The Connection, Inc Blog

With the smartphone market losing ground for the first time in its short history, many of the manufacturers you’ve come to know are either non-factors in the current market, or don’t even produce smartphones anymore. With new demand growing every year, new manufacturers such as OnePlus and Xiaomi are primed to fall in line behind Samsung and Apple.

With today’s devices changing only slightly over a year, demand for new devices has fallen off, taking the once robust smartphone market with it. Don’t think for a second that people are not in the market for good smartphones, they just don’t see how paying upwards of a $1,000 per year on top of their service contract is necessary when their devices will last two or three years.

If you are in the market for a new flagship smartphone, this is your list. We’ve put together a list of five of the best smartphones you can own right now. They are:

LG V40 ThinQ
The V40 ThinQ may have a weird name, but it works to solidify the foothold the V-series phones have as a major player in the flagship smartphone market. The newest handset features a bezel-less 6.4-inch, OLED display, but the major shift (as you’ll see on many of the smartphones nowadays) is the bevy of lenses found on the device.

By integrating a total of five lenses the V40 ThinQ gives the user a lot of options on how to capture images and video. It features two 12 MP lenses (one wide angle and one telephoto), and a 16 megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens on the back, as well as two separate front-facing lenses. Another interesting feature is the “triple-preview” that allows users to see which camera will work best for the shot they are framing. The LG V-40 ThinQ is available in New Platinum Gray, Carmine Red, New Aurora Black, and New Moroccan Blue and can be had for around $900.

Specifications
Build - Aluminum with Glass Front/Back
Display - 6.4” P-OLED with ~537 ppi
Chipset - Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Memory - 6 GB RAM
Storage - 64/128GB, microSD up to 512GB
Software - Android 8.1 Oreo
Cameras - 12 MP (27mm) optical image stabilization; 12 MP (52mm) with 2x optical zoom and optical image stabilization; 16 MP (16mm); 8 MP (26mm) and 5 MP (21mm) front-facing.
Battery - 3,300 mAh (64 hours)
Additional Features - Rear-mounted fingerprint scanner

Samsung Galaxy Note 9
Samsung ships more smartphones than any other manufacturer, and for good reason, they tend to make the best phones. The Galaxy Note 9 is no different. With an octa-core Snapdragon 845, six or eight GB of RAM and 128 or 512 GB of onboard storage, the Note 9 matches up with about any handset available on the market. The device ships with Android 8.1 Oreo, but will be getting 9.0 Pie right along.

As far as the camera goes, it features two lenses, a 12 MP wide angle lens, and a 12 MP telephoto lens with optical zoom. The best-in-class battery checks in at 4,000 mAh and produces a robust 97 hours endurance rating. It has an onboard “S Pen” that provides a lot of additional functionality including remote control over many of the phone’s applications. It is available in Metallic Copper, Lavender Purple, Midnight Black, Ocean Blue, and Pure White, and carries a $1,100 price tag.

Specifications
Build - Aluminum with Glass Front/Back
Display - 6.4” Super AMOLED with ~516 ppi
Chipset - Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Memory - 6 or 8 GB of RAM
Storage - 128 or 512 GB of onboard storage and microSD up to 512 GB
Software - Android 8.1 Oreo
Cameras - 12 MP (26mm); 12 MP (52mm) with 2x optical zoom; optical image stabilization; 8 MP front-facing
Battery - 4,000 mAh (97 hours)
Additional Features - Samsung S Pen, rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, iris scanner.

Huawei Mate 20 Pro
How is it that what might be the best phone on the market, may not be available through your wireless carrier? Huawei’s Mate 20 Pro is a fantastic device, but some believe that since the Chinese government is one of their major investors, that it may be just too risky to allow this device to be made available in America.

