Buying a new phone is a big decision, especially if you’re buying one for your teen. Making sure your child has a way to stay connected with friends and family is becoming increasingly important these days. Still, with so many handsets vying for your attention and money, it can be hard to decide which is best for your child. That’s where we come in. So, without further ado, let’s dive into this blog and learn more about buying your teen their first phone.
1. Battery life
A phone isn’t doing your teen any good if it regularly dies before it even leaves the classroom. The longer a phone’s battery, the longer it should last. As a general rule, buying a phone with a larger battery usually results in a longer time between charges. Most phone batteries average about 3,000 mAh today, or at least a full day of use on one charge.
In addition to a large battery, you should watch the screen size, resolution and processor used. Qualcomm’s new processors have managed to use less and less power while still being fast enough to run all the latest applications. Also, the battery will continue to benefit from the smaller, lower screen resolution.
2. Water resistance
When buying a phone for your child, it’s important to buy something that can stand the test of time. Some phones are more durable than others; in this regard, one of the most important things to look for is a device’s IP rating. IP stands for “ingress protection” and is used to identify a phone’s resistance to water and dust quickly.
The best IP rating we typically see on phones is IP68- which means that a phone is completely dustproof (dust cannot penetrate it at all) and can be immersed in water up to one meter. While some phones have similar resistance to the elements without being officially, IP certified, having this IP rating is a useful assurance that a phone can withstand certain conditions and still function well.
3. Software updates and security patches
When you buy a phone with your child, their top priorities probably include the screen, camera, battery, etc. These things are really important, but the most crucial thing to consider is how that phone will receive software updates. as time passes. Android phones get two updates: bulky operating system updates and security patches. Operating system updates are released once a year, while security patches are released monthly.
Software updates and security patches are critical to the longevity of a device. Not only do they add new features and keep things running smoothly, but they also fix bugs or security vulnerabilities that could be harmful. If you buy a phone from one of these companies, it will likely wait for a new version of Android for some time after its release and will not have all the security patches.
4. Biometric security
When your teen gets their new phone, that’s exactly what it is: their phone. No one else’s. To make sure it stays that way, buying one with some form of biometric security is a good idea. The most common form of this security is a fingerprint sensor, which does exactly what you think it does. Biometrics used to be reserved for flagship high-end phones, but the technology is now readily available in much more affordable phones.
Your teen can register his or her fingerprint on the sensor. From that point on, the phone will only unlock when their fingerprint is detected. Similarly, many Android phones now come with a face unlock system. These are usually powered by a phone’s front camera and aren’t as secure as a fingerprint sensor, but it’s helpful if your teen has multiple options for accessing their phone. Plus, there’s always the use of a PIN or password.
5. Budget
Smartphones have always been expensive, but these days it’s far too common to see many devices sold with price tags of $1,000 or more. There’s no denying how well most of them are, but for many people, that’s way too much to spend on a phone- especially if you’re buying one for your teen. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend $1,000 to get a new phone. In fact, plenty of handsets offer good experiences without breaking the bank. Right now, one of the most interesting is the Nokia 4.2.
The Nokia 4.2 is part of the Android One program to make things even better. For under $200, the Nokia 4.2 offers everything your teen needs. There’s a 5, 71-inch HD+ display with small bezels, expandable storage, a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and even an NFC chip for contactless payments with Google Pay. This means we’ll be guaranteed software updates and security patches for the next few years, though not as fast as if you were buying something like the Pixel 3a.
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