphone handset, but the basics are essentially the same.

Apple iOS. All iPhones use iOS and, unlike Android, the experience of using the operating system is broadly similar whichever iPhone you buy. New updates to iOS are released each year, but some older iPhones may be able to run only older versions, which means you'll miss out on some of the latest features and security patches. Smartphones are getting bigger, with the latest high-end models measuring between 5.

Some people find them too large and awkward to hold, and would prefer a model they can comfortably use with one hand. The best way to find out which handset size is right for you is to try holding a few in a shop. Also pay attention to the physical dimensions of the phone. Screen sizes are available at different aspect ratios, and different phones have different sized bezels. A phone with a 6-inch screen may ultimately be smaller than one with a 5.

You might be tempted to think that phones with larger batteries have a better battery life. While battery size is a good indicator, that's not always the case. There are multiple things that can drain a phone's battery, including screen size, resolution and refresh rate, and the type of processor.

We put all phones through a rigorous battery test to find out how long they last under real usage conditions — watching videos, browsing the internet, making calls, using the camera and more, and we factor in idle time as well, to give a realistic usage time, and attribute a star rating. If battery is the most important thing to you, you can browse all our mobile phone reviews to find a model that lasts.

This is a key buying decision. It can be tempting to opt for a lower monthly fee rather than pay a lot outright for a new phone, but this could cost more in the long term. Use our phone contract calculator to find the best way to buy. One way to get a good discount on a phone is to buy second-hand, or a refurbished model — which is usually a phone that has been used but restored to 'as new' condition, or graded to a certain level of quality. The second hand phone market is a popular one, but you do need to be careful what you buy.

Read more in our guide to buying a second-hand or refurbished mobile phone. The biggest fault people have with mobile phones is related to battery, with almost one in five reporting issues with phones refusing to charge, or quickly losing charge. We collect reliability data on all the big brand smartphones so you have all the very best advice before you buy. Read our guide to the most reliable smartphone brands for more. There's plenty of choice in the smartphones market outside Samsung and Apple, and plenty of quality too - we regularly uncover Best Buys from rival brands.

A popular 'budget' brand, Motorola has a range of very competitively priced models, and are a favourite among users who don't want to spend a fortune on a phone. Our tests have shown that it's capable of both Best Buys and Don't Buys, so check our Motorola mobile phone reviews to make sure your money's spent wisely.

If you're after a brand that provides value for money, look no further than Xiaomi. While it does produce high end phones, Xiaomi has a wide range of cheap yet feature-packed models that have seriously impressed.

My Pixel 2 does everything I need it to do. Especially with some of the new features Google has pushed out through OS updates. So do I need a new phone? No, not really. Just my two pfennig But the basic questions are : "Do I really need a new phone? Best phones to buy are last years flagship phones. Non removable batteries are about planed obsolescence and nothing more. All the so called experts will tell you it is about form and function so they can get their free phones. It is really all about greed and forcing you to buy a new phone sooner.

I recently bought an galaxy s7 edge and i had the same dillema. After years of being an Nexus user i went to samsung because i got tired of being a beta tester for google. Crashes,bootlops, freezeups and whatnot all happend on Nexus 5X. Sammy you finnaly got me.

EBay or Amazon offer that many affordable phones that some people just buy because of the price of the phone,but before I chose to buy any phone,I look Amazon reviews or checkout videos of any phone on you tube which is sometime very helpful when chosing a phone or how set up any thing your struggling to solve on any phone,with Samsung removing the F. Very interesting article!

And some thoughts about where to buy China, Amazon local retail shop This is a superficial article. Rather, you need separate articles on specific topics.

I suggest the following : 1. The uses of a stylus, vis-a-vis the Samsung Note series. That is, should I choose a mobile phone with a stylus? Whether buying a phablet is better than buying a tablet as a second mobile device?

Is the laptop gradually being phased out by mobile phones? How processors matter and an explanation of the different manufacturers and types. How to select a good phone camera. Hi Shankar! Yes, you're right. Getting into these various topics individually would also help people with their smartphone purchase. We do have a few articles of the like already on our site, but you have a lot of good suggestions here.

Cheers :. With that many difference type of phones available,it can be hard for consumers to pick the correct one that suits them,but there is one thing that really determines there choice is the Pricing of the phone they chose,and with phones getting more expensive its getting harder to chose the correct one,those who sign up to contracts do not realise that contracts are now over 18 months so could end up paying more than they should be,the critics get a Samsung releasing to many phones but all they are trying to do is please different age groups which is right thing to make there name more popular with consumers.

You're right, buying a smartphone upfront as opposed to monthly payments in most of the time a lot cheaper, but many people just can't afford expensive phones, such as the ones from Samsung upfront.

Phones like the Moto G5 and the OnePlus 3T though on the other hand may be more manageable, seeing as they are much less expansive. Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds.

Mobility News E-Bikes. Shortcuts: What do you need? Having so many options makes the choice complicated. The best Android smartphones you can buy today 1. Mobile carriers and affordable plans Do you want a new smartphone? Operating system If you're reading this article, you've already decided to focus on buying an Android-based device, but there are several versions, and versions of versions, of this Google software. Android every smartphone confirmed to get the Google update Google dropped the sweets theme for the latest version of Android.

Design and functionality In selecting a new smartphone, personal taste is a major decision point, both in terms of software and outward appearance. Glass or leather? Curved lines or right angles? The dilemmas are endless. Size and type of display For those who like to receive news updates or simply get lost in the HD graphics of the latest Android games, you should really consider a smartphone that is equipped with a display of at least 5.

Processor and RAM The processor is the hub of a device on which depends the overall performance. The latest Snapdragon Internal storage When you're scoping out your next Android, check the RAM and internal storage, but not just what it says on the sticker.