Smartphone Vs Feature phone: Which One To Choose?

If you had to choose the best phone for yourself right now, would it be a smartphone or a feature phone? Most people would probably choose a smartphone for an answer. However, there will be a significant number of people among the crowd who would always prefer a feature phone over a smartphone. No matter how the world of technology and smartphones progresses, feature phone has left its own mark on the people. 

To know more about the kinds of phones popular among the public let’s dive deeper into the topic.

What are feature phones?

Feature phones are also known as the earlier generation mobile phones. They have small non-touch screens with the buttons as that of a keyboard in input. They are quite different than the standard telephone in terms of their functions and uses. Not only can they make and receive calls, but they have other special hardware features such as: 

• backlit liquid-crystal display (LCD) screen
• a hardware notification LED
• a micro USB port
• a physical keyboard
• a microphone
• a microSD card slot
•  a rear-facing camera to record video and capture pictures

They have simple apps such as calendar, FM Radio, calculator, alarm, date and time, games, torch, contacts, messages, music player, Bluetooth, and web. They first came into use in the 1980s. So, the popular feature phones of all times have been from companies like Nokia and Blackberry. People who have been using mobile phones for a long time first got to use these kinds of phones. Feature phones still have significant market in Nepal

Advantages of feature phones over smartphones:

• Feature phones are highly economical. If you want to get a mobile phone with all the basic features without spending a lot of money, features phones are the best choice.
• Not only are feature phones bulkier they are very hard and durable. If you accidentally slip your phone and it hits the ground, chances are the phone won’t get damaged at all. 
• Feature phones always win over smartphones in terms of battery life. There aren’t any high-power consuming apps in the feature phones making the battery lasts for a really long time.
• Most people prefer feature phones over smartphones because they are easier to use with buttons and smart keys. 
• Making and receiving calls is very convenient in feature phones because of the clear sound quality and louder volume. 
• There won’t be the extra expense of buying a phone case, screen protector, phone stand if you are using a feature phone. On the other hand, smartphones do seem to require these unnecessary expenses for their protection and convenience.
• Smartphones might make you more productive if you are someone who has the habit of frequently engaging in social media. It will keep you focused when you are working.
• Not only can you enjoy a louder ringtone and alarm volume on your feature phone, but you can also play simple games like ludo, snake on your feature phone for entertainment purposes. 

So, you can live carefreely by being more productive and focused in your life rather than the virtual world while using a feature phone. These are all the benefits of using a feature phone.

Feature phones have almost similar kinds of functions in comparison to smartphones. However, they are still referred to as “dumb phones” in comparison to the latest smartphones. Why do you think so? Let’s now shift our focus to smartphones and their advantages.

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What are smartphones?

Smartphones are the latest mobile phones with large touch screens. They have extensive mobile operating systems, hardware capabilities, and wider software. They are very advanced in terms of internet surfing, multimedia functions along calling and texting services. Smartphones are also called “mini-computers” because they have many similar components to that of computers such as processors and memory. 

Smartphones first came into use in the late 1990s about a decade after feature phones. It immediately became very popular among people because of its new features and applications. Soon, people could use them as replacements for computers and laptops. They could perform everything computers could perform in fact more than it. The most popular operating systems used in smartphones are Android, iOS, Chrome OS, Windows, etc.

Advantages of smartphones over feature phones:

• The processing speeds of the latest smartphones even beats a PC these days. With its memory and storage capacity in numerous gigabytes, sensors, display functions, it is very superior to basic phones. Check out Smartphone Vs Laptop; which one to use.
• The best part about smartphones is their ability to enormously surf the internet at the fastest speed. Staying connected to friends and families through video calls, texting, voice messaging and various social media platforms have made life so much easier for people.
• All kinds of official works can be performed with the help of smartphones like sending an email, holding a conference meeting, making slideshows and PowerPoint presentations, making corrections in Google Docs. There’s literally no need for laptops or computers. 
• Another best part about smartphones is their multimedia functionality which allows people to click high-resolution pictures and videos, listen to lots of music online, and play high storage games.
• Using wireless connections facilities like BlueTooth, WiFi you can also connect your smartphone to other devices such as your watch, computers, or your car audio. Tracking your way using GPS tracking is another cool facility of smartphones that is not available in feature phones.
• Smartphones are very slim in shape which makes them very comfortable to carry around or put in pockets. The screen makes use of the best quality glasses making their experience more likable and enjoyable.
• The ability to download various applications online is another important function of smartphones. You can download different new apps and run them independently on smartphones.
• Unlike feature phones, you can enjoy making changes to the settings of your smartphones like changing the theme to a different color, using the fingerprint sensors, or face- recognition for device protection. There is also a function to track your smartphone if you lose it somewhere using various methods.

Like the points above,  a smartphone is really “smart” as its name suggests it to be. It might look like you are carrying a small phone in your hand but in reality, you are carrying the entire world in your own hands when you are using a smartphone. 

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Conclusion

Both types of mobile phones have their own uses in their own ways. Some might prefer smartphones for their extensive features while some people might prefer feature phones for their affordability and durability. It totally depends on your choices, likes, and dislikes. So, which phone do you prefer to actually carry around in your daily life? Let us know in the comments below.