Simple cell phones today - worse than what they used to be?

36. runin2music posted on 12 Mar 2010, 11:04 0 0

I agree with PhoneArena and Ryan when he says, "There should be at least the degree of technology available to low-end consumers that was available 5 years ago." If we compare chronological phone lineups, however, we find just that. For example, Ryan said that today's low-end phones are "technologically inferior. They are thicker, have worse cameras, cheap buttons, small front screens . . ." Five years ago nearly all low-end phones had external intennas and thick housing, and a camera on a phone was the exception, as was an outside display screen. Consider these and compare them with today's low-end phones: Don't most of today's low-end phones have thinner, smaller housing, all accomplished with internal intennas? Aren't nearly all of today's low-end phones equipped with an outside display screen (with color!) and at least a VGA quality camera? Not to mention Bluetooth, voice-dialing, and far better internal phone memory for more contacts and pictures. I don't think I see a problem. Technology has clearly improved across the board. In fact, it's a challenge to find a "low-end" phone today without all of these features (which also helps explain why today's batteries don't last as long as yesterday's....today's plethora of features on a single phone suck way more juice). If we were including all these features in a phone five years ago, we'd be examining a higher-end phone of 2005. Ryan, it seems to me that you're comparing the quality phones of 5 years ago with the "low-end" phones of today, and obviously seeing similarities. Nonetheless, perhaps I misunderstand your concern. Please correct me if I'm off target. Also, I don't think carriers are in the wrong for charging data plans on certain phones. Those phones are all higher quality . . . Vendors sell them to the carriers at a higher price. So carriers have two choices: sell them to consumers at a high price without any way to get the $$ back, or sell them with a lower sale price and include a date package for what they were designed---multimedia and internet usage. Data revenues have increased substantially for all major carriers in the past year alone. Of course they're going to pair data packages that fit the demands of the consumer who is willing to pay more month to month in exchange for a lower sale price. All major carriers have plenty of quality phones that don't require those data packages. It's just the way the industry is developing. If you want the latest and greatest, then your monthly bill is gonna be a bit higher. But if you want a quality phone without the latest and greatest, i.e. a "low-end" phone that is way better than the "low-end" phones of the past, then you can still purchase one (or in most cases get it for free) and maintain a lower bill. That being said, I'd like to see cheaper voice plans with less minutes for people who want to get the latest phones, are willing to pay for the data, but will rarely use any minutes. I know some carriers offer such plans, but usually with an activation fee regardless of the phone type. That part doesn't make much sense to me.

39. runin2music posted on 12 Mar 2010, 11:37 0 0

. . . and I just found Knuckleballer34's post. Kudos and ditto!

41. jpvan2 posted on 12 Mar 2010, 23:43 0 0

Now that my RAZR is falling apart, here is my wish list for my next cell phone: Drag & drop music, pix, movies, etc. via USB (no proprietary software required), 3.5mm headphone jack, texting, durable body. No more waiting or navigating menus to get a quick camera shot. My taped-up RAZR was usable but lacked a secure earpiece connection, couldn't be charged while using the earpiece and was a pain to transfer music. It's still more practical and faster( it's a shame) to keep my pocket camera, MP3 player and get a Jitterbug. Extras are okay but I'm not paying $60 and up per month for features or services I don't use or care about. Any ideas?

46. sherjo311 posted on 16 Mar 2010, 18:50 0 0

As an independant Verizon retailer, this sort of convorsation really encourages me. I am a smartphone user of all OS's and shapes, and the Apple-like locking down of phones on VZW's behalf has always irked me. Sometimes I'm too much of a consumer right's activist to be sitting on this side of the desk :). The new data package requirements on Verizon's phones are really hurting us in this general demographic. I can't keep going to a Samsung Knack or LG Accolade every time someone tells me they don't need anything fancy. I've personally lost clients that were so offended by the additional requirement for the ENV3 after having used the ENV2 for a couple years. And I can't blame them. Now it's not to say that any of the simple featutred aren't quality phones (as mentioned before the Samsung Convoy is a beast!), it's just that the stereotypical "free" phone is now becoming more of the stereotype. We sell Smooth's all day long but I'll be damned if that ain't just a little freebie phone!

48. rhomaion posted on 18 Mar 2010, 17:22 0 0

I couldn't agree more. It seems like the only good phones I have ever boughten were smartphones... except Motorola smartphones.

