Database Users

Pixel XL or V20

It is time for a new phone, my Moto X Style (Pure) on T-Mobile is getting a bit long in the tooth.
1) storage is only 16GB so even with the few apps I use, I have to clear cache to update apps (photos, videos, etc all goto the SD Card)
2) signal is crap at times and call quality suffers
3) Lenorola is starting to slack on Android update time frames, they use to be quick with the last two Moto X and now they are getting behind (even with security updates)
I am on T-Mobile and I mainly do alot of audio (BT), some pictures and video, and the rest is just FB, Email, Text, Web Browsing
My choices are to go with the V20 and root it to get a few apps that I need
or wait and order a Pixel XL (128GB) and ride the google update train again.

I was faced with the same decision.. 16GB is just a non-starter for me, and I couldn't wait for the 128GB version to become available. Also Google's hardware didn't completely impress me.. I picked up the V20 coming from the Note 7.. honestly my plan is to run with it until the Note 8 comes out more than likely. I think the Google phone will have a longer lifespan and obviously quicker updates.. but I needed a phone and couldn't wait for the 128GB version to come out. Also the price difference was pretty significant compared the Verizon's price on the V20.. so that was a factor as well.
Overall the V20 didn't 'wow' me like the Note 7 did.. but its still a very good phone and for the $650 or so I got it for I am happy.. I don't think the Pixel XL would have wowed me either to be honest after having the Note 7 though.

The last LG phone I had was the G4 and that was a bit of a let down.
Since I am on T-Mobile coming from a Moto X Pure (3rd Gen) I won't get any trade in value at all (keeping it as a backup)
It is $30 a month for the V20 on T-Mobile, or I buy the Pixel XL and get $325 in credit over 24 months which will take away some of the hit over time for the Pixel XL
I am leaning to the V20 right now, especially because of how on top of updates LG has appeared to become. I just hate the bloat, hopefully there are good fixes for that or someone later releasing a cleaned up stock rom

I was faced with the same problem
Pick the Pixel for:
- better camera (especially video stabilization)
- fast updates and longer lifespan
- better one-handed usage
- fluid software experience
- looks (subjective I know, but I kinda like it and it has no camera hump)
Lg v20 for:
- removable battery
- better sound experience
- military grade drop protection
- manual camera mode if that's your thing
- expandable storage
- second screen is useful sometimes
I obviously went with the v20. Unlocked bootloader on T-Mobile and root on it fixes some software problems. Although I wouldn't complain if I had went with the Pixel either

I'm currently facing the EXACT dilemma.
After reading your comments, I think I might pick up the T-mobile version of the V20 instead.
Since we still do not have an official V20 root for the Canadian model.

Looks like I am leaning to the V20 as well. Mainly for the camera, screen, audio.
Even if we get a stock cleaned up ROM later then it would be perfectly fine.

Not sure about your options in your part of the world, but here in New Zealand the pixel XL is $1400 while i bought the V20 for $900. So yea, no explanation needed

Pixel is a ugly ass phone.
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers mobile app
---------- Post added at 01:43 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:42 AM ----------
I loved my Nexus 6
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers mobile app

I came from the nexus 6P which I loved to this phone and to honest I love the battery life and everything it has to offer so far. Up in Canada they are offering the B&O H3 headphones plus 200 off which was 799 for the whole package which is a wicked deal

I have the Tmo V20 and I didn't feel like there was much bloat...well compared to AT&T's devices. Coming from the N7 my only gripe is the low light pictures come out gainier than the N7. I hated the edge screen on the N7 but I really dig the second screen on the V20. The screen isn't as saturated as an AMOLED screen, but in everyday use I don't notice it. Done call the V20 ugly, but I honestly love the looks. Of course most people throw a case on their device, so does that even matter?
Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk

If you listen to BT audio a lot stop hesitating and go get the LGv20 and grab a pair of BT headphones with Aptx support (lgv20 one of only a couple phones that support it.) I have these and they are awesome.
https://www.amazon.com/Monster-SuperSlim-Bluetooth-Wireless-Headphones/dp/B015EGRK9S

Honestly paying that much for a mere 128 gb is outrageous. For $400-500 like the old Nexus phones... sure I might be convinced to give up the extensive list of V20 features some of which were not even present in the Note 7. I see the Pixel XL like the Android version of the IPhone 7's business model: add a camera that's nice but doesn't blow the others out of the water anymore, give it a short shelf life with limited storage and non-removable battery (so that you MUST upgrade after 12 months), put a lot of emphasis on zippy when the competition are pretty zippy already. Overall a pretty meh exterior design like the V20 and Iphone7. The Note is prettier but that finger print magnet back is a chore and I had enough of TouchWiz lagging down the experience compares to the V20.
I have a YouTube Red account. With a 250 GB Samsung micro SD ($70 eBay) and 64 GB on board I have so much content I don't know what do with.
I picked up two new TVs on black Friday. I use the V20 IR blaster with both. Same for the Kinivo HDMI splitter, no more fumbling with that little easy to lose clicker.
The V20 has Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0, which the others don't have, is like one of the best V20 features. I use a 3.0 Anker PowerCore+ 10k mAh power bank ($40 Amazon) with an iOrange-E type C cable and the V20 absolutely flies from 40%-80%.
The second screen is probably the most useful feature I can switch to different songs on Amazon music app, use it as the zoom wheel in video recording, allows for more fluid app switching than interrupting the main screen just to use the multitasking soft button. And the quad DAC actually drives my V-Moda M100s. I wanted to test this against the Note 7 but the Fire Department said no can do homey. And rumor is no more headphone jack on new Samsungs. You'll have to spend $300 on Bluetooth Bose headphones with as good a sound as upper mid tier wired cans.
Honestly...even if V20, Note 7, iphone 7 and Pixel XL were all priced the same it would be a no brainer for me as far as useful features I rely on every day.

For me, it was a price per gb difference, and a looks thing. I came off an S6 Edge, and for me, the Pixel looks like an iPhone minus the home button. Yeah, it's on 7.1, and will get updates sooner (but I'm on Verizon so it's bound to be slower no matter which one). The smaller capacity model would never work for me, I download too many movies and stuff for that. My Edge was 64 and that was a decent balance between saving until I downloaded it off to the computer. Plus I get the expansion slot for more just because you never know. Could care less about the removable battery, but to some it's a plus. The camera seems to be subjective on video reviews, between people that prefer one over the other. I use a DSLR for anything important, so it's not a deal-breaker for me, and it takes pictures just fine for my eyes anyway. I didn't buy it as a camera, I bought it as a phone. And I know the LG G2 I had was rooted pretty quickly if memory serves, and just browsing seems like we've got a good group tackling that now (missed that on my S6). So in the end, the cost savings, and the aesthetics won me over between the two, with everything else basically being a wash either way. Plus, coming from the other phone, every time a gal looks at it, they always seem to say "Wow that's big". Simple pleasures, but it never gets old

By the way, NetFlix now has downloads. As does Amazon video and YouTube Red. I see no win with a phone that kills micro SD.

I bought V20. And I love myself for that decision.

Mahendra Dhaker said:
I bought V20. And I love myself for that decision.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Believe it or not I returned the S8 and got mine. I'm freakin stoked by what LG has to offer. This my 1st non samsung phone and its rooted.

I ended up selling my V20 it was glitch fest everywhere even after several factory resets and the batter drain was bad.....I do miss the extra camera and the DAC but outside of that I love the S8+. This is my first Samsung phone since the note 3.

dakunclear said:
I ended up selling my V20 it was glitch fest everywhere even after several factory resets and the batter drain was bad.....I do miss the extra camera and the DAC but outside of that I love the S8+. This is my first Samsung phone since the note 3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am kind of on the same page. I jumped on the v20 from a note 4. My note 4 had less bugs, better battery life, and a better screen. "Auto" picture quality was much better on the note.
Things i will miss about the V20/Pros
~ Full manual camera controls and the wide angle lens
~ DAC
~ Second display
~ Build Quality
~ Removable Battery
***Biggest complaint by far is Battery life.. From my Pokemon Go experience specifically, my Girlfriend has a iPhone 6s. My note 4 battery life was better than hers. My V20 is literally half that of hers now. Same apps installed across both phones. Phone gets HOT.

