The Mobile Marketing Blog - TellMyCell

More and More Research Tells Us Millennials Can’t Do Without Text

Many recent studies into the preferences and habits of millennials found that they are more engaged with mobile technology than any other group. They also delivered some important insights about the ways in which millennials use smartphones.

Some 500 young people, surveyed by Retale, responded to a series of questions about mobile usage; the research found that 94% of millennials regularly use geo-location technology, and 84% say they act on push notifications. Nearly two thirds use their smartphones to look for coupons or discounts for immediate use, while a third use them to research product information for later purchase.

Whatever they use their mobile device for, the very presence of the device on or near their person is non-negotiable. Zogby reports that 87% of millennials are never without their phone, and 80% start their day by reaching for their device.

Another piece of research - from the OpenMarket - reveals that 76% of millennials would rather sacrifice phone calls than text messaging, citing convenience as the reason. But most interesting to mobile marketers is the fact that millennials would rather receive text messages for business transactions, including payment and appointment reminders, and special promotions. 

Furthermore, a Gallup poll surveyed 18 to 29 year olds and found monthly texting rates have more than doubled in the last two years.

And still the number of phone calls made by this demographic continues to decline. According to the Zogby research, 4/5 of young people spend at least two hours per day on their phone. Yet hardly any of them use it to make calls. For older generations, this may be hard to understand, but there are a few factors at play:

 

• Many young people view phone calls as intrusive and presumptuous, putting expectations on the recipient of the call to drop everything they’re doing and pay attention to the caller. Texting eliminates this problem because it doesn’t require a real-time response. 
• Privacy is not something millennials care too much about. They’ve been giving up personal details and consent regarding how their data is shared since they can remember, all in exchange for the convenience of increasingly sophisticated technology. The notion that you would mind companies knowing what you’re talking about is an alien one, and thus no bar to sending reams of your most personal information into the digital ether.
• Texting does away with a lot of the niceties of a phone call, while maximizing the useful information. If you need to simply find out where you’re meeting people for a night out, an address can be stated in a text message - a message that’s also a hyperlink to the map of the location which you can plan the best route to with GPS, all while checking out the menu as you walk. If a millennial texts such a request to their friend, a phone call returned would be annoying!

 

This understanding of what phones are for is so radically different to what baby boomers and - for their childhood at least - Gen Y-ers used them for, it can be difficult to get your head around. But seeing the smartphone from the perspective of young people will help you craft a more effective mobile marketing campaign. Hope we’ve helped!

Can Mobile Technology Revolutionize Healthcare?

One of the hottest topics to hit the campaign trail this year is healthcare. Both Democrats and the GOP have spent time discussing the sustainability of President Obama’s universal healthcare system (Affordable Care Act), spurring much political debate along the way. However, what you haven’t heard any of the presidential candidates talk about is mobile technology, and how smartphones could be the key to revolutionizing our crippled healthcare system. 

 

A Booming Industry 

This year, at the Mobile World Conference and South by Southwest Interactive Conference, people were talking about mobile technology and healthcare—and they weren’t just talking about new jogging apps and calorie calculators. More than 100,000 mobile health apps are in app stores worldwide; it is estimated that by 2017, these apps will reach a combined total value of $26 billion. If apps are any indication of smartphone users’ interests, it’s clear that healthcare and wellness are fast becoming a priority in the online mobile space. 

Improving healthcare in the mobile age isn’t just about people and their phones; it’s about streamlining cumbersome administrative costs and adding much-needed transparency to insurance. This is where a lot of the current debate stems from—financial missteps that have cost the American public its peace of mind. However, these worries might soon have a solution. 

 

Better Technology, Improved Treatment 

One of the greatest challenges faced by our healthcare system today is the lack of resources we have to treat one of our largest aging populations: baby boomers. These individuals will need better access to healthcare, and they’re going to need more of it, as they get older. Mobile technology could greatly reduce the strain of this burden by offering patients more access to their physicians, as well as reducing administrative costs with automated reminders for appointments, prescription refills, emergency services and more, all available via text. 

Reducing administrative costs will also be achieved by streamlining communications among patients, providers, and insurance companies. Digitalized communications, as well as electronic records, will reduce the time it takes to receive services. Electronic healthcare records will also allow physicians to offer more personalized care. Increased data and analytics can provide contextual clues about patient behavior that doctors have never had access to. This is especially true in developing areas of the world, where healthcare is often limited. 

