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4G, Dual-cores, or Rainbow Unicorns Don’t Matter – Price Does

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This all but confirms what I’ve been suspecting for a long time. People don’t really care about 4G. They don’t really care about dual-cores. No, the majority of people in the world care about one thing: cold hard cash.

In a new study by marketing research firm, Morpace, they found that 4G compatibility wasn’t as much of a deciding factor for consumers looking to purchase their next smartphone as many carriers would have you believe. In fact, according to the study, 65% of people surveyed chose price and the single largest deciding factor when looking for a new smartphone.

This was followed closely by network capabilities including coverage but not just data speeds alone. When choosing a carrier 29% chose pricing, while another 26% chose coverage as the most important factors. When it came to 4G on a carrier, 34% felt the need to upgrade to 4G.

While the study still shows that there are a few people that consider 4G important, it doesn’t outweigh factors like pricing when shopping for a new phone or carrier. I’ve seen this time and time again while working at Best Buy Mobile. People are more inclined to purchase a cheap smartphone, regardless of poor reviews, over something a lot better for only $99. Just today, I was arguing with my sister regarding her decision to pick up a free “cheap” phone (or jailbait, as I like to call it) and extend her contract for another 2 years.

I can think of another instance where I warned a friend to spend $200 bucks and get the Nexus One when it first came out but what did she do? She spent the $200 on a dress she only wore once and has been hating her mobile life with her already ancient Mytouch 3G.

My thing has always been, if you’re going to get yourself tied down for 2 years with any carrier, it better be for the right phone because you’re going to be stuck with that phone for a long time. I hear nothing but complaints from people with cheap phones I specifically warned them about before hand. But like many of the readers on our site, I’m more of the tech savvy, nerd, game playing, app downloading, pushing my phone to its limits kinda guy. So I admit, my opinion is skewed.

But what do you guys think? I know I’ve seen a lot of comments from people dismissing recently released single-core phones right off the bat despite having 4G connectivity even though, in my opinion, dual-cores aren’t doing as much for the end user experience as 4G speeds are. Leave your thoughts down below and don’t forget to vote in our poll!

[Via Electronista]

[polldaddy poll=5164844]

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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69 Comments

  1. 3g is quite fast, and most people do not really know the real advantage of duel core phones. This does not surprise me

    1. *dual

      1. Dueling cores?

        1. I’m calling Shenanigans on this whole article.  There was no mention of rainbow unicorns in any of the questions.  I think it is obvious that the majority of people would be swayed by rainbow unicorns, if given the option.  That is all. 

          1. especially iphone users

    2. 4g versus 3g coverage is quite important; “slow-put, e.g. 3g” better than “no-put, e.g., no 4g coverage”.

    3. 3G and fast in the same sentence? Verizon’s 3G is less than 1mbps…. AT&T is 3mbps and slower…. Sprint i not even near good either. Dual-core is just a fad between nerds.

      1. You just got shitty 3G that’s all. With 7mbps on Rogers I don’t give a sh!t about 4G.

  2. 4G is definitely most important to me, with price right behind.  $250+ for a phone on a two-year contract (i.e., all of Verizon’s 4G phones) is just too much.  $200 isn’t too bad, but still higher than I’d like.  But I am definitely willing to pay for quality.

  3. “My thing has always been, if you’re going to get yourself tied down for 2 years with any carrier, it better be for the right phone because you’re going to be stuck with that phone for a long time.”
    And you’re also stuck paying the same data rates unless your carrier charges more for 4G. I laughed when my friend bought the Motorola Citrus on Verizon.  I told him to go for the Incredible or the Droid X.  But no.  His reasoning was that it was on sale for 50 bucks or some BS.  Oh great, do you realize you’re paying the same for data?  Do you realize your mobile experience will suck for two years?  Cough out the extra $150.  “Penny wise, pound foolish”.  

    If you’re off contract, I can’t argue against buying a cheap phone.  I’ll spend the money regardless as I did for my Nexus One off eBay ($550 O_o).

