When it comes to smartphones, there was a time when cheap really meant shitty. That's no longer true. But which cheap phones are most worth buying?
Around this time every year, retailers gird their loins and prepare to slash prices for the holiday shopping season. For many stores, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are opportunities to clear old stock (at a mild loss) and trigger a surge of spending that carries on well into December. Deals on toys, televisions and tablets are meant to pull you into stores, where you're likely to splurge on other things like towels ... or perhaps a new cellphone.
Depending on when and where you look this week you'll be able to snag a new flagship class phone for as little as a penny if you're willing to sign a 2-year contract. There are a few contract-free devices being discounted this weekend, but the bulk of them aren't exactly the amazing "doorbusters" they're being advertised as. They're throwaway phones meant for short-term use. That's not a knock against the cheap phone market, however. In fact, some of the most interesting developments in cellphone tech are focused on the so-called "low end."
Once upon a time when you walked into a store looking to buy a new cell phone, you were presented with three options. High-end devices like Apple's iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy line were cutting edge, but expensive. Mid-range phones like HTC's Desire series were cheaper, but not nearly as powerful.Cheaper smartphones were the most affordable, but also the most technologically limited of the bunch. Their processors were slower, their screens were less crisp, and their build quality often left much to be, well, desired.
Around this time every year, retailers gird their loins and prepare to slash prices for the holiday shopping season. For many stores, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are opportunities to clear old stock (at a mild loss) and trigger a surge of spending that carries on well into December. Deals on toys, televisions and tablets are meant to pull you into stores, where you're likely to splurge on other things like towels ... or perhaps a new cellphone.
Depending on when and where you look this week you'll be able to snag a new flagship class phone for as little as a penny if you're willing to sign a 2-year contract. There are a few contract-free devices being discounted this weekend, but the bulk of them aren't exactly the amazing "doorbusters" they're being advertised as. They're throwaway phones meant for short-term use. That's not a knock against the cheap phone market, however. In fact, some of the most interesting developments in cellphone tech are focused on the so-called "low end."
Once upon a time when you walked into a store looking to buy a new cell phone, you were presented with three options. High-end devices like Apple's iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy line were cutting edge, but expensive. Mid-range phones like HTC's Desire series were cheaper, but not nearly as powerful.Cheaper smartphones were the most affordable, but also the most technologically limited of the bunch. Their processors were slower, their screens were less crisp, and their build quality often left much to be, well, desired.
Looking at the market today, many things are the same. High-end phones are still pricey and aspirational while the midrange is still middling. Cheap smartphones, however, are in a state of disruption. Bargain-basement gadgets are giving way to bigger, better devices that are just as affordable.
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