49. mkl4466 posted on 18 Mar 2010, 23:28 0 0

I too had the 8600, while working for Verizon corporate retail store. That phone, like the RAZR, was a love-it or hate-it phone. Not the most reliable across the board. But you are right about your main point. The "mid-range" feature phones are dissappearing. I actually got a chance to speak with a Moto rep at a convention. I asked him about their handset strategy, since there seems to be a gap in the Moto lineup. My wife has a RAZR2 thats been replaced once. I'd like her to get something new, and she LOVES itap, and is very resistant to try T9Word, so she wants a motorola. There has not been 1 moto flip phone since the RAZR2 that was as good of a phone. The entice W766 wasn't bad, but its certainly not much of an upgrade from the RAZR2, offering no improvements except an onboard headphone jack. The moto rep basically said that as far as their VZW lineup goes, its all about smartphones. There aren't any midrange feature phones in the roadmap from Motorola anytime soon. Midrange phones don't help a company stand out in the competitive landscape. Now that the data plans are mandatory on most "mid range" phones, you might want to look at phones that are around a year old or so. I'd suggest the Nokia 7205 Intrigue. That or the Samsung Renown, or the casio exilim; all recent-enough phones, with better cameras than the LG8600, The Nokia is especially nice and thin, and none of them require the data package. They haven't been flagship handsets, but they should do a decent job for you. The LG8370 looks like it will be a good phone, but probably will require a data package. All I can say to people who don't want to pay for data is this: Don't think of it as paying for something you won't use. If you want the phone, pay the $10/month and learn to use the cool things the phone can do. Using more of the cool internet-related features will make you love the phone even more, and then you won't be paying for features you aren't using, you'll be paying for features you didn't use to use, but soon won't be able to live without. We now pay much higher sticker price on cars than we used to, but we got used to that. How did people first feel about paying more for a car with electric windows? Did some people say "I've never used that, I just roll my window down by hand". Sure, you never used it, because your old car didn't have it. When you are buying something new, its not very sensible to disqualify the features of a new product because you never used those features before. If you only wanted something that had the same capabilities as your old product, then you would be shopping for an OLD product, not something new. Its an attitude change, that's all. Verizon wants you to be happy, but they also want you to pay more. They want as much of your money every month as is sustainable. They don't want people paying hundreds in overages every month, because you won't do that for long before you jump ship. They want to slowly but surely jack your bill up about $10 per month every time you upgrade. It started with text, then VZ nav, then vcast videos, now mandatory data. You can refuse to pay more, and be unhappy with low end phones, or you can learn to like new features that cause you to pay more; then you are happy and they get more money. Either you win together, or you lose together... Or you get a knack.

50. bluehorseshoe posted on 19 Mar 2010, 18:47 0 0

Sexy simple phones take away the possible option of consumers giving in and purchasing the "smartphone" device with the extra $29.99 data tag that goes along with it. Carriers want to drive everyone in that direction for $$$. Even those that aren't interested.

51. dha_george posted on 22 Mar 2010, 09:40 0 0

my response can only be on at&t phones cause that's what i know, but right now i am looking at three really nice "feature" phones that require no monthly data charges. They are the pantech breeze, nokia 6350, and the nokia mural. The mural is really thin like a razr, the breeze is a perfect basic phone for the older folks(big screen and big buttons and large font) or someone who just needs a phone, and the nokia 6350 is a classic clamshell design with alot of great extras like gps and mobile email. i have to say that they do have a lot of junk phone out there too, but most of those you find on at&t's website ( i am looking right at you mister motorola em330!) and the basic section is shrinking every year and the messaging and smartphone sections are getting bigger, but so is the customer base that uses those products. And for the record the moto v3 the original that launch on cingular back in i think '03 was a great device, but as demand increased moto threw quality control out the window!

52. indirectagent posted on 22 Mar 2010, 17:15 0 0

I work at verizon and i totally agree with this article. Everyday people come in looking for just a basic phone, The biggest problem is that all of the basic phones are really ugly! i mean, look at the samsung smooth for example, same thing with the lg 5500, or accolade, motorola entice, lg 8360, ect. Why can't they at least make phones that look cool? i used to have a lg vx8700, and i got nothing but comliments on the design. Even the phones that are considered multi media devices are ugly. I dont understand how they go from making a beatiful phone like the razor 2, to the motorola W755, and then to the entice, they just keep getting thicker and uglier. I think verizon needs to get a team of fashion designer's to help them make new phones, because they are really going downhill. A phone is nothing more than a fashion accesory to a lot of people. Whoever comes up with these designs must have no sense of style whatsover. Basically what it comes down to is verizon need an IPHONE!

54. gabby (unregistered) posted on 10 Sep 2010, 09:35 0 0

totally

55. robrunner (unregistered) posted on 17 Sep 2010, 09:43 0 0

Totally agree. My LG VX8100 is 5 years old and I still love it. Just stopped working yesterday for no explicable reason and I went to Verizon for a replacement. Other than smartphones and the $9.99 multimedia's, I was offered a choice of about 3 models, all of which were inferior in quality, screen size, felt flimsy, etc.

56. Tom M (unregistered) posted on 15 Jan 2011, 12:28 0 0

I am in the process of "upgrading" from a blackberry curve to a Nokia 1208 and a Sylvania Netbook (aka: Smartbook[tm]). If you have frequent access to WiFi you can lose your data plan and get most of what the smartphone was offering with a bigger screen, bigger keyboard and less cost (the Sylvania Netbook is slightly over $100). Full disclosure, I moderate a Sylvania Netbook Yahoo group and a "reduce your cellphone costs" Yahoo group.

Tom M

57. rtyecript (unregistered) posted on 22 Aug 2011, 14:51 0 0

I really liked the article, and the very cool blog

58. Cellphonecity (unregistered) posted on 02 Oct 2011, 22:29 0 0

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