Axon 7 vs OnePlus 3T

I want to get a new phone to replace my S6. The two main options I have honed in on are the Axon 7 64GB and the OnePlus 3T. Here are the strengths of each
Axon 7
Better screen (higher resolution)
Better warranty/support
Better speakers
SD card support
OnePlus 3T
Better processor
More RAM
Physical home button.
Thoughts? Those of you have one and wish you got the other?

crcostel said:
I want to get a new phone to replace my S6. The two main options I have honed in on are the Axon 7 64GB and the OnePlus 3T. Here are the strengths of each
Axon 7
Better screen (higher resolution)
Better warranty/support
Better speakers
SD card support
OnePlus 3T
Better processor
More RAM
Physical home button.
Thoughts? Those of you have one and wish you got the other?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, processor and RAM doesn't make that much of a difference when they're this close.....Unless you're a gamer?
Other things to look at, that may make your decision.
Camera - OnePlus 3T wins
Audio - Axon 7 wins
How much space do you really need? My SD card died last week and I was all freaked out, but it all fit on my 64gb Axon 7 internal memory until my new card arrives.... If I had a bunch of movies to save, this would be a deal breaker. I even have 2100 songs and they only eat up about 7-8gb.
I'm an "audio" buff....So the choice was easy for me, and the camera is good enough on the Axon 7 that I can live with it and make it do what I need it to. Sometimes a little editing is needed.

Well this is my point of view, take it with a grain of salt.
ZTE:
- Better Screen (not reaaaaaally noticeable, yes it is better, but both are good enough so that you cant tell each other apart). Real difference might be appreciated with QHD wallpapers, but not much else.
- Better Speakers, and overall sound quality. This has to be the largest difference. Watching videos in the Axon vs the OP3 is like going from dial up to broadband. Plus, the Axon drives higher impedance headphones without much of a hassle.
- Better in call quality. This is a direct consequence of having better audio.
- SD Card Support. I thought I wouldn't need it too much but actually, it is a nice thing to have.
OP3:
- The fact that the screen itself is lower res, means lower battery consumption. Since I read an article from AnandTech, we might be talking maybe up to 30% less usage from the screen + cpu/gpu load.
- The camera has to be better, you don't have to work yourself out to get an awesome picture. Though, if you get it right on the ZTE you can absolutely get beautiful pictures.
- Better processor? Really? Lets suppose you actually need the difference in clocks, where the OP3 would make a difference, how long can you really keep that clock up? Maaaybe 5 minutes before hitting thermal limits where the better cpu just doesn't mean anything anymore.
- Physical button. Well this is really up to you, I prefer the fingerprint scanner on the back.
- Alert Slider. Really an advantage for the OP3, really like this feature, and if it ever becomes configurable, that would be awesome.
-6GB of RAM?? Well, I have 4GB on my Axon and never has an app crashed on me, and I was suprised to find myself having 20+ apps open without the phone even noticing and instantly switching between them with all of them loaded in RAM. So this one is up to you, but I wouldn't mind. It does make the OP3 more futureproof if anything...
- Software> the OP3s software is hands down better than the Axons and that is the best that the OP3 can pull over the Axon, by far.
About support, well I don't know how well any of them do with support so i will not comment on this.
My conclusion is then: should you care about media consumption, buy the Axon, don't even think about it. If what you want/need the best performance around and like having the best software and dev help, then get the OP3. I wouldn't look on hardware differences too much.

Not a gamer in the slightest. I will occasionally take toddler snapshots with the camera when my panny is not handy.
This is more an overall performance and form comparison.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Axon 7 has Daydream support, also.

Now that Axon 7 is getting proper sound support on LOS/LOS based roms, it is Axon 7 hands down.

A7 has better cellular connectivity support. Has more bands than the OP3/T do.

How prevalent is this Google Play bug I am seeing on the Axon 7?

I've had three OP phones and never buying them again. All above aside, they have terrible touch screen lag which makes them unusable. Axon is also cheaper.
Sent from my ZTE A2017G using Tapatalk

I have both...Also mate 9..Just bought each over this last month...I am coming from my still loved note 5..
First off...Don't think too much into 2k unless vr is your factor. I did too. But after experiencing these latest devices running 1080 with 5.5 inch to 5.9 I cannot believe I said all I did in the past...The one plus 3t is just as sharp for regular use and have not tried any VR on any device...The Axon 7 is great as well...Not as speedy as the latter but still a steal for the price...To be honest the one plus 3t and Axon 7 are both comparable however the camera is a bit better FOR ME so far on One plus but I have to say that 20mp isn't bad at all...The 1440 on the Axon isn't that noticable to me either. Really. The one plus screen looks slightly better to me I guess because of the brightness and calibration. Still miniscule ...Both perform crazy fast for their price but one plus and mate 9 are definitely smoother for me...Just flip a coin. You can't go wrong...I just could not make up my mind so I bought them all...If I have to sell one I will. But for now they are all nice and safe clean and ready for my reviews...Sort of babbling here really but if you have any specific questions I can totally help. I do not keep notifications on so I'll have to check for reply manually. I haven't been on in a year here ...But I'll be checking back for your comments. Or Inbox
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

You can supposedly get Google assistant on Axon 7 which won't happen on op3t
Sent from my ZTE A2017G using Tapatalk

crcostel said:
I want to get a new phone to replace my S6. The two main options I have honed in on are the Axon 7 64GB and the OnePlus 3T. Here are the strengths of each
Axon 7
Better screen (higher resolution)
Better warranty/support
Better speakers
SD card support
OnePlus 3T
Better processor
More RAM
Physical home button.
Thoughts? Those of you have one and wish you got the other?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
crcostel said:
Not a gamer in the slightest. I will occasionally take toddler snapshots with the camera when my panny is not handy.
This is more an overall performance and form comparison.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
crcostel said:
How prevalent is this Google Play bug I am seeing on the Axon 7?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can say I was on the same boat as you in January, when I bought my first Axon 7 and I was amazed with the device. Even when I loved it, I decided to get a Mate 9 because I heard it was a great device. I used the Mate 9 for a couple of weeks and sold it and got the Axon 7 again, I couldn't stand the media consumption in the Mate 9, because of the screen and the sound. The Mate 9 has an amazing display, but I'm used to QHD since many years ago, and somehow I could notice the difference in certain situations. About the sound, Axon 7 is clearly the winner here. The reason I changed the Axon 7 was the camera, because was average and everybody claimed that Mate 9 had a super camera. Truth is, that I didn't see too much difference between the 2 in picture quality, so better go back with the Axon 7.
Regarding the comparison, 821 is less than 10% better than 820, so it makes no difference in real world usage. RAM neither, because most of the time I have 2GB free on the Axon 7, so why should I want 2GB more?, that is only pure marketing and never an app would require so much RAM.
In my opinion, the physical home button is a waste of space, because it only makes the device bigger with no need. I always have hated capacitive buttons, but what I love about the Axon 7 is that even with capacitive buttons, the aspect ratio is great. Is smaller than some of the 5.5" devices I have used before that rely only on software buttons.
The OP3T has a worse display, both resolution and quality, and the people who say that is because of the battery, is lying or they don't know much about technology. Display technology has advanced so much in these years, and even when this statement was true in the beginning, now the QHD screens out there have similar power consumptions. Also to point that the screen on the Axon 7 is exactly the same of the Galaxy S7 Edge, so I can say is really nice to have a display like this one.
As for the OP3T, is true that is has slightly better performance, camera and battery, but is no match for the Axon 7 regarding media consumption (sound, display, storage, etc.) and the difference is huge between the 2.
As someone suggested you, if you aim to media consumption, there is no better device than this one. If you are kind of a ROM addict or you are deep into development, get the OP3T.
:good:
P.D.: All the bugs and problems the Axon 7 (including Play Store) are fixed now with the update that came a few days ago, and I can confirm it.
P.D.2: Have you consider to wait for the OnePlus 5?

crcostel said:
Not a gamer in the slightest. I will occasionally take toddler snapshots with the camera when my panny is not handy.
This is more an overall performance and form comparison.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If performance is your concern then look no further and buy the OP3, unless, since you are an XDA member, know a thing or two about tinkering with ROMs and flashing your phone. In that case then its an Audio vs Camera situation...

