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smartphonesHow to choose a mobile phone

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When you are looking for a new phone, there are dozens of models to choose from. According to datareportal.com, smartphones account for three-quarters of all the mobile handsets in use today. But how do you know which one is best for you?

The key question is what sort of phone you want. Do you need a high-end device that has all the latest apps and features? Are you interested in a more basic handset, which is better suited to less demanding tasks? If you are looking for a business handset, will it work fine with the existing equipment?

Here are the key features you should be looking for in a phone.

Feature #1: Screen.

Yes, screen size is important, but it's not the only feature you should consider. Many modern smartphones have high-quality AMOLED screens these days, and yet quality can vary a lot from one display to the other. It is known that Samsung displays have a much higher contrast and better color reproduction in comparison with standard LCD screens. The good news is that many phone manufacturers use displays that have been produced by Samsung.

Also, high-quality displays are built using toughened glass. It is true that they're more expensive, but they are much more durable, and sometimes they won't shatter even when you drop the phone from a moderate distance.

Feature #2: Camera.

When you think of a phone, you may have in mind a device that can make calls and send text messages. Nevertheless, you shouldn't forget about its camera. Many handsets have high-quality built-in cameras, and some even include a decent optical zoom. This is an engineering marvel, because large zoom factors require quite a bit of depth, making the phone case thicker.

If you are interested in taking good quality photos, it's worth looking at the camera capabilities of the handset you intend to buy. Look for devices that have good image stabilization mechanisms and wide-angle lenses, which make them better for snapping various types of photos.

Feature #3: Battery.

Most cell phones have poor battery lives. When you only use your phone for making and receiving a few calls, and maybe sending a few text messages, the battery will probably last the entire day. Things change dramatically if you also use your phone as a multimedia device, playing games, watching videos, and so on.

Always go for a device that's got a large battery; make sure it has at least 4,000 mAh. This means that you will need to charge the cell phone less often, and this will prolong battery life - that's very important, because most manufacturers don't allow us to replace batteries anymore.

As a conclusion, if you are going to carry your phone around from dawn to dusk, the best way to get it to last for the entire day is to choose a handset that has got a large battery.

Feature #4: 4G or 5G.

In theory, the answer should be simple: go for the most recent version. However, several countries are reluctant to encourage the transition to the newest version of the mobile network technology due to the increased radiation levels.

Some countries have banned 5G, but don't let this get in the way; do your research, and then choose between extra speed and extra safety; apparently, we can't have them both, at least not for now.

Feature #5: Bluetooth.

This technology allows you to connect the phone to other devices, such as smart watches, headphones, digital music players, so you can move music between them, display images and videos from and to other devices, etc. If you are a music lover, a Bluetooth-enabled device is a necessity. And frankly, it can be useful for many other people as well.

With Bluetooth, you can keep the handset in the pocket, while doing fun things with it. Or you can use this technology to write text messages much faster if you have a Bluetooth keyboard with you, for example.

Feature #6: MicroSD.

MicroSD memory cards are a handy way to increase the storage capacity of your phone. By making use of a MicroSD card, you can store more music, photos, and videos on it. Fortunately, these components are fairly cheap, and their sizes can easily reach 512 GB. You should be aware that some phones (iPhones, for example) don't provide support for MicroSD cards, though.

Feature #7: Keyboard.

A few years ago, several cell phones came with tiny QWERTY keyboards. Things changed when touch screens hit the market, but now mobile phone keyboards are making a comeback. If you are a touch typist and you intend to write a lot using the device, make sure that it incorporates a decent keyboard.

Feature #8: Gaming.

For some people, games are very important, and modern cell phones have hardware that can easily rival low-end PCs. It is true that mobile games don't have all the features of their desktop-based counterparts yet, but the technology is constantly improving. If you want to play the latest and greatest games on your device, choose a headset that has been optimized for multimedia/entertainment purposes.