Phone photography improvements come almost entirely from technique, not gear. The list below applies to any phone made in the last five years.
1. Wipe the lens
The biggest single improvement is the simplest. Phone lenses are fingerprint magnets. A quick wipe with your shirt before any important shot fixes 80% of "blurry" photos.
2. Lock focus and exposure
Tap and hold on your subject. A small lock icon appears, locking both focus and exposure. Now compose freely.
3. Use the gridline rule of thirds
Turn on the camera grid (most phones have it under Camera Settings). Place subjects on the intersection points instead of dead-centre. Almost every photo improves immediately.
4. Shoot in natural light
The flash on any phone is harsh and unflattering. Move next to a window or step outside instead.
5. Watch the horizon
A crooked horizon is the most amateur-looking mistake in landscape photos. Use the camera grid to keep it level.
6. Use 2x or 3x zoom only — never digital zoom
Most modern phones have a true telephoto lens at 2x or 3x. Beyond that the camera switches to digital zoom (crop) which quickly degrades the image. Move closer instead.
7. Portrait mode for people
The depth-of-field effect makes people look professionally shot. The trick is composition — fill the frame with the subject and let the background blur.
8. Edit in Snapseed
Snapseed (free, by Google) is the single best free phone photo editor. The "Selective" tool lets you brighten one part of a photo without affecting the rest — magic for sunset shots.
9. Shoot RAW for important photos
iPhones and most flagship Androids can shoot RAW (uncompressed) files. Use them for travel and event photos — you get vastly more editing latitude.
10. Burst mode for action
Hold the shutter for moving subjects (kids, pets, sports). Pick the best frame later.