I am a 38 year old "fogie" who has not owned a cell phone since flip phones were "hi-tech". I would really like to try out one of these new smart phones, but I'm intimidated by them. I can get very overwhelmed when dealing with anything that is so much smarter than I am. (I actually enjoy my desktop computer running on Windows XP). I really need some advice on which smart phone I should start with. I need something that I can learn on and that won't be completely overwhelming. I guess you could call it a "stepping stone" to being able to use the newer ones most people currently use.
I would have to recommend the Moto E. There are two generations of the phone, but the price is still around $100 give or take $20 for each one. You're going to get a decent device that has a processor that can do all the basics, including running most apps. It's not going to cost a fortune, and these are the perfect starter devices. You won't even have to enter into a two-year contract to get them at their low price tag.
I think you could pick up a Samsung Galaxy S3 or S4 for pretty cheap nowadays, with the S5 and upcoming S6 being released. They still offer really good performance though. Samsung's apps and widgets are quite user-friendly, so I think you should have no problem!
As with anything, the latest smart phones just take a bit of getting used to. After a few days I think most people would be able to pick up at least the basics and when you've mastered that, all the other things become easier and soon you'd wonder what you was worried about. Id certainly say at least give one a go, don't automatically assume they'd be too advanced for you.
I don't know if it's because I have used Nokia for a long time, and they tend to be similar in the way they work no matter what model. I find that Nokia is very user friendly and anybody can use it with ease, including me
I mean, smartphones are all the same, they only differ in hardware. So it's literally the question of how much money you want to spend on it. They will not get any harder or easier depending on the model.