That probably means they want a cheap phone and they're prepared to put up with the limitations.
Now Vodafone is offering a genuine smart phone for under $200, and there aren't as many limitations as you might think...
Meet the Vodafone Smart Prime 6, perhaps the first telco-branded phone in history actually worth switching on.
When I DID switch it on, there WAS a bit of a wait while it booted, but once I was up and running, I found navigating around the phone simple, clear and pretty smooth going.
The Smart Prime 6 runs the latest Android OS, Lollipop, and it runs it pretty well. At first glance I couldn't really tell much difference between this phone and the LG G3 I reviewed back in February. In fact, just like the G3, Vodafone's phone gives you the option of a double tap on the screen to wake it up, instead of fumbling for the power switch.
Although this phone fits into the budget price range, there really are some higher-end features included, like a genuine quad-core processor which means actions like streaming video, even via Chromecast can be carried out pretty smoothly. In saying that, too many apps doing too many things at once did cause some lagging.
Storage space is the big issue here, but it's an issue you can manage. The latest Samsung Galaxy S6's come with 32gb as standard - that's certainly more than I've ever used on a phone, even WITH an extra SD card.
Make no mistake, the Vodafone Smart Prime 6 is no Galaxy, and a big part of the difference between the two is storage space. The Smart Prime 6 comes with a paltry 8gb, not very useful, given the Lollipop operating system takes up almost 4gb by itself. This means you'll definitely need an SD card if you want to take any photos or store any music at all.
You'll need to install any new apps onto that SD card as well, or your storage will be eaten up in no time. At least you have that option; iPhones and Samsung's GS6's don't even have SD slots so you're stuck with the storage they come with.
What you need to remember when loading or moving apps onto an SD card, is any widgets associated with those apps will disappear and/or stop working, which took me a little while to figure out. In saying that, it turns out you can move apps between the internal storage and the SD card relatively easily using the Apps manager under the Settings menu.
If that last paragraph has your head spinning, then this may not be the phone for you, which is a shame, because in most other respects it's a very straight-forward handset to use.
An SD slot isn't the only feature you get on the Smart Prime 6 you won't find on the latest Samsungs or Apples; you still get an FM radio, something I think is a big draw card for data-conscious users who aren't into paying to stream their favourite station when they can just tune in for free.
What the Smart Prime 6 lacks in on-board storage, it more than makes up for in battery life. Once I got past my constant frustration of YET ANOTHER phone that doesn't do wireless charging, I was very impressed with how long a single charge lasted. I've read other reviews criticising the screen definition and brightness, but I had no problem with this at all, and if that's what helps make the battery last so long, I'm more than happy with the compromise.
That display is a full 5 inches by the way, which I believe to be about optimum for a smart phone these days. Any bigger and the thing just starts getting too damn long to put in your pocket. While it isn't quite as super-slim as some of it's big-name, high-end rivals, the Smart Prime 6 is slim enough. It has a stylishly curved edge, an attractive chrome bezel around the screen and an equally good-looking, metallic-feel back cover. It certainly wouldn't appear cheap or out of place in the middle of the table at the cafe next to phones other people may have paid a thousand dollars more for.
And that's what brings everything back into perspective, the price. This phone is only $149 (plus whatever you need to shell out for the essential SDmicro card - approximately $20 for 16gb) The functionality you get for that little money is the best I've seen by a long way. End of story.
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