What to look for in a cheap smartphone

The Pixel 8a has the same size 6.1-inch screen as the iPhone 16e. But unlike the iPhone, it has dual rear cameras, including an ultrawide lens. AI PHOTO AND VIDEO TOOLS. Google has gone all

in on AI, with the Gemini Nano AI assistant at your beck and call as well as other AI fueled features. Among them is Magic Eraser, similar to the Clean Up feature on the iPhone that can

exorcise objects or people ruining a picture in the background. If you’re keeping score, Google’s Magic Eraser predates the iPhone’s Clean Up. Among other potentially handy features, the

Pixel 8a has something called Audio Magic Eraser, which can remove wind, crowd noise and other unwelcome sounds from videos. SEARCH INTERESTING OBJECTS, SCREEN CALLS. Circle to Search, which

functions as the name suggests, is also found on other devices. You can circle an object on the screen to trigger a Google search. If for example, you like the sunglasses an actor is

wearing, you can circle the glasses to find the cost and where they’re for sale without switching apps An Android Call Screen feature on the 8e as well as pricier Pixels can filter incoming

calls from unknown numbers. Callers hear automated messages on your behalf. Any responses from them are transcribed in real time, letting you choose to answer or decline, assuming a spammer

didn’t hang up first. UPDATES UNTIL MAY 2031. Even if the 8a is priced higher than you were counting on, you might keep it awhile. Google promises seven years of operating system and

security updates for the phone with clock having started in May 2024. YOU CAN GO EVEN CHEAPER ON SMARTPHONES Despite compromises, other less expensive devices offer a degree of longevity on

the inside. Samsung promises six years of software updates for its $300 Galaxy A26 phone. It is coming out later in March. SOME PERKS IN SAMSUNG’S BUDGET-FRIENDLY A-SERIES. The A26 can

employ Circle To Search and has an Object Eraser feature similar to Apple’s Clean Up and Google’s Magic Eraser. It also has three rear cameras, including an ultrawide and macro sensor,

though the reality is photo quality won’t likely measure up to cameras on pricier handsets, at least for photography sticklers. All of Samsung’s A-series models carry lower prices than the

S-series flagships. MOTOROLA, ONEPLUS OPTIONS. Other phone manufacturers that compete on price with capable devices include Motorola, makers of the Moto G line with its least expensive 2024

model at a penny less than $110, and China’s OnePlus, which also has a sub-$300 model.