Best phones for seniors 2023
The software capabilities of a “smart” phone will allow you to simply, quickly and finely customize the phone for the owner, enlarge the font, arrange applications in a convenient order, if necessary, enable voice typing, and activate the electronic assistant. Expanded communication and multimedia capabilities and programs that make everyday life easier and improve the quality of life can also be beneficial – mobile banks, delivery of groceries, medicines and other goods, search and hiring of specialists (repair, cleaning, massage, etc.), nutrition control, programs for recording pressure, activity, obtaining documents and even making an appointment with a doctor. Komsomolskaya Pravda has selected the most convenient, intuitive and modern phones for older people.
Top 10 rating according to KP
Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro 8/256GB
The most important advantage of this smartphone is its display, smooth image display, text scrolling and navigation menu, screen refresh rate of 120 Hz.
The size of text and program icons can be adjusted. On a large screen, such changes are possible without significant loss of usability and information content. The large capacity of the solid-state drive and the ability to use an additional memory card are especially useful where cellular coverage is unstable and there is no dedicated wired Internet line.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.67 inches, IPS, 2400×1028, pixel density 395 PPI |
| Battery | 5160 mAh |
| Housing protection | IP 53, dust will not damage the hardware, splashing water (rain) will not penetrate inside |
| Camera | 48 MP main, 8 MP ultra-wide-angle, 2 MP macro, 2 MP depth sensor, 20 MP selfie |
| operating system | Poco Launcher (based on Android 11) |
| CPU | 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 860, maximum frequency – 2.96 GHz |
| Solid State Drive | 256 GB |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| Dimensions | 76.8×165.3×9.4 mm |
| Weight | 215 g |
Apple iPhone Xr 128GB
A large and bright screen, volume and clarity of sound will allow you to hear sound signals from your phone even from your coat pocket on a hanger in the closet.
Adaptive display settings will once again not strain your eyesight. For comfortable reading, it is possible to adjust the size and boldness of fonts, which, coupled with an adjustable scale, increases the ease of orientation among programs. One of the best operating systems (the phone is updated to iOS 14), which ensures stable operation of programs and hardware.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.1 inches, IPS, 1792×828, pixel density 324 PPI |
| Battery | 2942 mAh |
| Housing protection | IP 67, immersion in fresh water 1 meter for up to 30 minutes |
| Camera | 12 MP main, 7 MP selfie |
| operating system | iOS 14 |
| CPU | 6-core Apple A12 Bionic, maximum frequency – 2.49 GHz |
| Solid State Drive | 128 GB |
| RAM | 3 GB |
| Dimensions | 75.7×150.9×8.3 mm |
| Weight | 215 g |
Panasonic KX-TU456RU
Japanese shockproof clamshell with voice keys and battery life up to 25 days in standby mode. The high-contrast screen displays the minimum necessary information. The phone has a powerful, customizable speaker that makes telephone communication much easier for people with hearing loss.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.5 inches, TFT, 240×320, pixel density 167 PPI |
| Battery | 1000 mAh |
| Camera | 0.3 MP main |
| Solid State Drive | 32 MB (there is a slot for a memory card) |
| Dimensions | 53x106x23 mm |
| Weight | 110 g |
HONOR 30S
Pleasant to the eye large screen with good viewing angles and realistic color reproduction.
The intuitive user interface of the operating system allows you to flexibly configure the device to suit user needs and preferences. The lack of Google services is compensated by similar solutions from the manufacturer (Aptoide or built-in AppGallery, etc.).
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.5 inches, LTPS, 2400×1080, pixel density 405 PPI |
| Battery | 4000 mAh |
| Camera | 64 MP main, 8 MP wide-angle, 2 MP macro, 2 MP depth sensor, 16 MP selfie |
| operating system | MagicUI 3.1.1 (based on Android 10) |
| CPU | 8-core HiSilicon Kirin 820, maximum frequency – 2.36 GHz |
| Solid State Drive | 128 GB |
| RAM | 6 GB |
| Dimensions | 75×162.31×8.58 mm |
| Weight | 189 g |
HUAWEI P30 lite 4/128GB
An excellent solution for those who are starting to get acquainted with the possibilities of the Internet through a modern and up-to-date smartphone.
The materials and hardware components evoke only positive emotions, and the screen size and image quality will bring aesthetic pleasure without straining your eyesight. A powerful speaker will be heard in an apartment or house from the most distant places. Good performance will not let you get bored. An additional plus is the ability to install a second SIM card or memory card.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.15 inches, LTPS, 2340×1080, pixel density 415 PPI |
| Battery | 3340 mAh |
| Camera | 24 MP main, 8 MP wide-angle, 2 MP bokeh effect, 32 MP selfie |
| operating system | EMUI 9 (based on Android 9) |
| CPU | 6-core Apple A12 Bionic, maximum frequency – 2.49 GHz |
| Solid State Drive | 128 GB |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Dimensions | 72.7×152.9×7.4 mm |
| Weight | 159 g |
Samsung Galaxy A21s 3/32GB
The smartphone runs on the current Android 10 operating system with convenient access to all necessary and not so necessary applications.