In had the oneplus 3 and returned it within 2days. Axon 7 has been the better phone for me.

It's really a matter of opinion. You won't find that much difference in the specs.
Battery - The charging speed is the same (see this), and this), battery is the same (slightly better on the a7). I use the phone a lot and I'm very happy with the battery capacity.
Screen is nearly the same (A7: 2K AMOLED, OP3: 1080p Super AMOLED).
Processor - You won't notice the difference. Seriously, the A7 has great speed.
Camera - The A7's camera is excellent in day light. Not in day light? Not so much. It's fine. But in day light you can take amazing pictures with it (which show great on the screen ). There are a bunch of camera samples online from each phone (and maybe even a camera comparison), so check that out.
You might also want to check some other stuff out like durability, speed, etc. In videos. But do keep in mind that in speeds as high as flagships phone you probably won't notice the difference.
RAM - The 4GB RAM on the A7 is enough for me. I don't see how anyone would need 6GM RAM on a smartphone. (I've also heard that OP3 doesn't use all it's RAM, I wonder if that's fixed already).
The fingerprint scanner on the back is surprisingly comfortable and it's really a matter of getting used to it. I got used to it very quickly and it's instinctive to me.
The stock ROM isn't that great but it could be replaced by unlocking the bootloader so I personally wouldn't take that into account here. Plus the A7 started getting a lot of attention from ROM makers and has LOS official support and other ROMs available.
Also the A7 is cheaper.
The audio is also excellent.
Design is also great, the phone is very pretty (suck it LG G6 )
I enjoy my phone greatly.

Axon 7 +'s
audio
warranty
OnePlus 3T
pretty wood cases
It looks like the stock ROM is probably better (built-in dark theme and accent color adjustment. Well executed)
Processor matters. Maybe not in speed but the additional features Qualcomm rolls up in the chipset can... as long as the manufacturer implements them.
For me, it came down to warranty and particularly the Dash charging is proprietary. I'd rather not buy up a bunch of chargers which charge fast only on their phones. Yes, Quick Charge 3.0 is proprietary to Qualcomm in the sense that USB-C PD is the real standard - but it's less proprietary.
My next phone must have the most standard charging available. I'm tired of this proprietary charging junk. Dicking with finding the right power adapter is annoying and just adds up in $30 and $40 costs if I want car adapters and additional AC adapters which support whatever standard.
Just think of the extra $60 you spent on extra Quick/Fast chargers for the office & car which will be obsolete on your next phone. Hidden costs are crap.

I have it on mine. Just pressed home button held it and there it is. 7.0 stock.
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

Thanks everyone - going to BestBuy tomorrow to get a feel for the ergonomics and then will buy from BH if it passes. Currently have VZW so I'll try to get it going and if not, off to ATT

Also worth noting that the Axon 7 can be had for almost 40% less than the equivalent 3T, which seems almost too good to pass up for an incremental upgrade.
Also, from what I understand, it only fully supports AT&T and T-Mobile in states so do beware.

With axon 7 getting proper sound on LOS and an SD card for me it's a no brainer....I like to take my movies with me when I travel so sticking everything on the 256gb SanDisk is awesome....I will never but a phone with no microSD...I don't even wanna count how many times I wiped internal storage when I was resetting for a new Roman install....Having my TWRP backups on external storage was literAlly a life saver for me personally

NEW 2017 (or 2018?) Phones to replace 2014 Quark (Droid Turbo/Moto Turbo/Moto Maxx)?

EDIT:
I started this thread in April 2017 and went through year waiting for and then eliminating phones that could replace my beloved Quark, without losing any features like QHD (1440p) OLED, Qi wireless charging, and 3.5mm headset jack. While also GAINING features that have become de rigueur for premium Android phones, like IP68 dust/water resistance and fingerprint sensor.
I also wanted to be able to root the phone to keep total control. By the end of the 2017, the only phone that met those requirements (for me in the U.S.) and also was aesthetically pleasing was the open market LG V30 US998. The Exynos Galaxy Note 8 was just too large.
The LG V30 was not even on the original list below, but the LG G6 was... and it failed. The end-of-year LG V30 was what the LG G6 SHOULD have been. It's a more refined version of the LG G6.
I may keep this thread going to discuss 2018 phones, but they will have to beat the Quark while also competing with the excellent LG V30...
_____________
NEW Phones to replace 2014 Quark (Droid Turbo/Moto Turbo/Moto Maxx)?
FIVE PHONES TO WATCH IN 2017
There's NOTHING on the market right now or even in the past two years that is better than the 2014 Quark, in my opinion. The LG G4 and ZTE Axon 7 came close. So, I am waiting for NEW phones to come out.
I have three 64GB XT1225 -- two daily phones running RR 6.X and one still new in the box. I've come up with a list of 5 phones coming out later this year to watch, to see if they are worthy of replacing my daily Quark phone... Skip to the bottom if this is too long to read. But I explain my criteria.
I've had the Quark since December 2014, when I bought two in the same month, and then spring of 2016 I bought a 3rd Quark to be emergency backup (still new in the box).
During that time I had a couple of LG G2 phones I had as backup but when I bought the 3rd Quark, I sold those on eBay. I even won FREE a new 2015 LG G4 from AT&T in a contest, and sold it NEW IN THE BOX (but added a Qi wireless charging back cover I ordered from Europe, so it was even better than new). That 2015 LG G4 (with the Qi wireless functionality) was actually the closest replacement phone I've found for the Quark. But that was the money I used to buy the 3rd 2014 Moto Maxx XT1225.
My point is, each year since 2014 I've looked at various flagship phones and for one reason or another they don't match up to what I have now.
2016 ZTE Axon 7 came very close.
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5.5" AMOLED (exactly same Samsung panel in the Google Pixel XL, has same part number)
Google Daydream VR certified
64GB/4GB RAM ($400, now $357) or 128GB/6GB RAM ($500) -- both with microSD card
award-winning DAC
headset jack
front-facing stereo speakers
frame designed by BMW
20MP camera with rear OIS
bootloader unlock on request and has root, custom ROMs
For Verizon users, CDMA bands and Verizon VoLTE (on stock Nougat and LOS 14.1)
WOW. So, why not? No Qi wireless charging. Plus reports ZTE's firmware could be better. The custom ROMs are almost fixed, but in the beginning couldn't even access the award-winning DAC. Audio was all messed for months on the custom ROMs. But you could still root and run stock.
I wish Google had bought 1 million of these, slapped on their software and sold them as the Google Pixel XL. I seriously would have considered buying it, but the lack of Qi wireless is still a deal killer.
2016 Google Pixel XL.
Bezels too big for no reason. No Qi wireless charging. Google has lost their sense of direction. I owned two of the gen3 Galaxy Nexus and two of the gen5 LG Nexus 5. Ever since the WHALE 2014 Moto Nexus 6 (which I refused to buy), they have lost their sense of what mainstream smartphone users want. A 5.2" - 5.5" updated version of the Moto Nexus 6 would be PERFECT. UPDATED Snapdragon chipset, Qi wireless, QuickCharge 4.0, 1440 AMOLED, headset jack, etc. -- but in a reasonable size.
2016 Moto Z Force
Verizon exclusive. No headset jack. Crappy mods to make you pay for what should already be in the phone -- particularly stereo speakers, Qi wireleless charging, larger batteries. Except you can only use ONE mod at a time.
2016 Moto Z
No headset jack. Crappy mods to make you pay for what should already be in the phone -- particularly stereo speakers, Qi wireless charging, larger batteries. Except you can only use ONE mod at a time.
2016 LG G5
Crappy mods. Even crappier than the Moto Z series.
2017 LG G6
No Qi wireless for international models. No DAC/bigger storage for U.S. models. LG messed up. Make ONE phone with premium specs for the entire world!
2017 Galaxy Samsung S8
Very interesting. Specs are good. Has Qi wireless charging, 1440p AMOLED. Exynos variants have already been rooted and has official TWRP and ROMs. But I'm going to wait until 2nd half of 2017 to see what else is coming...
WHAT ELSE IS COMING THIS YEAR?
Here's FIVE phones to keep your eyes on.
This list below is in order of increasing likelihood -- with the bottom two being VERY interesting.
5 - 2017 Google Pixel 2
Probably still won't have Qi wireless or headset jack... Because Google is stupid.
4 - 2017 OnePlus 5 reportedly will have 1440p AMOLED. I'm not buying a 1080p phone, not since having 1440p since 2014. And any phone I buy has to have Qi wireless charging. I'm also concerned about OnePlus proprietary "Dash Charge" since I have many, many QuickCharge chargers. I'm NOT throwing those away.
3 - 2017 ZTE Axon 8
What could ZTE do to improve their almost perfect ZTE Axon 7 specs? Add Qi wireless charging.
What else could they do? Improve their firmware.
So, let's see what they do!
2 - 2017 Nokia 9
The Nokia 9 is expected to feature the following, key specs:
5.5-inch QHD OLED Display
Snapdragon 835, Adreno 540
22 MP Dual-Lens Carl-Zeiss Rear Camera
6 GB RAM
64 GB / 128 GB storage
12 MP FFC
3800 mAH Battery
Qualcomm Quick-Charge 4
Iris Scanner
Finger-Print Scanner
Nokia OZO Audio Enhancements
IP68 certification
Android 7.1.2 Nougat
Will run STOCK Android. Will it have Qi wireless? I'm very curious about this phone.
1 - 2017 Moto Z2 Force
5.5" 1440p AMOLED
headset jack
Snapdragon 835
Reportedly the Moto Z2 Force will NOT be a Verizon exclusive. Will be sold by all the major U.S. carriers and internationally. Also Motorola is ADDING BACK the headset jack. This still leaves the mods... But you could add a "battery pack" mod which also adds Qi wireless charging. Yes, you are paying $70-$80 for the larger battery and Qi wireless which should already be in the phone. But the final result would be basically an updated Quark.
Leaked renders of Moto Z2 Force
You have that camera hump, but the battery pack mod evens it out.
One of the Qi wireless 2,200 mAh extended battery pack mods for the 2016 Moto Z series. They are also guaranteed to fit the 2017 Moto Z2 series. Adds battery capacity AND Qi wireless charging functionality.
Last year's Moto Z Force (the Verizon exclusive with the missing headset jack) had a 3,500 mAh battery. If the Moto Z2 Force has same battery capacity, then adding this 2,200 mAh battery pack mod would give you 4,700 mAh battery capacity!
Any international variants would have probably have bootloader unlocked on request, just like now.
#1 and #2 are the best bets, with #3 right behind them (depending on Qi wireless).
I'm not buying anything right now. There's no rush, and nothing out there right now (LG G6, Galaxy S8) are compelling enough that I can't wait to see what develops by end of the year.
IF I don't buy anything this year (my wife and I are in the process of adopting two children, but can't say anything more about that for now), perhaps NEXT year's LG G7 will have AMOLED display? Reportedly LG promised almost their entire supply for this year to Apple, which is why the LG G6 still has LCD. And perhaps LG will realize the folly of regionalized specs (Qi in U.S., with DAC/more storage for Asia). Maybe NEXT year LG will produce a FANTASTIC PHONE for the entire world.

