Seventh Interview-Vishal and Satyajit prefer feature phones over smartphones


Remember the interesting interview series that we been talking about since a few days back? So far, there been six interviews with six of the users from various platforms to bring their own perspective about their phones ..

  1. Naveen, an engineering student from Tamilnadu, India about Android and his SGS
  2. Deep Ganatra, founder of Web1 Solutions from Mumbai, India about Apple and iPhone 4
  3. Yogesh, computer engineer from Mumbai, India about Nokia N8
  4. Pankaj Kapoor, Technical Manager of Cowi India from New Delhi, India about Nokia E72
  5. Aarti, working in training and writing from Chennai, India about her Blackberry Curve 8520
  6. Mukesh, a computer engineer from New Delhi, India about his HTC Windows Mobile

There was something missing out there as pointed out by my friend @mobileyog, the perspective of people, who are still using and preferring feature phones over smart phones. So, I thought to meet two more people for bringing out the perspective of them as well about feature phones. What could have been better, two in place of one?

So, here I am presenting you Vishal and Satyajit for you…

vishal1 satyajit

Vishal and Satyajit, first of all readers wanted to know about you, like who are you? Can you tell us something about you  ? like your profession,background etc, social life, hobbies etc?

Satyajit Hi Nitish, I am Satyajit Roy, a Process Engineer and working in Gurgaon.
Vishal I am MBA Finance, working with an MNC, hobbies are reading books, stock markets study

I was looking for some people, who are ‘feature phone’ users by choice not by price. People who find their S40 Series phones (like yours) satisfying their general needs and happy with it. How you fit the same persona?

Satyajit Actually for long time I was very basic user of mobile and recently I started to use advanced features like email configuration, internet, video streaming, Google apps, banking solutions etc. Now exploring advance internet features and 3G speed. I must say that S40 series mobiles are not dumb and having very good features.

Vishal I am using my Nokia 3110C model for more than 3 years successfully without any severe issue. During this span I discovered that this phone is much more than just a mobile. This is really value for money phone. I like to get the maximum out of this device.

How long you have been using mobiles? why never got any smart phone?

Satyajit I am using Nokia 6300 for past three and half year. It meets my daily mobile uses. Now I am looking for advance features and can opt for smart phone if requires.

Vishal I have been using mobiles since 6 years now, but my Nokia 3110C since more than 3 years as specified earlier. I never thought of buying a smart phone since most of the features like calling, sms, music, video, applications, internet browsing is already possible on my Nokia 3110C as well.

There is a big war among various smart phone vendors, stats about touch screen phones, talk about Smartphone only everywhere, don’t you find users like you a bit sidelined? Don’t you feel limited with what you can do with your phone?

Satyajit My existing mobile serves my essential requirement so I am not bothering about smart phone.

Vishal I don’t feel sidelined. Whenever a phone is launched and advertised, the company makes the product so attractive that prospective buyers feel that this device is something ultimate and can act like a TV, a computer. But we need to understand a mobile has its limitation though it is high-end. It has size limitation, speed limitation in comparison to a TV and/or a computer. I have heard some smart phone users saying that such smart phone craze is limited only up to few months after their purchase.


Satyajit Nokia 2300 and Nokia 6300.

Vishal Nokia: 3110C, 3200, 2690

What you think of new ‘touch n type’ S40 phones by Nokia? Is touch screen needed there?

Satyajit I heard that Nokia touch screen technology is not satisfactory. I think for long time use better to go for handset with key pad rather than touch screen.

Vishal As per me touch and type phone screen is bound to get scratches and get faded away due to sweat on thumb, fingertips. Also if using the stick then we keep busy our both hands.

So, these were the basic questions about you and your perspective over things, now let’s dig some more in feature phone genre ..

You use your phone for accomplishing which thing most… calls, browsing, navigation, music, twitter.. which one? Do you use a data plan?

Satyajit I use it most for web browsing and mobile banking. I am enjoying Airtel internet at EDGE network.

Vishal I use my phone for all the above activities mentioned above. Yes I have a data plan of a reputed service provider.

How you manage multitasking, crucial factor which makes smart phone different from feature phone?

Satyajit Sure, miss it a little. Multitasking differs smart phone from normal phone. Simultaneously you can download from internet while on call. At the same time smart phone have more open architecture then normal phone with more RAM and Processing Capabilities.

Vishal I have downloaded a browser through which I can access different sites without closing a running site by switching on to another window. I can attend calls while accessing internet. The browser also provides me calling and SMS facility.

I have used a few of feature phones from S40 series and find that they are not even dumb at all like old S30 series Nokia 3300 anymore. Sometimes I feel that even feature phones have much more caliber and people yet to know them to think that if they actually need those computer like specs in their phones. What’re your thoughts?

Satyajit Yes. S40 offers very good features which common users not aware like email account configuration, Push To Talk, Web Browser, online video streaming, use as web cam and installation of various applications. Even for few handsets document readers too available.

