Here is what I consider ideal for a good cell phone:

Necessary:
1. Performs calls / text messaging reliably; uses address book.
2. Small. It fits comfortably in your pocket and is not a burden to carry around.
3. Sturdy. You don't have to worry about damaging it in physically rough conditions.
4. Unlocked to any specific carrier or contract.
5. Has great battery life.
6. Buttons are not too small to be pressed by large fingers. Full keyboard phones are out.
7. Good looking and intuitive design, both physical and graphical. (I suppose this is a matter of personal taste.)

Preferred:
8. Uses non-proprietary cables/protocols/software for charging and connecting to other devices (if applicable).
9. Customizable. Simple features like changing your ring tone aren't locked down.
10. Less feature bloat is better.

Optional:
11. Has a camera to take low-quality pictures on the fly.

I've seen a lot of cell phones in the North America market but have yet to find anything that doesn't have something to hate about it. Am I the only person who cares about these qualities in a cell phone or where is our niche market? Niche markets exist in many other areas (ie. cameras, music players), so why not cell phones?

P.S. - This thread is not about "smart phones" which are something entirely different.

› See More: Do all cell phones suck?