Honestly, if I had the money, I would replace my Quark with a OnePlus 3T. I won't give up the possibility of using custom ROMs with devices with uncertain development capability. Still, I am very happy with my Quark (which will soon turn 2 years old), even though its speaker is busted (it sounds like crap).

Shooting Star Max said:
Honestly, if I had the money, I would replace my Quark with a OnePlus 3T. I won't give up the possibility of using custom ROMs with devices with uncertain development capability. Still, I am very happy with my Quark (which will soon turn 2 years old), even though its speaker is busted (it sounds like crap).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just can't downgrade to 1080p and give up Qi wireless charging. Also the OnePlus 3T has the proprietary "dash charge". I have many QuickCharge wall-plug chargers as well as dual port car chargers. I also have several Qi wireless charging pads. I'm not throwing those away.
To me OnePlus is a company who is almost "major" league like LG, Samsung, Motorola -- but not quite. When they offer a phone with at least 1440p AMOLED, I'll know they are serious. All the "major" companies have offered 1440p since 2014 -- Motorola wasn't even the first. LG did it in early 2014 with the LG G3.
There's at least a dozen "budget" Chinese companies releasing 5.5" 1080p slabs. Look at the specs of the OnePlus 3 or even OnePlus 3T vs the ZTE Axon 7. ZTE stood out by offering top tier specs for the same budget price. The ZTE Axon 7 on paper makes OnePlus 3T look like a loser. Comparing all the hardware specs. Where ZTE lost is their firmware, but usually that can be fixed with custom ROMs.

ChazzMatt said:
The ZTE Axon 7 on paper makes OnePlus 3T look like a loser.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, the OnePlus 3T has a better processor, bigger battery and much better community support.

zys52712 said:
Well, the OnePlus 3T has a better processor, bigger battery and much better community support.
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Click to collapse
Not much better processor, 821 vs 820 only because it's updated version of the OnPlus 3 (820). If ZTE had released a end-of-year update, it too would be 821.
You are comparing a newer phone (November 2026) to an older phone (May 2016).
And slightly bigger battery for the 3T, 3400mAh v 3250mAh (Axon 7). The original 3 had 3000 mAh (June 2016) which is SMALLER than the AXON 7. And the original 3 had the same 820 as the AXON 7.
The other Axon 7 hardware specs still blow OnePlus 3 or 3T away.
OnePlus 3T vs OnePlus 3 vs ZTE Axon 7
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/co...us-3,ZTE-Axon-7/phones/10313,10017,10068?ft=2
(they don't list it but there's also a 128GB/6GB RAM ZTE Axon 7 model for U.S. now)
Why didn't amateur OnePlus put in 1440p or fantastic DAC with front facing stereo speakers in their 3T "update"? 534ppi vs 401 pppi.
All top tier phones by LG, Samsung, Motorola, Sony, Huawei, etc have 1440p. Even Apple is going to 1440p AMOLED this year! Until you have that, you are mid-tier spec only. I've had 1440p AMOLED since 2014 and I'm NOT going to downgrade to 1080p.
Maybe ONEPLUS will step up and deliver top tier specs with the OnePlus 5. We'll see.

That Nokia 9 though, unfh. I like the look of it more than the probably-vaporware Droid 3 renders.
...unfortunately, it looks like it's going to be GSM-only, which sadly still isn't an option where I live. No Verizon CDMA+LTE, no deal : \
Regarding wireless charging, apparently the holdup for a while was that manufacturers were moving towards metal case backs, which kind of gets in the way. Qualcomm announced way back that they had solved the problem, but I guess they never actually did anything with what they figured out.
Given that metal backs are SO yesterday and glass backs are the current fad, I expect that wireless charging will make more of a comeback in the coming year.
I wonder if it's possible to grab the wireless coil from a US LG G6 and stick it into an international version, to get the best of both worlds...I would expect they use a similar, if not the same, mainboard.

