Factors to Consider when purchasing a New Device

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    Factors to consider when purchasing a new, refurbished/used/pre-owned Handheld (Smartphone or Tablet):

    Repairability and Upgradability:
    - Can a memory card be added to upgrade storage?
    - how often does the device receive OS version updates (determines if apps need to be upgraded)
    - Is the OS version capped (will not be updated to the latest version)?
    - If capped, can the original "factory"/stock OS be replaced with an alternative ROM (to run future apps)?
    - Can it be repaired and are replacement parts (screen, battery, mainboard, charge ports, charge cables, car/wall chargers) available/affordable?

    Cost vs Features:
    Lesser known brands may have the same build quality, features and performance as traditional industry flagship devices at less than half the cost. Research hardware specs and pay attention to what customers love or consistently complain about.

    Note too that some devices are tied to a service provider so that the device appears inexpensive but aggressively & creatively market a multi-year tiered subscription plan (data & voice mins etc.)

    Provided that devices are unlocked (not tied to a service provider and compatible with local phone networks, you are free to use your device with a prepaid SIM or utilize personal or public WiFi.

    Brand Loyalty and Device Ecosytem Preferences e.g. Some brand loyal customers believe Iphones will pair "better" with Apple Watches vs Samsung Watches so customers may reject alternative brands despite lower cost, equilavent features or value.

    Single SIM vs Dual SIM - great to have two phone numbers (sometimes from different phone networks like Digicel vs bMobile) on a single device but this also means that a defective non functioning device ensures that there are now two (2) phone numbers instead of one that are not accessible.

    Warranty conditions and periods. Pay attention to the fine print. While Sellers and vendors will provide warranty of their merchandise, often it will not cover accidental falls, tampering/flashing an alternative ROM (Operating System), hardware & software modifications, unapproved apps or "compatible" attachments, misuse/negligent operation that may include under/over charging.

    Resale value - will my device be worth anything if there is a better model and I want to trade in for the upgrade.

    Durability (IP Rating - Ingress Protection):
    - Dustproof
    - Drop/Scratch proof
    - Waterproof (rain water droplets vs full immersion)
    - Temperative resistant

    - Charge Port Type (0% chance of being damaged inserting the charge cable)
    - Made of plastic, glass or Aluminum (will it crack, shatter or bend)?
    - Can I easily purchase a rugged case and screen protector for it?

    Wired vs Wireless Charging - wireless charging is effortless set up in the home environment but a challenge in an automobile. Wireless charges tend to be more expensive than wire chargers and often will only allow you to charge one wireless device at a time.

    Screen Size - larger screens makes touch typing and viewing easier but at a cost to battery life. Generally, the bigger the screen, the bigger the battery, the longer to charge till full.

    Battery Accessibilty, Capacity and Replacability
    - this refers to devices where the back cover can be removed when the device needs to be reset or a defective battery has to be replaced.
    - Higher end devices tend to be sealed so that the device has to be disassembled (by a skilled technician) to accomplish this.
    - Also, while bigger batteries take longer to charge till full, at full capacity, you will get a lot more use out of it before it needs to be recharged. Put another way, it needs to be charges less often.

    Hardware specs that enable performance:
    Processor type, # of cores (Note that 4 and 8 cores are more more powerful and efficient thus it is noticeably faster than single or dual core devices),
    RAM (temporary storage) and ROM (drive space) - To illustrate, inexpensive entry level devices may have just 1GB RAM and 16GB ROM versus flagship models that by comparison have 12GB RAM and 256GB ROM and are undeniably much faster and smoother while running more system intensive apps.

    Handling and Portability - Small, sleek, thin devices are preferable when being stored in pants pocket but a challenge if you have to read off a small device screen or are blessed with large fingers or hands that aren't ideal for navigating the device by touch. Small phones and tablets in back pockets tend to be forgotten back there and owners will inevitably sit on it..

    On the other hand, large devices are great for viewing and touch typing but don't make good cameras or voice call devices especially if device is heavy, you have small hands or short fingers and can't easily reach phone buttons on the back and side and lastly, you don't have a quick, convenient way to hide or store it.

    Camera Lenses/Sensors - Newer devices are equipped with a mix of mulitple powerful sensors and Artifical Intelligence to capture high resolution/high speed photos and videos. You will notice that when camera take more detailed phots and videos that the device is usually equipped with large storage space by default or designed to integrate additional internal (SDCard/Memory Card slots) or external storage device attachments.

    Security Features - Today's devices can be tracked by Bluetooth and GPS as well remotely accessed to lock, erase specific data and broadcast its location when powered on. While a lot of features are OS dependent or OS related (password/PIN, Face ID, Fingerprint Scans; Two Factor Aunthentication; Google Android's Factory Reset Protection(FRP) tied to a Recovery PH contact and Email address), there are brands/models that have hadware based security features like Samsung Knox and ScaleFusion which deters theft.

    Hardware Features for added functionality - Higher-end devices have added integrated hardware components that with the use of specialized apps can allow the owner/user to use the device to accomplish specialized task instead of purchasing seperate dedicated devices to measure/"see" temperature; sense acceleration, direction and height; use as an e-wallet, charging bank, projector, radio, remote, scale or scanner etc..

    In summary, the more robust its hardware and software, the more device and safety features it supports, the more expensive it is to purchase however owners may look forward to higher resale values.