    1. I totally agree.  You need to realize that you’re signing up for a 2 year contract that will run you around $2,000 over its life.  Suddenly saving $50-100 is only a few % cheaper for a much crappier device and ultimately much worse experience for those 2 years.

  4. They should add battery life to that list.  Now that most phones have reasonable hardware specs, that is becoming a more important feature for me again.

  5. It’s the economy, stupid.

  6. lol “jailbait” phones… that’s classic.

    My ranking:
    1. price
    2. function (as in, does battery last more than 4 hours)
    3. dual core
    4. 4G wont be in my neck of the woods until 2 weeks after Hell freezes over…

    1. So then you’ll get 4G just before I do. :(

  7. Gonna say price for me, to a certain degree. I got my Evo for free recently on a 2 year contract. Not dual core of course but plenty fast for what I do/want. I wouldn’t get any low end phones like the Citrus even if they paid me.

  8. What, they didn’t ask about the bootloader?  OMG, it’s the single most important thing in universe!  Flawed poll!  

  9. Coverage is absolutely the first priority. Its the ONLY reason I stick with Verizon.
    4G or even 3G is useless if you have no coverage.
    Fair price plan is a solid second. Here’s a tip for you folks. Try Line Two, if it works well for you, call your carrier and get them to reduce your minutes to the absolute lowest possible. Verizon has a 29.99 plan not listed on their website.
    The price of the phone only matter if I can’t get a good quality phone at a decent price. 199.99-249.99 for a good quality phone that will last me at least two years is a decent price.

    1. Line2 is a promising app from what I have read on the market’s description. I really enjoy ‘Groove IP” though…. I cannot stop telling people (With android phones) about this app….

      No monthly charges like Line2, and it works free with your free google voice number!

      You can call/be-called from anywhere with WiFi and its free…..

      Not as refined as ‘Line2″ but for anyone that will not use the enterprise features… it is hands down more affordable, and just as handy.

      If you read this, and you have a Google Voice number… Take a second and check out this guys App…

      Root your phone… get a data only service from your provider…. and never use your minutes again!

    2. We all know you work for Verizon. Tool.

  10. My biggest motivator is a physical keyboard.  I’d be likely to upgrade to any faster device which provided me that much.  Outside of the keys I suppose price is the next most significant factor.

    1. then you can get the mytouch 4g slide which is coming to tmo soon

    2. Keyboard was the most substantial factor for me as well.  Still holding down my Epic 4G.  Great phone.

    3. Still doesn’t understand why so many people desire a keyboard, since I ditched mine I’ve never been happier.

  11. To be honest, i don’t care about any of that stuff.
    But if i were more conscious about money,

    Price would be my first thing,

    4g/Dual core is really a novelty right now and something
    i truly could care less about

    1.  *couldn’t care less

      1. lol thank you phoenix ha

        1. Your too ugly to be a model, maybe just a blogger so no one can see your face. LMAO

          1. What?

    2.  explain carmen ?

      1. explain what?

        Why i don’t care about price? I mean if i want something, i just get it regardless of price.

        As far as 4g goes…4g is not even widespread enough for it to be something of concern for me right now currently.

        Maybe in a year or two, I’ll care about it….

        As far as Dual Core…Ummm, my phones(Droid Charge and Xperia play) are fast with single core and i have no complaints and I really have not noticed much difference from using dual core phones my friends own.

        Dual core is not a dealbreaker at all to me…if i have it, cool and if not…cool too

        1. Dunking Donuts doesn’t pay you enough to buy what you want. Dont lie to your self, besides your daddy buy all your shit. Fucking LIAR

          1. Lol..ex?

          2. ur swuch a douche bag jon pro 

        2.  i agree on the price /dual core my mt4g runs smooth so dual core is not an issue
          but 4g is a must for myself and being on longisland i have excellent 4g coverage
          but that can only be said for t mobile
          no other carrier has 4g on li at the moment

          1. T-mobile doesn’t even have anything to constitute 4G. HSPA+ is 3.5 G dumbass.

  12. why get tied down to the same phone for two years??   get the best cheapest contract you can find that gives you exactly what you want. then pick the dearest phone theyll give you.    then flog the phone on ebay and get the phone you really want!    ive done that for about 8 years now.    i sell the previous phone + the new free phone and maybe add £50 and i can get the newest top of the line unlocked smartphone.  i dont have to have a phone full of network brandede bloatware either. 