Vishal I too agree with the above.One can’t expect a computer like effects and the feel in a mobile even though it has.

Earlier companies like Sony Ericsson, Nokia used to make very good Camera (cybershot, walkman), Music feature phones, but now there isn’t much. Don’t you think companies are ignoring feature phones?

Satyajit It is market strategies and ok. Definitely they should stress more on advance phones. Normal category phones have good enough features for regular use.

Vishal I don’t think so since Nokia has launched 2690, which also fits the feature phone category. It’s only the advancements in technology and the portability concept that, hence the demand of people and potential to
earn huge revenues that smart phones are in the market.

Nokia and even many of the local companies have bring QWERTY now for feature phones (e.g. Nokia C3-00), which sometimes back was a thing for premium phones only. Have you tried any? How is it in comparison of old T9 keypads? Changes something?

Satyajit Yes, it is good and specially for who text more. I would like to have it as my next phone.

Vishal Sorry, I have not tried the local brands QWERTY keypad phones, can’t say much.

What according to you make best feature phone? If you given the charge to promote feature phones, then what features you want to see in a best feature phone that you could recommend anyone easily?

Satyajit Good RAM and Processor, 3G and above web access, QWERTY key pad, better screen resolution, strong battery, 2 MP and above camera, better and loud sound, 8 GB and more memory, more interacting with computer are something good enough for a best normal phone.

Vishal Basics are the best. Calls, SMS, browsing, navigation, music, medium sized screen, supporting more than 2 video formats(3gp, amr, avi).

Battery is something which makes or breaks things for many. Where your phone stands about it?

Satyajit Not much happy with mine in particular. Battery is poor in terms to meet performance of Nokia 6300.

Vishal I haven’t faced any battery related issues with mine one so far.

With smart phones getting cheaper, do you think feature phones will survive? Or will you also buy smart phone after 2 years?

Satyajit After two years, if I have to purchase then definitely I’ll go for smart phone.

Vishal Yes! Feature phones can surely survive as there are many people, who find it difficult to operate a smart phone but still expect the above mentioned features . For them it’s a necessity.

You must have heard of USB OTG in coming Nokia X3. A way with which you can transfer data between your pen drive to your phone via cable without using any PC in between. What you think of it? Will such innovation keep the feature phone genre alive?

Satyajit It is very good feature but I think normal user may not give much importance to it.

Vishal Why not. This is definitely a great innovation.

Gaming and twitter becoming even more prominent for some users, even more than FM/ Music etc. Where are feature phones on them? Do you find enough good games on that thing? Do you use twitter? Which app then?

Satyajit I am not using twitter and not gaming too. So, it is not that lucrative feature for me in smart phone.

Vishal Yes I can access twitter on my phone. I have downloaded applications like facebook, nimbuzz and many on my phone and use them for social networking.

There  is a lot buzz around Camera etc. S40 phones features camera too, how much of camera job your phone does for you?

Satyajit I use very often my camera. It is good for daily uses in good light situation. But it can not beat actual SLR/DSLR. For special occasion you need cameras only.

Vishal I get the clarity enough which can be expected from a mobile phone camera considering the lens quality and the MPs

Well at some places, smart phone become a lot lesser attractive when loose internet connection. How is it about feature phones? Do they engage you without data plans?

Satyajit For me internet connection is very vital and most lucrative feature in smart phones, though feature phone still survive even in absence.

Vishal Now days, internet has the same importance for smart phone as well as feature phones and I think if net connection is loose, any phone is bound to face issues

Do you make use of advanced features like tethering or using your phones like a USB Drive?

Satyajit Yes. I use my mobile some time as data storage.

Vishal Yes connect it through computer for transferring data and even for connecting internet via tethering.

Now on real things, is it loud on calls? What about the music performance?

Satyajit I will say that music performance is excellent in terms of clarity but not loud enough.

Vishal Audible, clear and sober unlike some china mobiles, who go behind loudness only.

Be honest, if your younger bro ask you for some phone, then will you suggest him a feature phone? Which category  of users you think should go for feature phones?

Satyajit Any common/ family man can go for normal phones. To younger generation I would suggest smart phone only, if possible.

Vishal Users who like to derive the maximum from a device at best price, use maximum features should buy the feature phone.

What you don’t like about feature phones, which should improve more now?

Satyajit I think web browsing feature needs to improve. Data speed and better web browsers require. Mini Opera and Ovi browser (BETA) are good but need improvement.

Vishal Inability to support more than one video format, sometimes they do get hanged, at least mine one.

Your score points to your own phone (rating if any) What should have improved here?

Satyajit 7/10 for today. Support for 3G, open architecture, good battery life is require in Nokia 6300.

Vishal 8/10. Multiple video format support.

So, these were Satyajit and Vishal for you discussing about feature phones. What you think, I should have asked more about or what they missed to mention? Please do tell me ….