Which smartphone should I buy? | Lou Hannan

Technology means we can do pretty much anything on them – find out where we’re going, calculate the journey, have the world wide web at the end of our fingertips and even take our pulse rate.

They are extraordinary inventions that have changed the world forever but boy, are they expensive.

Mine is coming to the end of its life.

It takes five minutes to come to life, stays charged for no longer than 20 and, its most recent little quirk, randomly calling people I don’t want to necessarily speak to during the day.

There are so many conspiracy theories with certain brands of phone.

For example, are they designed to go wrong after a certain period of time so you’re forced to pay out for a new one?

The phone I’ve got isn’t even available to buy now it’s so old. The memory is so rammed with software updates that I can’t even take a photo.

So the big question is, what do I buy next?

I spend WAY too much time on my phone and I don’t think I’m as bad as a lot of people I know.

I was surprised to read that the average smartphone user spends two hours 34 minutes a day online on their smartphone.

That’s just online!

Part of me is tempted to go back to basics and buy an old fashioned handset that just calls and texts. However, I forget how reliant I am on things like banking apps, train timetables and maps.

You end up using your phone without even thinking.

It becomes a habit.

I was heartened to read recently that mobile phone companies might be banned from selling locked handsets so it’s easier to switch supplier.

There are lots of companies around that sell secondhand smartphones which have been reconditioned.

I could save two thirds of the price of a new one if I went down this route and I’d love to hear from people for whom this option has worked.

Either way, texting, surfing, banking, gaming … wouldn’t it be nice in this day and age to just have a phone that lets you make a call.