Saving Lives 

Advancements in mobile technology, including Near Field Communication (NFC), iBeacon technology, and geo targeting are tools that we can use at home and abroad to improve healthcare on a global scare. Take text messaging, for example: SMS has already been used in several studies to help manage the treatment of diseases like diabetes. It’s also helped patients kick bad habits like smoking and combat maternal and child mortality rates in countries like Rwanda. We may take SMS text for granted, but when healthcare is severely lacking, it could be the only lifeline available. 

This is a reality that Penn State Associate Professor Richard Lomotley knows all to well. In 2015, Lomotley lost a family member living in rural Ghana to a snakebite. 

“It shouldn’t happen when information about symptoms and emergency instructions [is] only a fingertip away,” said Lomotley. 

But it does happen, all the time. 

Mobile technology is going to give us the tools we need to revolutionize the medical industry, in ways we can’t yet predict. From wearable technology and better user experiences, to real-time monitoring of sick patients, mobile technology should be at the center of the political discussion. 

 

FordPass App Promises 'Mobility Solutions' That Go Beyond Cars

Ford is entering the mobile technology ring with the launch of a new app. The company announced the FordPass mobile app in January of this year at the North American International Auto Show. The app is designed to help people get “from here to there,” whether by Ford vehicle, public transportation, ride-sharing or rent-a-bike service, or another car. There’s even a parking assistance feature. 

 

A ‘Marketplace for Mobility Solutions’

The idea behind the FordPass app is to provide consumers with “a marketplace for mobility solutions.” Spokespeople for the renowned vehicle brand note that while the core business concerns selling vehicles, the whole industry is shifting to serve consumers’ general mobility needs. This includes consumers who don’t always require a vehicle to go from “here to there.” 

Vehicle sharing is increasingly commonplace, a fact that Ford recognizes. The company is subsequently crafting a “whole ecosystem” that extends beyond standard vehicle buying and current customers to include non-Ford owners. 

 

What the App Does

FordPass revolves around the ‘My Vehicles’ feature that lets drivers add their cars and trucks and review basic model details, such as when the vehicle was purchased, current fuel level, color, and how many miles it has. Product recalls are also included if necessary. This may be accomplished by scanning a vehicle’s barcode. 

In addition to providing useful vehicle information, the mobile app functions as an extra key capable of remotely locking and unlocking the vehicle and starting the engine. However, this feature is only usable on cars with modern functionalities, such as the 2017 Ford Escape. The feature is indicative of things to come, as key access is one of the biggest issues currently surrounding car-sharing. 

Other app features include parking assistance, which allows drivers to take photos of where they parked and save related maps. The app offers a number of features, but Ford is hoping to create one app to rule them all rather than sticking drivers with multiple car apps. 

 

Loyalty Program

Ford wants not only to maintain its existing client base, but also to attract new customers through a loyalty program. The program will launch later this year in the U.S. and is set to be the brand’s first-ever “global loyalty scheme.” Points are accrued by buying a Ford vehicle, scheduling a car share or parking space through the app, and filling up on gas at a partnered BP garage, among other things. These points are redeemed to provide free oil changes, free winter check with new windshield wipers, and essentially anything else available through FordPass. 

The vehicle brand is (obviously) hoping for great success with the mobile app, as it aims to be the “Apple of the mobility world.” 

 

mHealth Wearable Market Set for 135 Percent Annual Growth Rate

Pharmaceutical companies are the driving force behind rapid growth in the mHealth wearable market; an estimated 97.6 million devices are expected to ship by 2021. The compound annual growth rate of mHealth is set to increase by 135 percent in the next five years, and the hope is that these mobile healthcare devices will provide quality care to patients and help providers make better decisions.

These healthcare statistics are from a recent study published by Tractica called, “Wearable Devices for Healthcare Markets.” The study covers current devices available, how they’re being used, and adoption timelines within the industry. 

Some wearables are more familiar to us than others. For example, smart watches can track everything from heart rate to dietary habits, and fitness trackers are already being used to monitor patient activity levels. There are new technologies like wearable patches and delivery pods that are administering pain medication and management therapies, as well as a slew of other devices under review by the FDA. 

 

Why Wearables?

The healthcare industry in particular has a lot to gain from mobile technology, such as the wearables just mentioned. Most healthcare providers have taken on more patients as a result of mandatory healthcare legislation, which means medical resources have thinned in some areas. Mobile technology provides doctors and insurances companies with assistance during this dramatic growth by automating, tracking, and administering basic care in some instances, without the need to go to the doctor’s office. It also gives doctors greater insight when following up with patients, to ensure treatment plans and therapies are as effective as they can be. 