That doesn’t stop the Mate 20 Pro from being a powerhouse, however. It is built on an aluminum chassis and features a 6.4-inch AMOLED display with a Kirin 980 processor. Its camera has four lenses, a 40 MP fixed wide-angle lens, a 20 MP ultra-wide-angle lens, an 8 MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, and a front-facing “selfie cam”. It also features an in-display fingerprint reader and Qi-charging. Better yet, it allows users to charge other Qi-enabled devices simply by stacking the devices. The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is available in Emerald Green, Midnight Blue, Twilight, Pink Gold, and Black and can be found for $1,100 on the Internet.

Specifications
Build - Aluminum frame with Glass Front/Back
Display - 6.4” AMOLED with ~538 ppi
Chipset - HiSilicon Kirin 980
Memory - 6/8GB RAM
Storage - 128/256GB with Nano Memory slot up to 256GB
Software - Android 9.0 Pie, Huawei UI
Cameras - 40 MP (27mm); 20 MP (16mm); 8 MP (80mm) with 5x optical zoom and optical image stabilization. Front facing 24 MP.
Battery - 4,200 mAh (85 hours)
Additional Features - Face ID, In-display fingerprint scanner, Qi wireless charging broadcasting, 40-Watt fast charging

Apple iPhone XS Max
A staple on many of these best-of lists for over a decade, the iPhone is smartphone royalty. This year’s option, the iPhone XS max gets a boost in power from Apple’s new A12 Bionic processor. It is said to improve the speed of the device up to 15 percent. The phone is built on a stainless-steel chassis and covered with premium glass. The phone’s display measures in at 6.5-inches.

The camera has two lenses: a 12 MP wide-angle lens, a 12 MP telephoto lens, and also features a 7 MP front-facing lens. With the enhancements made to iOS and the battery, the iPhone XS Max is again another standout product from Apple. It is available in Space Gray, Silver, and Gold, and can be had for $1,099.99 on any of the major carriers.

Specifications
Build - Stainless Steel with Glass Front/Back
Display - 6.5” Super AMOLED with ~458 ppi
Chipset - Apple A12 Bionic
Memory - 4GB RAM
Storage - 64/256/512 GB
Software - iOS 12/iOS 12.1
Cameras - 12 MP (26mm); 12 MP (52mm) with 2x optical zoom and optical image stabilization; 7 MP front-facing
Battery - 3,174 mAh (78 hours)
Additional Features - Face ID

Google Pixel 3 XL
Google’s phones haven’t always been thought of as premium. The Google Pixel and Pixel 2 models left something to be desired in build quality, but were known for having the best camera on a smartphone for each of the past two years. This time around the Google Pixel 3 has added glass front/back and a crystal-clear 6.3-inch OLED display. This year’s version feels more premium than any device the company has sponsored since the Google 6P, which was made by Huawei.

The Pixel 3 XL has a 6.3-inch OLED display and comes with what is widely regarded the best available camera on the market. The camera is 12.2 MP and excels in low light situations. The price of the Google Pixel 3 XL is at least $100 less than both the Samsung and Apple flagships, so it is more affordable for a premium device. It is available in colors White, Black, and Not Pink.

Specifications
Build - Aluminum with Glass Front/Back
Display - 6.3” P-OLED with ~523 ppi
Chipset - Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Memory - 4GB RAM
Storage - 64/128GB
Software - Android 9.0 Pie
Cameras - 12.2 MP (28mm) with optical image stabilization
Battery - 3,430 mAh (69 hours)
Additional Features - Rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, squeeze to call Google Assistant, Call screen feature, Flip to quiet notifications

If you are looking for a smartphone to start the year off right, look no further than one of these five devices. What smartphone do you use? Leave your experiences in the comments section below and check back to The Connection, Inc’s blog for more great technology content.

While smartphones and tablets can help businesses quite a bit, they can also be quite detrimental to their success. If you can get past the issues related to employees bringing their own devices to the workplace, then you’ll be able to save a considerable amount of time and resources on device procurement, but you certainly want to make sure you have a mobile device management policy put in place first.

