How to Pick the Right Smartphone for Your Business

Technology pundits would like us to believe that everybody has a smartphone these days. And it is true: Smartphones are the future.

But not everybody is already working on their third smartphone. In fact, roughly 56 percent of mobile users are not currently using smartphones, according to a recent eMarketer (News - Alert) research report. So if you’re one of those who hasn’t yet upgraded to a smart device with a “Retina” screen, don’t feel bad. You’re not alone.

But you should make the jump to using a smartphone. It can both increase productivity and even lower costs in some cases. And while plenty of people still are using “dumb” mobile phones, the number shrinks every year; there will come a time in the not too distant future when going without a smartphone will mean being substantially behind the curve.

There are three major areas to consider when making the move to a smartphone: What operating system should be chosen, what phone will be most compatible with the needs of your business, and which carrier makes the most sense.

Operating System

There are two major smartphone operating systems and several lesser ones. You probably already know the two big players: Apple’s iOS, and Google’s (News - Alert) Android operating system. The other mobile operating systems of note include Blackberry, Windows Phone and Symbian, and there are even less well-known platforms such as a phone operating system designed by the people who bring us the Firefox Web browser.

If your only big need is email, go with Blackberry. It was the first successful smartphone manufacturer, and for a long time it was the favorite for business pros. It still does email exceedingly well, as well as some of the other basic business functions such as scheduling.

But Blackberry suffers from a dearth of applications, and an app ecosystem is one of the most powerful benefits of a smartphone. Whatever you need your phone to accomplish, there’s probably an app for it. But only if you’re on one of the two big mobile platforms—Android (News - Alert) or iOS.

Android offers more flexibility, and iOS delivers the bigger selection of apps. Either operating system will probably serve your business well, but my personal recommendation is the iOS because it has such a large selection of apps and it runs like a well-oiled machine.

Finding the Right Phone

If you select the iOS as your operating system, you’ve basically made your smartphone choice: You’re getting an iPhone, because that’s the only type of phone that runs iOS. You still have to choose among older models such as the iPhone 4s and the latest models, the iPhone 5s and its stripped down cousin, the 5c. But probably you will want the 5s because it is the state of the art and should last you a good two years before you need to upgrade (a lifetime in smartphone time).

If you go with Android, you have many options.

Arguably the leader in Android phones is Samsung, whose Galaxy line has grown so popular that it rivals Apple. But there also are other good options: HTC, Sony, LG and Motorola (News - Alert). HTC is a techie favorite and a longtime smartphone player, and LG is middle of the road. But our pick is Samsung.

Of course, it also depends on what you plan to do with your phone. You need to consider if you need a slide-out keyboard, if you want a larger phone with a mega-screen, or if low-cost is the primary concern. Before you go shopping for an Android phone, make sure you walk into the store with a good sense for what you need. There are so many options, you can be sucked into unneeded models if you don’t know what you actually need.

Carrier

There are three main factors to consider when looking at potential mobile carriers for your smartphone: Coverage area, contract, and cost.

Most providers cover large cities. The question is how well they provide 4G access, or if you will have your fast new phone relegated to the slower 3G network. Not all coverage is created equal, too, so you will want to choose a provider with good national coverage if you have remote offices or travel a lot.

Contract is the second carrier issue that must be considered. Most companies give a hefty discount on the smartphone if you sign up for a 2-year contract. What needs to be realized is that the monthly data bill far exceeds the price of the phone in most cases, so it is important to pay attention to data rates as much or more than the discount on a phone. When you go with a contract, you’re locked in for the data plan.

Some providers such as T-Mobile, its low cost sister, MetroPCS, and Virgin Mobile (News - Alert) also offer contract-free options. Places such as T-Mobile will let you buy the pricey smartphone in installments to make this work better. The pay-as-you-go model is best if you’re getting a value phone with less expected data usage.

Last but definitely not least, there’s cost.

As we mentioned, the cost of the data plan is one of the big variables, so talk with colleagues to get a sense of how much data you need before you buy. And while smartphones are not usually cheap, the data plans quickly add up and are at least as important as the cost of the phone.