Similarly, patients have more freedom to go about their lives while tracking their health concerns via mobile. 

 

Challenges Ahead

Digital health solutions are focused on decreasing quality care costs and expanding patient services, but that goal is not without its own set of obstacles. 

For one thing, mobile healthcare is still very much in its infancy, and early adopters are managing high costs with the prospect of more affordable solutions in the near future.  Moreover, the FDA review process can be lengthy, sometimes taking as long as a year. 

Patient challenges are even more unique. The generation that will benefit most from wearable technology in the midst of our fluctuating healthcare system is also a generation of less technically savvy patients. Tractica’s report suggests that elderly patients have a difficult time using the mobile devices because they’re less familiar with computers and smartphones. Educating patients about mobile healthcare is still too expensive and time consuming, so providers aren’t able to offer much of a solution yet. 

The other major obstacle providers, insurance companies, and clinical trials must overcome involves aggregating and analyzing large amounts of data. In addition to storing and organizing this data, doctors have to become familiar with interpreting it, which means there’s a learning curve for them as well. 

Despite these challenges, mHealth and wearable devices are predicted to make huge waves in the healthcare industry during the next five years—most likely out of necessity.  

Local Mobile Marketing Tactics for SMBs

Small businesses have the most to gain from local mobile marketing. As it becomes harder to compete for consumer attention, the mobile frontier offers greater opportunity; but it can also be intimidating for local business owners more familiar with traditional marketing tactics. However, the mobile tipping point is upon us, and a delay of better tactics due to unfamiliarity is an excuse, not an option. If you’re a local business owner, mobile marketing is the best way to stay competitive. 

Here are a few effective local mobile marketing tactics that you can implement today:

 

The Mobile Experience 

Optimization: this is a word you’re probably very familiar with by now. We optimize retail space, employee productivity, and even websites — but have you optimized your customers’ mobile experiences? 

The reason you should care about this is because mobile use exceeds regular desktop activity—your customers are on their phones more than they are on a computer. Is your website mobile responsive? In other words, does it reconfigure to make sense on a tiny smartphone screen? Users who struggle to navigate a bad mobile website are more likely to give up on their purposes, whether they’re looking for information or trying to make a purchase.

Your customers’ journeys will often begin on mobile devices; be there to capture that experience and optimize it every step of the way. 

 

Mobile Communications 

The mobile experience means that users are generally going to be on their phones when they reach out to a business, but that’s also true in reverse—the communications you send to your customers will also likely be received on mobile devices. Email and SMS messaging are two very popular mobile communication channels. To be effective, these communications must be interpreted for mobile. 

For example, open-and-read rates of text messages are about 90 percent, so it’s worthwhile targeting customers through SMS. To craft an effective SMS message, try to keep the message as short as possible, provide a value to your customers (discount, special offer), and make the follow up action (usually a link) accessible and easy to follow. 

Similarly, emails on mobile should have some structural variances that enable mobile users to read and take action. For example, use a larger font and a single column layout. Keep the content brief and make sure the call-to-action is clear and actionable. 

 

Social On-the-Go

Another thing people do almost exclusively on mobile these days is use social media. Part of your mobile marketing campaign should involve getting in front of your customers in the mobile spaces they frequent most. For many, this means implementing mobile tactics that make sense on social media. 

Some tactical examples include regularly posting short, relevant content with attention-grabbing topics. You should also encourage customers to share their pictures, reviews, and ideas within your brand’s social community. Engagement is invaluable. Use your page metrics to adjust settings, improve content ideas, and reach more potential customers. Local pages enjoy 5 times more reach than their larger corporate competitors, as well as 8 times more engagement from each fan reached. This is largely due to a shift in consumer behavior, which favors smaller businesses and local production. 

Small businesses can use each of these local mobile tactics to their advantages and succeed in a competitive market. 

 

 

Apple Is Finally Making a Budget Phone

 

In late January, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook announced that Apple had achieved its most successful quarter—an impressive $76 billion in revenue and $18.4 billion in profits. Sounds pretty good, right? But what else would we expect from the one of most innovative companies in mobile technology? After all, the company has earned the title of “world’s most valuable,” and by all accounts it’s the most successful company of the 21^st century. 

