When mobile phones first swept into the pocket of users across the world in the mid-nineties, and up to the inception of the first touch screen iPhone in 2007, the digital communication device was predominantly a ground-breaking piece of technology enabling users to text and call while on the go. The following implementation of mobile games such as Snake and Tetris was viewed as an unnecessary luxury among older generations.
However, fast-forward to 2024, 17 years on from Apple’s first smartphone hitting the market, and our digital usage has transformed into something barely comprehensible in the mid-two-thousands. Social media, instant communication, digital working patterns, and sophisticated internet use, among several other digital constants in our everyday lives, have become crucial to the smooth running of society in the technological Western world.
The result of this is vast digital multi-tasking. While it remains very much up for debate whether constant digital multi-tasking is conducive to helping users live their lives in the present moment, it is impossible to argue that digital multi-tasking hasn’t become something of a necessity, or even a desire in the minds of modern, almost cyborg-like, human beings.
Why We Need Multi-Tasking Smartphones
When we’re busy on our smartphones, we’re moving between various apps, various locations within those apps, and then back again. We follow a trail. Businesses have a deep link set up so that our routes and journeys are easy, purposeful, and direct. Our smartphones have to keep up with us. They can’t snag, get their shirt caught on a branch as we’re finding a better place to see where we’re getting to. It’s pointless. We need speed and efficiency.
So, which smartphone helps users combine instant communication, internet browsing, social media usage, amateur photography, gaming, and productivity the most effectively? We’re going to find out by talking about our two favourite phones and then touching on some honourable mentions.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Apple, probably the world’s most trusted and renowned smartphone provider, produced yet another awe-inspiring multi-tasking machine, with the September 2023 launch of the iPhone 15 Pro.
The 6.1-inch smartphone could be the most appropriately designed phone to meet the needs of modern multi-tasking life. Here’s why:
- It has arguably the best front-facing camera ever: As shallow as it may seem, the front-facing camera has become a huge part of many users’ everyday digital use. iPhone users who spend time on apps like Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok will enjoy the impressive selfie night mode and improved Smart HDR 5 integration.
- It lasts for hours: At some point, we’ve all had to restrict our digital battery life as we watch our smartphone’s battery rapidly decline on a train journey or in the middle of a day out. However, with the iPhone 15 Pro, this will be less of a problem than ever before, with the smartphone providing an impressive battery life of up to 26 hours.
- It’s faster than its predecessors: Multi-tasking is only beneficial if the user can seamlessly switch between apps, all loading and operating at a high speed. The iPhone 15’s 5G connectivity and compatibility with Wi-Fi 6 make it one of the fastest-running smartphones to ever hit the market.
Google Pixel 8
The first ever Google phones – the Pixel and the Pixel XL – were released in October 2016, and since then they’ve only been getting better. Right now, the Pixel 8 has to be the second choice for consumers looking for a good all-round, multi-task focused phone, especially considering its innovative AI features – something Apple is yet to prioritise.
- The Power of the Magic Editor: While AI-powered editors are not exclusive to Pixel phones, the Magic Editor tool most certainly is, and it’s pretty fantastic. Allowing you to move objects around, change the colour of the sky, the sea, add clouds, or add beautiful stylised effects, this tool negates the need for other advanced editing tools like Photoshop or Adobe Premiere Pro. It also allows you to remove objects at the swipe of a finger – particularly useful if you have a friend who won’t stop photobombing your pictures!
- Recording Day-to-Day Life: Sometimes it’s hard to note everything down that you need to, but with the exclusive ‘Recorder’ app on the Google 8,you can make any kind of recording and then create AI-generated summaries in brief bullet points.
- Optimised Face Unlock: One of the most important components of a phone is security, and while this hasn’t been Google’s strongpoint in recent years, the AI and ML capabilities of the Pixel 8 make it far easier to make payments and sign into apps. It can be turned off if you’re not comfortable relying on AI algorithms for security, but for those who are, it’s a nifty feature that brings us one step closer to FaceID!
Honorable Mentions
It’d be odd to write an article like this and fail to mention the Samsung Galaxy. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is a feature-packed extravaganza, complete with a cool titanium design, a 50MP 5x telephoto camera, and plenty of AI capabilities that are – nearly – as good as the Pixel 8. While its quite bulky design make it a slightly awkward phone from a multi-tasking perspective – taking pictures must be done two-handed – the software itself can’t be faulted.
Other great multi-tasking phones include the OnePlus Open, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, and for those who are looking to pay a little less than the premium prices, the iPhone 14 and Google Pixel 7 remain great options in 2024.