  13. Price is the most important factor? I guess that explains why Android is beating iOS in market share. Sadly, it also explains why there are so many people with low end androids complaining that their phones stink. Considering how much I have to pay for my phone/data service on a 2 year contract, the cost of the handset is negligible. I want something that I will be happy with for the majority of the 2 years that I’m stuck with it.

    1. People ask my advice all the time since I “seem” to know a bit about phones.  I tell them to buy the best available phone since you will have it for two years, but for so many average users, it comes down to price. I am shocked, since what’s the difference between $100 or $200, especially if you can afford a data plan. However, to some degree, Android has no minimum specs, so I am shocked how badly my mother in law’s MyTouch 3g lags and operates, so this could give a bad experience to some.  

      1. Surprisingly enough the laggy piece of shit MT3G is what got me to love Android. Although when i bought it, it’s what they considered a high end phone since i purchased it shortly after it was released.

  14. My wife had an OG Droid, I recently got her a Thunderbolt, but she misses the keyboard.  I tell her Droid3 is coming soon, would she like to switch?  After hearing she’d lose the 4G service she said no dice.  I don’t want to call her technologically impaired, but she even notices the drop off in speed when she’s in a 3G coverage area and would rather go without the keyboard she so dearly missed rather than give up her 4G.  So when people say they don’t care about 4G, obviously most of them have never used it and don’t realize what they are missing.

    1. exactly people have no idea what 4g is like
      its amazing
      and i heard lte is even better
       

  15. That “mobile experience” comes at a ridiculous cost when many people spend most of their time blanketed in wifi anyway. My off-contract Optimus T is functional enough, cheap enough, and mostly fast enough. I’ll pass on the streaming video.

  16. Reliability isn’t a poll option. Supwitdat?

  17. unless you are one of the few that ACTUALLY HAS 4G service, then 4G doesn’t matter.

    but… I find it so frustrating that people just buy a phone because its “Free” with a 2000$ OR MORE contract. ESPECIALLY when they could just buy a really good phone from wirefly or amazon wireless and get that phone for free.

    THEN there are the idiots who get the absolute most expensive plan available on a phone that is available for 20$ on a PREPAID plan.

    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  18. The #1 most important thing to me is if the bootloader and Nand is unlocked or unlockable. Ever since I got the Nexus One I’ve loved being able to upgrade and flash roms. I’d never buy a locked down device again. It’s akin to buying a new computer and not being able to upgrade the OS. If I buy a device for almost $600 you better bet I’m going to do what I damn well please with it.

  19. well 4g is a must for me im a data HOG i im tethering my laptop out on site all the time
    websites downloads music
    im just spoiled by t-mobile we have excellent 4g coverage on long island
    where i live in nassau i average 9mbps and on my site in the hamptons i average 5mbps prfect for tethering
    3g on tmobiles great also but on other networks it does not cut it what so ever
    on my droid 2 on verizon i was gettin 1mbps if i was lucky
    and my gf epic 4g gets 250kbs IS THAT EVEN 3G?
    its absurd 

  20. Dual cores are gimmicky so far, due to software limitations. Oh and batteries.

  21. i think people who dont care ab 4g are the people who havnt had a chance to experience it 1st hand
    call me a geek but when my internet was down
    i used my mt4g as a hotspot to host games of call of duty black op on xbox live lmao

    never happen on a 3g network 

    1. Your so full of shit, I would love to see an Xbox 360 playing Black Ops running from a phones mobile hot spot. Show me some proof and I will pay you a grand. I have the G2x which is supposedly to run at max speeds of 42Mps and I have great 4g coverage in my condo. I have tried to tether my Wii and 360 prior to reading your bogus remark and I can tell you YOUR FULL OF SHIT. 

