Smart phones tend to be a huge part of our day. They do all of our scheduling, helps us find answers in a seconds and keep us in touch with those we love. They can also be one of the priciest devices we carry around with us all day everyday. Although there might not be too many ways to avoid the high prices of buying a smart phone there are certain brands that can help cut down on the major costs. Android and iPhone tend to be the two brands that are constantly going to head to head to earn customer allegiance. Although iPhone has a lot to offer and tends to be one of the more popular choices, you may find that Android offers you what you need to make your smart phone use cost effective and up to your high technological standards.
1. Replacements
If you tend to notice your battery holding a charge less and less then you may want to look into a replacement. Of course, if you are the proud owner of an iPhone you may find that buying a new battery or upgrading your battery might cost you a small fortune. Android is pretty good about offering a wide selection of replacement batteries, so you can keep your phone for longer without feeling frustrated with its lack of charge. The same can be said when you’re looking to upgrade your phone. Generally, iPhones come with a standard amount of storage that you choose when you purchase you the phone. This is all fine except you might eventually want to save up to give yourself an upgrade. You may learn that with the iPhone you might as well save up to buy a new phone with more memory as getting work done on your phone is too expensive to make it worthwhile. Android, on the other hand, gives you the option to swap out memory, screens and whatever else you need without having to send it in to an overpriced specialist.
2. Variety
Many people look for a unique way to express themselves through their phones. With iPhone you tend to get the choice of one phone which upgrades with new feature every year or two. So, essentially, you most likely have the same phone as many other iPhone users. With Android you have a wide variety of phones to choose that will suit your own personal style. If you’re looking for the newest technology Android tends to have at least two or three models that will suit your need for fast internet and amazing features. On the other hand, if you’re just getting into smart phones and want to start off smaller there is still plenty to choose from. The best thing about the large variety of phones is they also range in price so you can always choose something great that still fits your budget, rather than finding yourself on a payment plan that doesn’t exactly suit your best interest.
3. More Screen
Apple tends to pride themselves on offering tablets with incredible screens. Unfortunarly, most people don’t want to carry around a tablet all day long. It actually wasn’t until the recent release of the iPhone 5 that they decided to get into the ballgame with the other phones with amazing screens. Screen size has always been a part of Android and they offer a pretty wide selection of good quality phones with screens that will leave you feeling mesmerized. If you’re into playing some of the latest phone games or catching up with your favorite sitcom while commuting then you may want to try out an Android phone for this purpose. This is party due to the selection they have to offer and partly due to the price tag. The iPhone 5 is still extremely inexpensive since it was just released at the end of last year which makes it a poor economical buy for the phone user on a budget. Android, on the hand, has had several phones out with larger screens so you can still buy an older model without sacrificing quality.
4. Apps
Both Android and Apple offer an exciting and competitive market place when it comes to the app store. Apple tends to have a lot of the big name games that get incredible reviews. However, apart from the big ticket items, the free selection of apps in the store tends to be a bit lacking. Android also offers a good selection of some of those home run games, but they also have a larger market for independent designers that offer their games for little to nothing in the store. If you tend to get bored with games fairly easy then you might want to consider the free applications over the higher priced games. Although many of the independent games are still in development you should be able to find something that holds you interest and makes you enjoy your phone as a way to pass time when there’s nothing else to do.
5. Operating System
When it comes to your phones operating system you might be surprised that iPhone does actually keep you up to date a lot more than Android does. However, iPhone updates often tend to leave your searching through your phone to see what isn’t important just so you have the memory to download it. It also may leave you with plenty of bugs for the first few months after your updated. Android is fairly bad about leaving you out of the loop with their operating system. In fact, you may end up waiting for years before that update button finally makes it to your cellphone. You may also have to buy a new phone before you actually get to enjoy the new upgraded system. This could be a good thing though as you end up avoiding some bugs along the long trail of bug inspired updates that could leave your personal data at risk.