Mobile Device Management in a Nutshell
Mobile Device Management, or MDM, allows your employees to use their mobile devices for work purposes, but without the many risks associated with doing so. It does this by using encryption, giving an administrator control over who accesses what information based on pre-established roles and permissions. This basically gives your employees the freedom to use their devices for work purposes, minus the frustration that it causes for you. This keeps your data as secure as possible while maintaining employee freedoms. Businesses that have a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy generally take advantage of MDM as part of it.

What MDM Allows
MDM allows for several benefits that are great for businesses looking to save money and keep their devices secure:

• Cost Effectiveness: The fewer devices you have to purchase for your employees, the more you’ll save in procurement. If you go the route of BYOD, an MDM can alleviate some of your concerns regarding this.
• Management Capabilities: MDM gives your business the ability to oversee the security of any employee device, even remotely. This can help to make sure that a device doesn’t bring a threat home to the network unknowingly. It also gives your administrators the ability to make sure work-related applications are installed and configured properly. Admins also have the power to block any distrust worthy apps or users, as well as remotely wipe any lost BYOD devices to keep them from being used to access company data.
• Improved Compliance: Some industries have specific standards that must be met in order to avoid repercussions or comeuppance. MDM solutions are all about maintaining compliance with these standards. This gives businesses an advantage if they ever encounter a data breach.

To learn more about how The Connection, Inc can help you with MDM, reach out to us at (732) 291-5938.

Make no mistake about it, Huawei is one of the largest technology companies in the entire world. It employs over 200,000 people and in 2018 saw revenues of over $100 billion. Over the past few years, their devices have been pushing the boundaries of what is possible in tech all while being relatively unavailable to one of the major technology markets in the world, the United States. The fact is that outside the U.S., Huawei is a major player.

Smartphones are a marvel of modern ingenuity. After looking at employee smartphone use as a problem for much of the past few years, today’s businesses have begun to amend that strategy and are now using employee devices to their advantage. With such a large percentage of today’s workers actively using smartphones, it only makes sense for businesses to try and incorporate their employees’ devices into their day-to-day operational strategy. Today, we’ll take a look at smartphones and how they’ve managed to go from nuisance to necessity. 

Today, despite the number of smartphones purchased, there really are only a handful of companies that produce them. Most of the manufacturing is done in Asia, from parts sourced from all over the world. The modern smartphone features near-ubiquitous connectivity, desktop-like processing power, and enough storage to facilitate the millions of applications that are constantly being developed for the two main OSs, Android and iOS. 

The most expensive and feature-rich smartphones feature microphones and speakers that are protected from water and sand, multiple cameras that are capable of capturing 4K video, and batteries that last longer than ever. These manufacturers are creating these wonderful devices at a time when smartphone demand is shrinking. Devices are built well and are therefore lasting longer, and users aren’t looking to upgrade to the newest model every fiscal year anymore. Despite being nearly a $500 billion industry, it has seen some dramatic shifts in a small window of time. 

Smartphone Markets

Looking at the global smartphone market will show that there are only six manufacturers with a current market share of at least eight percent. They are Samsung, Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo. Most of these manufacturers do most of their damage in the Asian markets. In the U.S., which is currently the third-largest smartphone market, Apple has a 41 percent market share, followed by Samsung at 21 percent. After those two, only Korean manufacturer LG has more than 10 percent of the U.S. market. 

Things are basically the same in much of the English-speaking world. In the UK and Australia, Apple currently has 49 percent and 55 percent of the market share, respectively. Samsung, still a major player, is a distant second with 29 percent and 22 percent, respectively. In Europe, Samsung's market share dwarfs Apple’s. Overall there are over 1.5 billion smartphones shipped every year for a market that is now at nearly three billion people. 

82 percent of people in the UK and 77 percent of Americans now own one. Predictably, China is actually the largest smartphone market with nearly 850 million smartphone owners. Conversely, there are some places where smartphone adoption hasn’t reached high percentages. Despite having nearly 1.4 billion people, and having the second-most smartphone users (>340 million) the smartphone ownership rate in India is only around 28 percent. Other potential growth markets include Indonesia (27 percent), Pakistan (14 percent), and several coastal Aftrican nations (6-to-13 percent).