Septfox said:
it looks like it's going to be GSM-only, which sadly still isn't an option where I live. No Verizon CDMA+LTE, no deal : \
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Well, ZTE made an effort with their Axon 7 phone to include CDMA, because they were making a big push into U.S. market. Verizon VoLTE even works with Axon 7. But CMDA is the dinosaur that will go extinct. For companies wishing to make a quick splash on world markets, they can safely ignore CDMA.
You may not know this, but LTE is actually GSM/HSPA based technology. Which of course is why all LTE phones now have SIM cards.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LTE_(telecommunication)
In telecommunication, Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is a standard for high-speed wireless communication for mobile phones and data terminals, based on the GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA technologies.
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So, GSM won. CDMA lost. Even Verizon and Sprint has switched to it, by going to LTE and to VoLTE. The problem is they have to keep their "legacy" CDMA towers running -- for now -- for fallback protection. But at some point in time, CDMA will disappear entirely.
Verizon has said they will shut down their 2G CDMA network by end of 2019 and their 3G CDMA network by end of 2021. This has been long planned by Verizon:
Aparna Khurjekar, who was at the time Verizon's vice president of global strategy for M2M, told FierceWireless in 2012 that the carrier planned to shutter its 2G and 3G CDMA networks by 2021.
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Last year, Verizon announced their 2G CDMA will actually shut down by end of 2019. They have not yet given a firm date for the 3G CMDA shutdown, except for that prediction back in 2012. But they will shut it down. Here's why:
Verizon said in April (2016) that fully 92 percent of its wireless traffic traveled over its LTE network. Verizon is also refarming its 3G, CDMA EV-DO spectrum for its LTE network.
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That was a statistic from a year ago. Surely that percentage is even higher now.
In November 2015, Verizon even made a prediction which has not yet come true:
In November (2015), Verizon CFO Fran Shammo said the carrier is looking to introduce LTE-only handsets “probably more to the end of 2016.”
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Well, they haven't done that yet. But they are aggressively looking to do it! So, with Verizon LTE-only phones, you won't even get CDMA from Verizon! Once they introduce LTE-only phones, then it's just a matter of attrition. Getting customers to upgrade to the newer phones in such number that they can then petition the FCC to shut down even 3G CDMA.
In 4 years, everyone will own different phones than they do now.
2G CDMA is being shut down end of 2019, and 3G CDMA shutdown goal is end of 2021. That 3G CDMA date is not set in stone, but Verizon wants to shut it down. AT&T has already shut down their 2G GSM network end of last year.
In India, there's already an LTE-only carrier called Jio. That's the future -- LTE only.
And for me, if I wish to import phones from other countries like the Moto XT1225 with the easily unlocked bootloader or even the Exynos variant Galaxy S8 with the easily unlocked bootloader, having a GSM/HSPA/LTE carrier like AT&T is fantastic. I'm NOT buying the S8, but I seriously considered it for a few weeks. If I did, it would NOT be the U.S. model which is bootloader locked, but the international Exynos variant. But for Verizon users, they have no choice. The Exynos variant doesn't have CDMA.
Septfox said:
That Nokia 9 though, unfh. I like the look of it more than the probably-vaporware Droid 3 renders.
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Yeah, that was disappointing, that Motorola went with the Moto Z Force instead of Droid Turbo 3/Moto X Force 2. They made the Moto Z Force be Verizon-only (except for reportedly a Chinese model which doesn't have U.S. LTE bands) and then the regular Moto Z was very blah (at least for me) with missing headset jack.
Well, "Nokia" has been reconstituted by former managers of the old Nokia mobile division who have now licensed the name under a new company "HMD" they created. They are getting FoxConn to manufacture their designs --same way Apple gets FoxConn to manufacture their designs for iPhones. They announced the first phones they will release this year, the Nokia 3, 5, 6. They started with "affordable" phones for first batch of releases early this year, and insiders say by end of the year they will release two top-tier phones, reportedly the Nokia 8 and Nokia 9. Yes, those have not been officially announced, but it seems logical with their strategy. Start with the small stuff, build to the big. They are also working with Google to get fast updates over stock Android.
HMD, then, looks as if it is trying to turn its Nokia phones into Nexus-style devices with fast updates, clean, bloatware-free software and aggressive pricing.
“Most of the smartphones in the market do not have the Android OS in the way it should be,” said HMD Global’s vice president for the Middle East and North Africa Per Ekman.
“Vendors are adding a skin on top of the OS. Consumers have the right to have the latest version of the OS, and we will be pushing the latest version and the patches as soon as it is available from Google.”
“We and Google will jointly enhance the Nokia brand to put the right kind of inputs into the phone, including Google Assistant,” he said. (That "Google Assistant" thing was announced back when it was still Pixel-only.)
This is a rather interesting niche in the Android space, now that Google’s Nexus phones are gone, as it is something no one is really exploiting. OnePlus competes on price, but not updates, for instance, so by going this route and doing it successfully, Nokia could find itself in a very good position in 2018/19.
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The bottom tier and mid tier phones will be released to Western markets by end of 2nd quarter: 720p/1080p and Snapdragon 4XX/MediTek type stuff. Of the three (Nokia 3, Nokia 5, Nokia 6), the Nokia 6 mid-tier so far is the best -- with stereo speakers and Dolby, 64GB internal memory with 4GB RAM, microSD card, and other stuff. But it's only running Snapdragon 430. You would think they would at least go Snapdragon 6XX? Otherwise the other hardware specs are impressive for that category. Anyway, $300, if ordered from UK.. May also come to U.S. for around $250? But I'm not interested. However, might be something I would buy for my mother!
The top tier models (Nokia 8 and Nokia 9) will be the requisite 1440p and Snapdragon 8XX, of course. But then what other specs besides that? Well, they SAY they want to compete with Apple iPhone and Samsung, and by that time not only has the S8/S8+ been released, but the Note 8 will be coming.
The Nokia 8 has enough substantiated "rumors" -- if that's possible? -- it has a listing in GSMArena:
NOKIA 8 RUMORED SPECS
http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=8522
5.7" 1440p LCD, STEREO SPEAKERS, etc.
Where the Nokia 9 differs is 1440p AMOLED. Here's similar listing for the Nokia 9 on competing site PhoneArena:
NOKIA 9 RUMORED SPECS
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/compare/Nokia-9/phones/10486?ft=2
Part of this is actually "knowable". What do other major manufacturer flagship phones (Samsung, LG, Motorola, Sony, HTC, Huawei) have, what's out there on the market right now, who are you trying to compete with?
So, yeah, you're going to have 1440p, Snapdragon 835 (unless Qualcomm releases a newer version by July). You're going to have USB 3.1, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector.
But are you going to be SMART and also put in a headset jack -- or stupid and leave it out? Motorola left it out last year, realized their mistake and are putting it back in. LG and Samsung left it in.
Are you going with the edge-to-edge displays? I think you have to since the LG G6, Samsung S8 and even the new iPhone 8 will have that. If you have any bezels at top or bottom, them put them to use with front-facing stereo speakers!
Are you going with Qi wireless? Or you can't because you have metal unibody? The Nokia phones seem to use metal, unless they change that for their top tier phone?
Point is, it's the mixture of the features and price point that differentiate phones. There's too many "me too" phones. I put ALL the 5.5" 1080p phones into that category including the OnePlus 3 and 3T.
"ME TOO" PHONES
Have you ever heard of the Sharp Z2 Android phone? How about the Asus Zenfone 3? or BLU Vivo 6? or LeEco Le S3? Or some of the Xiaomi models? There's a dozen more I could list. All you need to know is they are 2016, 5.5", 1080p phones.
They all have about the same specs. None have Qi wireless, none have stereo speakers, etc. Is this something you could brag about to your friends? Is this something you would be proud to own? I rag on my friends' iPhones that only have 1080p resolution. I've had 1440p AMOLED since 2014. Why would I downgrade to 1080p? And YES, I can see the difference.
When I went from 720p Galaxy Nexus to 1080p LG Nexus 5, ignorant people were saying "you can't see a difference between 720p and 1080p." Uh, yes you can. And those SAME ignorant people are now saying "You can't see a difference between 1080p and 1440p." Now if someone is telling me they want to buy 1080p because it's a BUDGET PHONE, and they don't care there's a difference in fine details on the display, OK. But don't tell me you can't see a difference. I work in visual media professionally and I easily see a difference, even on my 5.2" AMOLED display.
Back to feature mix and price points... ZTE Axon 7 excelled by putting in so many available features at such a low price point. First they made the 64GB/4GB RAM model (initially $400, now $357) available in the U.S. and later the 128GB/6GB RAM ($500) model available in the U.S. That latter model was not an "updated" model. They were both released in China in May 2016, but ZTE only exported the 64GB model to the U.S. at first.
Where LG messed up this year with the LG G6 was trying to regionalize certain features. Why wouldn't U.S. customers also want better audio and more storage (64GB)? They said it was for "pricing". It's already costing over $600. Like with the 2014 Quark, I want the best or nothing. Put ALL the features in. If you forced me to choose only between an LG G6 or Galaxy S8, I would choose the S8 (Exynos variant) because it has EVERYTHING.
Where the new Nokia will run into problems is if there's enough DEMAND for two top tier 1440p phones at the same time everybody else is releasing their 2ND HALF 2017 1440p AMOLED phones! Yes, Nokia could conceivably cut that back to just one phone.
Septfox said:
I wonder if it's possible to grab the wireless coil from a US LG G6 and stick it into an international version, to get the best of both worlds...I would expect they use a similar, if not the same, mainboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
XDA posted a tear down video where they said YES it seems possible to put a wireless coil on international version. However, it seems a little complicated. It seemed more than just putting the coil on the back cover, which I've done before with LG G3 phones. My attempts with LG G3 phones were mixed for friends' phones. After my trial and errors, I ended up buying back battery covers from where someone else had already done it professionally.
Right now, the Moto Z2 Force with the Qi wireless battery pack seems to be my best bet, IF I get a new phone this year.

