Much have changed since the early days of gadgets and personal tech devices. Now, a multitude of gadgets come with a wide variety of features and functions. Many are even more powerful than some desktop computers that are still being used in offices and schools. But are all of these added features and functions really adding palpable utility to users?
The following are some of the features and specs in gadgets that are arguably unnecessary or not being used. These features are present many of the gadgets dubbed as “most useless” by tech sites and blogs.
Excessive Camera Resolution
From the lowly VGA resolution of yesteryears, mobile phone cameras nowadays are equipped with sensors capable of capturing images at resolutions 12 megapixels or higher. There are even those that go higher than 20 MP and some packing 41 MP. Back in 2015, the possibility of smartphones equipped with 52 MP sensors also emerged, as one company called Light was expected to introduce a camera module with an array of lenses and sensors. But is it really necessary to have these much megapixels in mobile cameras? Arguably, many will say “no.” After all, more megapixels don’t always translate to better image quality and require more image processing power and time. Apple’s refusal to go higher than 12 MP and Samsung’s decision to go back to 12 MP for its flagship smartphone should be hint enough.
Ultra Fast LTE Radio
Would you buy a device advertised as the fastest 4G LTE smartphone? It would be wise not to make the fast LTE speed feature a major factor in your decision making. Back in 2013, Huawei released a smartphone dubbed as the “fastest smartphone in the world” because it packed an LTE radio capable of handling LTE speeds of up to 150 Mbps. While only a few internet providers can serve up to 100 Mbps, most of them are still unable to match up. Some may say that this is good for “future proofing” but it’s worth pointing out that smartphones tend to become “old” or relatively outdated around a couple of years later. The ability to handle internet connections with extreme speeds is not something many consumers need and
Extremely High Mobile Display Resolutions
Seriously, who needs a smartphone with a 4K display? While it is true that higher resolutions on mobile phones can be advantageous when using these devices as virtual reality displays, going 4K can safely be considered an overkill. Past the 2K or even the 1080p mark, higher mobile display resolutions don’t noticeably translate to sharper images. Usually, what they end up bringing to a device are faster battery drain and greater demand on the processor and video card. They also mean higher prices. The advantage they offer are superficial at best, which is usually in the form of bragging rights.
Touch Screens on Refrigerators
These are essentially tablets embedded on the door of refrigerators. Whose idea was this? That “inventor” must have really run out of good ideas. Why would there be a need to put a touch display on a refrigerator? To monitor the supplies stored and send alerts when the need to restock arises? To make it easier to control the temperature? Arguably, making refrigerators “smart” this way does not make a lot of sense and is unlikely to produce a hit. Add to this the fact that refrigerators last 10 years or more, so by around halfway its useful life, it’s likely that the software on the touch display (essentially the integrated tablet) has already become obsolete. Manufacturers most likely already realize the drawbacks but they’re perhaps just trying out many things to see which one sticks to the evolving wants and needs of consumers. Also, it’s undeniable that they also want to earn the distinction of being the first to offer the idea or they may also be playing catch up with other manufacturers, fearing that others may make a hit out of such a ridiculous idea and they will be left out.
Curved Displays
They are on TVs and also on smartphones. Do they offer any real advantage, though? Theoretically, curved displays supposedly provide a more immersive viewing experience and are purportedly more comfortable for the eyes. They also supposedly reduce glare. Additionally, they look new so they can somehow excite buyers. However, it can be argued that they don’t really offer practical advantages all in all. To get the optimum viewing experience or the so-called immersive experience, you have to be fixed in one position. If you view a TV with a curved display from the sides, the image will look distorted. As such, curved displays are far from ideal for the enjoyment of multiple viewers. The same goes for curved displays on smartphones and computers. They are generally unnecessary. It can even be said that they have just been introduced in the market for the lack of something new to offer or simply because manufacturers just want to brag that they already have the technology to manufacture these curved displays.
Instead of bumping up specs and introducing new technologies to achieve the things discussed above, it would be better for manufacturers to improve on other more worthwhile things like improving the capacity of the batteries or using gloss-free glass for displays. This is not to say, though, that the things mentioned above are totally unnecessary. They may eventually become useful and necessary but for now, what’s quite clear is that not many gadget owners use or take advantage of them.