6. Phone Plans
Most phone plans charge a little extra when it comes to using a smart phone, but that doesn’t really help you in the battle to save the most on your smart phone experience. A lot of phone plans will, however, offer you a free smart phone when you sign up for a two year contract. This free phone will help keep hundreds in your wallet, which is why is so important to consider this route if you tend to regularly keep your cellphone on. Until recently, iPhone has actually refrained from allowing its phones to be on this plan. It wasn’t until last year that the iPhone 4 made its debut on the free phone with contract list. Android has been a frequent player with the free contract phone policy though, which makes your chance of signing up with an Android even greater than an Apple product. A lot of phone companies tend to stick with phones that easier to sign with, so Android tends to have several new phones available to you whenever you’re ready to sign the dotted line.
7. GPS
GPS is a huge feature for anyone that likes to try out new restaurants or is constantly on the move for work. Android and iPhone both have a great selection of GPS systems that can get you where you need to be. Of course, the newest iPhone offers up Siri which will can do just about anything for you, but will eat up your data if you’re not careful. Android doesn’t have the constant connection to a helper, but it does have many GPS apps to choose from that free to low cost. The important thing to remember when choosing a GPS is how much data it will use while you’re away from the Wi-Fi connection. If you aren’t worried about data then anything will save you money. However, if you have a data plan to maintain you may want to work with whatever program that can offer you the most for less of a connection, which is where Android might save you money. With a larger selection of applications it might be easier to find something that is easy enough to use.
8. Accessing Music
If you love using your phone for music then you may want to consider Android before iPhone. Yes, iPhone has the infamous iTunes already ready to go on your phone and you can download an assortment of other radios. Android, on the other hand, allows you to transform your music around your lifestyle which means you’ll be able to spend less on buying music without sacrificing the amount of tunes you listen to each day. This is because Android allows you to connect your varying music devices so you can create playlist that are ready to be heard in an instant. It also allows you to easily access most players without forcing you to stick with the pricey iTunes, so you can actually have a choice in how you get your music and what form of radio you want to listen to.
9. Transferring Information
One of the best aspects of having a smart phone is the ability to transfer your information with ease. Apple’s iPhone has plenty of ways to share information with others, but does lack a lot of the simplicity that Android now carries. In fact, with a lot of Android phones you can easily send your information to another’s phone without actually have to share one another’s phone numbers. This is perfect for businesses as well as student study groups. Another great new addition to the Android information transfer is the fact that you can now install you credit card information into the phone and pay for products all over your city. This tap and go application will certainly get you more deals than paying for things traditionally and will allow you to walk around without having to carry a collection of cards on your person. With the lack of pen and paper per say involved in Android’s transfers you’ll be able to get speed up your shopping experiences for good.
10. Overall Price
When it comes to purchasing a smart phone overall price has a lot to do with what we choose. So, if you’re not getting your phone through a plan then you might want to consider checking out Androids before you venture into the iPhone section. As stated earlier, there are a whole lot of Android phones on the market, so chances are you’ll find a great match at a price that you can’t so no to. With the iPhone you’re going to be looking at a high price even if you choose not to get the newest model. These phones are in high demand and can maintain the high price for a lot longer than Droids can. You may be able to find a used iPhone for a cheaper price, but chances are you’ll still be playing more than you would for the typical Android phone. Android’s selection may also keep you looking for a lot longer. There’s a lot of different features to choose from so you won’t have to sacrifice as much just to keep your budget happy. This is one of the main reasons Android is such a great competitor with Apple. They offer a fine selection at a convenient price, so it is much harder for phone shoppers to blindly drift in the direction of the iPhone.
Shopping for the right smart phone is a real challenge. There’s so many amazing features available that it may take some time to understand what is going to be right for you. If you’re looking to cut down on your spending the Android might be the way to go though. In most categories this brand of phone keeps your spending down and your satisfaction up.