ChazzMatt said:
Well, ZTE made an effort with their Axon 7 phone to include CDMA, because they were making a big push into U.S. market. Verizon VoLTE even works with Axon 7. But CMDA is the dinosaur that will go extinct. For companies wishing to make a quick splash on world markets, they can safely ignore CDMA.
...
So, GSM won. CDMA lost. Even Verizon and Sprint has switched to it, by going to LTE and to VoLTE. The problem is they have to keep their "legacy" CDMA towers running -- for now -- for fallback protection. But at some point in time, CDMA will disappear entirely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no "including" CDMA, Snapdragon radios can use every band under the sun by default. It comes down to whether manufacturers want to jump through Verizon and the FCC's hoops to enable it state-side. Well, and I suppose there are minor physical considerations like antenna size, but that's the beauty of designing and manufacturing your own handsets; you can put in whatever you please. <insert headphone jack-based stab at Apple here>
Key thing being "at some point in time". Verizon's not going to shut their CDMA towers off until they know that they'll lose the minimum number of customers doing it; once they get enough LTE towers set up, they'll "generously" offer to "upgrade" customers who're using CDMA/VoLTE-less devices, possibly at a "reduced price".
Until then, Verizon CDMA has the best coverage here in the states, particularly in rural areas. Sitting here at my desk, I have minimum signal, but still enough to call out clearly; my boss's T-Mobile phone wouldn't be so lucky.
Of course, the above is likely to change too, as we get closer to CDMA being completely defunct...more GSM towers going up, T-Mobile, Sprint and their MVNOs getting ready to snap up older Verizon customers when they realize that they were talked into buying a phone using dead-end cellular technology this late into the game.
ChazzMatt said:
And for me, if I wish to import phones from other countries like the Moto XT1225 with the easily unlocked bootloader or even the Exynos variant Galaxy S8 with the easily unlocked bootloader, having a GSM/HSPA/LTE carrier like AT&T is fantastic. I'm NOT buying the S8, but I seriously considered it for a few weeks. If I did, it would NOT be the U.S. model which is bootloader locked, but the international Exynos variant. But for Verizon users, they have no choice. The Exynos variant doesn't have CDMA.
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It's going to be interesting to see how Verizon plans to exert control and keep customers, once CDMA is gone. They're going to need to adopt a different strategy, to continue making buying their locked-down phones appealing, since the whole "because our network is the best and only OUR radios are configured to work on it!" thing will be out.
Sure, being able to buy a phone over a two-year contract is nice (well I mean, contracts are nice if you like being at the mercy of the universe's sense of humor, personally I'd rather buy outright), but all carriers offer that sort of thing nowadays...and they don't sell "exclusives" that are gimped versions of the real thing. Usually.
ChazzMatt said:
"ME TOO" PHONES
Have you ever heard of the Sharp Z2 Android phone? How about the Asus Zenfone 3? or BLU Vivo 6? or LeEco Le S3? Or some of the Xiaomi models? There's a dozen more I could list. All you need to know is they are 2016, 5.5", 1080p phones.
They all have about the same specs. None have Qi wireless, none have stereo speakers, etc. Is this something you could brag about to your friends? Is this something you would be proud to own?
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Click to collapse
Oh come on, people don't buy copycat phones because they're trying to make a fashion statement, they buy them because they're cheaper than getting an S#, iphone, uhh...whatever else is competing with those in a given year.
To be honest, I see nothing wrong with there being a bunch of "me too" phones out there. They create competition, the higher-end ones (such as those by Xiaomi and OnePlus) put some pressure on the big players like Apple/Samsung/Lenovo to keep their prices from staying stupid-high for more than a few months at most. The low- to mid-range ones offer anyone low on cash an opportunity to have a frankly more than adequate handset. Gone are the days where "only" spending $150 on a phone meant you were getting something almost uselessly slow.
ChazzMatt said:
I rag on my friends' iPhones that only have 1080p resolution. I've had 1440p AMOLED since 2014. Why would I downgrade to 1080p? And YES, I can see the difference.
When I went from 720p Galaxy Nexus to 1080p LG Nexus 5, ignorant people were saying "you can't see a difference between 720p and 1080p." Uh, yes you can. And those SAME ignorant people are now saying "You can't see a difference between 1080p and 1440p." Now if someone is telling me they want to buy 1080p because it's a BUDGET PHONE, and they don't care there's a difference in fine details on the display, OK. But don't tell me you can't see a difference. I work in visual media professionally and I easily see a difference, even on my 5.2" AMOLED display.
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No argument here. It's not a completely fair comparison since we're talking old flagship next to newish mid-range phone, but putting my "old" 1440p AMOLED screen next to my mother's g4 Plus 1080p IPS screen...the image quality, contrast and pixel response difference is night and day. Literally the only thing hers has going for it is maximum brightness.
And even two AMOLED screens, the higher-res version is going to win. The only way I can see someone not telling a difference is if they either need glasses, or never use their phone for an extended period of time.
ChazzMatt said:
Back to feature mix and price points... ZTE Axon 7 excelled by putting in so many available features at such a low price point. First they made the 64GB/4GB RAM model (initially $400, now $357) available in the U.S. and later the 128GB/6GB RAM ($500) model available in the U.S. That latter model was not an "updated" model. They were both released in China in May 2016, but ZTE only exported the 64GB model to the U.S. at first..
Click to expand...
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If it weren't for the large price difference when I was shopping, I would have bought an Axon 7 over the Turbo, despite it being slightly bigger. It really is a fantastic package aside from the lack of Qi charging, which is livable as far as I'm concerned. Just couldn't justify the $100+ difference for a used one at the time, and I badly needed a new phone.
ChazzMatt said:
Where the new Nokia will run into problems is if there's enough DEMAND for two top tier 1440p phones at the same time everybody else is releasing their 2ND HALF 2017 1440p AMOLED phones!
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Nokia has the distinct advantage of a legendary brand name, without the disadvantage of being seen as "business-only" like Blackberry. They've already put out some Android phones that have been fairly well-received, so...why not? If they can manage the specs they're pushing without being too insanely overpriced (*coughBB-Privcough*), they should do fine...enough to continue experimenting, anyway.
It helps too that the concept images for the Nokia 9 thus far have painted a drop-dead gorgeous handset. If it's reasonably sturdy, looks good, and is fast, people might even be willing to overlook its lack of a headphone jack (which I suspect is a reality).