Innovation of the Modern Smartphone

The average person would pinpoint Steve Jobs as the inventor of the smartphone. There are several organizations, including Microsoft, that could deny that claim. Apple’s 2007 launch of the first iPhone is looked upon as the seminal smartphone. From there, the smartphone - and the software needed to make these devices a success - have grown exponentially.

The innovation of technology has been a major driving force in pushing the use of devices. As we stated earlier billions of people actively use (and periodically purchase) smartphones and they are always looking for new ways to use their devices. So, while the fundamental technologies found inside these devices have been pretty static, any new tools, and improved specifications show up on all manufacturer flagships eventually. 

The best smartphones are the best because they can do the most, including: play games, cast a desktop experience to a thin client, and work with thousands of other devices to be the central hub to a smart life. Let’s take a look at the technology found in these devices. 

Displays

The durability of today’s flagship smartphones is in itself a marvel. Mostly made out of glass, they are stronger and more resilient to trauma than ever. The resolutions on the devices are substantially better than previous phones. Most major flagship smartphones come with displays that feature pixel densities approaching 500 pixels per square inch. 

Processing

More smartphone makers are investing in creating mobile chipsets. This has led to mobile chip innovation that has improved chips to the limit of production. Today, most manufacturers are advancing a 7nm chip. Some of the top chips available right now are Apple’s A13 Bionic, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855+, Huawei’s Kirin 990 5G, and Samsung’s Exynos 9825.

Camera

Well, we should say cameras, plural. Every flagship smartphone, and many budget ones have multiple cameras nowadays. People want to capture their experiences, and with today's smartphones they have a multitude of options from super wide-angle lenses to telephoto zoom lenses that zoom up to 40x. 

Batteries

There has been a substantial improvement in the batteries found in high-end smartphones. Their general design hasn’t changed much over the past several years, but they are certainly degrading less quickly and lasting longer, with the goal of having a smartphone battery last a full day hopefully coming to fruition soon. 

Software

There are two major mobile operating systems: Android or iOS. Obviously, there are some other OS options, as well as some manufacturer-specific software that put a proprietary software “skin” over Android to let the user feel like they are using a new OS. 

Currently, Apple’s iOS is seen as the best mobile OS, but since it is only found on Apple products exclusively less products actually run iOS than Android 9.0 Pie, which is found on many manufacturers’ flagship devices.

Smartphones, and most mobile devices, run on apps. Currently, there are several app stores, of which Google Play or the Apple App store are the most utilized. There are literally millions of productivity apps, lifestyle apps, retail apps, and games on each of the major app stores. 

Security

Mobile security is a larger consideration today than ever before. This is especially true for those companies that are trying to use their employee’s devices for their own benefit. Google and Apple are doing more to build OS-based security options and have made some decent headway. With the number of threats growing day-to-day, a multi-hundred-billion-dollar industry has popped up with the goal of securing devices and mobile data. Samsung, being the most utilized mobile device manufacturer in the world has started their own initiative to bring security to the forefront with their Samsung Knox tools.

Form Factor

Innovations in OLED technology are changing the entire way manufacturers are designing devices. Typically, the smartphone’s form factor has only shifted in the use of screen real estate. That is, manufacturers have moved the cameras around and removed bezels to give users the most usable space on its display. With advances in OLED technology, however, companies are able to create foldable devices that both provide more usable display space while also improving device security. Only time will tell how these devices do on the open market, however. 

To learn more about the smartphone, including features, new form factors, and how they can work as a major productivity tool for your business, call the professionals at The Connection, Inc today at (732) 291-5938.

The smartphone has become the most utilized computing device in the world. As a result, consumers are looking for the very best of them to get the functionality they demand. The current set of flagship smartphones that are available provide all types of benefits for business, for commerce, and for networking. Today, we’re going to take a look at the best phones you can buy heading into 2020. 

