What do you want out of a phone?

[Nathan]

question is as the title suggests! what are the features that you look for, in terms of build quality, hardware and/or software, when you decide on purchasing a phone?

 

[Raffy98]

I don't know what phone I'll be picking next, but it will most likely be a "battle" between Samsung or Google. Samsung because I quite like their designs and also the TouchWiz UI got so many improvements over the last years and it is less laggy (probably not because it's been optimized but rather because Samsung phones have been buffed hardware wise), and Google because, as already explained by colours, I'd get OS updates as soon as they're released without having to wait for the Brand/Carrier to get things going and also because I've liked recent Google's designs.

So my requirements for a phone are:

-At least 32 GB of internal memory, which for me are enough even when I have tonnes of apps since I don't store a lot of media.

-Expandable storage, since you never know if you might need some extra space.

-Good camera, I like taking pictures and videos every now and then so it might be handy.

-At least a 5" screen, pretty common nowadays though.

-Good multitasking, and for that I mean for example that apps get resumed right where I left them and not that if I go back to them via the multitasking screen the phone just restarts them, so for this I think that 3 GBs of RAM are required.

 

[Hiatus]

You know, only the features an average person would need; good quality camera, GPS, access to decent apps. What I particularly don't look for is memory; most of my belongings are saved on the cloud.

 

[Percy]

I just want a normal smartphone with good specs. I would want a cheap powerful smartphone but so many high-end phones are just so expensive (naturally).

 

[Leviathan]

The biggest factor for me is the battery life. I miss the days where I had a phone that I didn't need to charge a phone for a few days. Second to that, hmm...perhaps a decent amount of internal space. But the former is the biggest drawing point for me.

 

[Hiatus]

Battery life--definitely. It may be possible to attach a case with external battery, but that adds a significant amount of bulk.

 

[Megan]

Preferably one that lets me phone people.

 

[Tsutarja]

Storage space. You do not want to have a phone with 8 GB of internal storage these days anymore, and now I'm leaning on not recommending 16 GB of internal space as well. I think 32 GB should be an absolute minimum for getting a phone.

Also, RAM. I would not recommend using a phone that only has 512 MB of RAM. 1 GB should be enough for casual usage, but if you use your phone a lot, then 2 GB of RAM.

And battery life as well.

 

[Lucario]

the only thing I have a phone for is two-factor auth.

 

[Aisu]

Not so much internal storage, as I don't download many apps nor do I take many pictures (as I speak I have thirty on my camera roll...) but I'd like good screen resolution, a good camera for the rare occasions, easy interface, and freaking water resistance.

 

[Reyzadren]

Firstly, I look for unlocked phones that don't lock you down with a carrier, though this is probably only valid for places like the USA.

Specs can wait, because it's not a computer.

 

[Tsutarja]

Firstly, I look for unlocked phones that don't lock you down with a carrier, though this is probably only valid for places like the USA.

Even then, it's now against the law in the US for a carrier to deny a consumer the right to unlock their device at the request of them.