Smartphone Buying Guide: Know How to Buy a Smartphone in India

October 30, 2017

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When purchasing a smartphone, you start by choosing the operating system and prioritize your price and feature considerations to find the desired model. You need to learn how to make decisions that are informed when purchasing a smartphone and be sure to consider the current software you are using.

Recommended reading: Laptop Buying Guide: 8 Tips to Buy New Laptop in India

Why should buy a Smartphone?

The iOS is quite easy to use and Android gives you many choices. In case you are torn between Android and iOS, it is important to opt for an iPhone if you need something that is quite easy to use and gives you the hottest applications first and continuous software updates. Android is good when you want more affordable options and hardware choice.

Do not pay too much for a phone. While premium Android smartphones and iPhones can cost a lot of money, you can get unlocked phones that are quite affordable and will cost you less as compared to other brands.

You need to get the right screen size. You need to buy a screen that has a screen of 5.5 inches when using one hand to operate it is quite important or when you have small hands. You only need to purchase a smartphone with a bigger screen if you have intentions of watching videos, when you want to take advantage of multi-window mode in the android naugat, and play games. Still, manufacturers of phones are focusing on ways of making big screen phones that fit in the hand with comfort.

For the display of the phone, brightness and color quality matters more than the resolution. A 4K screen on the phone is nice to have but it overkills. You need to pay more attention to the brightness of the display for it to be able to be seen in the outdoors with ease, and how colorful its panel is. When learning how to buy a smartphone, you will realize that the latest phones offer a range of display colors.

You need to ignore the camera megapixels. Alongside the life of the battery, the camera is among the most important features of the smartphone. You need to pay attention to specs like aperture and other special features like dual lenses. Ignore its megapixels

When you want to choose smartphone by features, you will realize that its processor matters less than it used to in the past years. However, if you desire to have the most power for cirtual reality and play games, you need to buy a smartphone that has snapdragon 821 chip or the one with the latest snapdragon mobile platform. The snapdragon 600 chip series is okay for midtier smartphones. The A10 processors found in the iPhone 7 is also speedy.

Do not settle on a smartphone that has a battery capacity of less than three thousand mAh. You can read the smartphone buying guide regarding the battery test to find out the devices that can serve you through the day from a single charge.

You need to get at least 32GB of storage space, smartphones that have a storage space of sixteen GB are a rip-off. The only good thing is that they are now rare among the first smartphones, that are starting at 32GB. The microSD card slot is also crucial when you have to expand the storage, but not all android phones have this lot.

Verizon is among the best wireless carries for speed and coverage, but T-Mobile provides the best service in India. When it comes to discounted carriers, it is crucial to shop around in the market.

1 Picking an Operating System

1.1 Learn some basic differences between operating systems

iOS, also known as the iPhone, is known for its security, ease of use, and clean integration with other products from Apple.

Android has an association with integrating with google services, ability to undergo customization, and loser costs.

Phones from windows are less common but have an emphasis on integrating with Microsoft products. They also offer a high-end software for cameras on particular models.

If possible, you need to demo the product at the store. This will give you a sense of feel and interface of every operating system.

1.2Determine the price range

iPhones are generally more expensive than smartphones with android. Among other manufacturers Samsung and apple are among the most expensive, while HTC, Motorola, and LG tend to be low on cost when comparing the options.

Phones get a subsidy when purchased alongside a free upon signing or sometimes a phone carrier. This will commit you to a billing plan of two years and includes penalties for the carrier for two years for early cancellation.

Some carries have a monthly fee for the devices to make up for no or little upfront cost on the smartphones.

1.3Consider the software and device you are owning

If you own a computer or tablet, you might experience the best integration level with its software and services by getting a smartphone with developer support. However, note that any smartphone can function with, and connect to almost any computer operating system.

If your google user or MS Office are heavy, you will experience the best support and integration when you use android phone. It is crucial to note that google and Microsoft produce their populous apps for competing smartphone operating systems.

1.4Determine which features suit your needs

Every operating system possesses a number of proprietary features, while basic features like maps, web browsing, and mail will be available on each system.

iPhone or iOS has exclusive features like fingerprint scanning, Siri, iCloud support, and FaceTime chat.

Android possesses google now, a home screen widget for customizations for allowing third party installation of aps. Meaning that you can download internet programs and install them out of the play store ecosystem. A lot of Android smartphones of the day have cloud storage for pictures, fingerprint sensors, and support using google drive for cloud storage and documents.

Windows smartphone uses Cortana for activating voice, possesses live tiles for home screen optimization, and uses excel, word, PDF, and PowerPoint options.

1.5Consider which apps you want to use

A lot of populous applications like MS Office, Google Maps, and Apple Music are found across all platforms. However, there exist apps like FaceTime, Google Now, and iMessage that are exclusive to particular platforms. Look at the associated store with each option to ensure that the apps you are looking for are accessible.

Generally, if a populous app is not found on the operating system of the competitor, there exist a chance that an alternative app is existent and functions in a similar way.

Android and iOS historically have a broader support for apps than windows.

The purchases of your app are linked with the account of your support. You will have the ability to transfer the purchase to your future phones if they have a similar operating system.

1.6Choose an operating system

For most individuals, the deciding factors when choosing the best-selling phone right now is personal preference. Those individuals that are looking for a simple interface and a system that is secure will have the tendency of liking iPhones backed by the iOS, while those that are looking for customized options and low prices will prefer windows or Android phones.

