A smartphone is a mobile phone with an advanced operating system that functions at a significantly more advanced level than basic cell phones. With GPS navigation and a touch-screen interface, smartphones are limited only by the apps they support. Sometimes feature phones are mistaken for smartphones. A feature phone has Internet access, can store and play music and perhaps even has a few apps. An important difference between feature phones and smartphones is the vastly increased functionality available in a smartphone. Standard cell phones are capable of making and receiving calls and texts, but other functionality is limited. Apps greatly expand a smartphone’s capabilities. While app marketplaces for different smartphones are not the same, they each allow developers to submit custom applications to expand the functionality of the user’s phone. Cons of having a smartphone include the necessity for a data plan, paying a higher price tag for the smartphone and the smartphone’s size, which is usually larger than a standard cell phone. The pros that come with smartphone ownership include having a quality camera with you at all times, streaming music wherever you are, staying in touch with people through social networks and email, and access to the Internet. iPhone: Many people enjoy Apple’s iPhone because it interacts well with other Apple products, such as Apple TV and MacBooks. It’s also a good beginner smartphone option because the developers focused on ease of use. Android: Created and continually developed by Google, Android is the top operating system in the smartphone market. It has been adapted for use with tablets, televisions and wristwatches. As open source software, it is available from many different phone manufacturers. Windows Phone: Windows Phone makes use of a mobile version of Windows 8, which is also used by tablets and laptops. This allows Windows Phones to interact with other Windows 8 devices. One drawback to the Windows Phone is that the app marketplace attracts fewer developers than iPhone and Android. BlackBerry: Once the leading smartphone, Research in Motion’s BlackBerry is still in the game. It has managed to hold onto much of its corporate base because of its efficient enterprise solutions that other smartphones lack. Consider your level of technical proficiency. Apple is a good beginner smartphone, and Android has made great strides in making its OS beginner friendly. Windows Phone and BlackBerry are both considered a little less intuitive, especially for those who are not savvy with technology. Writer Bio
