Simple cell phones today - worse than what they used to be?

During the course of the last few years, we have seen tons of innovation that practically redefined the wireless industry with cell phones like the iPhone, Instinct HD and DROID. These are all perfect examples of high-end beasts that push the limits of technology. Such devices however inevitably come with features and functionality that not every user needs. In fact, there is a great deal of users who would rather stick to a traditional and simple cell phone – a device that can just handle their calls and messages… and maybe also sport a calendar, just in case. However, as manufacturers are putting more and more effort into making powerful, multifunctional smartphones, such simple  phones are getting much less attention. As a result, they seem to have become of lower quality, than they used to be a few years back. Or, at best, they haven’t moved an inch further.

And this brings us to the subject of the email one of our readers, Mr. Ryan Brune, sent to us a few days ago. Here’s what he writes:

“Hey PhoneArena,

I love coming to your site all the time to see what's new in the world of phones. I am a Verizon customer and I have been frustrated for the last four years or so about how they are treating their low-end customers. A year ago I had an LGVX8600 flip phone, which I really liked after two years of ownership. After it broke I was sent a newer phone, the Motorola W755, as a replacement, and I noticed it is not nearly as good of a phone.

Over the past few years I've been trying to look for a phone that lives up to what I found with my old phone, but I've been simply astonished at how it seems that the new phones that are coming out FOUR YEARS after the phone I liked before are technologically inferior. They are thicker, have worse cameras, cheap buttons, small front screens, and don't even look cool anymore. And now with Verizon's new "Enhanced Multimedia Phone" category, it seems they are even further ignoring those who simply want a decent phone with some decent features on an inexpensive plan.

I was wondering if you could write an article about this phenomenon so that others could be made aware of this problem that seems to be only getting worse. I'm not sure if the same thing is going on with other carriers, but if nobody starts to comment on this problem, I don't think it will ever get solved. Verizon will keep forcing their useless data plans on us with worse and worse phones.



Doesn't anybody else think it's a little strange that almost no flip phone on the market now is as thin as the RAZR was? We shouldn't be buying phones that look worse than the phones from the early last decade. That is just wrong.

We all love the technology we see in new phones, but some of us just can't afford the plans right now. There should be at least the degree of technology available to low-end consumers that was available 5 years ago.

Sincerely,
Ryan Brune”

To tell you the truth, we feel the same. Manufacturers don’t seem to care about the design and usability of their basic phones as much as they used to. So, it’s your turn now, phoneArena readers – Do you think the development of technology has actually left us with a disappointingly poor catalog of affordable, ordinary cell phones? Feel free to speak your mind in the comments section below.

And should you have a similar idea you would like to share with us, do not hesitate to write at tips@phonearena.com.