So, if profits are sky high, and more products like the Apple Watch are in the works, why would Apple release a budget device last week?

 

What’s in a Name?

Before we get into why Apple would release a budget smartphone, let’s take a look at the device itself. The iPhone SE is the cheapest phone Apple has ever introduced to market. Basic specs include a modest 4-inch screen, 326 ppi, embedded M9 motion processor, 12-megapixle iSight camera, and Touch ID on the Home button. 

Truth be told, this phone isn’t exactly new. Said Kate Knibbs of Gizmodo, “There is nothing new or distinctive in the size, shape, look, hardware, or software of the iPhone SE.”

Apple’s ‘new’ budget phone is more-or-less the iPhone 5S, but it’s been relabeled a low-cost smartphone to meet specific market trends that could otherwise cause problems for the company.

 

The Big Picture

Apple closed a huge quarter in December of last year. While it was, strictly speaking, the most profitable quarter the company had ever seen, these four months were only about 2 percent more profitable than the same time from the year before. 

This information is relevant for a few reasons. Apple’s year-over-year trends between 2010 and 2015 were far more significant. For example, between 2014 and 2015, Apple enjoyed a 30 percent increase in sales, and revenues were skyrocketing fivefold in some cases. But that’s not what we’re seeing from the company anymore. 

Apple has done a great job of maintaining the company’s position as a luxury brand—new phones usually go for as much as $650, a hard pill to swallow if you’re used to operating a cheaper device. The 16GB iPhone SE will cost about $399, with payment plan options available. Apple’s even offering free phones for people who sign up for a special two-year contract. So, how does this fit into the big picture of why Apple is offering a budget phone at all?

 

Why Now?

Until recently, Apple’s product lifecycle was pretty short—people would get a new phone before there was anything wrong with the old one. But that’s slowing down on several fronts, particularly in China, where budget phones have become increasingly successful.

If the product lifecycle is lengthened, Apple has no choice but to go after new users, users who may prefer smaller devices, or users who could never afford a $650 phone. 

Repacking old phone iterations isn’t a bad idea—but it certainly makes you wonder why the phone was so much more money in the first place. In some ways, this undermines the company’s luxury branding, cheapening the value of each new device or wearable that comes to market. If everyone has an iPhone, it’s hard to call one a luxury item. 

 

Last Call for Motorola

The Motorola brand will soon be no more. Smartphone manufacturer Lenovo is giving the U.S. mobile phone trailblazer’s name the ol’ heave-ho due to an acquisition over two years old. 

Motorola invented the cell phone, with famous creations including the flip phone, the Razr, and the iconic Brick. David Beckham is one of many well-known faces who enjoyed the Razr. 

Lenovo is a smartphone and laptop manufacturer based in China that purchased Motorola from Google in January of 2014. It launched the Moto G at the start of 2014 with success, and took Motorola from a near-0 percent market share to a 6 percent share of sales in the UK. Motorola moved over 10 million smartphones in 2014’s third quarter, thanks to the popularity of the Moto G. 

 

The Future of Moto

Despite this success, Lenovo has decided to get rid of the Motorola name, though it will keep ‘Moto.’ All subsequent Motorola phones will fall under the Lenovo brand name. Moto will join Lenovo’s Vibe line, however what will become of the Moto E and G is still unknown. The manufacturer’s Motorola Mobility division will subsequently oversee their entire range of smartphones. 

A spokesperson for Lenovo commented that Motorola Mobility continues to exist as part of the company and serves as the engineering and design foundation for all of their mobile products. 

Reception to this news has been mixed. Many believe the end of Motorola is the end of an era regarding smartphone innovation, but that doesn’t mean the brand wasn’t flailing considerably over the past several years. Kantar WorldPanel analyst Carolina Milanesi noted that, while Lenovo is a decent brand, Motorola is an icon of the mobile phone world, and getting away from that might not be the best idea.

Ironically, Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing remarked that Motorola was the manufacturer’s “treasure” following the acquisition, and that they planned to protect the Motorola brand and make it stronger than ever.

Regardless, the Moto option is popular among Android fans, and the decision to kill the Motorola brand is likely a way to emphasize Moto. It’s also a chance for consumers to familiarize themselves with the Lenovo brand, which despite being the largest PC manufacturer in the world is still virtually unknown in terms of cell phones and other mobile devices. 

