DISCLAIMER: I work for a tech firm. I have no brand or platform allegiance. Whatever gives me the best functionality, for the longest duration, in the most efficient way possible, at the best price I can get it at… that’s what I side with. When it comes to smartphones, that’s also EXACTLY my point.
So this has been my deal ever since smartphones hit the scene (post sidekicks)…
Cell phones, before possessing internet access, were all about accessorizing. Cases. Face plates. Carrying pouches, etc. They all called and texted, had removable batteries, and if you were really lucky, you could play snake. The bells and whistles came in the form of possessing a camera, full keyboards, flip covers, slide covers, etc. It was all mostly pointless and cosmetic but because all phones did the same thing, that’s what set them apart. Once we began to be able to run software applications, read/send email, update websites, interact with social media, and essentially run our lives from our pockets, the value we put into the look of our phones and the brand of the phone SHOULD HAVE gone completely out the window.
It didn’t.
Not for most.
People buy iPhones less because it’s a decent product and more because it’s an Apple product. Being an Apple product somehow means iPhones are the best, even though the people who say that have no evidence to back up that claim. Most importantly, Apple product ownership is a visual upscale status signifier. iPhones have gained jewelry level status. It’s not a very flexible product, but it’s a good and expensive phone and always has been.
People still buy phones running android platforms solely because they’re NOT iPhones, as though that matters a lick in how the phone functions day to day.
People still avoid Windows phones because Microsoft has a bad reputation for trying to step forward with Windows but needing to run miles backwards to finally position themselves to gain that progressive step. These are all terrible reasons to invest in a product that essentially dictates how well you interact with the world around you.
While I know some people who have had upwards of 10 smart phones by now from breaking them and not being able to stand not having the newest model, I’m still on my first smart phone. I waited it out until the millions of Beta testers (all of you), enabled manufacturers to put out more reliable products. I have a 16gig Galaxy S3 that I got on Groupon for $10. For a combined $60, I bought and installed an extended battery as well a 72 gig SD card. For a grand total of $70 dollars, I made a smart phone that lasted about 20x’s (exaggeration… maybe) longer than an iPhone (or any phone for that matter) and had more internal space than the most expensive top tier iPhone model at the time.
Galaxy phones are known for having decent guts so the processing and functionality of the phone wasn’t much of a concern. Even with an older model, I knew I was taken care of as long as I knew the battery would last (it has for up to 3 days with no charges) and I could expand the hard drive space to keep downloads, pictures, videos and music off of my phone’s hard drive, thus never slowing down its processing because it’s all out of space. While people were just buying iPhones because they were iPhones, I was showing friends and strangers how I was able to maximize the functionality of having a phone by utilizing the flexibility the hardware afforded me and for far cheaper than what they were spending.
That’s what it all comes down to right? You win when you have the best available while spending significantly less for it.
It’s been just over 2 years and I’m in the market for a new phone now. Logic would say, “Hey… you’ve had such a solid Samsung Galaxy experience, just get the brand new S6.” That would have turned out not so well. Samsung ditched everything that made their product a good experience for me. No removable battery. No SD card slot. They abandoned those features to make a flashier looking phone. That’s a cardinal sin to me when it comes to the question, “Is this functional technology or is this a vanity accessory?” Samsung lost me there. I’m very attached to those features. I use my phone to its max capabilities. I need it to last and I don’t want to rely on finding wi-fi connections or even worse, use up all of my data to backup my files. The advantages of a physical storage over cloud storage is very real for me.
That being the case, I’m looking in 2 other directions. I’m probably only looking in 1 direction though. The HTC M9 has the SD card slot but no removable battery. I can get past the battery issue. With USB battery packs and charging cases, there’s ways around the power issue. The SD card keeps the M9 deal alive. I refuse to put all my eggs in the cloud basket and the M9 provides that for me.
The other direction; my real direction (most likely) is the new LG G4. It encapsulates everything I’ve been talking about here. It has the removable battery, SD card slot, and the internal guts to run everything I need it to. Extra perks for the G4, arguably, it has the best screen and camera ever built into a phone. The only real bashing it receives is totally cosmetic. The one aspect that doesn’t actually matter, is the only one reviews are unanimously pointing out as it’s biggest flaw. Check out what I mean…
LG G4 Phone Review
I have to make it crystal clear that I’m not saying the LG G4 or the HTC M9 right now are superior to all phones. They offer me the best options for what I need, at a price that I deem acceptable. I am drawn to neither brand. I am not anti-iPhone. I used iPhone as the the example because it’s the most accessory-phone of all phones. I’m not anti-any tech. I’m anti-making meaningful decisions for all the wrong reasons. That’s a subjective concept but in my eyes, if there’s significant technology built into it, brand loyalty and desperate status boasting will never play a part in the equation. If someone asks me, I’ve never not convinced them that what I did with my phone and how I came to my decision wasn’t better than what they did and currently own, even if it was the same brand or model.
Smart phones are only called smart phones. They’re truly only as smart as their owners. If reliability, functionality, and getting the best of both for the best price matter to you, stop buying into brand names, status boosters, and hype spinners. Be a smart kid, do your homework and get what will serve you best.
Every now and then I have a rant I just gotta get out. Hit up the comments and let me know if you agree or think I’m full of bantha fodder.
If you like where my head-space is at, you probably should link up with me on facebook, twitter and instagram.
By: Eli Rebich
