Best Android Phone Guide: What you need to know

Not sure what you need, or even how to choose from the selection above, here are a few pointers to get you started.

What size Android phone should I buy?
Smartphones in general are getting bigger and bigger. Some of you might remember Steve Jobs explaining at the launch of the original iPhone back in 2007: "It’s got a three-and-a-half-inch screen on it. It’s really big."

Fast-forward to the present day and 4-inch smartphones are the smallest, and often cheapest, handsets out there. They’re good for children and users who don’t care for games and multimedia content, but even smaller Android phones like the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact have at least 4.5-inch screens.

5-inch screens are far better for watching movies and playing games on, but they’re right on the edge of too big if you have small hands. Anything between 4.5 and 5.1 inches is generally considered the perfect combo of portability and a display that's good for browsing, gaming and more.

You can, of course, go even larger than this. Phones with 6-inch screens, often called "phablets", are growing in popularity. They’re a good option if have a long commute, as their larger screens are perfect for watching films, playing games and reading, but try one out in a shop first if you’ve never owned a phone this big.

Will I get the latest version of Android?
Google is constantly looking at ways to improve the Android operating system, and releases major software updates on a regular basis. But that doesn’t always mean the phone you're buying will get that update.

The latest version is Android 5.0 Lollipop, which is slowly making its way onto existing smartphones. Most current handsets run Android 4.4 KitKat or Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.
 

Other things to consider
Finally, you need to think about extra features. Things like NFC, water-resistance, fingerprint scanners and microSD card slots might seem like bonuses, but they can dramatically affect the overall user experience of a smartphone.

A microSD card slot is a good idea if you want to watch lots of downloaded videos or music, and it’s an essential feature on some cheaper phones that have limited built-in memory. Any phone with 4GB or less will need a microSD card slot.

New Android Phones Coming Soon

Samsung Galaxy S6 – Coming 10 April
A 5.1-inch smartphone with a 2,560 x 1,440 display

HTC One M9 – Coming 31 March
A 5-inch smartphone with a 20.7-megapixel main camera

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Michael is a Professional blogger, IT Consultant and a Web Designer. He loves Spending time with his PC.