Mobile phone buying guide

We’re living in the golden age of technology, which means there’s more choice than ever when it comes to choosing a mobile phone. But that huge amount of choice can sometimes seem overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. So, here is your ultimate guide to buying a new phone.

What to look for when buying a Mobile Phone

The best way to start is to make a list of your must-haves, nice-to-haves and budget. Do you need a bigger screen so it’s easier to read or play games? Or do you want something small so it can fit in the pocket of your jeans? “Making a shortlist of features that are really important to you is a good idea because that will help narrow your search,” says John Wong, Mobile Buyer at The Good Guys. “Are you a tradie or outdoor adventurer who needs a rugged, waterproof phone with an extra durable screen? Or are you a very careful person or someone who just uses their phone for emergencies? Do you love capturing video and need a top-notch camera? Answering questions like these will help you zero in on the models that best deliver for your needs.”

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Types of Mobile Phones

Next, you need to ask yourself: what kind of operating system do you prefer? There are two main operating systems to choose from, and while they’re pretty similar in a lot of ways, the way they operate and a lot of the features can be quite different. Keep in mind that it’s pretty easy to change between the two, so you’re never locking yourself in, aside from any apps purchased, which might not move over.

Android

Android offers the most choice of handsets and price points, and is a much more open system. There are a lot of customisation options in the operating system, and if you’re techy and inclined to code, you can really make it your own. Or, if you’re not very tech-savvy, you can keep it how it comes. Android users are generally on the cutting edge of technology and get new features first.

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iOS

iOS is the Apple iPhone operating system, and is the most popular in Australia. The beauty of it being a more closed system, with apps only available from the official App Store, is that it’s much safer and easier to navigate. There are plenty of customisation options still, but most iPhones generally operate in exactly the same way, which makes it easier to get support and grasp new features. iPhones get all the latest and greatest features after they’ve been perfected, so iPhones always “just work”.

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More tips for choosing a Mobile Phone

Design

What shape would you like your phone to be? For a long time, your answer to that question didn’t really matter, you were going to get a glass rectangle either way. But now you can have your traditional smartphone glass rectangle, a more traditional candy bar feature phone with buttons like it’s 2003, or a phone with a folding glass screen. “Phones are extremely personal devices, and you want to make sure you get one that matches your style,” says John Wong.

Screen Size

Thanks to advancements in touch screen technology, most phones have very little bezel around the screen. A bigger screen is better if you’re going to be using your phone to watch a lot of videos, or if you find it easier to read larger text. But at the same time you need to trade off with how much pocket and/or bag space you have. There are smaller phones with all the power of the big screened behemoths, but in a form that’s more friendly to smaller hands and pockets. On the other end of the spectrum, there are phones that boast a large screen, which make them perfect for entertainment. Meanwhile, folding phones strike the perfect balance of being small enough to fit into a pair of women’s jeans, yet fold out to have a huge screen when you need it.

Audio

When it comes to mobile audio, you need to consider how you’re going to use the phone. Are you mostly going to be listening to music out and about on Bluetooth headphones? Are you still rocking wired headphones? Or are you planning on watching a lot of videos at home without headphones? If you’re sticking with Bluetooth, you can really get any smartphone that tickles your fancy, because they all have Bluetooth and the quality will largely be determined by your headphones and audio source. There are more limitations if you want a 3.5mm headphone jack. Almost all phones will be able to take an adapter to allow wired headphones, but there are some that still sport a traditional headphone jack. If you’re listening to videos out loud at home, then a phone that synthesises Dolby Atmos using psychoacoustics and well-designed speakers is the order of the day. All the big brand flagship phones have spectacular speakers that have to be heard to be believed.

Camera quality

These days, there are cameras in phones that rival fancy DSLRs. The adage has always been that the best camera is the one you have with you, and you’ll want to be prepared to capture the special moments in life. This is a situation where you really get what you pay for; the more expensive the phone, the more fancy the camera sensors and lenses, getting you up to 8K footage with wide, ultra-wide and macro lenses. If you know photography, you’ll know what you want. If you aren’t a photography expert, most phones will have great auto modes that handle it all for you, so all you have to do is point and click.

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