What Is a Smartphone and Which One Should I Get?

In this day and age, it’s nearly impossible to keep up with the rest of society without owning a smartphone. Did you know that roughly 81 percent of Americans own one?

But what is a smartphone and how would you go about choosing one?

If the world of smartphones and smartphone technology is new to you, don’t worry! We can help clear some things up so you can choose the best one for your needs. 

Follow along for everything you need to know about smartphones and all the major players.

What Is a Smartphone and What Can They Do?

Before smartphones came along, the world of cell phones had a major breakthrough in the form of text messaging. You could type small messages to people rather than calling them on the phone. That way, they could see the message and respond in time, rather than feeling obligated to take an inconvenient or untimely phone call.

However, smartphones today far surpass tex messaging. Smartphones are basically small (but fully capable) computers. They have full internet, emailing, and communication. However, here’s a quick rundown on the major functions:

• Long-lasting battery life
• High-quality camera for picture and video
• High-resolution screen
• Wireless charging
• High-tech security (fingerprint, facial recognition)
• Large storage capacity (games, apps, photos, videos)
• Lightning-fast processing
• NFC and Bluetooth technology
• Wifi and Wifi hotspot abilities
• Multiple windows (various apps and programs running at once)

Smartphones also come with virtual assistants (such as iPhone’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa). You can give your phone verbal commands to call or text a contact or even play a specific song. You can also use your virtual assistant to answer questions (nearly any you can think of).

Major Smartphone Brands

Now that you have a general, albeit tip-of-the-iceberg idea of what smartphones can do, you’re probably wondering which one to choose for yourself. Whether you’re looking to buy brand new or looking for pre-owned phones, here’s a quick breakdown of the most popular brands.

Apple

If you were to ask someone who is faithful to Apple “What is a smartphone?” they would likely tell you a smartphone is an iPhone, end of discussion. While we don’t necessarily agree with this single-minded take on smartphones, iPhones are the most popular choice of the majority of smartphone users.

They are incredibly user-friendly, integrate easily with other Apple devices, and come with the iOS software. This includes things like FaceTime chatting, iCloud support, and of course, access to the ever-reliable and helpful Siri.

Android

While not as popular as the iPhone, Android smartphones have been in the game nearly as long and with many faithful supporters. Androids come with cheaper price tags than iPhones. You can also opt for smartphones with much larger screens through Android.

Android phones are also synchronizable with your Google account and all Google apps, which can make for wildly convenient user experience.

Samsung Galaxy

The Samsung Galaxy series is another top-performing phone in the U.S. The newest model offers a battery that operates based on your habits, which leads to longer battery life. It also offers a new wide-angle camera for people who love snapping high-resolution pictures with their phones.

With the Galaxy, you also have access to a high level of data security as well as the option to upgrade your phone’s memory capacity.

Looking for More Reviews?

What is a smartphone? The simple answer is: smartphones are the present and the future. They can do nearly any task we appoint to them and make our lives easier. If you don’t have one yet, we recommend investing in one soon. 

And if you’re looking for more tech reviews, be sure to check out some of our other articles!