{"id":542665,"date":"2023-01-23T23:37:29","date_gmt":"2023-01-23T20:37:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/cheap-phones-shouldnt-exist-review-geek\/"},"modified":"2023-01-23T23:37:29","modified_gmt":"2023-01-23T20:37:29","slug":"cheap-phones-shouldnt-exist-review-geek","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/cheap-phones-shouldnt-exist-review-geek\/","title":{"rendered":"#Cheap Phones Shouldn\u2019t Exist \u2013 Review Geek"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a30adb3ae454\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a30adb3ae454\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/cheap-phones-shouldnt-exist-review-geek\/#%E2%80%9CCheap_Phones_Shouldnt_Exist_%E2%80%93_Review_Geek%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Cheap Phones Shouldn\u2019t Exist \u2013 Review Geek&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/cheap-phones-shouldnt-exist-review-geek\/#Cheap_vs_Expensive_Whats_the_Real_Difference\" >Cheap vs. Expensive: What\u2019s the Real Difference?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/cheap-phones-shouldnt-exist-review-geek\/#Flagship_Phones_Should_Get_a_Decade_of_Support\" >Flagship Phones Should Get a Decade of Support<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/cheap-phones-shouldnt-exist-review-geek\/#Of_Course_Repairability_Is_Part_of_The_Equation\" >Of Course, Repairability Is Part of The Equation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/cheap-phones-shouldnt-exist-review-geek\/#This_Dream_Probably_Wont_Come_True\" >This Dream Probably Won\u2019t Come True<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CCheap_Phones_Shouldnt_Exist_%E2%80%93_Review_Geek%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Cheap Phones Shouldn\u2019t Exist \u2013 Review Geek&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div id=\"article-content-area\">\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage size-full wp-image-143484\" data-pagespeed-no-defer=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2023\/01\/27aa2439.jpg?width=1200\" alt=\"Close up of the Apple iPhone SE 2022's rear camera\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\">Justin Duino \/ Review Geek<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>All phones should be made at a flagship quality. This would increase the price of new devices, but it would lead to a strong aftermarket, extended software support, and increased repairability.<\/p>\n<p>Smartphones place a ridiculous strain on our wallets. And, somewhat ironically, getting rid of cheap phones could ease this strain. Manufacturers need to build high-quality smartphones that last a decade, replacing cheap new phones with a strong and consumer-friendly aftermarket.<\/p>\n<p>To be clear, there\u2019s nothing wrong with buying a cheap smartphone. If I didn\u2019t work in <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a>, I\u2019d probably be using one! My complaint is that cheap phones encourage wastefulness in the smartphone market\u2014we should be reusing\u00a0<em>good<\/em> phones, not replacing\u00a0<em>bad<\/em> phones.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cheap_vs_Expensive_Whats_the_Real_Difference\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_0\">Cheap vs. Expensive: What\u2019s the Real Difference?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-110560\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2022\/02\/26f62a65.jpg\" alt=\"Samsung Galaxy S22's App Drawer\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Justin Duino \/ Review Geek<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Everybody has their unique shopping habits, but generally speaking, we all share one basic idea\u2014we believe that new stuff is better than old stuff. This is especially true when electronics are involved, as it\u2019s hard to keep up with the endless stream of technological \u201cimprovements\u201d and \u201cadvancements.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Smartphone technology improved at a rapid pace during the late 2000s and early 2010s. But things have slowed down a bit. If you take a two-year-old iPhone and compare it to the most recent model, you\u2019ll find that they aren\u2019t all that different. The same goes for Android devices.<\/p>\n<p>But what happens when you compare an old \u201cexpensive\u201d phone to a new \u201ccheap\u201d phone? Well, you\u2019ll quickly learn that the old flagship is better than the shiny new budget device. It\u2019ll use a faster processor, and its camera quality will look similar to that of a new flagship.<\/p>\n<p>Take the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Samsung-Galaxy-S20-Ultra-Cosmic\/dp\/B08H7RJLM2?tag=lsmedia-13969-20\">Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra<\/a>, for example. This phone costs about $300 on the aftermarket, but it uses a\u00a0Snapdragon 865 5G chipset and has <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dxomark.com\/samsung-galaxy-s20-ultra-camera-review\/\">outrageously great cameras<\/a>. New phones of a similar price, such as the Moto Edge, fall short of the Galaxy S20 Ultra in <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/nanoreview.net\/en\/soc-compare\/qualcomm-snapdragon-865-vs-mediatek-dimensity-1050\">performance benchmark tests<\/a>\u00a0and have noticeably worse cameras.<\/p>\n<p>Cheap phones also tend to lack important features like wireless charging. And they often suffer from strange problems that are never fixed by the manufacturer. The iPhone SE is a good example; its cellular service is <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/forums.macrumors.com\/threads\/returned-iphone-se-has-bad-antenna-and-glitchy-touch-screen.2235305\/\">ridiculously unreliable<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Not to mention, flagship phones have a much higher build quality than budget options. And this is about more than just looks\u2014flagship devices use durable Gorilla Glass and are certified with dust and water resistance. Cheap phones, on the other hand, use cheap glass and rarely bother with IPX water-resistance certification. If you\u2019re clumsy, you may find yourself buying a new cheap phone every year!<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Flagship_Phones_Should_Get_a_Decade_of_Support\"><\/span>Flagship Phones Should Get a Decade of Support<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-136681\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2022\/11\/180f1315.png\" alt=\"A blurry photo of the Google Pixel 7 in a plush looking, grassy plant.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Andrew Heinzman \/ Review Geek<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s clear that an old flagship will outperform any new budget phone. But here\u2019s the problem; Android smartphones only receive <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/109655\/why-you-should-upgrade-your-android-phone-every-two-years\/\">a few years of software updates. The Galaxy S20 Ultra that I mentioned earlier will get its final security update in 2024. After that, it will slowly grow vulnerable to hackers and malware.