It’s comfortable to view any data on the large screen; good viewing angles and no flickering allow you to spend a long time with pleasure with your phone. An impressive battery reserve combined with a high-performance and energy-efficient processor will ensure long and productive operation of the device.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.5 inches, PLS, 1600×720, pixel density 270 PPI |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
| Camera | 48 MP main, 8 MP ultra-wide-angle, 2 MP depth sensor, 2 MP macro, 13 MP selfie |
| operating system | Android 10 |
| CPU | 8-core Samsung Exynos 850, maximum frequency – 2 GHz |
| Solid State Drive | 32 GB |
| RAM | 3 GB |
| Dimensions | 75.3×163.7×8.9 mm |
| Weight | 192 g |
TECNO Spark 6 Go 2/32GB
The hardware of this phone has the minimum necessary parameters for a comfortable existence in today’s digital world. The screen operation will not irritate the eyes, and additional settings will increase comfort in the dark; it is also possible to change the font size.
The launch and operation of programs (watching videos, searching and purchasing goods, messaging, web browsers) will not cause any complaints. The large capacity of the energy source, combined with the operating system settings, will allow you to go without charging for about three days with moderate use.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 6.52 inches, IPS, 1600×720, pixel density 269 PPI |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
| Camera | 13 MP main, 0.08 MP secondary, 8 MP selfie |
| operating system | HiOS 6.2 (based on Android 10 Go edition) |
| CPU | 8-core Samsung Exynos 850, maximum frequency – 2 GHz |
| Solid State Drive | 32 GB |
| RAM | 3 GB |
| Dimensions | 76.3×165.9×9 mm |
| Weight | 193.5 g |
Nokia 2720 Flip Dual sim
The Finnish flip phone, running an updated mobile operating system for push-button cell phones, supports popular applications: WhatsApp, YouTube, Facebook, Google Maps.
The case is designed in such a way that the developers managed to place a massive screen and a keyboard with large buttons, making the phone easy to use. There is a separate emergency call button on the case. The phone also has two slots for SIM cards.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 2.8 inches main, LCD with TFT active matrix, 320×240, pixel density 143 PPI |
| Battery | 1500 mAh |
| Camera | 2 MP main |
| operating system | KaiOS |
| CPU | Dual-core Qualcomm 205, maximum frequency – 1.1 GHz |
| Solid State Drive | 4 GB (there is a slot for a memory card) |
| RAM | 512 MB |
| Dimensions | 54.5×192.7×11.6 mm |
| Weight | 118 g |
Gigaset GL390
A specialized all-in-one phone for older users. It has separate three buttons for a quick call and one for an emergency call with the ability to link up to five numbers. Large keys and a bright screen are adapted for low vision. The phone body is equipped with a flashlight, which operates from a separate button.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 2.2 inches, TFT, 176×220, pixel density 128 PPI |
| Battery | 800 mAh |
| Camera | 0.30 MP main |
| operating system | iOS 14 |
| Solid State Drive | 32 MB (there is a slot for a memory card) |
| RAM | 32 MB |
| Dimensions | 65.3×131.5×13.4 mm |
| Weight | 88 g |
Philips Xenium E207
A minimalistic phone that can be in standby mode for more than a month.
Despite the compact size of the case, the characters on the keyboard and key information on the screen are easy to read. The ability to use two SIM cards will allow you to more accurately plan communication costs if the desired subscribers live far from their home region. The phone is equipped with a customizable emergency call button.
Main characteristics
| Screen | 2.31 inches, TN TFT, 320×240, pixel density 270 PPI |
| Battery | 1700 mAh |
| Camera | 0.08 MP main |
| Solid State Drive | 32 MB (there is a slot for a memory card) |
| RAM | 33 MB |
| Dimensions | 59×124.6×14.2 mm |
| Weight | 113.6 g |
How to choose a phone for an elderly person
Choosing a phone for any user is a strictly individual process. Komsomolskaya Pravda asked the head of the Telecom department in the M.Video-Eldorado group, Vladimir Chaika, to share his experience with readers.
Selecting a feature phone
The expert believes that older people mainly choose push-button models . If the future owner of the phone has no desire to actively consume information, the push-button option is quite suitable for him. They are superior to smartphones in terms of ergonomics of use and operating time. In addition, such devices most often do not need to be updated, or updates are required much less frequently (for example, KaiOS).
Feature phones without an operating system are also popular as an accessible and understandable means of communication for people with low vision. Among the main characteristics and functions in such devices:
- large embossed rubberized keys,
- large screen with bright backlight,
- loud speakers,
- high-capacity battery for long-term use without recharging,
- large fonts on the screen,
- reliable assembly.
Additional options are also often implemented and can be useful:
- SOS button for automatic emergency calls or sending messages to a specified number,
- camera,
- radio,
- led flashlight,
- support for MMS messages.
Selecting a smartphone
If a person wants to fully communicate online and, in principle, use the Internet, then we recommend choosing smartphones , but it is necessary to take into account whether the future user has or does not have experience working with them. If you have absolutely no experience using the Internet and applications, then it is advisable to first consolidate at least three independent skills of interacting with a smartphone:
- using a password to unlock;
- knowledge of the account and its password, which must be changed at least once a year;
- skill in updating the operating system and applications.
