Smartphones buyer's guide: Spring 2014

Cellcom cellphones cellcom internet bell internet  bell phones bell mobility bell.ca bell canada

It's an interesting time to be in the market for a new smartphone. A number of recent high-profile launches have made us rethink our expectations of what it's possible to get in certain price categories, especially at the low end. We're also barely a month away from the launches of all the new flagship models that were unveiled at the Mobile World Congress last month.

Motorola has taken India by storm with its new Moto G, which is now highly sought after for its fantastic value features and construction quality. BlackBerry has reduced the price of its Z10 to only Rs. 17,990, which should make even strong sceptics give it a second thought. On the other hand, that strategy won't work for all - Apple's iPhone 4 isn't a compelling option even if you can find it for under Rs. 20,000.

Similarly, Samsung has dropped the price of its Galaxy S4, which catapults it into a whole new price band, where it actually looks pretty good. Its contemporaries from Sony, HTC and LG feel unattractive by comparison, since they now compete with fresh blood and it's only a matter of time before those companies follow suit.

We've divided the market into a number of price bands, based on current trends and the amount a buyer can usually stretch his or her budget by after having identified a reasonable model. Generally, the phones in each price band will be comparable in terms of features and capabilities. We've also considered current street prices, as opposed to MRPs, since these prices do drop over the course of a device's life, and what really matters is the price right now.

The cheapest devices that could possibly qualify as smartphones sell for between Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 9,000. Beyond that range and up to Rs. 14,000, it is now possible to buy a modern smartphone with all the basic features in place.

Between Rs. 14,000 and Rs. 30,000, we are firmly in mid-range territory. However, due to the massive difference between devices at either end of this band, we've subdivided it even further. Budget-friendly options now include models with quad-core processors and reasonably good cameras, with Indian brands muscling in on the territory formerly dominated by multinationals. You also have a wider range of platform options. A number of smartphones that were top end just a year ago, and are still perfectly serviceable, make up the higher end of this band.

Above Rs. 30,000, we have a variety of models that are nearly as powerful as the flagships of each brand. These are usually only one generation old, or "lite" versions of top-end products, and represent pretty good value for money.

Most current flagship models are priced between Rs. 40,000 and Rs. 65,000. In this range, you'll find each brand's most feature-laden phone. In fact, most are priced at around Rs. 45,000, with the upper reaches of this category made up of variants with more storage capacity. Be warned, though! Many of these flagships are nearing the end of their reign, and will see significant price cuts in the near future.

Of course, if money is no object, there are phones even more luxurious that you can splash out on. Some of these have designer touches, or are built out of luxurious materials.

Here are our top picks in each category:

Rs. 5,000 - 9,000
Samsung's Galaxy Star and Galaxy Star Pro might be two of India's bestselling smartphones, but they'll now have to compete with the brand new Nokia X (approximate street price: Rs. 7,800). Running a custom Android fork, the X has the unique advantage of Nokia's clout, and the company has every intention of reclaiming lost ground. The Nokia X can't boast of any fancy specifications, but at this end of the budget spectrum, we weren't expecting that anyway. The choice is between Samsung's fully-featured Android, and Nokia's superb design.