Technology has actually become ever-growing and all-encompassing. Every major manufacturer is coming out with atleast five models every year, and doing all they can to capture majority share in the market. Every phone which is newer than the one launched earlier has some or the other feature added or tweaked
Like prehistoric earth was ruled by dinosaurs, the land of mobile communications these days is ruled by a new breed of instruments called ‘phablets’ (yes grammar-nazis, that is a word). A phablet is a culmination of phone and tablet.
Technology has actually become ever-growing and all-encompassing. Every major manufacturer is coming out with atleast five models every year, and doing all they can to capture majority share in the market. Every phone which is newer than the one launched earlier has some or the other feature added or tweaked. Imagine a time, when our PCs had a GB of RAM, high-end phones these days actually have around 2GB of RAM. Every phone is seemingly equipped with the most vibrant screen in the market. Cameras are being simply judged on numbers. Individuals who don’t even know the concept of a megapixel, jump at the idea of having a 41 megapixel camera on the Nokia 1020.
What I am basically trying to convey is that, phones have gotten all technology that they need and can handle. Samsung can’t throw in a kitchen sink into your Note 4 and tell you that it washes utensils too?? A smartphone is a communication device that can perform a multitude of functions other than basic communication. But beyond a certain point, there are other dedicated electronics to handle those functions; you do not need a phone to pull of DSLR like photos or play music as loud as a boombox or heck, even display like the 3D LED TVs.
Cellphone manufacturers are not only making their smartphones bigger, but also pricier. Five years back, the amount that have gotten you a top-of-the-line phone from a Samsung/HTC, now can only get you a ‘so-called’ budget smartphone from Micromax/Xolo. And no, the manufacturers are not to be blamed here. We, as individuals, affect the decisions brands make. If we demand wisely, the supply will be sensible, sadly, it is the other way round right now.
If our most basic requirement is calling, WhatsApp and the odd internet browsing; why in God’s name would someone buy a Galaxy S4 worth 40 grand? What I’m saying is, if people start buying phones as per their real requirements and not as a prestige product, extremely-expensive, niche phones will find less buyers. This will automatically force the cellular companies to come up with products that offer mediocre/acceptable features at a reasonable/competitive price.
There are phones from Samsung and Nokia that cost more that Rs 40,000, falling in the same bracket as the more premium iPhones. When it comes to getting down and dirty comparisons, these ‘premium’ models don’t offer anything that is out of the world. Infact, a Rs 20,000 Micromax Canvas Turbo does a fantastic job if you go down to the value-for-money section.
This is purely an opinion, and like me, each of you has a right to their own. This topic can be long discussed, and talking about it will only bring newer ideas to the brim. So hit me up in the comments section. Bouquets or brickbats… I’m waiting!!
