What makes a smartphone different today? Is it the number of processor cores crammed underneath its case? Is it the high-quality screen, the internal storage, the power of the GPU that sets them apart? Well, not really. If you take a look at the specs of the latest flagship smartphones, they are all pretty much the same from this point of view. Any website focusing on new phone releases and tips on how to download the Betway sports betting app on Android will show you that the majority of today’s smartphone releases have a very similar hardware, most of them even using the very same System-on-a-Chip – like Snapdragon 845, for example, powering the majority of flagship smartphones this year. So, what is it that sets smartphones apart – what is their unique selling point in 2018?
Camera
Compact cameras are among the many devices smartphones have “killed” in their decade-long career. Today, they are almost completely extinct – people rely on the cameras in their phones to snap pictures of their everyday adventures instead of carrying around one more gadget. So, having a smartphone camera that will snap great pics has become a priority for many. And some brands rely on their superior camera technology to stand out of the crowd.
Nokia has historically used Carl Zeiss optics in their smartphone cameras and this has gained the brand the reputation of being among the best phones if you want to take great pictures (one of the selling points for HMD’s new Nokia 7 Plus). More recently, Chinese smartphone maker Huawei has teamed up with German camera maker Leica to equip its flagship phones with optics provided by the dedicated brand.
Operating system
When it comes to smartphone operating systems, the options of the users are limited to just two: Android and iOS. And, since Apple’s OS only runs on its own smartphones, there’s not much choice there either. But when it comes to Android, there are several options to choose from. One of the most intriguing ones to recently enter the market is Android One, Google’s “stock” operating system with no bloatware and no modifications from the phone manufacturers’ side. There are several handsets that are only famous for offering the “unadulterated” Android experience: Xiaomi’s Mi A1, several Nokia models (including the Nokia 8 Scirocco) and a handful of General Mobile models are the first to come to mind.
Other perks
Some smartphone models stand out for reasons completely different from the ones described above.
Razer’s gamer smartphone is praised mostly for its front-facing stereo speakers and its 120Hz LCD screen that offers a never-before-seen response time when gaming. Apple’s iPhone X was surely bought by some exclusively for its brand new face recognition function. Wireless charging is another perk that many seek when buying a new smartphone.
As you can see, pure hardware power and design are no longer the selling points that can make a smartphone successful. Manufacturers are thinking of new ways of making their models desirable to buyers – and so far, they seem to be doing a good job.
