ARTICLE

The Phone Brands You’ve Never Heard Of (Plus Some You Have)

August 11, 2021 - 4 min read

It can be easy to think there are only two real options when looking at mobile phone brands. But while Apple and Samsung make incredibly good phones and dominate the Australian market, there are plenty of other brands that are hugely popular in their country of origin.

Just because you haven’t heard of it, doesn’t mean it’s not excellent quality. The Good Guys Mobile Buyer John Wong says there’s plenty of checks and safeguards in place before any phone gets to you. “We go through the paces and test the brand. We wouldn’t put anything in our stores that we weren’t comfortable with. Not to mention there is a government body called ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority) that puts all phones through their paces first.”

Dad and young son, standing next to their 4WD, near the coast, are both looking at a mobile phone and smiling.

Here are some of the brands you might not know about (as well as some you definitely have).

The Best Brands From Around The Globe

OPPO

Oppo has been one of the leading brands in China for years and is well-known there (and in tech circles here) as an innovator. When the 5G network came to Australia, Oppo was the first company on the scene with an affordable 5G phone, immediately making the faster technology more accessible to plenty of Australians. Their innovation doesn’t stop there – they have also consistently made the thinnest phones, and recently were first with a rollable concept phone. The Oppo A54 5G remains one of the most affordable 5G phones on the market today.

Vivo

Vivo might be a relatively new brand on the scene, only launching in 2009, but it’s expanded fast to become one of the top 10 smartphone brands in the world, available in more than 100 countries. It’s the official phone of the 2020 and 2024 UEFA Euros, as well as the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and superstar Golden State Warriors NBA player Stephen Curry is one of the faces of the brand in China and the Philippines. The Vivo X60 Pro 5G is a flagship smartphone that can rival any of the bigger players in the Australian market.

“Motorola’s legacy in creating phones, and later smartphones, means that we offer the most competitive features on the market with rich design craftsmanship.” - Kurt Bonnici, Head of Motorola ANZ

Motorola

Kurt Bonnici, Head of Motorola ANZ, said it best: “Throughout our 91-year history up to now, Motorola has remained at the cutting edge of communications technology. The first words from the moon were transmitted on Motorola technology. Motorola’s legacy in creating phones, and later smartphones, means that we offer the most competitive features on the market with rich design craftsmanship. As a result, we create devices that deliver everything customers could ever want, but also surprise and delight in unexpected ways.” The Motorola G 5G Plus exemplifies this ethos.

Nokia

Nearly everyone over a certain age has had a Nokia mobile phone at some point. The company started as a paper mill in 1865, but became best-known for its seemingly indestructible phones in the early 2000s. Although the new Nokias, featuring Android operating systems, look quite different to the 3210s of old, the brand reliability is just as strong. The company now specialises in good budget smartphones that are amazingly well-featured considering the low prices. The Nokia 3.4 with Android One is a great choice for someone wanting to pick up a smart Nokia.

Huawei

Huawei’s story is one of resilience and innovation. After moving on from using the Android operating system, they created their own, in-house operating system Harmony OS, which gave them more ability to customise it for their hardware, thus creating a more affordable phone. Their range of sub-$300 phones brings choice to the affordable end of the market, giving consumers more options. If you want to see what Huawei can do, it’s worth checking out the Huawei Nova 7i.

Samsung

This is a company that needs no introduction. Samsung is the most popular maker of Android phones in Australia, and it’s easy to see why. Their range spans from mid-priced, fully featured smartphones, to the extremely innovative top-of-the-range folding phones. Samsung Electronics’ huge portfolio of smart devices means that a Samsung smartphone can have seamless integration with TVs, air purifiers, washing machines and more, putting a fully smart home within reach of everyone, without requiring a major renovation. While all of Samsung’s phones are great, the A series offers the best value for money, such as the Galaxy A52.

Apple

The iPhone is the most popular line of phones in Australia, because everything with iPhone just works. Dominating the mid-premium market, Apple iPhones might not have been the first smartphone, but they were the first smartphone to make non-tech nerds see the point of the category, effectively changing the world. Apple’s major strengths lie in the extremely well-regulated App Store, which stops most nasty apps from ever becoming available to customers, the Apple Watch (widely considered to be the best smartwatch) and in Apple’s extremely generous subscription services. Apple Arcade gives access to more than 100 games with no ads or in-app purchases, which is perfect for parents, and Fitness+ is an affordable way to exercise at home, with 20+ new workout classes added each week. You really can’t go wrong with an iPhone, and the iPhone 12 is a great place to start.

So, there you have it, a quick trip around the world’s most famous mobile phone brands – all available at The Good Guys. And don’t forget, The Good Guys is a one stop shop for all your mobile phone needs including phone plans and mobile phone accessories.

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