Septfox said:
No argument here. It's not a completely fair comparison since we're talking old flagship next to newish mid-range phone, but putting my "old" 1440p AMOLED screen next to my mother's g4 Plus 1080p IPS screen...the image quality, contrast and pixel response difference is night and day. Literally the only thing hers has going for it is maximum brightness.
And even two AMOLED screens, the higher-res version is going to win. The only way I can see someone not telling a difference is if they either need glasses, or never use their phone for an extended period of time.
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Good stuff, but thank you especially for this. :good:
I can't believe all the 1080p people who seem to just want to defend their favorite phone (iSheep, OnePlus zombies) without admitting 1440p resolution is the sign of a premier phone since 2014 for a very good reason.
Or front-facing stereo speakers, which some phones have had (HTC models, Huawei, Sony, LeEco, Alcatel, Moto X 2014, Moto Nexus 6, ZTE Axon 7, etc.) This is not a "new" concept! If you had the choice between one mono speaker or stereo speakers, why would you not want stereo?
Over in the Galaxy S8 forum, there's a thread about what could improve the S8. And since several professional reviewers have mentioned Samsung OWNS stereo manufacturer Harman Kardon, and front-facing stereo speakers would have been a nice touch on a premium phone, I also mentioned that point. And some fanbois just reacted with intense vitriol. As if having stereo speakers would somehow HARM them, make their testicles shrink and disappear. "IF you need stereo, use headsets or wireless ear buds!" And accused me of being some boombox-loving gangsta. Blah, blah, blah. This was in a thread specifically about how the 2017 flagship phone could be IMPROVED. They didn't have any ideas themselves, they just didn't like the implication the phone they just bought wasn't perfect in every way -- or couldn't be improved in any way. If you don't like the stereo speakers, no one will FORCE you to use them -- you can still use your wired headset or Bluetooth earbuds.
YET, I bet... I would bet $100 that if the OnePlus 3T had 1440p AMOLED and front facing stero speakers -- or the Galaxy S8/S8+ had front-facing stereo speakers -- the fanbois would eagerly point to those features as being the BEST, the pièce de résistance why their phones RULE.
Rumors are the OnePlus 5 will be 1440p. If true, what will the OnePlus fanbois say then?
______
And the earlier point about the "Me Too" phones -- yes, competition is good. But I'm just getting tired of breathless announcements for yet anther -- wait for it -- 5.5" 1080p phone with EXACTLY the same specs as the last dozen phones announced by Chinese companies. This was why the top-tier hardware spec ZTE Axon 7 (at such a reasonable price) was a breath of fresh air. If 100 companies are going to go "Me Too", then go "Me Too" in THAT direction.
I'm just a hardware spec hound, and I make no apologies about that. SOFTWARE can always be improved, but hardware can't. See Apple's iPhone 4 ridiculous screw-up with their with un-insulated external metal band antenna, i.e. "grip of death". The only "fix" was rubber bumper cases. The FIX came next year, when they insulated their antenna properly in the iPhone 4S.
Start off with the best hardware, then software can do it's thing.
I don't care how EFFICIENT you claim the latest Snapdragon chipset is (we hear this each year), I will ALWAYS take a 4,000 mAh battery over a 3,000 mAh battery.
I will always take 4GB RAM over 2GB RAM,
I will always take hardware rear camera OIS over none (should have been included on our Quarks) vs software-only stabilization
NFC chip over none (Motorola's stupid decision to leave it out of 2017 U.S. Moto G5 Plus, but include it in "international" variants).
or stereo speakers over one mono speaker.
You can still buy a phone that might have something lesser or even missing, but don't tell me it wouldn't make the phone BETTER.

Why do I want this phone so much? It makes no sense.
http://www.pcmag.com/news/353461/jelly-is-the-worlds-smallest-4g-smartphone
It's just so cute and tiny!

TheSt33v said:
Why do I want this phone so much? It makes no sense.
http://www.pcmag.com/news/353461/jelly-is-the-worlds-smallest-4g-smartphone
It's just so cute and tiny!
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The TINY PHONE TREND returns

I just want the Glitch from ReBoot to be real

Well, as I suspected OnePlus doesn't have the guts to enter the Big Boy arena:
OnePlus 5 Fresh Leaks
http://playfuldroid.com/oneplus-5-f...der-3600-mah-battery-6-gb-ram-128-gb-storage/
1080p in 2017? On a flagship phone? Fail. Even laggard Apple is going to 1440p and they stay YEARS behind top tier Androids!
All major manufacturers since 2014 have offered 1440p. Even ZTE with the Axon 7 offers 1440p. Thus, OnePlus wants to stay in middle school, not play on the varsity team.
Also, no mention of Qi wireless, so another fail.
But not really a surprise. I don't hold a high opinion of OnePlus, not sure why everyone else drinks the Kool-Aid. The whole "never settle" crap motto, when I see PLENTY of hardware spec compromises.
It's the best of the "mid-tier" phones. Won't even be as good as Apple this year, and LOTS of Androids (even mid-tier) normally have better specs than Apple!
In 2014:
In 2016:
______
But some of that "2018" stuff, Apple will reportedly get a year "earlier" -- in 2017! 1440p, Qi wireless charging... But OnePlus users still won't have it!

Why are you so hung up on wireless charging? I find it slow and rubbish, and the only thing it excels at is overheating my phone.

Watevah said:
Why are you so hung up on wireless charging? I find it slow and rubbish, and the only thing it excels at is overheating my phone.
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ASK APPLE WHY THEY ARE GOING TO IT? Because it's very useful.
You're not forced to use it you don't want. But I've had it since 2013 on two different phones and it's very convenient. My wife and I use it every day. Walk in, put the phone down. Pick the phone up, walk away.
It's not either/or. You can also plug in when necessary.
It's a premium feature I will insist upon having. Like 1440p.

ChazzMatt said:
You're not forced to use it you don't want. But I've had it since 2013 on two different phones and it's very convenient. My wife and I use it every day. Walk in, put the phone down. Pick the phone up, walk away.
It's not either/or. You can also plug in when necessary.
It's a premium feature I will insist upon having. Like 1440p.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, well it's not like anyone is forcing me to use it, just want to find out why people prefer using it. I have a samsung Qi charger lying on my desk for a few months now and I'm almost ready to bin the useless thing. I think it's the first gen charger. Do the newer models have improved power output, at least?

Watevah said:
Yeah, well it's not like anyone is forcing me to use it, just want to find out why people prefer using it. I have a samsung Qi charger lying on my desk for a few months now and I'm almost ready to bin the useless thing. I think it's the first gen charger. Do the newer models have improved power output, at least?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is research being done so the new gen Qi wi-fi is faster, but I don't really care about that. I've been using this feature since my 2013 LG Nexus 5 and now on my 2014 Moto XT1225 (both me and my wife), and it's great just as it is. Sure, if you want to make it faster, fine.
I use the triple coil tilt ones so I can see notifications easily. Keep two in the living room, two in the bedroom. Even a couple at my mom's house, so we can use them when we visit.
It's not about speed, it's convenience. By the time we need to leave the house, they're charged. If you're going to put your phone down somewhere, it can be charging AND you can still see your notifications.
A friend of mine uses one at his office. The tilt charger lets him see his notifications, and if he has a meeting, just grab it and go.
The major stress on a phone is the constant plugging/unplugging/plugging/unplugging. Qi wireless charging prevents some of that stress.
Yeah, if I need to charge quickly I use any of the QuckCharge 2.0 chargers I have on hand. I even have dual port car chargers for me and my wife.
So, I'm not against plugging in, when necessary. Again it's not either/or. You can use both as needed.
But Apple is going to Qi wireless charging for their 1440p AMOLED phone, so they finally understand the nice convenience factor.
And I will have to find some more features Apple iPhone doesn't have to bash them, because they're about to take my two favorites -- 1440p AMOLED and Qi wireless charging...
I just won't buy a phone without either feature now that I've had them.

Essential FIH-PM1
One phone to add to the 2017 top-tier smartphone watch list now that OnePlus has struck out.
The mystery Andy Rubin "Essential" FIH-PM1 phone. Yes, the Andy Rubin who created a little start-up called Android and sold it to Google...
THAT Andy Rubin. He left Google in 2014, started a hardware company called "Essential" and is releasing a premier Android smartphone coming out this year.
The man who CREATED Android is now creating an Android smartphone.
This is the only CONFIRMED image of the phone, because that's Andy Rubin's hand holding the phone.
Someone THINKS this may be a prototype that showed up in a recent Michelin commercial because no other phones out right now have that combination of bezel-less look, and placement of ports. Not sure why it would show up in a tire commercial -- and in the commercial the volume buttons are on the wrong side -- so that's why I said the only CONFIRMED image is the one in his hand above.
Leaked specs are 5.5", 1440p, Snapdragon 835, 4GB RAM. Bezel-less display. 3.5mm headset jack (because he's NOT stupid). Also ceramic back -- which gives clue it might have Qi wireless charging.

