Smartphone comparison 2020

Looking for a new cell phone?

In this day and age, smartphones have become a gadget that is essential for survival. Logical really, after all, without our cell phone we wouldn't be able to stay in touch with friends, supply our social media channels with new photos, and in an emergency we'd be on our own. So the smartphone is our faithful companion for every day.

To ensure that we can cope with this companion every day, it is important to compare the devices before buying. We have compared the top 5 smartphones in the table above. Before buying, you should make sure what is important to you in a cell phone and what features you need.

Android, iOS: What does that even mean?

Android

Android is the free operating system from the search engine company Google. "Free" because every manufacturer can use it for their devices. Most of the time, Android is also modified a bit to fit the device perfectly. For example, Samsung Galaxy phones usually have their own Samsung user interface. However, the basic building block always remains the same. One of the biggest drawbacks with Android smartphones is that Google security updates are first modified by the individual phone manufacturers before you can download them as a customer. On the other hand, Android is much more customizable than Apple's iOS.

 iOS

iOS was created by Apple and is preinstalled on all Apple smart devices. Compared to Android, it is considered very secure, fast and reliable. Another big advantage is that Apple updates reach the users quickly. Thus, it can happen that a security patch announced yesterday is already downloaded to the device today. In addition, iOS is said to be much more intuitive and easier to use than Android.

 What's important about today's smartphones...

In order to have a lot of fun with your phone in the future, you should pay attention to some features when choosing a smartphone.

If you are one of those people who love social media and cannot put their phone down, then a powerful battery is essential. In addition, the camera should take decent pictures (Instagram!) and LTE must also be included for fast data transfer.

By the way, smartphones with a dual camera are also very suitable for photo enthusiasts (e.g. Apple iPhone). The dual camera allows optical zooming (without quality loss) and a much higher resolution is achieved in normal pictures.

Smartphone test reports & Stiftung Warentest

For those who want to learn more about their future phone before buying, there are fortunately many websites online that specialize in testing smartphones. We recommend for example the detailed test reports from Stiftung Warentest. There, the devices are checked according to a precisely defined test procedure.

Another important point in the purchase process is reading customer reviews. Thus there are at Amazon.com a number of detailed customer reviews for each of the phones presented above.

Where can I purchase a smartphone?

Basically, you can buy cell phones in two ways: Online without SIM lock or from a provider with a contract. We recommend buying without a SIM lock, since contracts usually tie you to the provider for 12 or 24 months. This is not only annoying, but can also be really expensive, since you continue to pay the same amount after paying off the device.

Smartphones are usually cheaper online. Providers like Amazon.de also deliver most devices to Austria.

Which smartphone has the best camera?

If you were to rate smartphones according to the camera, Samsung would have the lead in 90% of the cases.

The company also used to produce digital cameras and thus simply has much more know-how than Apple, for example. In addition, the camera app of Samsung smartphones usually offers many more settings.

What is LTE and do I need it?

LTE is the latest mobile communications standard, theoretically enabling speeds of over 100 Mbit/s. In Austria, LTE is being rolled out very quickly and all larger towns are now covered by 4G LTE. Therefore, we definitely recommend a smartphone with LTE compatibility.

However, it is important to select a suitable rate plan with LTE.

At what point should I buy my child a smartphone?

Children are asking their parents for their first cell phone at an ever earlier age. But do children already need a smartphone?

As more and more children own a cell phone, the pressure to get one themselves is increasing. In principle, experts recommend allowing children to have their first cell phone from the age of 10. Nevertheless, there are a few things you should keep in mind, such as a media educator at Spiegel.de has explained. At the courier there are 7 tips for the right handling the first cell phone.