Latest iPhones, Pixels, Galaxy Smartphones Are Cool, but Software Updates Can Improve Current Device

When viewing a picture in the Samsung Galaxy app, the S24s may automatically suggest editing options. For example, if a photo is marred from harsh overhead lighting, buttons will appear that will let you Erase shadows or Erase reflections. 

On the Pixel, a Best Take AI photo-editing feature will let you replace the faces of the people in a group shot so all have their eyes open, are smiling and are looking at the camera. Another feature dubbed Magic Editor uses generative AI to let you resize and reposition a subject in a scene while making everything else in a photo look natural.

7 years of phone updates

Google and Samsung are both promising seven years of free operating system software updates for the smartphones, dropping in fresh features and security fixes as they become available.

One intriguing baked-in feature on the Pixel 8 Pro model is a contactless thermometer that can tell you the temperature of a canned beverage or cookware simply by scanning it.

You can’t yet take your body temperature with the phone. Google first must get the OK from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Why you might want to wait to buy

Now, here’s the reality: You might not be ready to spring for a new iPhone or Android. 

Maybe your budget is tight. Even with ever-generous carrier trade-ins and payment plans that can dramatically lessen the cash outlay each month, the devices that get media attention aren’t cheap. 

Apple didn’t raise prices for three of the four new phones this go-round, but they’re still expensive. The most expensive model, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, climbed $100 compared with the starting price of last year’s iPhone 14 Pro Max. The latest iPhones start at $799 for the 6.1-inch iPhone 15 and $899 for the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus but jump to $999 for the iPhone 15 Pro and $1,199 for the 15 Pro Max model. If you max out the Max with 1 terabyte of storage, you’re up to $1,599.

At least the cheaper iPhone 14, 13 and the smaller display SE remain in the lineup. And Apple continues to eschew foldable phones that morph between smartphone and small tablet, such as devices from Samsung, Google and others. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold5 costs around $1,800, same as the Pixel Fold.

Another reason to hold off on a new phone: You might be perfectly satisfied with what you have. Heck, it was state of the art when you bought the thing a few years ago and is still behaving just fine. 

What’s more, the new phone might not behave, at least at first. Apple earlier issued a software patch to quash a bug that apparently caused some iPhone 15 Pro models to overheat.

Gee-whiz features are reason to buy only if phone is aging

Here’s another truth: Smartphone hardware doesn’t change that much from year to year.

Geeks may want new devices, but for the masses, these are little improvements that you’ll notice only if your current phone is showing wear. Sure, better cameras are nothing to sneeze at, and all of us want better batteries. 

Arguably the biggest change to hit the new iPhones is the move from the company’s proprietary Lightning connector to the versatile USB-C standard that most smartphone rivals have long embraced. Apple has, too, on its Mac laptops and some iPads. 

Apple also ditched the traditional ring/silent toggle switch on the new Pro models in favor of a potentially useful and physical Action button on the side, which lets you not only silence the ringer but quickly access the flashlight, voice memos, accessibility and other features.

The Pro models have another feature that may bail you out of trouble. It is called Roadside Assistance via satellite, and can summon help from AAA when you break down in an area sans cellular or Wi-Fi.

New software will improve your current phone

The best news for folks holding on to older devices is that the older models can get better via software. Apple’s iOS 17 software upgrade, which arrived Sept. 18, is free and backward-compatible with iPhones dating to 2018’s Xr and Xs models.

Here are a few of the features that should appeal to older adults:

Check In. Think of Check In as an automated version of a friend or family member asking you to “text me when you get there.” When you set up this feature, a loved one will be informed when you arrive at your destination.

You can edit the estimated travel time to the place you’re heading, should you hit a delay or make a stop. But if you exceed that time and don’t respond when Check In asks if you’re OK, it will dispatch your current location and the phone’s battery and cellular status to the person you’re checking in with. Check In requires you and the other person to both have iOS 17 and Apple’s iMessage messaging system. 

Check In is similar to the Safety Check feature that is already available on most Pixel phones.

FaceTime messages. Now, when you call someone via FaceTime and they don’t answer, you can leave a message, via video or audio.

Live Voicemail. You don’t hear the voice of a caller leaving you a message on a smartphone like you do with an old-fashioned answering machine connected to a landline. But Live Voicemail lets you see a real-time transcript as the caller speaks.

You can answer on the spot if important, or safely let it go to voicemail. Calls identified as spam are instantly declined, Apple says.

NameDrop. You’ve just met someone new and want to share contact information. The NameDrop feature that is part of Apple’s AirDrop lets you swap that info and a new “contact poster” by bringing your iPhone next to someone else’s iPhone or Apple Watch. You can choose which phone number or email you want to share.

Personal Voice. You can clone your voice by reading 150 randomized phrases aloud. Why do this? If you develop a condition that puts your ability to speak at risk, you can create a replica of your voice before you lose it. Others will hear it when you type words though a separate Live Speech feature in iOS 17. Privacy protections are built in.

StandBy. You’re not always actively using your phone when its charging on a nightstand or desk. Now, when the device is charging and you turn it sideways, you’ll see large customizable clockfaces, quick-look widgets of curated photos, music controls, notifications, Siri results and the weather on the display in larger type that ought to be visible from a bit of a distance. Yes, the light dims in Night Mode. To best take advantage of StandBy, you may want to purchase an optional third-party stand.

This story, originally published Sept. 13, 2023, has been updated with information on Google’s latest Pixel smartphones and Samsung's latest Galaxy devices.