I'm glad you've started this guide section, but as you've said - it needs improving. A lot.
Here are my biggest complaints for start:
- not enough brands covered - there are many "online-only" brands that ship worldwide (mostly free or <10$ shipping), and offer worldwide bands support. While people probably already know Xiaomi, Meizu, OnePlus, ZTE and some others (and these are no longer online-only either), there are others not to be overlooked, like Elephone, OPPO, Mstar (MediaTek owned), JiaYu, Doogee, THL, TCL (Alcatel), Coolpad, Ulephone, Kingzone, Oukitel, Siswoo, UMI, and many many more. I know these aren't huge brands outside China, but they are all going worldwide slowly but surely, just like Xiaomi started some time ago
- price ranges are simply wrong - there are phones up to 100$ (even that has a real low end of <50/60$, and a-bit-higher-low-end of 60$-100$), than mid-mid-range 100-180$, higher-mid-range 180$-250$, and than you can expand on with 300$+/500$+ ranges for high-end and flagship models
- yes, we want more coverage of <200$ phones (your "low end" that it is not), a lot more, it's what a huge mass of people buy and need
I'll explain all 3 points at once with a single example of my recent shopping spree. I was looking with my girlfriend for a good 5"-5.5" phone that offers SoC with Antutu in 35000-45000 range (which covers several MediaTek octa-core processors, and even some quads, than some Snapdragons, and even Intel's SoCs as well), 64bit (only because it means newer tech for CPU cores), 2-3GB RAM, 16+GB ROM, Lollipop (newest currently marketed OS), 12+Mpix rear/5+Mpix front cam, and a respectable battery (at least 2800+mAh). Stuff like BT, WiFi b/g/n, WiDi/Miracast, and so on are a norm these days, and all of these SoCs include worldwide 4G LTE so none of this is an issue anymore. All "extras" like finger/iris can, NFC/HotKnot and such were regarded as..well.... - extras. We came up with dozens of models to choose from - and that's just in the 99$-190$ range! You can see by the specs that these aren't exactly low end phones. Sure, these are mostly unknown or lesser known Chinese brands, but you can get Lenovo and Xiaomi models as well. But all off these together are very popular for online shoppers, and they sell in notable quantities. Some of them offer even better specs, like 32GB ROM or 6500mAh battery or 1920x1080 screen or this or that. Usually you get something like a trade-off between components, like better battery but lower end SoC, or better camera but lower resolution camera, and so on, but those in the 170-190$ range offer all things above without issues.
Anyway, there is a huge offer of models out there and a huge market. And when you compare this example to the choice of Motorola 99$ as a best low end phone you'd notice that phones with those specs are indeed low end - but cost 50$. And for 99$ (or maybe 10% more) you get a phone with specs listed above
Just as an example take a look at Mstar M1 Pro which sells on frequent deals for ~110$ with free or low cost shipping and it is actually coming from a MediaTek as it merged with Mstar couple years ago. Specs are pretty good: 5.5" (ok, 1280x720, but fine), MT6752 CPU (40-45.000 Antutu score), 2GB RAM, 16GB ROM, Lollipop, 13mpix rear and 8mpix selife cam, BT, GPS, WiFi b/g/n, WiDi, hotspot, HotKnot, USB OTG, SD card, worldwide 4G/LTE, 3000mAh battery, gestures, nice design, and you get a case with it as well. Not bad for ~110$ phone.
There are other complaints but none are as serious as these above. You can't literaly this ignore huge market. Moreso, this would be even larger market - if people would know about it. If tech news in general would start mentioning it a bit more. That's how Xiaomi grew... and other competitors would be trumping the likes of Samsung on this low-mid-mid/high models if only information was given to end users in its whole. There are awesome devices all the way to 300$ range and there's something for everyone.
Well, that's my opinion, and if you do even 20% of what I'd like - that will be a huge step forward for recognition of this huge new market that's been developing for several years now.
P.S. And I can't stress this enough... never call a 200$ a low end device, it's not 1995. Same goes for 500$ as limit for mid range...
P.P.S. Oh, and there should really be categories later on for the "camera phones", "endurance phones", and so on, when you get to review more items...