Cell Phones

A consumer segment that went from a “nice to have” to “slit my wrists if this thing is out of my site for over 5 minutes.” Ok, maybe not that dire, but believe it or not when cell phones first emerged, they were considered like jewelry. Interesting, cool things to have and play with that were not for everyone and certainly not necessary for communicating or living your daily life.

As we all know the script has been flipped and coming into 2020, honestly who doesn’t possess a cell phone? Granted, prices have come down and the technology has evolved exponentially, so those two items have contributed to the rapid uptake. As with cars for example, the sheer variety of phones is mind-boggling. Brands galore, tech specs for days, choosing a cell phone is no longer a simple exercise. There are plenty of things to consider and we’re going to dive into them here.

Regarding the latest and the greatest, there are essentially two brands – Samsung and Apple. Samsung Galaxy S10 phones added a much-needed boost as of late to the rivalry, while Apple quickly countered with the iPhone XS Max that is considered by some to be slightly superior now to the S10. The screen is not overly large, but for $1,099 you do get a killer camera and processor that is head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd. Now, if you’re looking for a bigger screen, the iPhone XR is a fantastic alternative. It’s also considerably cheaper at $749.

The Galaxy S10 features a more powerful processor and the battery life is second to none. According to most tech pundits, the S10 is the best Android phone on the market and if you’re seeking a smaller version, the S10e is a great option. Android purists will want to opt in for the Pixel 3 or even the Pixel 3 XL as one of the best cameras on the market is the Pixel 3.

Apple and Samsung dominate this sphere, but in addition to the S10 Plus we’re also going to look at another brand.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus

Released in March of this year, the S10 Plus features a 6.4-inch screen and as we mentioned earlier this is widely considered the best Android phone currently available. The cameras are otherworldly, but the phone is not cheap. Coming in at a cool $1,000, the S10 is certainly an investment and one of the only downsides (mentioned on chat boards) is the design offers little grip.

Overall the phone is designed for folks with big hands. After all, it’s a big phone and if you’re looking for the best visual experience then the S10 is the phone for you.

Huawei P30 Pro

All Chinese spying jokes aside the P30 comes in strong from the photo perspective. A great smartphone for photography buffs, the P30 was also released in March of this year and the photos that have been published online (taken with the P30) are truly astonishing. On the design side the P30 has also caught some eyes, and while the EMUI lacks some polish, the P30 is darn close to being the best smartphone on the market today.

Back to the photography angle to finish off, the 5x and 10x zoom functions are tough to compete with, and a digital 50x zoom brings you to insanely close proximity which is still hard to fathom even after months snapping pics with this phone. The P30 is not only a huge win for Huawei, but for the industry as a whole.

To be brutally honest, any smartphone you pick up today will be a heck of an addition to your life. Just make sure you make some time for the loved ones.