With the recent barrage of smartphones, phablets, and tablets hitting the market in recent months, it seems appropriate to break things down a bit to put items in their proper perspective, lest we become confused and disoriented, as many customers are today when they walk into an electronics store to shop. The size offerings of the various manufacturers have clouded the line between phone and tablet and one must understand what they're buying.
Phablet Versatility
Smartphones are phones and make voice calls/text messages, and tablets are handheld PCs that process data . . . or so it seemed. With more offerings coming our way, there has become a new niche due to the varying screen sizes available. It's the phablet. A phablet is a hybrid that can make regular phone calls since it has a smartphone form factor, but it also has a larger display than the average smartphone, between 5 and 7 inches. If you frequently surf the web, play games and videos, the phablet is for you. Although phablets only constitute 3% of the total market, the beauty of that larger display size attracted 25 million sales in 2012, and many predict that number will climb steadily upward.
Tablet Strengths & Limitations
Remember that tablets are not phones per se. They don't make voice calls or text messages, although you can make some types of calls with software added, as with Skype. There are also apps that will enable you to make land-line/mobile calls. SIM card swap-outs from phone to an iPad tablet are now possible provided you are using software; some have a costly fee; it is not cheap. The tablet is a versatile portable PC that allows you to use more sophisticated applications, surf the web, and watch videos/movies.
The attractiveness of the tablet is that they are generally cheaper when purchasing a carrier's plan than a smartphone. The carrier Sprint offers some choices in the $25-30 dollar range for a tablet data plan, which is very attractive to many customers. Of course the amount of data transferred determines the price point, and Sprint, as well as the other carriers, offer varying choices in this area.
Phablet vs Smartphone Question
The question is not about whether you should buy a phablet or a tablet. The question you need to ask yourself is should I buy a phablet or a smartphone. Phablets and tablets are very distinct devices, with clear functions. The phablet is really a phone that is used more for making daily routine phone calls. A tablet is a handheld PC used more for sophisticated applications that need a larger screen for the graphics.
I will be doing a series on both phablets and tablets so watch for that soon.
I'm Jim Scarbrough and a regular technology contributor to the Patch. To view my personal technology blog go to: http://pcjournal.typepad.com/blog