Skip to main content

Why it is becoming harder to choose a phone

By

Few years ago, while shopping for my wife's phone, we walked into a store, checked out a few mobile phones, liked one and then paid the amount. It took us about 20 minutes for the entire thing.

Choosing a phone was easy - physical stores had an array of collection and models were limited. Nobody cared so much about specs or the weight or the display brightness. 

Fast forward to today in 2023, I  have spent almost 3 weeks now trying to decide the best mobile to purchase. Here's why:

  1. Too many models  - There about 1000 mobile phone launches every year. Some companies launch 2 versions of the same model in the same year. How on earth can one decide which one to buy?
  2. Too many reviews - Youtube and tech blogs review almost every new phone that lands in the market. The more you watch and read, the harder it becomes to pick one because let's face it. I don't want to make a $800 mistake.
  3. Lack of physical stores - Most phones are listed online. I wanted to select iphone 13 so, I walked to the nearest dealer to feel one. But, it only had iphone 14, Plus and Pro(Max) models. So, I walked out.
  4. Cost - Mid-rangers have gotten better over the years. A phone that costs $450 is almost as good as a flagship one. But it does come with some sacrifices - camera and performance. It is hard for me to decide how much performance I need or how good the primary camera will be compared to a flagship. Will the performance deteriorate over time? Who knows? Will the picture quality be enough for evening photos? A big question mark.
  5. FOMO - Phone companies are great at marketing. I fear missing out on feature if I buy a mid ranger. With flagship running AI chips and software, will a mid-ranger perform worse over the course of next 3 years?
  6. Repairability and battery - 10 years ago, I could walk in a service shop and replace parts and battery of my phone. I currently own a Samsung 10FE which needs a battery replacement. I cannot find a service shop willing to replace the battery. I have a cracked screen - where can I find a spare part? Should I buy a phone for the ease of repair and battery size?
  7. Finally - Should I buy a phone that offers expandable memory and a headphone jack? or should I priortize camera and software support over everything else? Frankly, I have no answer.

I suspect, I will spend couple more weeks or months figuring out the best phone for my needs. But before that, let me figure out my needs.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Reads

Embracing uncomfortableness

By
Here's what I strongly believe in Be comfortable about yourself but put yourself in uncomfortable situations. I am writing this post as I pack my things to move to a new apartment. I have stayed in the current apartment for more than 4 years now. It was almost perfect home with all the amenities and comfort. But as things in life go, change hits you sooner than later.  Right from the day I was born, I have moved to a different city ever three years. My father's job required us to constantly be on the move. Sometimes, we moved to different states in India which meant new languages, new environment, new set of friends and totally different culture. It was never easy to adapt. I have tried to resist change for a long time now. Humans, I learn, prefer status quo. It makes us uncomfortable to accept change as it brings a range of negative emotions from anxiety to fear. Ironically, our ancestors have lived nomadic way of life up until the revolution in agriculture. So, I assume this...
Post a Comment
Read more

What happened to those popular school kids?

By
Life is a marathon, not a sprint. This cannot be better explained than looking at the current state of your peers who were quite popular in school. For most of us, that weren't outstanding in any domain during the childhood, these popular kids were the pinnacle of success. Popularity is not limited to academia - it could be sports, communication, leadership, ability to make friends, setting trends, winning prizes and so on. There is always a group of kids in school and college that are more successful and popular than others. How did it feel to be average and mediocre during those days. It sucked! People like me were just followers akin to an audience in a concert that has an identity as group but not as an individual. Take out one of us from the group and it would make no difference. Add 10 more, and the result would be the same. Popular kids are like salt in a dish, if you don't have them, you notice it instantly. The popular kids made our choices look bad. I don't blame ...
Post a Comment
Read more

How the hell should I use Linkedin?

By
Besides ignoring unsolicited requests and messages from recruiters, I don't know how to use Linkedin. Don't get me wrong, I still have an active account and login every now and then to see what's new but, I don't really understand how to use this strange social network. Each social network has its own purpose of existence. Facebook is to connect with family and friends, Instagram is to share pictures, Tiktok for short videos and so on. Linkedin lacks purpose. It positions itself to be like Facebook for your office life but fails miserably.  People lie, boast, exaggerate and worst of all, share cringey posts. Now you can argue that it is true for other social media sites as well, but it feels awkward when a suit donning guy or a CEO of a company does that. It is a large echo chamber where everyone is patting everyone else. There is no counter arguments and no disapproval because everyone fears the outcome - "what if my colleagues or boss sees my comment?". Ther...
Post a Comment
Read more

Something that I have started to believe in

By
After several weeks of contemplation, I came up with this. Instead of living you life like you have something to win, live your life like you have nothing to lose A lot of pressure and stress in our daily lives is not living up to our/others' standards. Right from the childhood, we have been told to chase wins - be it the grades in school, the job you should get, the person you need to be, the promotion you need to get etc.  What I noticed is that besides stress, I started to take fewer risks in life - keeping your mouth shut in meetings, passing newer opportunities, ignoring the unorthodox paths etc. And inspite of having done all, when you get rejected, the whole house comes crashing down.  But, when you have nothing to lose, you have nothing to lose. I now take more risks, talk more often in meetings, have let go of my hesitation and feeling absolutely no stress at all. The feeling in surreal!  I wish this was taught me 20 years ago.
Post a Comment
Read more