The first thing that you should know that is any of these phones (and dozens of others) will likely meet your needs. If you aren’t a gamer or an Instagram influencer, a smartphone manufactured in 2015 will do everything you’ll need it to do, just maybe not as fast. It is, however, important to understand what OS version your smartphone supports, and what specifications you need for use. The power user will want to consider these phones, simply because they will give them the best chance to meet their needs.

Samsung Galaxy s10 Plus

The debate has been raging for years: Which flagship smartphone is better? Some people swear by iPhone, while others stick to their Galaxy S-model. Whatever your thoughts on the matter, the consensus is that the Samsung Galaxy s10 Plus is currently the best Android phone on the market. The 6.17 oz Galaxy s10 Plus features a new clean design that features sharper edges that makes the phone less likely to slip out of your hand. Overall, the build quality is just as you would expect out of a Samsung flagship phone. 

The Galaxy s10 Plus comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor with between 128 gigabytes and one terabyte of storage, and between 8 gigabytes and 12 gigabytes of RAM. That’s a lot of storage and power for any device, let alone a smartphone. The device comes with five total cameras, including a wide angle, ultra-wide angle, and telephoto lens. The fingerprint reader has been moved under the display. It comes with stereo speakers and it may be the last Samsung flagship to feature a 3.5mm headphone jack (time will tell). 

With the Galaxy s11 Plus due to be launched in a few months, the Galaxy s10 Plus remains the standard in which Android-run smartphones are judged by. Available in Prism White, Prism Black, Prism Green, Prism Blue, Canary Yellow, Flamingo Pink, Ceramic Black, Ceramic White, Cardinal Red, and Smoke Blue, the Samsung Galaxy s10 can be purchased from most major carriers. Depending on the device’s specs you can get one anywhere from $599 to $1,200. 

Samsung Galaxy s10 Plus
Body: Aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass 6 front, Gorilla Glass/Ceramic back
Display: 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED (~522 ppi)
OS: Android 9.0 with Samsung One UI skin
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Memory: 128 GB/8 GB RAM; 512 GB/8GB RAM; 1 TB/12GB RAM
Expandable Memory: microSD up to 1 TB
Cameras: Three back-facing (12 MP, 26mm wide angle; 12 MP, 52mm telephoto; 16 MP, 12mm ultra-wide); Two front-facing (10 MP, 26mm; 8 MP, 22mm)
Sounds: Stereo speakers, 3.5mm headphone jack
Battery (battery endurance rating): 4,100 mAh battery (91 hours)
Security: Ultrasonic, under display fingerprint reader; IP 68 resistant
Miscellaneous: Nano-SIM, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, 15W fast charging, wireless charging, reverse wireless charging, NFC, FM Radio
Other versions: Samsung Galaxy s10, Samsung Galaxy s10e

Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max

In the United States and Great Britain, there is no better selling smartphone year-in and year-out than the iPhone. This year’s flagship iPhone, the iPhone 11 Pro Max doesn’t disappoint. It takes a lot of the elements of the past two cycles and incorporates them into one phone, and then adds superior camera functionality.

iPhone 11 Pro Max, like the iPhone X and iPhone XS features a Super Retina OLED display. It runs on Apple’s A13 Bionic chip and comes with options from 64 gigabytes to 512 gigabytes of onboard storage, and all models come with four gigabytes of RAM. The newest iPhone’s biggest improvements come in their camera set. There are three 12-megapixel cameras, one ultra-wide angle, one wide angle, and one telephoto.

The thing that always sets Apple device out from the competition, the build quality and the powerful iOS software shine in this iteration of Apple’s flagship smartphone. The device is available in Space Gray, Silver, Gold, and Midnight Green, and can be had from $1,100 at most major carriers. 

Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
Body: Stainless steel frame with glass front/back
Display: 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 1,242 x 2,688 (~458 ppi)
OS: iOS 13
Chipset: Apple A13 Bionic
Memory: 64 GB/4 GB RAM; 256 GB/4 GB RAM; 512 GB/4GB RAM
Expandable Memory: None
Cameras: Three back-facing (12 MP, 26mm wide angle; 12 MP, 52mm telephoto; 12 MP, 13mm ultra-wide); Two front-facing (12 MP, 23mm; SL 3D camera)
Sounds: Stereo speakers
Battery (battery life): 3,969 mAh (102 hours)
Security: Face ID, IP 68 resistant 
Miscellaneous: Nano-SIM, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, 18W fast charging, wireless charging, NFC
Other versions: Apple iPhone 11, Apple iPhone 11 Pro

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus

The best phone for productivity over the past half decade has been the Galaxy Note (The Note 7 snafu notwithstanding). This year’s productivity device doesn’t disappoint either. The Galaxy Note 10 Plus offers options that none of the other top smartphones have including the state-of-the-art Gorilla Glass both front and back for more durability, the s-pen technology that has a slew of interesting features, and breathtaking 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display.

The internals of the Note 10 Plus are top of industry as well. With a Snapdragon 855 processor, up to 12 gigabytes of RAM and 45 watt fast-charging that replenishes the devices battery from 0-to-100 percent in about an hour. A trio of 12-megapixel cameras with a time-of-flight 3D depth-sensor provides users with solid media capture options. The Note 10 Plus also features a 4,300 mAh battery with reverse wireless charging capabilities that allow other phones with wireless charging capabilities to charge their phone in a pinch. 

The Note 10 Plus is available in the new Aura Glow, Aura White, Aura Black, and Aura Blue. It can be had from most major carriers for $849-to- $1,200 depending on the model and features. 

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
Body: Aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass 6 front and back
Display: 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED, 1,440 x 3,040 (~498 ppi)
OS: Android 9.0 with One UI skin
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 
Memory: 256 GB/12 GB RAM; 512 GB/12 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: microSD up to 1 TB
Cameras: Four Back-Facing (12 MP, 27mm wide angle; 12 MP, 52mm telephoto; 16 MP, 12mm ultra-wide angle; TOF 3D VGA camera); Front-Facing 10 MP, 26mm wide angle
Sounds: Stereo speakers
Battery (battery life): 4,300 mAh (~107 hours)
Security: Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint, IP68 resistant 
Miscellaneous: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, 45W fast charging, wireless charging, reverse wireless charging, NFC, S-Pen functionality
Other versions: Samsung Galaxy Note 10

Google Pixel 4 XL

Google’s newest flagship device, the Google Pixel 4 XL was launched in October and that means Christmas came early for Android purists. Not only does the Pixel 4 XL feature the cleanest Android experience on any smartphone--because it runs stock Android 10--it features some very impressive specs to go along with it.

The Pixel 4 XL runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor and features a 6.3-inch P-OLED display that sets the industry standard with approximately 537 pixels per inch. It still has the squeeze to launch Google Assistant feature that previous Pixel models have featured. It also still doesn’t come with a fingerprint reader, but sports the face-to-unlock feature for improved security. The main benefit of any Pixel phone has been its cameras, and the Pixel 4 XL doesn’t disappoint, with a 12.2 MP wide angle lens and a 16 MP telephoto lens on board. 

The Pixel 4 XL comes in Clearly White, Just Black, and Oh So Orange and for the first time is available on all major carriers. The new Google flagship can be had from $899-to-$999 depending on the model. 

Google Pixel 4 XL
Body: Aluminum Frame with Gorilla Glass 5 front/back
Display: 6.3-inch P-OLED, 1,440 x 3,040 (~537 ppi) 
OS: Android 10
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Memory: 64 GB/6 GB RAM; 128 GB/6 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Two back-facing (12.2 MP, 28mm wide angle; 16 MP, 45mm telephoto) Two front-facing (8 MP; 22mm
Sounds: Stereo speakers
Battery (battery life): 3,700 mAh (~73 hours)
Security: Face ID
Miscellaneous: Bluetooth 5.0, 18W fast charging, wireless charging, NFC, Squeeze for Google Assistant
Other versions: Google Pixel 4

OnePlus 7T Pro

It took us some time to figure out what other flagship phone to put in our annual review, but the one that stood out was the OnePlus 7T Pro, which we believe is a device that gives us a glimpse at the immediate future of smartphone technology. It is a big, sleek device that unlike many of the current smartphones always runs at a 90 hz refresh rate, making it one of the fastest phones on the current market.

