On Thursday 26th May we took a look at buying a new Smartphone, and the ins and outs of different price points. Chris started off by saying that she had been obliged to buy a new one because the Xiaomi phone she bought a couple of years ago (…well more like three actually), had begun to complain that there wasn’t enough storage space despite Chris using an additional micro SD card to store media. She had found that half of the 34GB storage had been filled up with something called “other” , which was impossible to get rid of. Apparently it would be re-created even after a factory reset.
On the bright side, Scotty mentioned a Club member who had recently picked up a bargain on offer at the Phonehouse in Ondara. (Note from Chris: I see my old 32 GB phone is still on sale there, 40% off!)
We looked at a number of websites discussing “How much should you spend on a phone” and “What to look for in a new phone” . It was interesting how things have changed just in a couple of years!
This site is up to date and provides some good tips: https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/what-to-look-for-in-a-new-phone/
What to Look For in a New Phone: We Cut Through the Jargon
Buying a new iPhone or Android phone? These are our best shopping tips for 2022.
We discussed price points as regards Android phones (Scotty’s phone cost some €700 a few years ago, and he plans to keep it for five years total. Chris’s new phone cost €170 and she does not know how long it will last!)
The important thing is Know what you care about most:
Android or Apple? Stick to the “environment” you are already invested in.
Battery life? – most new phones have good battery life.
Camera? – There are specialist cameraphones which are supposed to be as good as an Single lens reflex, and a price to match. The cameras in most phones costing around €200 are fine for everyday snaps.
Storage? – Minimum recommended these days is 64GB – 128 GB is better.
Additional SD card storage?: We are a bit unclear as to whether phones would come with an external SD slot in the future, since it makes the phone less waterproof.
Upgradeable?: Most phones become obsolete before they break down because they cannot be upgraded to the latest version of the OS (this applies both the Android and Apple) . The EU is trying to legislate against this practice.
Processor and RAM? Probably only important if you are a gamer. 3D games need lots of power!
Screen size? – Most are 6.5 inches or thereabouts. Scotty’s phone has more use-able screen space because it doesn’t have a bezel. Phones with foldable screens have been promised for several years… here’s some latest news !! : https://www.notebookcheck.net/Pixel-Fold-Google-rumoured-to-have-cancelled-Pixel-Notepad-as-wait-for-the-first-foldable-Pixel-smartphone-continues.622213.0.html
Screen resolution and technology: The more expensive phones have higher resolution AMOLED screens This may be important if you want to watch movies on your phone.
Screen protector? Phones have special scratch-proof “gorilla glass”, so a plastic overlay is not really necessary, though Scotty has an anti-glare screen protector.
4G or 5G? – Many new phones have 5G as standard, even moderately priced ones (like Chris’s ;))
Other bells and whistles? Things like fingerprint and face recognition, wireless charging etc. are often standard. Features from flagship phones of a few years ago are now standard in moderately priced ones. Chris was mostly pleased with the features of her new phone, but disappointed that it would not cast directly to the Club’s projector, but needs to use Chromecast! Well, you can’t have it all for less than €200.