As phones have become an essential part of the workforce’s everyday toolkit, having a reliable, up-to-the-minute piece of technology in your pocket has become a vital consideration. There are a lot of options out there from different manufacturers when it comes to choosing the best smartphone for your business needs.
BlackBerrys were the first smartphones that had the ability to check email, had some limited web access, and much of the work functionality we have come to expect. BlackBerry, however, have had to give up a giant chunk of their market to Apple’s mighty iPhone, as well as Samsung and others.
This wide variety of phone choices can be daunting, so with that in mind, here’s a list to demystify the options and cut through the confusion of the current business phone marketplace, as well as look to what’s coming down the pipe for 2018.
1 – The Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
The Galaxy S8 Plus is quite highly regarded. It has 4GB of RAM, and the 12MP rear and 8MP front cameras are high quality, although Samsung’s “Bixby” helper software is no Siri, offering a much clunkier user experience. The screen is a super-sharp 6.2-inch QHD Super AMOLED display, but the price also reflects this, coming in at £689 currently, from Samsung themselves. Phone storage wise, the S8 has 64GB on tap. The unit’s 6.2-inch display may seem huge to some, but overall the Samsung Galaxy S8 is a Cadillac of a smartphone, quality-wise.
2 – Apple iPhone 8
On a practical level, the fact that the iPhone 8 can be charged wirelessly, is resistant to water, and the battery life has improved from previous models are big plusses, although it may not be necessary to upgrade from the iPhone 7. The deluxe iPhone X is now out as well, although its higher price makes it a less bang-for-buck proposition than the iPhone 8. It has 2GB of RAM, a 12 MP rear camera and 7MP low-light front camera. Phone storage, memory-wise, is 64GB/256GB, and the unit is £699 from Apple.
3 – BlackBerry Priv
The new BlackBerry Priv is quite a departure from their models of old, as it’s the first BlackBerry to run using Android software (Android 6 Marshmallow). The Priv starts at £569. While the Priv’s Android software means that this phone has access to Google apps, a first for a Blackberry, and the Priv’s hardware is decent, the build quality isn’t up to Apple standards. The Priv has a 5.4-inch QHD display, 32GB phone storage, 3GB of RAM, and a 18MP rear camera, and Blackberry is planning similar models with android software for the future.
4- OnePlus 5
For a relatively cheaper option (£549) that still packs a lot of functionality, the OnePlus 5 is a solid option. It boasts a 5.5-inch screen size, smaller than the Samsung but still decent, a 20MP + 16MP rear and 16MP front camera, and 64GB/128GB of memory. However, some of the fancy new features the iPhone 8 has, such as water resistance, aren’t on offer. You can choose between 6 or 8 GB of RAM, but 6 should be more than adequate for most uses.
Frankly, your options at the current time (late 2017) are pretty good and will probably serve your business effectively. However, it’s worth taking a look at what’s coming down the pipeline for 2018 in the phone world. Huawei’s Mate 10 Pro is being touted as an “Intelligent Machine,” not just another smartphone. It has 128GB of memory, no microSD slot, but with a neural processor that lets the Mate 10 Pro improve photography and do other things offline that previously impossible without cloud services. Samsung’s Galaxy X will become the first fully bendable phone if rumors are to believed. There are even rumors of a Snapchat phone in the works, although it’s more likely the company is working on a connected or 360-degree camera. All in all, there are many options for your business currently, with a few coming down the pipes, so there’s bound to be one that works for you.