The OnePlus 7T Pro is built with a 6.67-inch fluid AMOLED display with an in-display fingerprint sensor. It is running Qualcomm’s best processor, the Snapdragon 855+. It features both a large 4,080 mAh battery and three rear-facing cameras including a 48-megapixel wide angle lens. The selfie camera is motorized and pops up from the top of the device, removing the “notch” many people have maligned. 

Compared to the other top flagships that came out in 2019 the OnePlus 7T PR0 is the most modestly priced. In the U.S. you may only be able to get the OnePlus 7T through your carriers, but you can get the 8 GB RAM version online for $699.

OnePlus 7T Pro
Body: Aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass 5 front/back
Display: 6.67-inch Fluid AMOLED, 1,440 x 3,120 (~516 ppi)
OS: Android 10 with OxygenOS 10.0.4 skin
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+
Memory: 256 GB/8 GB RAM; 256 GB/12 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Three back-facing (48 MP wide angle; 8 MP, 78mm telephoto; 16 MP, 13mm ultra-wide angle); Motorized pop-up 16 MP, 25mm wide angle
Sounds: Stereo speakers
Battery (battery life): 4,085 mAh (~100 hours)
Security: Optical in-display fingerprint reader, pop-up facial recognition
Miscellaneous: Bluetooth 5.0, 30W “Warp” charge, NFC
Other versions: OnePlus 7T

Other phones to consider: Huawei Mate 30 Pro, Huawei P30 Pro, Sony Xperia 1, LG v50 ThinQ, Samsung Galaxy Fold

There is a laundry list of other powerful smartphones on the market. In fact, two of the very best phones currently available are not on this list for political reasons. The Huawei Mate 30 Pro and the Huawei P30 Pro were both omitted because of the United States ban on Huawei. They may be the two best phones on the market, but for customers in the west, Huawei’s flagships don’t ship with Google Play functionality, which makes a huge difference in the usability and security of the smartphone. We’ll see how this plays out as the calendar moves to 2020. 

Nowadays, with OLED technology improving substantially, you will begin to see devices that fold. As of this writing we are still waiting on the first wave of foldable devices that include: Samsung’s Galaxy Fold, Huawei’s Mate X, and the new Motorola Razr that looks a lot like the Razr phones many people had earlier in the century, but now when you flip it open, it is essentially a smartphone. 

Another consideration going forward is the integration of 5G technology. 5G has been launched in select cities, and manufacturers have created a few 5G-capable phones, but as of this writing, we are really a few years from 5G phones becoming standard. That doesn’t mean they won’t be made available in larger numbers in the coming market cycles.

The smartphone is changing the world; and, with the best hardware, people are able to do more from more places. What smartphone do you use? What new features are you looking forward to? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Think about how happy you are when you first get your new phone. If you are like most of us you can’t keep your hands off of it. You try all the new features out and mutter to yourself, “wow, this is so cool”. The enthusiasm that people have for their new mobile devices can be a major benefit for the company they work for, too. Today, we are going to discuss how, with all the features and powerful computing power, you can work effectively on your smartphone.

Select the Right Apps

The main benefit of a mobile device, beyond the mobility, is that the software that runs on the machine is already in one, easy-to-use, place. Every smartphone runs off of mobile apps, that you can find on the mobile app store provided by the operating system. For Android apps, there is the Google Play Store, and for iOS apps, there is the Apple App Store. Any type of productivity software you may need can be downloaded for free from those stores. 

To use your smartphone as a productivity tool you will want to eliminate most of the distractions. 

