When at the presentation of a new smartphone they talk about how good it is, they rarely mention what kind of software it has. If they talk about it, then literally in passing, mentioning that there is such a thing and the company can show it. The greatest emphasis is always on numbers. It's much easier to present them correctly and create the impression that everything is really good with this smartphone. This is how our world is arranged, full of mathematics, everything in it must be subordinated to logic. But it seems to me that there are things in the world that are much more important than numbers, for most people do not mean anything at all. They cannot be described, but they are what give us what we get in the end.
Most importantly, in a smartphone.
Smartphone with good performance
Many users often argue about this or that parameter of their smartphone or the smartphone that they are planning to buy. This often happens in the company of friends, on specialized forums or in our Telegram chat. This is due to the fact that comparing one smartphone to another is much easier if you know how many points it scored in Antutu, how much RAM it has and what resolution it takes. This is how we determine which smartphone is good and which is not.
It turns out that a smartphone with good characteristics is the one that has everything to the maximum. Even the eternal confrontation between iOS and Android boils down to the fact that iPhone has only 3 GB of RAM and 10x-zoom, while the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra has 12 GB and 100x respectively. So the first is junk, and the second is the best smartphone. Then it begins that the Galaxy S20 Ultra's camera does not catch focus, and in performance tests it does not score more points than iPhone, but this is no longer important – a figure is a figure.
These are just two good smartphones. Each in its own way.
What is important when choosing a phone
Of course, specs are important, and sometimes they do reveal the picture, but not from all angles. For me personally, there is something that stands above all this. Something that even more influences the decision which phones I'm interested in. Software!
Whenever you do something on your phone, you interact with its software. From checking notifications to navigating home screens and using apps. At the heart of it all is your phone's software that allows devices to work the way they do. In addition, it also determines how the various elements of your phone look, which functions you may or may not have access to. Also, how fast (or slow) you get updates.
Some smartphones don't have an ultra-wide camera, and battery life is mediocre at best, but they're a pleasure to use. For example, from this point of view, I like the Google Pixel. Everything in them is somehow in the mind and for people. Many people criticize Android, but they probably haven't seen one like this Android. Pixel users are also the first to get updates, which is pretty cool too.
Likewise, it is because of the software that I am not very happy with the flagship Samsung Galaxy S or Note. These are phones that tend to be packed with the highest-level specs you can think of, but since I personally don't like One UI, I never seriously consider buying them.
This smartphone is better than many because of its software.
Unlike a display or processor, which serves one primary purpose and can be objectively measured, phone software is a very complex thing that cannot be easily compared directly. The Snapdragon 865 is objectively better than the 665. Just as the 5000mAh battery is larger than the 4000mAh battery – these two arguments are not discussed. However, different smartphones with such hardware can be perceived by people in different ways. Hence the controversy, in which everyone thinks that he is right, but among them there is no one who is right.
I also think this is why software plays such a big role in your phone buying decision, even if you don't realize it. If you've been using a Samsung phone for years, you're probably very familiar with Samsung's software. The Google Pixel or Huawei will do better for taking photos or videos, but you don't want to give up the familiar interface in favor of a slightly better camera.
It doesn't matter if you are a fan of One UI, OxygenOS, naked Android or in general iOS – they are all good, but good for you. They all have different pros and cons, advantages over each other, but one cannot say that one is definitely better than the other for all users. In any case, the software on a smartphone plays a much bigger role than how many megapixels it has in its camera.
Your phone's display, processor and other elements are essential and very interesting to discuss, but if you don't have good software and enjoy that user experience day in and day out, the value of hardware is zero.