Lenovo will introduce the Moto as a high-end product, and simultaneously push its Vibe phone brand in the Moto market. Relationships and sales channels within Motorola territories will be used to market Vibe phones costing less than $100. Motorola Chief Operating Officer Rick Osterloh said he intends to bring Vibe options to the U.S. market, though it probably won’t happen in 2016. Osterloh compared Lenovo’s strategy to the coexistence of Banana Republic and Old Navy, which are both owned by Gap. 

He remarked that failing to cover the market from top to bottom didn’t make a whole lot of sense.

If you owned a Motorola Razr, StarTac, or even Rokr, the Motorola iTunes phone, you’re probably feeling a bit nostalgic at the moment. 

 

 

 

Roadtesting Handsfree Texting: Apple vs. Android

If you’re like me, and most other busy professionals, multitasking needs to be as innate as breathing. Whether I’m scanning morning emails while making breakfast, driving to an appointment while taking a conference call, or simply doing three things at once because I want to, the fact of the matter is sometimes, I need a little help. 

When Apple introduced Siri in 2011, I thought my life would never be the same. You remember the TV advertisements, don’t you? It was going to be like having an unpaid personal assistant at my side every day, forever and ever. 

And then I met Siri, and we hardly ever spoke. 

Since 2011, each update of Siri has been a little better. And now that Google has provided Android users with the same hands free convenience, I figured it was time to test out my old acquaintance and try her new competitor Google Now. 

Here are the results from my hands free road test:

 

Miss-communication 

One of the obvious problems I observed in 2011 was Siri’s lack of contextual awareness. Siri repeatedly misunderstood my requests, did not provide relevant answers, and ultimately didn’t make my life easier (or anyone’s, for that matter.) Today I find this has improved, but not as much as I would like.

Siri’s only redeeming quality: snarky comments and bedtime stories. 

On the other hand, Google Now has a better success rate on basic inquires, although some miscommunication still occurs. What Google Now lacks in personality, it makes up for in actuary and readiness—a huge win for Android. 

Apple fans do not despair. Siri’s next iteration will include Proactive, which is tailored to help Siri understand more complicated requests. In the future, this could push Apple into the lead. Until then, for easy hands-free texting, my vote goes to Android.

 

Command Central 

Aside from ensuring the inquiries are received correctly, what about the actual command process? Which one is easier to use? 

If you use an iPhone and want Siri to read your most recent text message, first you must ensure the “Hey Siri” feature is turned on in the settings menu. Then all you have to do is say “Hey Siri” and ask her to “read my text messages.” 

From there she will recite your message, and follow by asking if you’d like to send a response message, which you can dictate and send. 

No big deal. 

Similarly, Google Now incorporates almost the same exact commands. Just say, “Ok Google, show me my last messages” and you’re off to the races. Your phone will tell you whom the text message is from and read it aloud to you. It then asks if you would like to respond, listen again, or delete the message. 

There’s no distinct winner here in my book. The commands and utility of this hands-free feature are more or less the same, less the activation required to speak directly to Siri. But that’s not such a bad thing. It’s good to know you can turn off these features if and when I need to. 

This one’s a draw. 

 

Nosey Neighbors  

Call me old fashioned but I don’t like Google knowing every detail of my personal or professional life. Google Now has brought up considerable concern regarding privacy issues, which may (or may not) take place all the time while you’re using Google and their associated platforms and services. 

Google Now is no different. It’s scanning your calendar to make appointments, looking through text conversation and images to arrange context for the most sophisticated responses. 

While there are currently no outstanding lawsuits about the matter, it’s clear that for some users this may be an issue. 

Siri may be slow, but she’s no nark—one point for Apple. 

Things are all tied up it would seem. The good news is that my hands are freer than ever before to multitask, thanks to the latest hands free texting apps via Apple and Android. But don’t take my word for it—try them both out yourself. 

Apple Dodge More Legal Wrangles

A federal judge threw out a case against Apple, claiming the tech giant used its iMessage system to intercept text messages to Android phones. The case also claimed Apple prevented these messages from being sent, but the courts ruled earlier this year that it wasn’t of the class action variety. The plaintiffs—a husband, wife, and family friend—had attempted to prove the company was violating federal wiretap laws. 

These plaintiffs were Apple users who switched to Android between 2012 and 2014. The case started when an iCloud issue prevented iMessage texts from reaching their destinations. The plaintiffs said the glitch resulted in illegal surveillance. They noted that Apple keeping the “contents” of iMessages sent from iPhones to Android phones and sometimes failing to deliver the messages was a violation of the Stored Communications Act and Federal Wiretap Act.