Apps, while being essential for mobile device productivity, can also present monumental distractions. The app store itself can be a distraction as you can literally spend hours scrolling through apps looking for the right one for you. You will want to eliminate a lot of the apps that could cause you distractions and prioritize apps that will assist your productivity. 

Once you have the apps downloaded, you will then want to arrange the apps on the device in a manner that makes it simple for you to navigate to the apps that you need. For example, you can group communications apps together to keep them in one place rather than have them strewn about the device. 

Disable Certain Notifications

While there are notifications that can be very useful, they can also be the most distracting. By turning off notifications to apps that may not have any value, you can really eliminate one potential distraction. Since focus on a task is essential to produce the best results, you can really do without that Facebook notification telling you four people you barely know have a birthday today.

Update Software Regularly

Apps are software. Like the software on your PC, your apps need to be updated and patched regularly as to avoid serious security and privacy concerns. Moreover, mobile app updates often come with useful new features. These updates are usually handled automatically, but it’s good practice to check to make sure that your apps are up-to-date and secure. 

For more great tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your technology, subscribe to our blog today.

Digital payment options have become commonplace in today’s society. In fact, ever since people could purchase goods and services off of the Internet, some of the world’s most successful companies are a result of digital payment. It was a natural progression then, as the mobile device boom came, that mobile payment would take the place of cash and/or cards and bring these digital payment options beyond the Internet, and into our retail stores. This simply hasn’t happened and here are four reasons why.

The Tried and True Payment Still Works
The first reason is simple. Retailers still accept cash and credit cards. Why would anyone who has been using these tried and true methods of payment for 20-plus years change things up? According to First Annapolis Consulting’s “Study of Mobile Banking & Payments”, while 64 percent of all smartphone users have used some form of mobile payment platform, only five percent consider themselves frequent payment users. The fact is that it’s not as attractive as you may think, and is further relegated to the background because...

There is a Lack of Incentive
What added value does a mobile payment service actually offer? Sure, in some states that have gone to a digital ID system, this would seemingly allow consumers to forgo the wallet completely. That’s it. Most mobile payment interfaces make it difficult for users to redeem loyalty points or take advantage of special offers at mobile point of sale machines.

There are companies, such as Starbucks, that have made a point to integrate their loyalty points system into their mobile payment platform. Their mobile app combines the loyalty point program with mobile payment options, which is great for consumers. But like the consumers themselves, if a company doesn’t see an immediate (or even long-term) demand, they will avoid laying out the capital until that demand is present.

In order for mobile users to take full advantage of the mobile payment platforms, you will need to give them some form of incentive to use it. This is mainly since...

Mobile Payment Actually Takes More Effort
One of the claims that mobile payment providers make is that it is much easier to use than any other type of payment. Just tap and go. While this seems reasonable on the surface, the reality of it is that it takes just as long or longer to access your mobile payment platform through your smartphone as it does to take cash or a card out of a wallet. Consider for a minute the steps you have to take in order to make mobile payment work: You have to take your phone out, unlock it, access the mobile wallet app, select which card you want to use, and then hold your phone to the terminal. After this they still need to either sign the screen/paper or provide a pin. Why take so much effort to make purchases when it takes less time to buy goods in a traditional way; and, still have to deal with…

Mobile Payment Security Concerns
To be fair, mobile payments may be as secure as any other form of digital payment, but there is an inherent fear in many consumers’ minds that because there is an all-digital transmission of financial information that it is somehow less secure than traditional digital payment options. This fear isn’t unfounded, as each day people can read about data breaches at banks, stores, and major online retailers, that only work to fuel the anxiety surrounding mobile payments.

Many cyber security experts have cautiously endorsed the use of secure payment apps, while others point to studies like the 2015 Mobile Payment Security Study that overwhelmingly urges a wait-and-see approach, but does admit that the industry is making headway in the security of mobile financial transactions with the inclusion of account tokenization, device-specific cryptograms, and multi-factor authentication.

In the future, mobile devices will become the only computer we’ll need, but will they become the only wallet we’ll need? Only time will tell.