Key Difference: Smartphones are any mobile phones that are similar to a mini computer. Smartphones offer a variety of features that allows advanced computing capability and connectivity. Basic phones are phones that allow users to perform basic features such as make/receive calls and send/receive text messages.

Smartphones and basic phones are two categories of cell phones that are available on the market. The term basic phone was created to distinguish the phone from a smartphone. Basic phones have become less common, with technology constantly increasing at an exponential rate. People have become more demanding of their cell phones and now require many different features. However, some people have still opted to stick to basic phones to easy the complication that arises from having smartphone in their lives. These two categories can become confusing for many people as basic phones have become uncommon in today’s technology driven world.

Smartphone is a mobile phone that operates on an operating system, similar to a mini computer. Smartphones are basically that – a mini computer. They offer a variety of features such as calling capabilities, computing capabilities, video conferencing, online surfing, cameras, media players, GPS navigation units, etc. Any mobile phone that lets you do the work of a computer is considered as a smartphone. Smartphone are powered by operating systems such as Android, iOS, Windows Mobile, etc.  The term ‘smartphone’ was introduced into the market by Ericsson in 1997, when it used the word to describe its GS 88 ‘Penelope’ concept as a smartphone. There is no clear distinction that decides which phones are smartphone and which phones are not. However, with the increasing technology and offerings in a phone, the category has expanded to include all the new features that are currently available in the market.

A basic phone is a phone that is used for the basic purpose, making calls and receiving calls. It also allows users to send and receive text messages. Think of the old Nokia mobile phone that was mostly used to play Snake, well that was a basic phone. A basic phone in today’s world is any phone that comes without the mind boggling technological attachments. The basic phone allows users to make phone calls, receive phone calls, send/receive text messages, browse basic internet, etc. These phones can also have games, monophonic ringtones, basic camera, torch, etc. The purpose of a basic phone is to not have to spend money on data plans that people do not use. Basic phones are quite cheap and they only charge for the amount of minutes or text messages used or sent.

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