Top 10 Smartphones for Seniors

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

The latest features on smartphones today bring a sparkle to a lot of people’s eyes. They come with bigger screens, bigger memories, higher camera specs, and a whole lot more. But these smartphones may or may not come as a challenge for our beloved seniors.

Whether they are a techie or not, this list of smartphones for seniors will put them in high spirits.

10 Smartphones Every Senior Must Buy

1. Nokia 3310 Model: TA-1036M

Familiarity can be a true friend for oldies especially when it comes to the use of smartphones. The design of this Nokia phone may look new in their eyes, but the features bring back the old days.

Basic Features:

• Its interface is very easy to use.
• The 2G/3G networks give dependable communication.
• The battery can deliver up to 22 hours of talk time and 31 days when in standby mode.

Caveat: This phone can’t be used for Verizon, Sprint, Net10, or Any CDMA Carrier.

2. Jitterbug Flip

The Jitterbug Flip is one gadget most seniors are familiar with. It’s pretty straightforward or so they say. Flip it to use it.

Basic Features:

• Big buttons mean easier visual orientation.
• The M4/T4 compatibility for hearing aid surely helps the seniors who have a hearing impairment.
• It has a 2MP camera and a screen size of 3 ½ inches.

HUGE PLUS: It can connect you to the 5Star feature and other health services in case of emergencies.

3. BLU Zoey Flex

Next on our list of smartphones for seniors is a flip phone that won’t break the bank. If they just want to do the basics like texting, calling, or listening to music, then the BLU ZOEY Flex is just right.

Basic Features:

• It comes with a car charger with an extra USB port for charging on while driving.
• It has a smart chip feature that will switch to safe mode to protect the battery from overcharging.

4. Alcatel GO FLIP V

Faster connection? The Alcatel GO FLIP V 4G LTE speed flip phone will suit the seniors.

Basic Features:

• It has 8GB of internal memory.
• It has a microSD card slot for more memory space if the internal memory is not enough.
• It has a 2.8-inch colored display for easy viewing of texts, emails, and contacts.

5. Caterpillar CAT S31

Toughness is the name of the game for the Caterpillar CAT S31. It’s meant to be in rough environments with an IP68 rating. Meaning, dropping it at a height of 1.8m would not cause any problems at all.

Basic Features:

• The 4.7 inches screen is protected with a Corning Gorilla Glass 3.
• The 4000 mAh battery boasts of 20 hours of talk time and a standby mode of 138 hours.
• You can watch videos, listen to music, video recording, and web browsing for hours.

6. Samsung Galaxy S10e

This might come as a shocker to you, but most Android phones today can do wonders for people with eyesight problems. This is why the Samsung Galaxy S10e makes our list of smartphones for seniors.

SEE ALSO: 11 Top Tablet Games for Seniors and the Elderly

Basic Features:

• The keyboard buttons and the text for this phone can be increased and also be in bold to help them navigate through their messages or even make one with ease.
• For faster and easier access to apps or reminders, you can use their virtual assistant, Bixby. This is Samsung’s attempt to Apple’s Siri and Google’s Alexa.
• It has a dedicated button on the left side just below the volume keys or just call out, “Hey, Bixby!”.

And we haven’t talked about the camera features yet. Let’s just put it this way, they claim to be the Da Vinci of smartphones.

7. Samsung Galaxy S7 ACTIVE

One great feature about the Samsung Galaxy S7 ACTIVE is it’s shatter-resistant up to 5 feet. So the periodic fumble or dropping of the phone won’t have your seniors worried about breaking it.

Basic Features:

• It’s packed with a 4000mAh battery that takes less than 2 hours of charging time to deliver up to 32 hours of talk time or a standby time of up to 21 days.
• It’s even rated to withstand dust, dirt, sand and is water-resistant up to 30 minutes under 1.5 meters of water.

Retirement hasn’t been this good for an active senior who likes to take walks or splash in the water for relaxation.

8. Blackview BV5500 Pro

Here’s a cheaper alternative to high-end IP68 rated smartphones, the Blackview BV5500 Pro. Great for seniors who love the outdoors. But it still works well for those who don’t, considering it’s equipped with shatterproof Gorilla 3 surface glass.

Basic Features:

• With a 5.5” HD display, they have a lot of room for texting and searching for contacts.
• Another feature to think about is the face ID. No need for memorizing passcodes anymore. Just flash the phone in front of them and Voila! They’re free to do what they need to do.

SEE ALSO: Don’t Dump Your Old Phone: 15 Things You Can Do With Your Old Smartphone

9. Apple iPhone XR

The iPhone XR comes with a feature that allows users to increase its texts and other buttons for maximum visibility. For sure, this is a smartphone that our seniors at home would love to have.

Basic Features:

• It is powered by an A12 bionic chip, which makes this smartphone more efficient on graphics performance and power usage.
• The 6.1-inch display screen delivers crisp and clearer images and response time.
• The advanced face ID works in a flash. Other than using it to unlock your phone, you can also use it to log in to apps or authenticate payments with apple pay.
• The glass back design provides wireless hassle-free charging.

10. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max

Rounding out our list of smartphones for seniors is the iPhone 11 Pro Max, another friendly smartphone for seniors. All they need to do is swipe up to make a call.

Better yet, they can use Siri to do things for them. From calling, texting, checking email, asking about the weather, search for what you need on google, or call 911 for emergencies. They no longer need to worry about pressing different buttons or apps.

Basic Features:

• It comes with a 6.5 inch super retina XDR OLED display.
• The three 12 MP camera lens set-up can take ultra-wide, wide, and telephoto images.

HUGE Plus: It comes with an app they can use for monitoring their health when paired with the Apple Watch. With a health app like Kardia, it is capable of taking accurate medical-grade electrocardiograms to track and analyze heart health without the need to see a doctor.

Bonus Gadget

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2

This isn’t a smartphone, but when the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is paired with one, it can make an excellent tool for monitoring your health. With the Samsung Health Monitor app, it can keep track of their heart rate and alert the user when it detects an abnormal pulse.

If that isn’t enough, it also has the sleep tracker to help you get better sleep while the calm app keeps track of your stress level and gives you valuable input on how to bring it down.

These are the best smartphones every senior should have. With a little guidance of a family member or watching a how-to from a YouTube video, they can comfortably transition from a flip phone to a smartphone just like you and me.

Do you have a smartphone in mind that you think seniors should really have? Let us know in the comments section below.