The demand for PCO driver jobs is at an all-time high. Due to the convenience and flexibility that these jobs offer, drivers who have a PCO license opt for these jobs to work whenever they want and however much they want.
But having a PCO driver requires you to meet some eligibility requirements. These include having a smartphone or a tablet that meets certain specifications, which leaves us wondering about what’s the best smartphone for PCO drivers.
In this article, we will list down the best smartphones or tablets for PCO drivers that will help them do their jobs more efficiently. So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.
What’s the Best Smartphone for PCO Drivers?
In general, ridesharing and delivery apps require PCO drivers to have phones or tablets with similar specifications. For instance, if you’re a PCO driver, you will need an Android device with Android 6.0 or above or an iOS device with iOS 9.3 or above with a minimum RAM of 2GB, a screen size of 4.7”, and an 8-core processor.
Below are some smartphone brands that offer devices that meet these requirements:
1- Samsung
Among all Android companies, Samsung’s devices are the most popular Android devices in the world. Samsung phones give tough competition to Apple phones and have similar features. They are popular for their excellent cameras and storage space. Moreover, you can easily download any app on these devices, as nearly all the apps come with an Android version.
You can also download any ridesharing or delivery app on your Samsung phones and tablets, provided that they have Android 6.0 or above installed. They should also meet all the other requirements like a good camera with a flashlight, a minimum screen size of 4.7”, a GPS service, and more.
2- Apple
Apple is hands down the most popular smartphone manufacturer in the world. Apple iPhones are known to be the most advanced, fully-featured phones offering a unique user experience. They are also known to have one of the best battery lives in the industry, which makes them an ideal choice for PCO drivers.
If you have an iPhone with iOS 9.3 or later, you can easily meet all the smartphone requirements that these services demand. That said, the only con to getting an Apple iPhone is the price. iPhones are the most expensive phones in the market. However, they are also the most reliable devices that you can count on as a PCO driver.
3- Google Pixel
In the past few years, Google has taken things up a notch with its smartphones. Google Pixel phones have been giving tough competition to the likes of Apple and Samsung. They offer everything that these high-end brands offer at affordable prices, which makes them a tough contender. What’s more, they even feature headphone jacks, something that is quite rare to find in Apple and Samsung phones these days. However, they have a weaker battery than the two brands mentioned above.
Things a PCO Driver Should Consider When Buying a Smartphone
When working as a PCO driver, you will need to meet a few requirements, one of which includes a smartphone that has certain features and specifications. You can buy a smartphone from any of the brands mentioned above to meet these specifications.
However, before you go ahead and make your purchase decision, you will need to consider a few factors. These include:
1- Operating System
Since apps get regularly updated, there comes a point when they no longer support an older version of the operating system on a device. For instance, if you have an iPhone or an Android phone, you will need to have iOS 9.3 or later and Android 6.0 or later in order to download these apps. So before you buy a smartphone, make sure your operating system will be able to support these apps.
2-Screen
The reason why screens play an important role for a PCO driver is that these drivers operate by reading maps. If you have a smartphone with a very small screen, you will have trouble reading the map and driving the car simultaneously. Therefore, you should have a smartphone with a standard screen size (4.7”) to be able to read easily. Moreover, the screen resolution should also be good enough to display things clearly.
3- Camera
Having a smartphone with a decent camera and flashlight is very crucial for PCO drivers. You will often need to capture photos of delivery parcels and other important things during your job, which requires you to have a camera that takes clear photos.
4- Battery Life
Since PCO drivers work for long hours on the road, they don’t really have a good venue to charge their phones, except for the inside of their cars. Your job will require you to use your phone most of the time, which means you will be consuming more battery life than you usually do. Therefore, having a smartphone with great battery life is very important. Because if you run out of battery, you will be unable to work.
5- Storage Capacity
The reason why PCO drivers are required to have at least 2GB of RAM is that they are constantly using GPS apps that transfer data all the time. In order to prevent any issues during these transfers, you need a decent storage capacity. Moreover, you will also be using your smartphone for taking photos, calling, and other purposes, which all require you to have a reasonable storage capacity.
Conclusion
Now that you know what’s the best smartphone for PCO drivers and how you can select the right smartphone for you, you are good to go! But before you buy your phone, make sure that you check the smartphone requirements for the specific company that you are going to work for. For instance, Uber requires you to have a smartphone with a screen size of at least 4.7”. The same may not be true for other ridesharing and delivery apps. Therefore, always check the specific requirements for the company you are going to join. For more information regarding PCO car rentals, requirements, registration, and more, check out G&M Direct Hire’s website.