Strikes me that these smart phone manufacturers must go through a number of ‘thought shower’ type meetings when designing their product briefs, where any number of disparate suggestions are put forward on their electronic flip charts and at some point, someone said, ‘let’s put them all in’.

It’s a bit like drag net trawling.

Most people I know, myself included, like certain aspects of the smart phone, with its good definition touch screen, yet do not use even 50% of the stuff it is capable of.

Do you know anyone who utilises their phone to its complete, or anywhere close, to its full capability?

Nah, life’s too short to spend it hunched over looking at a 5inch screen all day

(Typed on my moto g, whilst sitting on the loo)

All of the apps? There’s 1.6 million apps on the Apple app store 😉

I’m not sure what the question is. I use the camera, I use the screen, I use the battery, I use the tilt sensors, I use the memory, I use the speakers.

Is this like that thing that most people only use 10% of their brains?

All the apps?
No not a chance, most are crap.

The functionality?
Camera – Yes
GPS – Yes
NFC – If I can
Wireless Charging – Yes
WiFi – Yes, includin things like remotes for my DSLR/GoPro
Accelerometers? – Yes does the fit stuff
Stereo Speakers – Yes
Fingerprint Sensor – Kind of a quick way to lock/unlock
Media Stuff like Chromecast etc. – for sure, one of the best things

Apart from that the usual e-mail, mobile office, messaging stuff, Google now is a freaky beast of awesome for updating what is going on around and about.

What have I missed?

I guess you have a good point there bencooper, they are at least customisable and configurable to an individual’s needs. Thanks, I have my answer 😀

As you were.

When I get a new phone I usually disable everything and turn back on what I need.

All these extra features such battery like you would not believe… Few examples:

Auto screen brightness adjust – uses light sensor or the front facing camera which is constantly powered.

Bluetooth – constantly looking for devices to pair to

Smart stay (Samsung thing) – again uses processing power and camera.

WiFi – if you are not using it turn it off. Constantly refreshing network list.

Email / Facebook – sync as default every 15 mins or so

Worst feature for killing battery I have found is the Google app (voice search and now). I like the app and features but it decreases my battery life during the day by about 2 hrs.

I do use all the features though like wireless charging, nfc, GPS, accelerometers for watching 360 videos…. Obviously the camera. Chrome cast is awesome.

Noticed Sony are plugging one of there new phones has a true 4K screen, now bear in mind from reading up on 4k TV’s that the benefit isn’t really noticeable until the screens are over a certain size ie.40 to 50inch plus are you really going to see much difference from a fullHD screen on a device that’s around 5.5inches?

Regards apps I’d guess most people only use about half a dozen or so on a REGULAR basis even though there may be dozens on there phones.

I use quite a lot of the features in mine (iphone 6), of course there are apps ive downloaded i use rarely. The main feature I use rarely is the phone, less than one call a day.

Internet all the time – social media, news etc
GPS and mapping inc logging rides and navigation walking and riding
Sat Nav app (Waze)
iCloud for documents shared with ipad and computer
Media – download iplayer and movies for streaming to phone or Apple TV, music purchases and streaming, radio
Camera, stills and video
Messaging – sms, whats app, email, facebook etc
Increasingly using health app for activity tracking
Most importantly posting on here 🙂

I thought most of the point was to have a browser and fast hardware to handle the code. That, and translate, does me.

Oh… VLC

dont use it to anywhere near its capabilty, but i do try and use it where i would spend money elsewhere to justify having one.

so i use it for a camera, a satnav and a music player (deezer in the car), in my mind its saving me money and its handier having an ‘all-in-one’ device.

After owning an iPhone 4s for 4years I recently treated myself to an iPhone 6s, I don’t know what I was expecting but the only real difference it’s made in my usage is that the screen is bigger for watching YouTube videos. But I do nothing on it I could not and did not do using my 4s.

Infact I prefer the compactness of my old phone over the new one as it is much more pocketable and takes less room in my running belt and bike bag.
But then on the old phone the battery did not last as long as it used to and the new one has four times the memory but then my phone bill Is four times bigger now also.

I make use of all the hardware one way or another. The phone part – actually talking with folk – is the least used.

I find smart phones really great.

Email,
Camera,
Booking hotels/flights,
Jobs,
Guitar apps/amplifier,
Games,
Satnav,
Bike computer,
Pocket computer/tablet,
Spirit level,
Car diagnostics,
Remote to tv, cable, NowTv box,
Phone calls,
Text,
Voice over ip,
Video calls,
Shopping,
Notes,
Calendar,
Diary,
Appointments,
Health monitor,
Porn,
News,
Weather,
Social media,
iPod/music player,
Radio,
Pay bills,
More porn,
Bike porn,
Banking and finding out what’s going on!

Loads more but need to do work.

I don’t make much use of blue tooth at the moment

But everything else I think I use in hardware terms. I don’t have a very flash phone (Sony M4 AQAUA) which bought off ebay for £126 new but box opened. I pay £10 to 3 every few months for calls and data.

But i get huge functionality. If I spent more I’d gain more memory for a bit less faff and a better camera which I miss.

So I’d say no they put in what people use/want. Oh and the usual it would probably cost more to make and supply a phone without blue tooth

My daughter windows phone was £60 new as an old model on ebay. Should anyone want a simple cheap phone

iPhone 6 here: use camera, GPS, email, SMS, mobile banking and Maps.

That’s about it.

Never tried Siri, not tried Apple Pay (don’t really buy that much stuff to be worth it).

Precisely why I went with a Nexus 5X, no bloatware just the basics so you only need add what you want.