 

Apple’s Response 

The company argued that because the plaintiffs sued after they switched to Android, they really didn’t have a case. Apple said in its court motion that this made it impossible to know whether texts sent to their “iMessage-associated numbers went to their Apple or Android devices.” 

Apple eventually fixed the problem, but won’t have to fork over monetary compensation. The company created a website that de-registers phone numbers from their iMessage service, though users can also disable iMessage on their iPhones before placing their SIM cards in Android devices. 

“Apple takes customer satisfaction extremely seriously, but the law does not provide a remedy when, as here, technology simply does not function as [the] plaintiff subjectively believes it should,” a spokesperson for the company said in a statement. 

Several carriers are now offering features similar to iMessage, including the ability to see what the other person is typing. T-Mobile, for example, announced last summer that the Samsung Galaxy S5 and S6 phones would feature advanced messaging services through a software update. Features include “rich” one-on-one group messaging, such as near-real-time chat and the ability to share high-res photos and videos up to 10 MB. This is in addition to seeing what the person you’re chatting with is typing. 

T-Mobile says their advanced messaging service “is built to work across all devices, makers and operating systems--and wireless operators."

Ironically, some note that the Apple case is reminiscent of something Steve Jobs said in 2010. Jobs announced that Apple was going to make FaceTime an open standard, but it never happened. And while the concept of having FaceTime video chat functionality available in more devices and applications is an attractive one, it’s still unlikely to occur anytime soon. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as some industry experts argue Facetime is simply a way for Apple to keep its customers. 

Will more cases like Apple’s crop up in reaction to advanced text messaging services, or did the company nip the problem in the bud? The plaintiffs weren’t able to prove Apple broke any laws, but the issue sure did annoy a lot of users who made the switch to Android. Hopefully, other companies will ensure such problems won’t occur before they roll out advanced messaging services. 

 

The Best Smartphones in 2015

It’s that time of year again—no, not Christmas—a breakdown of the best smartphones of 2015! That’s right, it’s not too late to get great deals on the best phones of the year, and you’ll want to know who made this year’s cut and why before you make your purchase. 

 

#5 HTC One M9

This brand has come a long way this year, and for people who enjoy the minimalistic design of Apple, but prefer the Android operating system, this is a perfect mobile arrangement. 

Great features on this phone include solid build and utility, BoomSound audio and Sense overlay. While the camera isn’t the best the industry has to offer, for strict utility users, this is an affordable and thoughtful choice. The HTC One A9 is also pretty good, and it looks a lot like the iPhone. 

 

#4 Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+

For users on the fence about getting a phablet, this Samsung device is your 2015 champion. The sleek and enormous screen size helps busy users see and do more with advanced camera and video features, which make getting social both a breeze and more enjoyable. 

If you like everything about this phone but don’t think this device will fit in your pocket, the Samsung Galaxy S6 has all the same great guts in a more traditional sized smartphone. 

 

#3 Sony Xperia Z5

This is a great phone for people who take their smartphone with them everywhere—we’re talking the mountains, scuba diving, you name it! This device is waterproof, dustproof and by all accounts indestructible. It also features the latest Snapdragon processor with 3GB of RAM.

This phone is certainly not the cheapest phone on the list this year, but depending on your daily activities, this phone could be well worth the small investment. 

 

#2 iPhone 6S Plus

We just couldn’t have a list without an Apple product in the mix, now could we? And the iPhone 6S Plus surely don’t disappoint. Yes, the 6S Plus is more expensive than its sibling the 6S, but it’s well worth the money if you’re thinking about upgrading your iPhone to a 2015 model. 

The iPhone 6S Plus is beautifully designed, features an awesome 3D Touch screen, fuss-free camera, and brilliant display. 

The other major advantage to the 6S Plus is the extra battery life it affords, which is a problem for most smartphone users. 

 

#1 Samsung Galaxy S6

Price drops on this incredibly good smartphone make it not only the most affordable smartphone this year, and dollar-for-dollar the most powerful handset on the market. 

The 5.1-inch screen is more than big enough to play, chat and snap just about anything you want, while still being small enough to be both lightweight and portable. Both the picture and video quality is an Instagram lover’s dream, which includes QHD display and a nifty TouchWiz overlay for ease of use. 

If you’re in the market for an end of the year upgrade make sure to grab one of these models to ensure you get one of the very best smartphones of 2015.