Phablet Pros and Cons

The wireless industry has been trending towards larger and larger phones in recent years, and the iPhone 6 Plus has helped push phablets firmly into the public eye. Juniper Research published a report that suggests that phablet popularity is on the rise, and that in the next four years, more than 20% of all mobile devices will be phablets. So, what is the draw of these gargantuan phones? We’ll take a look at a few of the pros and cons and you can decide for yourself.

Phablet Pros

Better Battery Life – Nothing is more frustrating than watching the little battery icon on your smartphone die in the middle of the day. However, because phablets are a lot larger than regular smartphones, they often will have larger batteries.

Easier typing/gaming/media use – This is kind of a ‘duh’ and is why most people consider getting a phablet to begin with. The larger phone screens allow for easier typing, gaming, social media and just viewing in general.

Better Screen Resolution – A lot of times, phablets will have better screen resolutions with more pixels and higher contrast. Sometimes this is incredibly noticeable, while on other phones it is not. While those extra pixels aren’t all that important for regular use, you’ll definitely notice it watching movies and videos.

Phablet Cons

Higher Price Tag – For some reason, the larger phones almost always cost more. I’m not really sure if this is because phablets have become something of a luxury and status item or because the hardware actually costs more to manufacture. Regardless, expect a slightly higher price tag for a phablet than a phone.

Less Portability – This goes almost without saying, but the portability of a larger phone is greatly reduced simply due to its size. For me, this is the deal breaker. I like to have a phone that I can easily slip into my pocket, and a six inch phone simply is too large for that. Phablets are also generally a bit heavier.

Not as Ideal for Calls – While phablets are excellent for media, gaming and watching videos, they are not well suited to actually making phone calls. The devices are perfectly capable of doing so, but holding a gigantic phone to your face is awkward. Many phablet supporters simply use Bluetooth headsets to compensate for this, but it is still a definite downside.

In the end, just like everything else, it all comes down to how you use your device and your personal preference. Do you prefer a phablet or a smartphone? Let me know in the comments!]]>