As we hold on to our phones longer than ever, it becomes very important to pick the right phone that will serve us well for not one or two, but often three, four or even more years.
Mistake 1: Trying to live with the wrong size phone
Many people think that they will somehow get used to living with a bigger phone. After all, bigger phones typically have a bigger battery, a larger screen and often a slightly better camera. So I have seen many people who prefer using a smaller handset, go against their size preference hoping that they will somehow get used to a larger sized phone.
Mistake 2: Being cheap with storage
Second and the biggest mistake in my opinion is people cheapening out on storage. Usually, in 2025, that means that you are getting a phone with 128 GB of storage, which might seem enough at first, but just imagine all the photos and videos you will be taking on this phone in two or three years time! The storage fills up very quickly!
So rather than constantly worrying about your phone offloading apps or about what cloud service to subscribe to, just get a phone that has at least 256GB of storage. Some people may also consider a model with even more storage, but I think that 256 GB will be fine with most people.
Mistake 3: Following Trends
Mistake number three that I often see is people falling for some latest trend, without being absolutely sure they need it.
Are you sure your next phone has to be a flip phone or a fold phone? Flip phones are still a bit more fragile than a typical phone and don’t forget that you have to flip them open every single time you want to use them. This might sound cool at first, but the fun factor wears off quickly.
I’m not saying you should avoid buying these phones, I know many people perfectly happy with them, but they knew what they were getting into.
Mistake 4: Relying only on sales people advice
Mistake number four is making an on-the-spot decision based on advice only from a sales rep.
There are some very knowledgeable sales people, but you should not forget that their goal is to sell you a phone, and sometimes that means they might withhold advice or just not be knowledgeable enough about all the pros and especially the cons of a phone as a seasoned reviewer would be.
Mistake 5: Getting hung up on a brand
Mistake number five is buying a brand, not a need.
The best way to explain this would be with an example, so imagine you are in the market for a phone that is not too expensive and that you can use to record your runs.
As for the mistake I’ve made most often, that’s got to be trying to live with a bigger phone than comfortable.
What are the phone mistakes you’ve made and what advice would you give to your friends when buying a new phone?
