The Best Smartphones for Technophobes

Smartphones are here to stay, but there are a lot of people who don't feel comfortable using them. I’m not just talking about your grandparents. People of all ages can and do struggle with complicated tech. Some people are great at figuring out technology but have a vision or hearing problem that makes using a smartphone difficult. Here are three great smartphones for the technophobes in your life.

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An iPhone

It doesn’t have to be the newest, most expensive model, any iPhone from the last few years will still be receiving software updates and be reliable. Apple products are known for their user-friendliness. Initial set up is easy, and the home screen is simple to navigate. Most iPhones have easy to use settings options as well. If you are already a Mac user, then an iPhone will be easy to sync with the rest of your digital life. You’ll also get a great camera and good battery life. iPhones come with a host of accessibility options, including hearing aid compatibility, audio descriptions, text to speech, zoom, and adjustable size options for icons and text. Newer models also have good-sized screens to make seeing and tapping easier.

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Samsung Galaxy S9

Or any Galaxy phone from the past few years. These phones are fantastic for seniors or others who want a simple phone with accessibility options. They are also budget-friendly. The great thing about the Galaxy is that all the bells and whistles are there if you want them, but if you put the phone on ‘easy mode,’ it will simplify the display and make using it, well, easy.

The S9 has a terrific camera and a beautiful 6.2-inch display. The user can choose to use fingerprint or facial recognition to unlock the phone, so you don’t have to remember a password. Best of all, the battery lasts for two days!

If you are looking for accessibility options, the Galaxy offers several, including a voice assist, magnifier widget, color adjustment, and sound balance adjustment. It’s also easy to change the size of icons to make reading and tapping them easier. While you are texting, you can increase the size of the text you are reading and typing by using the sound adjustment buttons on the side of the phone. The S9 even features surround sound audio to make listening to anything on your phone a joy.

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Priv by Blackberry

If you need to use your phone for business and hate typing on a tiny touch screen keyboard, then the Blackberry might be your best option. The user interface is relatively simple, and the pull-out physical keyboard makes it much easier to compose emails. Google phones come with the Talkback feature- a text to speech service, and are compatible with most hearing aids. The Priv looks like a regular smartphone when the keyboard is not pulled out, and it has a good camera and decent battery life. The home screen is easy to navigate, and you have the option of adding apps, just like on any other smartphone, so you can have some fun with it when you aren’t working.