One thing that’s mostly the case with affordable smartphones is that they don’t run well for more than 18 or 24 months. The Android and security updates offered to these phones are very few in comparison to flagships, and there’s not a lot these devices can do except for basic tasks. In order to increase their sales, smartphone companies are coming out with affordable 5G smartphones. Now note that the cost of 5G chipsets is considerably higher than that of 4G chipsets. So two phones, one 5G and one 4G, priced the same would mean that the specifications offered by the 5G phone will be lesser. Let me explain in simple words.
Affordable 5G Phones In India Come With fewer Specifications
In order to save costs and bring the price of the phone down, the manufacturers are reducing the quality of display, among other things, so that the overall price of the smartphone can be brought down even with a 5G chipset. At the same time, since a 4G chipset is cheaper, the manufacturers can bundle in better display and better quality components on their smartphones and offer a really good device for very little.
Purchasing an affordable 5G smartphone right now is not a good choice because of two primary reasons.
A) India still doesn’t have live 5G networks, and thus many OEMs don’t know the kind of bands that will be supported by 5G of the telcos. Note that OEMs have said in the past that they are talking with the operators before manufacturing their products, but it's entirely possible that today’s 5G phones may not support all future 5G bands.
B) The cost of the 5G phones is very high right now. With rising scale in production and reduction in supply chain snags, the cost of these phones will be reduced, and you might see better smartphones for the same price as 4G devices today.
If you are considering purchasing a 5G phone today, it is better to go with a mid-range or a flagship device because at least you will get your money’s worth out of it, and you will also be able to use it for a longer period.
India won’t see its first live 5G network until 2022’s second quarter, at least. It will be interesting to see which operator wins the race in rolling out 5G first.
