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Choices galore with affordable smartphones
Driven by more economical production costs and the stronger purchasing power of the emerging lower-end market, smartphones are now available at affordable prices
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riven by more economical production costs and the stronger purchasing power of the emerging lower-end market, smartphones are now available at affordable prices.
It's common now to see people carrying two, three or even four smartphones. They say they use different networks for each gadget, a must because they say there are still blank coverage areas in several places, either in big cities or, especially, in villages.
Another reason for using many smartphones is their decreasing price, despite the fact that some of mobile devices have limited features compared to their more expensive counterparts.
'I use an iPhone to support my work when I'm on the road or away from my desk. To communicate via calls or text message, I use BlackBerry. I also have an Android phone that can also function as a hot spot,' said Tavip, an accountant who travels a lot across Indonesia.
Aside for the famed iPhone, he added, the others were affordable gadgets.
Tavip recently switched to Blackberry Z3. 'It's not that expensive and fairly functional for communications,' he said, adding he also has a cell phone that applies the EVDO and GSM systems.
More affordable smartphones are widely available in Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia and one of the largest cell phone markets in Asia. There is various array of smartphones made in China (by Chinese manufacturers), but just like BlackBerry, the leading names in the cell phone industry have also created low-cost gadgets to lure potential buyers in Indonesia, especially the emerging lower-end market.
Last month, BlackBerry introduced its Z3, a low-cost touch screen device, in Jakarta. It seems this is an effort of the Canadian maker to get back its market share in Indonesia.
Though the price has slightly climbed from Rp 2.2 million when launched to the current Rp 2.6 million, the Z3 can still be classified as a pocket-friendly smartphone.
The Z3, reportedly manufactured in Taiwan, has a 5-inch display with a resolution of qHD 540x 960 pixels, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and a 1.1MP front-facing camera. Other features of the device include 8GB storage with microSD support, 1080HP video and a 2,500 mAh battery.
BlackBerry is not the only leading smartphone maker eying the low-cost market in Indonesia. There are Motorola, Sony and the frontrunner Samsung. Other well-known brands introducing cheap devices include Acer, Asus, HTC, LG and HTC. All brands offer gadgets lower than Rp 2 million in Indonesia.
Motorola has just introduced Moto G, an Android phone that brings many aspects of the Moto X with a lower price. The key features include a comfortable curved-back design, HD display, 5-megapixel main camera and front camera.
With a 1.2 GHz Quad Core Processor, users can do more of the things they like with Moto G. The processor gives users a high speed, great graphics and long battery life.
Motorola says the device allows users to talk, text and play longer with the built-in rechargeable lithium-ion, 2070 mAh battery. This gadget also features liquid repellent nano-coating technology, which prevents water from being absorbed by the phone.
There is also Sony with its Xperia E Dual. This smartphone is an Android cell phone with double SIM cards, which enables users to split work from play and handle calls in a cost-efficient way. Users can switch the SIM cards anytime with a simple touch, or put the switch in an auto mode.
The Xperia E Dual has a 3.5-inch touch screen and a data usage application that helps users manage costs and phone bills. It also has a power management control feature. With the Walkman trademark, this application offers a great music experience as users can create their own playlists.
As a leading brand in Indonesia, Samsung now has a lot of gadgets, including cheap ones. Among these South Korean affordable products is the Galaxy Young S6310. The device is based on an Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean operating system and has a 1.0GHz speed processor.
The features include 3G speed, which provides a fast web connection for downloading applications, streaming content and staying connected with social media.
As a touch screen device, the S6310 has a 3.27-inch screen with a 320x480-pixel resolution and 256K color.
It has 2GB internal memory and provides ample storage space for contacts, music, and others. A microSD card slot enables users to expand storage by up to 64GB. Meanwhile, the 3.15MP camera lets users capture crisp photos with up to a 2048 x 1536-pixel resolution.
With many smartphones in the market, the lower end segment - and the high end, too to some extent - now have more options and customers can have two, three or more gadgets, depending on their needs.
Smart utilization, though, is always important when using gadgets, including cheap ones.
