Looking for the right smartphone in 2022 for you is like looking for a pink grain of sand on a beach. You’re bombarded with options, deals, and a series of devices being released every few months. So, how do you compare phones and decide? Mobile Store breaks down the features you should look for and gives you the lowdown on smartphone cameras so that you can make the best decision.
Four must-have features of a quality smartphone
If you’re confused about what to look for in a phone, take this list as a guide.
Long-lasting battery
There’s no point in having a great phone if you keep having to charge it every 6-7 hours. In fact, a phone wouldn’t even be considered great if you can’t rely on it to give you long-lasting battery life! Look for a battery that has a minimum of 3,000 mAh. This will give you 12-14 hours of battery while using your phone regularly.
Advanced chipset
The chipset in your phone is the genius that processes graphics and all the little clicks, taps and movements you make while using your phone. Having a slow phone is as frustrating as having slow internet so trust us when we say, you’ll want a good chipset. By a long shot, Apple leads the way in chipset technology. Their latest chip, the A15 Bionic in the iPhone 13, can perform up to 15.8 trillion tasks per second!
Durability
And by “durability” we mean the ability to withstand all those drops and knocks. Smartphones have upped their game in strengthening their screens and the unibody over the last 10 years. Most smartphones come with built-in screen protectors from Corning Gorilla Glass which is the strongest protection you can have. Samsung and Huawei phones have a plastic back which is far more durable than the iPhone’s glass back. Because of all the complaints about how easily the back of iPhones crack, Apple upgraded the iPhone 13 series to include surgical-grade stainless steel for the Pro and Pro Max, and “aero-space grade” aluminium for the 13 and 13 Mini.
Quality resolution
As much as we love and respect the Nokia 3310, Blackberries or the famous Motorola Razr, we definitely don’t want their low resolution. Resolution refers to the amount of pixels on display. High resolution is what makes your display look clear, bright and with true-to-life colour. When looking for quality resolution, look for words like “Super Retina XDR display” or “Dynamic AMOLED”.
The battle of the smartphone cameras
iPhone, Samsung or Huawei – which brand has the best smartphone? Let’s break it down.
Lenses and Megapixels
Most people assume that the higher the megapixels and lenses, the better the camera. Samsung’s smartphones rack up large numbers in the camera department, with the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra containing a 108 megapixel wide-angle lens, accompanied by a 48 megapixel telephoto and a 12 megapixel ultra-wide lens. On the same page, Huawei’s phones have up to 64 megapixels and four lenses in just one smartphone!
But, does more megapixels mean better quality? No, it doesn’t. Megapixel count doesn’t reflect camera or photo quality in a smartphone because the lenses in a smartphone are very small, which means the more pixels that get jammed into one lens, the smaller they have to be.
iPhones have remained steadfast in their choice to have 12 megapixel cameras in their devices, dating all the way back to the iPhone 8 in 2017. iPhones, however, have chosen to advance other areas of the camera, making them some of the most advanced cameras (smartphone or not) in the world.
Advanced Technology
In the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, Apple debuted a new technology called Deep Fusion that combines AI, engineering and professional photography. When you take a photo, nine photos are actually taken and, within split seconds, the iPhone takes the best features of each one and presents the final version in one epic photo.
iPhones also developed something called Tone Mapping which highlights the best parts of the photo based on how much light streamed through the lens. Another advanced feature of iPhone cameras is Night Mode. Apple has made large leaps in allowing you to take quality photos at night without haziness, pixilation and odd colouring.
Camera Modes
Android phones offer unique camera modes for the various items you may want to photograph such as food, pets, nature, portraits and more. This can be handy to someone who may not know a lot about lighting and photo editing. These camera modes make smartphone photography easy and fun.
How to choose the best smartphone for you
At the end of the day, you should choose the smartphone based on what you want or need the most. Don’t feel pressured to have the latest or biggest smartphone. Choose what works for you! Consider doing these three things before you lock yourself into a contract:
- Take an honest look at your budget to see what you can afford per month.
- Ask yourself which features from previous phones were useful, fun and interesting to you; then think about which features didn’t really phase you or affect your daily life. This can help push aside the desire to get the latest phone for the sake of it.
- Look at your hobbies or work life and see how a particular phone may add to that.
Apple, Samsung, Huawei phones and more on Mobile Store!
Now that you’ve got all the info you need to make an informed choice, the fun part begins – enjoying your dream smartphone!
Compare phones and shop on Mobile Store now!