It’s time to upgrade your cell phone. Maybe your old one is broken or maybe you just want to keep up with the times. Some people are committed to a certain brand, some like to try new things while others just get whatever’s available at the store. Upgrading a cell phone can be as simple or complicated as you want it to be. When you’re shopping you’ll see what seems to be hundreds of options and knowing what’s right for you can be difficult. Do you go with Apple or Android? What’s the deal with the Windows Phone? The questions you could ask are endless and hopefully we’ll be able to sift through some and help get you upgraded to the right phone.

Apple, Android or Windows Cell Phones

When you upgrade your phone you might wonder about if a different operating system would be good for you. I’ll tell you right now that there is no ‘best’ operating system. You can find mountains of articles and testimonials that claim one is superior over another but it’s all personal preference.

Apple iPhone

It’s the hottest phone ever, there’s no doubt about it but it’s not because it’s the best. Apple created a marketing monster and the hype for each new phone release is outrageous. Don’t go chasing after an iPhone unless it’s right for you.
Pros:

• Apps: The iPhone has so many apps it’s mind boggling. This is a huge selling point and rightfully so. If you’re paying for premium service and a premium device it better do everything you expect it to. Upgrading your phone to iPhone will unlock some substantial new possibilities for your mobile life. Especially if you’re a musician or artist.
• Apple Integrations: This is the big one. If you have an iPad and Macbook then get an iPhone. All the devices will work together and make your life much simpler. There’s no point getting a different type of phone and have to deal with all the headaches trying to get them to work together.

Cons:

• Price: The iPhone is expensive not only to buy but to maintain as well. Chargers, adapters and pretty much everything else is different for iPhones. You’ll be paying a premium every time you buy an accessory.
• Quality: Ever noticed how you rarely see an iPhone that’s not in a waterproof, shockproof, lifeproof case? iPhones aren’t built to be tough and it shows. If you want a truly rugged phone then look elsewhere.
• Features: Apple likes to tout that it’s an innovator and they were many years ago. The fact is that they’ve fallen way behind the other manufacturers when it comes to hardware. The newest iPhone just released advertises new upgrades that were available on Android phones two years ago.

Android Cell Phones

When Android phones hit the market it was huge. There was finally an operating system for a phone that any manufacturer could use and customize. It helped that it worked well and offered up many of the features the iPhone had. It reigns supreme as the global favorite for mobile devices because it’s cheap and adaptable.

Pros:

• Lots of Options: Android can be put on an phone by any manufacturer. This means when you upgrade your cell phone you can pick from a massive selection. You can really get the phone that’s right for you with an Android.
• Apps: The Android app store isn’t as large as Apples but it is more focused on tools rather than games and toys. The majority of your common apps can be found for Android so you won’t be losing out by making the switch.
• Features: Android is more open for developers to make additions so you’re often going to get newer features on an Android phone. If you’re truly looking for the latest and greatest a an Android probably has it.

Cons:

• Direct Integration: Since you probably don’t have an Android based laptop or desktop you’ll have to jump through more hoops to get your devices to play well together. Instead of having direct integration you’ll have to setup extra apps to do the job.
• Clumsier Interface: Android is powerful but a little clumsy when you when you try to use it. Each manufacturer issues their own customized version of Android and some pull it off better than others. If you upgrade your phone from Windows or iPhone you’ll spend lots of time getting know how everything works.

Windows Cell Phones

The Windows Phone commands a tiny fraction of the cell phone market which is a shame. It is truly the only mobile platform that approached building a cell phone like it was actually a phone. While iPhone and Android treat them like miniature computers, Windows Phone threw out desktops and icons in place of a system of tiles. It’s the smoothest and easiest interface to learn hands down. This is the definitely the phone to upgrade to if you’re a newcomer to the smartphone game.

Pros:

• Interface: The tiles system is genius. They designed the entire interface around being able to use it with a single finger and it shows. Menus are simplified and fancy graphics are tossed out in favor of more useful information on the screen.
• Windows Integration: If you have a Windows computer or an XBox they work together beautifully. Upgrading to a Windows phone can save you lots of time if you’re already a Windows computer user.
• It’s A Phone!: It handles making calls and texting better than any other device. You don’t even notice how clunky making calls on another platform is until you use Windows phone for awhile.

Cons:

• Apps: Windows phone suffers terribly in the apps department. After developing apps for iPhone then Android, most companies didn’t want to throw the time into a third version. This hurt it’s ability to gain market share and continues to plague it today. Avoid upgrading to a Windows phone if you’re a big app fan.
• Consistency: The original Nokia Windows phones were bulletproof in true Nokia fashion but cheaper models have since been released. The flagship models are still high quality but the cheaper options fall drastically short of this high standard.
• Availability: With such a miniscule share of the mobile market, nobody wants to make Windows Phones. HTC and Nokia are the only two major brands that will touch it. You might be hard pressed to find one on your carrier and even then it might be one of the cheaper models.

The end decision of a new cell phone…

Upgrading a cell phone is a big decision since you’ll be stuck with it until your contract runs out or you can scrounge the cash for a new one. I recommend talking to friends about the experiences they’ve had with there’s and taking a hard look at what you honestly need from your phone.

Do simply want a good phone that you can also watch Netflix on? Upgrade to a Windows phone. Want an endless supply of apps to entertain you? Upgrade to an iPhone. Want to be on the cutting edge of technology and have all the best features? Upgrade to an Android.

Regardless of brand, type, or network, Amazon has a variety of cell phones for sale. You can shop there prior to going to deal with the high pressure folks at the cell store.