10 Smartphone Terms You Should Know

Did you know there are hundreds of smartphone related terms but most people only know handful of them? If you are buying a new smartphone or are new to the world of smartphones you are going to need to know some important terms. This is so you can understand your device better and know you are looking for when shopping for a smartphone. In this article I’m going to go over 10 smartphone terms you should know so you can get an understanding of the basic terminology associated with smartphones.

What Is A Smartphone?

A smartphone is a handheld portable digital device that functions a lot like a computer. They usually have a touchscreen with a few buttons and are capable of doing many digital tasks. Smartphones also provide a connection to a cellular network and combine the features of a traditional mobile phone with advanced capabilities.

Smartphones are capable of doing many different things such as making calls, sending texts, browsing the web, watching videos, playing games and much more. You can do most things that you normally do on a computer with your smartphone to. As an added benefit you have the ability to do what you want on the ago and in the palm of your hands.

What Are Smartphone Terms & Why Are They Important?

Smartphone terms are words and phrases associated with smartphones and their operation which you will often hearing when talking about smartphones or shopping for one.

Becoming familiar with and understanding smartphone terms will not only help improve your knowledge of smartphones but will also makes thing easier for your when you are shopping for a smartphone.

This is because you will have a better understanding of smartphones and what features they have which help you decide what features you want on your phone. It will also help you know more about the smartphones you are looking at and which ones would suit your needs.

For all of these reasons it’s important for everyone that wants or owns a smartphone to become famillar with at least all the common smartphone terms which I will discuss further in this article.

10 Smartphone Terms You Should Know

There are hundreds of smartphone terms out there that you may hear or come across while reading, talking about or shopping for a smartphone. But it’s best to start with the most common smartphone terms first. Once you understand them you can then learn about other terms to expand your knowledge and understanding of smartphones.

Here are 10 smartphones terms you should know

SIM Cards

A SIM card is a small memory card that links a mobile phone to it’s owner and stores information about their phone service. The word SIM stands for subscriber identity module and SIM cards give you access to your carrier that will allow you make calls, send and receive messages and use data.

You will also come across a term called Dual SIM which means a phone can have 2 SIM cards in it instead of one like on most phones. Dual SIM phones allow you to have a SIM card from 2 different carriers in your phone at once and you can select which one you want to use at anytime in your phone’s settings.

There is also something call eSIM which stands for embedded subscriber identity module. eSIM means there is a built in SIM card in your phone that cannot be removed but it is easy to manage because it is used through the setting on your phone. You can switch carriers quicky and easily from those settings and you won’t have the ability to use physical SIM cards in your phone.

Applications

Application are commonly called apps and are software on your smartphone. This includes programs that are already installed on your smartphone by default as well as downloadable ones.

Apps come in many different types and there are apps available for just about any purpose you can think of including photography, video editing, audio editing, news, gaming, entertainment, social media and much more.

Data Roaming

Data roaming is when you use another phone carrier’s network to make calls, send messages and access the internet when your primary provider’s network is not available. This includes in your own country if you are in a location where your carrier’s network is unavailable but is most commonly used when travelling overseas.

Data roaming is included on most phone plans and but can be turned on or off in your phone’s settings. Keep in mind that data roaming is not free unless you have an unlimted data roaming plan. If you don’t then you will pay for how much you use and it can be expensive so make sure you are aware of this so you can keep an eye on it.

Home Screen

A home screen is also known as the start screen or in some cases the main menu. It is the main screen you see on your smartphone and it has links to applications and settings. The home screen also displays notifications and can be personalized to your liking.

You can edit the home screen to display what you want as well as change the wallpaper to something else. All of this is done from your phone’s settings and is not hard to do at all.

Phonebook & Contacts

Contacts are phone numbers that you store in your phone along with the name of the person assoicated with the phone number. When you add a contact to your phone the name you enter will be displayed as the caller ID instead of the phone number.

Contacts are sometimes called Phonebook on older devices and can be stored either on your phone or your SIM card. The best part is that contacts are easy to use and manage while only taking a minute or two to add them to your phone.

Menu & Icons

The menu is the main screen you see on your phone and is commonly called the home screen. It has links to applications, settings and other important things on your phone. It can be customized to your liking and be used anytime.

Icons are small pictures or symbols that respresent an application or file on your smartphone. You will see many different icons on your menu or homescreen along with the names of what each one represents. You wll also commonly see icons in other places on your phone as well and once you know what they mean it will help you understand your phone even further.

Multimedia Messaging

Multimedai messaging is commonly called MMS and is the ability to send and recieve media including photos, videos, audio and emojis in messages on your phone. Multimedia messaging is usually included by default on all phone plans but depending on the plan you have they may be an additional charge for them.

