Can’t Afford The Latest Smartphones? Get the Next Best Thing Instead!

Galaxy S3

Bring Your Own Device or BYOD is gaining wide acceptance in American workplaces. A recent survey says that 49% of enterprises issue work owned Smartphones to their workforce, a significant drop from 58% last year.

For struggling businesses, putting a BYOD policy in place can help cut back on communications costs. However, there are Smartphones in the market that are as impressive as top-tiered devices, but minus the hefty costs, that you can give out as your workforce’s official business phone.

Smartphones Inaccessible to Most

It’s a general truth that Smartphones remain expensive to this day, despite its mass production. A chart by news agency Business Insider shows why Smartphones are inaccessible for most consumers, especially for those in lower income countries.

According to mobile analyst Tomi Ahonen, nearly 40% of mobile phones sold globally are ultra low-cost phones, which are $39 or less. Ahonen called over half of mobile phones sold around the world as “dumbphones”, costing less than $79. Meanwhile, premium Smartphones or those that have a $450-price tag or more, such as Apple’s iPhone, just make up 11% of mobile phones sold worldwide.

Can’t afford the latest? These might do.

Over the past months, almost all Smartphone manufacturers have released their new flagship phones. Still, there are Smartphones from late last year that fare well in the current market and hold up pretty well side-by-side with the rookies. Yes, they are no longer top-tiered but it’s closest to perfection if you can’t get your hands on the latest.

. iPhone 4S

If you’re all for the iPhone experience but find the iPhone 5 too pricey, then the next best thing you can get is the iPhone 4S. Over a year since it was first release, the 4S now costs $99 for a two-year contract with Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T. You can even get it at $69 from T-Mobile! The 4S is pretty much the same as the iPhone 5. And it’s definitely for you if you can tolerate its thicker built, smaller display and not being able to access LTE data.

. Samsung Galaxy S3

The worldwide release of Samsung Galaxy S4 officially booted out its precursor from the Smartphone A-list. So why buy the Samsung Galaxy S3 instead of the latest S4? Its discounts! Huge, huge discounts. You can get started with this Android phablet at $99.99 for a two-year mobile phone plan from all major telecoms. It features NFC technology, 3G connectivity, a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD display, and an 8 MP camera. Also, expected is the galaxy s7 samsung

. Nokia Lumia 920

Previously the flagship Windows Phone, the Nokia Lumia 920 runs on the Windows 8 operating system. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and has 1 GB of RAM and 32 GB internal storage. It also features a 4.5-inch multi-touch display, 8.7 MP rear camera and 1.3 MP front camera. It’s available for a two-year contract with AT&T at $99.99.

. Samsung Galaxy Note 2

If you prefer the Samsung Galaxy S3 but would want to have a bigger screen, you might as well go for Samsung’s top phablet that has a 5.5” display, the Galaxy Note 2. Galaxy Note 2 is big enough to do real work on but small enough to fit your jacket pocket. There’s also a stylus for jotting down notes or doodling. The Galaxy Note 2 price ranges from $169.99 to $299.99 for a two-year contract with major carriers.

. HTC Windows Phone 8x

Some say HTC’s Windows Phone 8x, the signature Windows Phone 8, is the best Windows Phone you can by just yet. It has similar features as that of Nokia Lumia 920 but is definitely a lot slimmer, lighter and attractive. It’s for a little less than $50 from AT&T and $99.99 from Verizon.