<\/p>\n<p>To be fair, cheap Android phones rarely get anything beyond a year of updates. And some cheap phones never get an update! But the point still stands\u2014if we\u2019re getting rid of cheap phones, we need manufacturers to offer a decade of software support for flagships. That\u2019s the only way to build a strong aftermarket where high-quality phones are inexpensive and long-lasting.<\/p>\n<p>Some manufacturers are inching toward this level of software support. Samsung and Google now promise five years of security updates for their latest flagships. But Apple is the reigning champ, as it still supports the iPhone 8, which launched way back in 2017.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, the iPhone is a great example of why we should get rid of cheap phones. Instead of stretching itself thin with a bunch of cheap devices, Apple focuses its energy on supporting a small selection of premium iPhones. It\u2019s not unusual for someone to buy an iPhone that\u2019s three or four years old, but you can\u2019t say the same for Android products.<\/p>\n<p>The only wart on Apple\u2019s lineup is the iPhone SE. It\u2019s cheaply made, and as a result, it doesn\u2019t stand up to older iPhones that sell for the same price.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Of_Course_Repairability_Is_Part_of_The_Equation\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_2\">Of Course, Repairability Is Part of The Equation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-143482\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2023\/01\/dffafa27.png\" alt=\"Removing the battery from a Pixel 6 Pro smartphone.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ifixit.com\/Guide\/Google+Pixel+6+Pro+Battery+Replacement\/148769\">iFixit<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Even with extended software support, a smartphone may not last for more than a few years. Drops, spills, and other accidents are inevitable. And if you don\u2019t shatter your phone, its battery will eventually wear down and become unusable.<\/p>\n<p>These problems can be fixed. Repair companies are everywhere, and the aftermarket for replacement phone parts is fairly robust. The problem is that fixing a phone is often more expensive or difficult than buying a new one.<\/p>\n<p>If manufacturers get rid of cheap phones and provide extended support for flagships, they also need to make these devices easily repairable. Screen replacements should be cheap, and it should only take a few minutes to replace a phone battery.<\/p>\n<p>Repairability is slowly growing into an important topic, and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/339925\/what-are-%e2%80%9cright-to-repair%e2%80%9d-laws-and-what-do-they-mean-for-you\/\">Right to Repair legislation<\/a> is popular on both sides of the aisle. Plus, companies like Google and Samsung are now working directly with <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ifixit.com\/\">iFixit<\/a>, a website that sells aftermarket parts and publishes device repair guides. Things are getting better in this area.<\/p>\n<p>That said, the average person still can\u2019t fix their own phone. And the pivot away from cheap and disposable phones won\u2019t happen until repairability becomes a priority.<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-box noflex-desktop \">\n<div class=\"product-img product-img-noaward\">\n<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\" role=\"presentation\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/iFixit-Essential-Electronics-Toolkit-Smartphone\/dp\/B0964G2Y7S?tag=lsmedia-13969-20\" onclick=\"fbq('track', 'Buy Button'); if (fb_t_convert){fb_t_convert();}\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/41QDqyEKFoL._SL160_.jpg\" height=\"147px\" width=\"147px\" alt=\"\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"This_Dream_Probably_Wont_Come_True\"><\/span>This Dream Probably Won\u2019t Come True<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-143159\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2023\/01\/bdfac13c.png\" alt=\"The OnePlus Nord N10 5G's camera array.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Andrew Heinzman \/ Review Geek<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Getting rid of cheap smartphones could help us save money and reduce wastefulness. But cheap phones aren\u2019t going anywhere. Shoppers are entrenched in their habits, manufacturers won\u2019t offer a decade of software support for\u00a0<em>anything<\/em>, and Right to Repair legislation will only improve repairability for those who actively seek it.<\/p>\n<p>Plus, a bunch of companies would crash and burn if everybody kept their phone for more than two years. I\u2019m not sure that any corporation, investor, or economist would appreciate the idea that I\u2019m suggesting.<\/p>\n<p>At the time of writing, Motorola is the third-largest smartphone brand in the United States. And it is, for the most part, a budget brand. Samsung takes second place, and a decent portion of its sales stem from cheap \u201cA-series\u201d devices.<\/p>\n<p>The only outlier is Apple, which takes first place. It holds a huge market share because it has loyal customers and offers several years of software updates for the iPhone. If Apple decides to embrace the \u201ccheap phones shouldn\u2019t exist\u201d mentality, other companies\u00a0<em>might<\/em> follow suit. But given <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/116176\/apples-repair-program-will-help-the-company-double-down-on-its-worst-practices\/\">Apple\u2019s track record with repairability, I\u2019m guessing that this is another dead end.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\nsetTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n  fbq('init', '1137093656460433');\n  fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. 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This would increase the price of new devices, but it would lead to a strong aftermarket, extended software support, and increased repairability. Smartphones place a ridiculous strain on our wallets. And, somewhat ironically, getting&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":542666,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2023\/01\/27aa2439.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-542665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/542665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=542665"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/542665\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/542666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=542665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=542665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=542665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}