Megapixels

All images are made up of many small squares which are called pixels. A Megapixel is 1 million pixels and the more megapixels your phone’s camera has the better the photos it takes will be.

WiFi & Mobile Data

WiFi is a wireless technology that allows phones and other internet capable devices to connect to the internet without any wires or cables. It works by sending data through the air using radio waves and you can connect any WiFi network you want if you have access to it and are allowed to use it.

Mobile data is also known as cellular data and is internet connectivity delievered to your phone wirelessly. This is done by your phone carrier and allows you to connect to the internet without WiFi as long as you have reception and coverage.

Mobile data is measured in megabytes and gigabytes and is included in most mobile phone plans but there can be additional charges if you use all your mobile data so make sure you know what your limits are with your phone plan.

Operating Systems

An operating system which is commonly called OS for short is a special software that is responsible for running your phone and manage all software and hardware on your device. It is something that is installed by default on all technology devices and allows you to use your device.

Without an operating system you can’t do anything on your phone. There are 2 main operating systems found on smartphones which are Android and iOS. Android is made by Google and is found on many different smarthpones while iOS is made by Apple and is found only on iPhones.

Aside from those there are other operating systems as well but Android and iOS are the two most popular and most common mobile operating systems. Operating systems differ in look and feel, customization, available software and a few other differences so make sure to learn more about them so you can choose a smartphone with the right operating system for you.

What Other Smartphone Terms Should You Know?

Now that you have learned a bit about smartphone terms you might be wondering where to go from here. The best thing to do now is keep learning about smartphone terms because there are many more to learn about. Aside from the ones I mentioned earlier in this article there are hundreds more smartphone terms out there.

Here’s a few smartphone terms you should consider learning next

• Network
• Caller ID
• RAM
• Internal storage
• Micro SD card
• Face ID
• App store
• Bluetooth
• NFC
• Voicemail

You will learn some smartphone terms as you explore smartphones but you should already know the most important ones before getting your smartphone. So read this article again if you need to and take notes. Then have a look around online or at the resources mentioned in this article to learn more smartphone terms.

Where Can I Learn More About Smartphones?

There are may ways to learn about smartphones including books, search engines and many more. But you may be wondering which resources are the best? Well that’s I’m going to talk about next. You can learn a lot about smartphones by typing your questions into search engines but there are other great resources as well.

Here’s a list of recommended websites and forums

• Quora
• Reddit
• YouTube
• Udemy
• Green Smartphones
• Be connected

Here’s a list of recommended books about smartphones

• Android Smartphones For Dummies by Marsha Collier
• Android Smartphones Made Easy by James Bernstein
• iPhone For Seniors For Dummies by Dwight Spivey
• iPhone Manual For Beginners by Joe Malacina
• The Smartphone: The Anatomy Of An Industry by Elizabeth Woyke
• Smartphone History: Evolution & Revolution by Bruce Taplin

Finally I have some of my own resources that I want to share with you including other articles on this website, my smartphones website and my own eBook.

Here’s a list of my own smartphone resources

• Smartphones For Seniors- What are the options?
• Dumbphones Vs Smartphones- Which one do you need?
• Buying & Selling Smartphones- Is It Profitable?
• Smartphones Galore
• Complete Beginners Guide To Smartphones by Timothy Balla

I hope you found these resources useful and make sure you check out the blog section on this website where you will find a lot more articles and about smartphones including guides and reviews.

If you ever have questions, need help or would like free tech support feel free to reach out to me anytime by leaving a comment on this article or any other article on this website or via email or social media. Once again I hope you found these resources useful and I look forward to hearing from you in the future.

Conclusion

In conclusion a smartphone is a small portable digital device with touchscreen that functions a lot like a computer. It allows you to make calls, send and receive messages, browse the internet and much more. Smartphone terms are words and phrases associated with smartphones and their operating.

Learning about smartphone terms is important because it will expand your knowledge of smartphones and make it easier for you when using or buying a smartphone. Common smartphone terms you should know are ones like SIM cards, applications, Homescreen, WiFi and mobile data and many more.

You can learn many smartphone terms as you go and also from books and places on the internet like forums and search engines. If you are a beginner with smartphones you can also learn more from popular websites and books as well as from me on this website and my other resources.

Once you have a good knowledge of smartphone terms you will feel more confident shopping for and using a smartphone. You will be well on your way to embracing and enjoying the world of smartphones. Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this article about 10 smartphone terms you should know. If you have any questions or if you need any help let me know in the comments.

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