2Choosing a Smartphone Model

2.1Pick a carrier

Most carriers offer many phone options across distinct operating systems. Major carriers usually subsidize the phones or offer distinct contract combinations or payment plans to reduce up-front costs of the smartphone.

Other carriers will allow you to forego the contract while making the iPhone payment as part of the monthly costs. The cancellation of your service will force to make payment for the remaining cost of the phone at once.

Unlocked phones are the ones purchase outside a carrier and is not linked with the contract of the phone service. They become more expensive but give allowance to flexibility when switching phone carriers.

When buying the unlocked phone, you need to ensure that you double-check to ensure that the model is compatible with the particular network carrier. Many carriers possess a web page for checking compatibility with the ID info of the model.

2.2Pick a phone data and service plan that works for you

You need to pick a phone service that has a favorable data plan for your situation. The service carriers will offer a range of plan options the minutes of the phone, data, and text over other cellular networks.

You will have the ability to cut the monthly costs by avoiding to purchase any data plan, but it means not accessing the internet through the phone when not on wifi.

2.3Pick a screen size

The size of the screen is measured from corner to corner diagonally. When you read the smartphone buying guide, the screen size is a preference matter. The larger the display the better it will fit into your pocket and often cheaper. Large displays are preferable when you are planning to watch many videos.

iPhone smartphone offers diverse compact phone series that have extra large screens.

Android smartphones come in diverse ranges of sizes. You can find small budget models like the Galaxy S Mini or the Moto G, high-end models like the HTC, Galaxy S series, and oversize models like the Nexus or Galaxy note

Nokia offers a windows smartphone with models ranging from four to six inches.

2.4Decide how new you want your phone model to be

Novel phones are more powerful and typically faster than their older versions but cost higher than them. Particularly, older versions have more difficult time running current applications.

For those conscious of the budget, a good compromise is waiting for newer models of the smartphone you desire to be available in the market. You will have to take advantage of the reduced prices in the market. When new models premiere, interest in old models go down and their prices change to reflect the same.

Regardless of the choice you make, you need to understand that technology is moving fast and newer models will continue appearing. The smartphone will eventually seem obsolete or old.

2.5Check the storage space

The storage space of a phone is the measure of the number of files it can store at any time. This space affects the pricing of the phone and it, therefore, becomes important to know what you need before choosing a particular smartphone.

For instance, storage space is the difference between the sixteen and thirty-two GB iPhone 6. Some android phones support storage expansion when you purchase the microSD card. iPhone smartphones do not support the expansion of storage space after buying.

2.6Consider camera quality

Even though smartphones know how to take high-quality photos, the actual quality of pictures varies between models and brands. The best method of measuring the quality of the camera in the phone is by searching the samples of photos on the internet taken with the smartphone, or demonstrating with the phone by yourself.

While the manufacturers will advertise the megapixel count of the camera. Features like ISO, brightness, low light performance, and noise reduction are also more important to consider.

The most modern smartphones come with a front and rear facing camera and flash. They support third-party plugins like lens attachments.

iPhones are known for their high quality camera in terms of hardware and software.

The lumia windows phone has the design for carrying out heavy camera use activities.

2.7Consider phone battery life

The battery life of smartphones is improving steadily making newer phones to have a long battery life. However, the habit of usage is what dictates the length of the battery life. Gaming time, talking on the phone, and using the outsides of the phone like wifi ranges will drain the life of the battery.

The average life of a smartphone’s battery is between eight to eighteen hours.

Many flagship Android models do not support replaceable batteries. iPhone smartphones do not support replaceable batteries on all models.

Newer android models utilize quick charge technology to help in charging the large batteries faster. Manufacturers claim that phones with quick charge properties can charge fifty percent of the battery within thirty minutes.

Some Important Smartphone Accessories

Power bank

Whether you have an Android or iPhone smartphone, a high-end device or a low-cost smartphone, having a power bank if something you cannot avoid in the current world. they are lifesavers in situations that the phones run out of the batter and you do not have a socket for charging them. Such situations are common when traveling. They become handy backups at affordable prices. The powerful the battery, the more devices it can recharge.

Selfie stick

When reading the smartphone buying guide, you will realize that you may not have embraced the selfie stick so much. It is a handy tool when travelling alone. These sticks have mushroomed in the accessories market and taken angles of aid. Others come with Bluetooth controls for easy operation.

USB OTG

Many smartphones support the USB OTG. If your phone has this feature, you will have to get the USB OTG cable. It will help you to attach pen drives on the phone. You can also get some drives that do not require the cable to connect to your phone. Depending on your budget and need, you might decide to have both the direct USB OTG drive and cable.

Headphone splitter

When you are struggling to share your headphones while listening to music with friends, this accessory is the best option. Your friends will listen to music at the same time as you. They provide hygiene, comfort, and ease. You can get it from both offline and online retail shops. It comes in different designs and prices at different retail points.

When you are learning on how to buy a smartphone, there are many things you need to put into consideration. When you are using it in your room, it needs to have the ability to serve you and your friends without causing discomfort. The right smartphone needs to give you a hassle-free experience. It needs to give you a hands-free experience so that you remain relaxed and free when driving or cycling. You need to continue working without having to take the phone from your pocket.

Best Smartphone Deals on Amazon

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Moto G5s Plus (Lunar Grey, 64GB)

Camera: 13+13 MP Dual rear camera with LED flash | 8 MP front camera with flash
Display: 13.97 centimeters (5.5-inch) Full HD capacitive touchscreen display with 1080x1920 pixels | Gorilla Glass 3 protection

Last update was on: August 18, 2022 8:17 am