A few practical nuggets that haven’t been hit hard yet:
On‑device AI: It’s nice to have for offline transcribe/summarize and basic photo edits, but not essential yet. For 5+ years on Android, 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage is the safe floor; UFS 4.0 helps with camera burst/installs. iOS manages fine with less RAM.
7‑year updates: Google and Samsung are doing full Android builds plus security for the term; late‑cycle feature drops may be hardware‑gated. Apple still serializes parts; iOS 18 is friendlier to used genuine parts but calibration remains. Updates aren’t blocked by third‑party parts on mainstream brands, but things like True Tone/battery health can be disabled after non‑paired swaps.
eSIM‑only realities: Domestic carrier switches and travel eSIMs are easy now. The real failure mode is a dead phone + SMS 2FA. Use app‑based TOTP with offline backups, store carrier eSIM QR/transfer codes securely, and keep an old phone as a hot standby for rapid eSIM re‑provisioning. If you can, pick a model with dual eSIM or one physical + eSIM for redundancy.
Wi‑Fi 7: Zero benefit without a Wi‑Fi 7 AP. No real battery downside. MLO/320 MHz only help when both ends support them and you have clean 6 GHz.
Satellite: Works only with open sky; useless in most urban dead zones. Apple’s Messages via satellite (iOS 18) is the only polished path; pricing beyond the free period is TBD. I wouldn’t make it a buying criterion unless you go off‑grid.
Qi2: Worth prioritizing now if you use magnetic car mounts or stands. Android Qi2 support is still spotty-verify the exact model (Pixel 9 has it; many 2024 Samsungs don’t).
Charging: A single 65-100 W USB‑PD PPS GaN brick will fast‑charge most laptops/tablets/phones and hit “fast enough” on Samsung/Pixel/Apple. You’ll only miss out on the headline 80-150 W speeds from Oppo/OnePlus/Xiaomi without their bricks/cables.
USB port speed: Insist on USB 3.x if you shoot ProRes/8K or want wired display/DeX. Traps: iPhone 15 (non‑Pro), OnePlus 12/12R, and many mid‑rangers are still USB 2.0.
Display comfort: If PWM bothers you, look for 1920/2160/3840 Hz PWM and an anti‑flicker toggle (common on Xiaomi/Oppo/OnePlus flagships). Samsung/iPhone sit around 240-480 Hz; try in person at low brightness.
Thermals: Sustained performance is best on Galaxy S24 Ultra/S24+ (large vapor chambers) and gaming phones (ROG Phone with clip‑on cooler). Pixels throttle earlier under long gaming/4K video.
If buying to 2030, must‑haves: 120 Hz LTPO, USB 3.x with DP Alt Mode, Wi‑Fi 6E/7, IP68, 12/256 on Android, dual eSIM (or eSIM+SIM), 7‑year OS/security, and Qi2 if you care about magnetic accessories.
Short list:
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra/S24+: most balanced for longevity, thermals, USB 3, 7‑year updates.
- Pixel 9 Pro/XL: best Google features and camera; fine if you accept middling thermals.
- iPhone 16 Pro: USB 3, long support, satellite roadmap; parts pairing is the trade‑off.
- EU: Fairphone 5 if repairability matters more than raw performance.
Hidden traps: imports missing local 5G/6 GHz bands, 60 Hz panels on non‑Pro iPhones, USB 2.0 ports, and proprietary fast‑charge ecosystems if you want one‑charger simplicity.