Do we really need "better" smartphones.

Wh05apk

I currently use an HTC desire, which is nearly 2 years old, and apart from a memory issue(it only has 150mb internal storage!!!) it does everything I need, I use it quite extensively for emails, browsing, sat nav (google nav) and streaming tv while I work, looking at the new phones such as the Galaxy S2 and iphone 4s, they look fantastic in terms of spec, but do we really need these? it seems to me we have probably gone past the "perfect" smartphones, and apart from bigger screens/slightly better cameras for "most" people there is now little to be gained.

I am not suggesting we should all use £10 Nokias but it seems to me something like my Desire has probably achieved the perfect compromise, anything better is largely wasted.

thegoodman

Yes, nothing is perfect. If it work for you it's fine, no need to change.
Others might want better camera, faster CPU, play games, mobile payments, better screen, satnav and more to come like link with your house, tv, computer, cloud services, online games etc.

For most people I don't think perfect is reached. Look at the iPhone 4s sell numbers.

You will know when perfect is reached when sell numbers will start going down because no need to upgrade.

No technology have ever stopped or reach being perfect.

timefortea

And it depends on how well you look after your phone. Something (keys, probably) pressed up against my touchscreen while my phone was in my bag, so now the screen is a bit dodgy. When my upgrade comes next month I'll get a new phone. And the spec will be higher than my current phone, because technology has moved on in the last two years and I can get something better for the same monthly price that I'm currently paying.

Wh05apk

Perhaps my choice of word -perfect was not "perfect" but my point being that for 99% of people I think the lastest superphone is far beyond their needs, take dual core and the upcoming quadcore phones, surely unless you are using them for high end games, do they really offer any benefit?

The goodman, your point about the numbers of iphone 4s's sold, is that because people really need and use the spec, or because of Apple marketing? are they really such a performance upgrade over the iphone 4? if they were sold by Nokia would they have sold in such volume and price? I suspect most are bought simply as "vanity" items, more as "must have" items, than "need" items.

thegoodman

Wh05apk wrote: »

Perhaps my choice of word -perfect was not "perfect" but my point being that for 99% of people I think the lastest superphone is far beyond their needs, take dual core and the upcoming quadcore phones, surely unless you are using them for high end games, do they really offer any benefit?

The goodman, your point about the numbers of iphone 4s's sold, is that because people really need and use the spec, or because of Apple marketing? are they really such a performance upgrade over the iphone 4? if they were sold by Nokia would they have sold in such volume and price? I suspect most are bought simply as "vanity" items, more as "must have" items, than "need" items.

What have you based your 99% point or is it something you think?
The iPhone was just one example look at the sell numbers for Samsung, Motorola, htc etc..most are up. The Samsung profit was high due to sell of mobile phones.
Are you saying Samsung, htc users are also buying them as vanity items?

When sell number start going down you will know phones are becoming perfect until than new phones will be keep coming. The wait might be many years away.

Wh05apk

thegoodman wrote: »

What have you based your 99% point or is it something you think?
The iPhone was just one example look at the sell numbers for Samsung, Motorola, htc etc..most are up. The Samsung profit was high due to sell of mobile phones.
Are you saying Samsung, htc users are also buying them as vanity items?

When sell number start going down you will know phones are becoming perfect until than new phones will be keep coming. The wait might be many years away.

I am basing it on what I think, Phone specs will constantly improve, and people will always want the newest and flashest mobile, but, what can the latest Galaxy s2 or 4s do that my 2 year old desire can't, when I upgraded to my desire 2 years ago, it was a massive leap in specs/ability/quality, the improvements now seem minimal in relation to the massive additional cost now. I have a feeling that the rate of improvement will now slow down, until we see the next quantum leap, but hopefully we should start to see prices dropping slightly.

(But yes I would still like to get an SG2!)

owen1978

Wh05apk wrote: »

I currently use an HTC desire, which is nearly 2 years old, and apart from a memory issue(it only has 150mb internal storage!!!) it does everything I need, I use it quite extensively for emails, browsing, sat nav (google nav) and streaming tv while I work, looking at the new phones such as the Galaxy S2 and iphone 4s, they look fantastic in terms of spec, but do we really need these? it seems to me we have probably gone past the "perfect" smartphones, and apart from bigger screens/slightly better cameras for "most" people there is now little to be gained.

I am not suggesting we should all use £10 Nokias but it seems to me something like my Desire has probably achieved the perfect compromise, anything better is largely wasted.

I want a new phone because I like my gadgets but....
just can't justify it. My HTC Desire has been rooted and has
got Oxygen ROM which runs android 2.3.7, it also has Apps2SD so I
got plenty of space, fast & upto 2 days of battery life - It does everything you want from a smartphone.

Wh05apk

owen1978 wrote: »

I want a new phone because I like my gadgets but....
just can't justify it. My HTC Desire has been rooted and has
got Oxygen ROM which runs android 2.3.7, it also has Apps2SD so I
got plenty of space, fast & upto 2 days of battery life - It does everything you want from a smartphone.

Exactly my point, new phones now are more objects of desire, than an essential upgrade, in real terms they provide little additional improvement in functionality over "last year's" phone.

Norman_Castle

Do we really need "better" smartphones.

Do we really need smartphones?

wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver

I own an HTC Desire which I am giving up and was given an Iphone 3GS.

The Iphone from 3GS onwards beats the HTC hands down in terms of ease of use-faults and complaints not withstanding is IMHO much better value for money because of range of multifunctional Apps, rendering one's phone customisable to one's preferred use.

wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver

The Iphone means I can download Scottish Maps meaning much more usefulness should I find myself in undesirable position in Scottish Highlands, general Google Maps would not be enough in that case.