      1.  will upload a video to youtube u moron
        what kinda speeds are u getting
        my home internet is 3mbps
        while my phone averages 9mbps
        so fuck ur face douchebag
        also watch netflix on xbox

        1. bahahhaha watching netflix now u douche tryin 2 figure out how 2 take a video at teh same time ..i will dig up my g1 and use that 

          1. http://youtu.be/O08HhVox604
            tethering my wii
            xbox to come soon as i do not have the wifi adapter on me
            and yes ive played cod with some lag
             

          2. so here you have it ladies and gentlemen: the average Xbox player. a stupid 10 year old who believe T-mobile has actual 4G.

  22. Who cares about dual core? Just let it handle games decently, do web, other apps, phone, video, texting and I’m fine. Also 4G coverage sucks for almost everyone unless you live by the coast.

    1. Your soooooo full of shit. To this say I have not seen an Xbox 360 running from a phones wireless hot spot. Curry you must be smoking some real good shit to be imaging crap that. Wireless tether has may to much network fluctuation for it to work properly, you will need at least a constant 10Mps  to keep Black Ops running smooth. So anyone who reads this, CURRY is full of shit.

      1. Sorry Curry, I saw your name when I was writing and got confused. The message was not for you so I do apologize. it was meant for Revs1227. I just really hate fucking liars. 

        1. Dude….calm down.

        2. Relax bro ..where did u get 10nbs’? My home conbection gets 6 if im lucky..and I run 2 systems off 1 shit belkin router my phone gets 6 ez…I’ve already posted a video of my wii runing netflix dnt hate cuz 4g is shit in ur area

  23. Price is definitely a factor, but I will admit, that 4g speeds and a physical keyboard are both more important.  I’d gladly pay a little more for a phone that have a strong ease of experience.

  24. This is simply because the majority of people don’t even use their smartphones very much, but someone that does, such as the readers of this blog, will care about the specs more than the price.

  25. Yep. Apple has known that for years. 

    1. Exactly. This is only shocking to the spec-whore fandroids who reside inside the geek bubble…..

  26. What matters to me in order of most important chipset/4G are equally important neither is more important than the other, I would not want a dual core 3G phone orange 4G single core phone. Next is screen size/quality followed by ability to flash a ROM or not. Good question… price is never part of the equation to me because I keep them in great condition and change phones so frequently they barely depreciate. I also almost never have to pay for them so that helps.

  27. Price is definitely most important. The geek in me craves a dual core, but having a son, I need to keep that price down. I’m waiting to see the pricing on the mytouch 4g slide before I decide on anything. 4G means nothing to me.

  28. Your headline is nothing but lies !! .. Rainbow Unicorns FTW !

  29. I’m gonna go with dual-core being the most important aspect for me.  4g right now is almost a gimmick, I RARELY use it on my Evo 4g and I turn it off to save battery anyways.  Speeds are slightly faster than 3g but isn’t worth the trade-off of battery life.  What kills it for me is when the phone slows down due to a lack of memory, and swiping between homescreens becomes excruciatingly slow to watch.  Or when I load up the browser and it’s miserable zooming in and out with multi-touch.  Faster download speeds can’t help you with that.  Or when my phone even a year old already feels very outdated compared to a lot of phones coming out now, even single-core phones that run laps around my old Evo.  Having a dual-core (and of course, RAM), as apparent in the Evo 3d and sgsII makes a significant impact on user experience satisfaction.

  30. Well I’m willing to spend $200 easily for an android device.  I would be willing to pay $300, maybe $400 (on contract) for a phone.

    But it really comes down to the Phone.  If It packs crazy specs and such, I’m willing to pay more.  but not? no, I won’t pay more.

    price = what it comes with.

    if it dosen’t come with much, I won’t pay much for it.
    if it comes with all the bells and whistles, I will pay for it.

  31. Okay whoever wrote this needs to wake up. The people who come to sites like these and post regularly ar the ones who want dual core and proper 4g and all that. But we only represent like what, 10-15% of the whole android population? I could go to 100 android users and ask them if they want a dual core phone and I can guarantee you they will say, “what’s that mean?” People only want it for as cheap as they can get, and only choose what is marketed the most.

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