Best smartphones for entrepreneurs 2017: What’s the best phone for business use?

Let’s face it, lots of people love and will choose  an iPhone. But you may be wrong to do so – both in terms of keeping down costs, and of getting the right tool for the job. you need a phone that can help you work on the move, and also something that will allow you to work across multiple devices, and to secure your data. But you need an Android phone or a BlackBerry that runs Android as well.

Here is a guide to the best smartphones for businesses, startups and entrepreneurs.

1. iPhone (iOS)

Apple’s smartphones remain unsurpassed in terms of build quality. Unsurpassed, but not out on their own.

Some of Microsoft’s Windows Phones and virtually all high-end Androids can match the iPhone’s build quality, and most don’t require a case to protect all that precious aluminium. Meanwhile, Apple’s performance is pretty great, but not noticeably better than the best Android phones.

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, will have some loyal Apple users jump at the chance of a bigger screen and the newest iPhone on the market. However, going for a slightly older version could save you money and make sure you don’t lose out on features.

So if you’re really set on getting an iPhone, you could save yourself a bit of cash and go for the iPhone 6s Plus as it houses all the functionality of the iPhone 7 Plus but comes at a reduced price tag. Although, with Apple most likely releasing a new iPhone this year, you could hold of and go for the iPhone 7 which will probably reduce in price.

In March 2017, Apple released the iPhone 7 in partnership with RED,  However, it is only available in 128GB or 256GB, it’s really expensive but , slim and portable in style.

2. Android

Should you, then, plump for an Android? Quite possibly, but this is not without problems of its own.

Android phones can be picked up relatively cheaply and if you go for a high-end model, you can get specs unrivalled by other manufacturers. However its open platform does mean that security can be an issue, something which you will see less of if you go for an iPhone.

March 2017 marked the release of the Samsung Galaxy S8, which is rumoured to be the best phone to buy on the market, if you have a spare £689 that is. And while the specs of the S8 aren’t actually that dissimilar to its predecessor (which is fantastic), you will receive a better screen and access to Bixby, Samsung’s version of Siri or Google Assistant.

Phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge still offer great displays, expandable storage, and compatibility with all USB-powered peripherals. And because it is Android, your device will be customisable, and compatible with Google Docs, as well as all the other Google tools you use such as Analytics, or Google Drive.

3. BlackBerry

So then, there is always the BlackBerry. Contrary to popular belief the old BlackBerry is still alive and kicking out new phones. And the two most recent ones – the BlackBerry Classic and BlackBerry Passport – are really good. For a BlackBerry. BlackBerry phones are good only for business: hardware keyboards, enterprise level security and fleet management, email, spreadsheets. The dull stuff. If that is good for you, good for you.

Interestingly, Blackberry is releasing phones that run Android, so you can take full advantage of Blackberry’s security features and Androids top-notch specs.

We like the DTEK60, it offers all the best bits of Android within the secure parameters of Blackberry. It hosts the Blackberry Hub, which is a great productivity app, ideal for both business users and traditional Blackberry fans.

4. Windows Phone

Which brings us to the unloved Windows Phone. Unloved, but possibly perfect for small businesses – especially if you use Windows 10, Office 365, Skype, and so on. And while it lacks the app support of Android or iPhone, it still has support for all the big apps. The media story isn’t much to write home about, and the phones themselves are far from sexy. But they work.

And Windows 10 for mobile offers good compatibility with other Microsoft software, great security features, and the ability for a sys admin to look after a fleet from anywhere.

Windows Phone have obvious downsides. Its OS uptake is trailing behind the others listed and the amount of apps available is embarrassingly small, but with the initial release of Windows 10 for mobile, this could all change. Particularly for business users.

When opting for a Windows Phone, a good choice is the Microsoft Lumia 950. Users can purchase a Windows Continuum and connect their phone to a monitor, which will run full Windows without the need for a PC. Pretty cool.

Even better is the HP Elite x3 which offers an exceptional battery life, solid specs and a great user experience, although it quite expensive but is worth it.