If you decide to buy flagship device go for only Google devices. They are well thought and most long term supported.
IHMO.. Moto is only good for value/budget phones (E/G series).

z4ck1n said:
If you decide to buy flagship device go for only Google devices. They are well thought and most long term supported.
IHMO.. Moto is only good for value/budget phones (E/G series).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) I probably know more about Google hardware than you ever will.
2) While I will agree with you on Motorola being very laggard on updates -- I will not defend them in any way on that issue -- the 2014 hardware duo of Moto Nexus 6 and Quark series (XT1225/XT1250/XT1254), both released at the same time, shows they can play with the big boys. Motorola did make a Nexus phone with some of the best hardware specs ever made, and their Quark was basically the 5.2" version of that phone -- except for lack of stereo speakers and rear camera OIS. (Both were very strange omissions -- Motorola knew how to do hardware rear camera OIS as it's on the Nexus 6, and they had just put stereo speakers on the 2014 Moto X earlier that year. Very puzzling, and the only two things to prevent this from being the best phone EVER. It's not like they didn't charge enough money for this phone -- I paid about $700 each for my first two XT1225 in 2014.)
Quark (Moto XT1225/XT1250/XT1254) vs Moto Nexus 6
3) Uhmmm. I look suspiciously on Google ever since they released the too-big Nexus 6. They still haven't gotten back to where they should be. That was the FIRST of NOT having "well thought" design. Until then, they went with mainstream design size. That year, 2014, the mainstream display size was between 5.0" - 5.5", with the "average" being around 5.2". (Even Samsung with their Note phablets never went over 5.7" display size.) Google jumped the shark and went to 5.95" -- a 6" phablet! Of course people weren't going to buy it! They've admitted their mistake, and Motorola told them they shouldn't go that big. Whoever made that decision really missed an opportunity to solidify the Nexus branding as a commercial entity, and instead RUINED the Nexus brand.
"Well thought"? NO. Tell me what they were thinking with the HUGE bezels in the 2016 Pixel XL? They weren't thinking. Huawei turned them down for Pixcel and they had to go begging to HTC, who re-used a frame from a previous phone.
And they dropped Qi wireless charging, in both 2015 and 2017 when even Apple is adding Qi wireless charging now in 2017! (Motorola also stupidly dropped it, while Samsung did not.) If you charging THAT much money (over $800), you better have everything in the phone.
Look at the hardware specs of the ZTE Axon 7 AND the PRICE and look at the hardware specs of the Pixel XL.
The ZTE Axon 7 matches and even BEATS the Pixel XL in every hardware spec (except maybe camera) and is less than HALF the price. Why can't Google do that? Are they STUPID? I'm not paying EXTRA $400-$500 for HUGE BEZELS. Put some front-facing stereo speakers there, and I'll consider it.
It's not just about the price, but the hardware specs and the look. ZTE's frame is even designed by BMW. Google's frame they got out of the garbage dumpster behind HTC building. Look at the SIZE. The ZTE Axon 7 is SMALLER in spite of having the same display and even adding front-facing stereo speakers! "well thought"? HA!
Both have
same 5.5" 1440p AMOLED Samsung display
Pixel XL has 821 vs the 820 Snapdragon, only because it was released six months later. I would call that even.
4GB RAM
In addition, the ZTE Axon 7 has award winning DAC and front facing speakers + microSD card. I know that's a Google thing to not have microSD card, so if the Pixel XL was superior in all other aspects, I wouldn't even mention it.
Price? Currently over $800 vs $330. There's even a ZTE Axon 7 variant with 6GB RAM/128GB internal memory for $499 -- still beats the Pixel XL.
The only single point the Pixel XL is ahead in is the Google Pixel camera.
Well thought?
Don't make me laugh. Google should have bought 1 million ZTE Axon 7 phones, slapped their software on them, and sold THAT as the Pixel XL! They could even have marked it up a few hundred dollars and still made a profitl
If ZTE had used a ceramic/glass back and had Qi wireless charging, I would have bought 3 of them. Just like I own three Moto XT1225.
________
I was a Google Nexus fanboi with the gen3 Galaxy Nexus and the gen5 LG Nexus 5, buying both for me and my wife. I also bought Nexus tablets, the 7 and the 9. I bragged incessantly about Nexus hardware.
But Google screwed up in 2014 with the whale Moto Nexus 6. The model number for the Nexus phones is NOT screen size! Google got confused and made it too big. They even had a 5.2" Nexus 6 version they were testing! We saw the leaked benchmarks in mid-August 2014:
Shamu:
5.2",
1440p,
Snapdragon 805,
3GB RAM.
It was there! They had two variants. Google should have released BOTH or just released the "mainstream" size. But they told Motorola go with the one that was too big. That's when they lost me. I'm NOT going to look like this:
Someone carrying a Nexus 6
Which is why I bought the 5.2" version, the Quark that Motorola released at the same time. It was either the 5.2" Shamu re-purposed, or had been developed in parallel -- don't really care, it was top tier specs in a size I liked. It's MY Nexus 6. Oh, and the 5.2" Quark has a BIGGER battery than the 6" Shamu! Another way Google always screwed up the Nexus phones -- they skimped on the batteries!
Still, with the Nexus 6 and the Quark series, Motorola finally did graduate to the top tier category.
Ever since then, Google has admitted their mistake by going smaller and smaller - 5.7", then 5.5". But they still don't quite understand -- and they stupidly releasing even smaller versions with mid-tier 1080p specs and lesser RAM.
It wasn't the COST of the Nexus 6 most people didn't like, it was the SIZE. It wasn't mainstream. Even Samsung didn't make their phablet Note series that big (overall frame size).
And now Google screwed up with the most recent phones, the Nexus 6P (although they made it smaller than the Nexus 6, it was also still too big a) and the Pixel XL (with the bezels) even though they made it even smaller than the Nexus 6 and the 6P.
I'll consider the 2017 Pixel XL IF Google can get their act together.
________________
Ever since 2014, I can also list the many mistakes Motorola has made under new owner Lenovo --
breaking their fast updates promise,
not fixing the two deficiencies in the Quarks (stereo speakers/rear camera OIS) in the 2015 Kinzie successor, and instead adding the silly plastic shatter shield gimmick.
making you pay EXTRA for what should already be in phone (mods, with stereo speakers, Qi wireless charging), and
even with the U.S. Moto G5 Plus -- stripping NFC out when including it for the rest of the world.

Which phone would you get right now to replace the Axon 7?

Hi everyone, I'm curious, if you had to get a phone now, considering no new ZTE flagship, what would you choose?
Me personally, probably a Huawei Mate 10.
I'll know later. My son is getting one today for the same reasons I would.

must have stereo speakers so pixel 2 xl but its very expensive !
maybe mate 10 pro , but sound is not as nice as front speakers , also expensive

I'm looking at the Oneplus 6 that was just released. After having the Axon 7 for 18 months, I'm not sure I can live without the dual front facing speakers. The price is getting up in pixel territory too at $579 for the 128gb.
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk

Must have
Stereo speakers with a good DAC
6/128 GO WITH SD, 2XSIM
No notch, not edge
Ip69
Amoled 5.5 + gorilla glass 5
Aluminium body
Very good cam
Jack 3.5
Fast charge
Nfc otg fingerprint
Don't need face recognition and Qi
Not expensive.[emoji16]
I guess I'll keep my Axon until it die.
If urgency op5T.
Envoyé de mon ZTE A2017G en utilisant Tapatalk

I'm strongly considering the OnePlus 6. Stereo speakers are not that important to me as I don't usually listen to music through the speakers. At one time I wouldn't even consider a phone without a micro sd slot, but since it's only $100 to go from 64 to 256 it is not as big as obstacle as it once was.

The only options for me so far are the Razer Phone, Nokia 7 Plus, and the Honor View 10

The only one I'd consider is the S9+, it has everything the Axon 7 has but better.
Only the price tag is too high for me to afford.

Probably the new Lg g7. It's nice and also has a HiFi dac, ips display, so no fear of burn-in, and here in Italy it gets cheap very fast, like in 3 months you can find it at 500€.

Right now I can consider LG V30

Will wait and hope Nokia keeps going and brings something absolutely worth it and waterproof. Otherwise honestly not much on the market that I'd consider dropping $ on.

The point of the thread though is if you had to get a phone NOW, just say your Axon died or you dropped and smashed it or it was stolen, what would you get? It's not about whether you want another phone now.

I just traded mine for a pixel XL 128gb.
Running Android P right now, custom kernel to follow soon.
I went to project fi so the axon was no longer the best phone for me, and the trouble they are in didn't help.
I'll get a pixel 2 next year or whenever they start clearing them out.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

nfsmw_gr said:
The only one I'd consider is the S9+, it has everything the Axon 7 has but better.
Only the price tag is too high for me to afford.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I has worse quality DAC

docentore said:
I has worse quality DAC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So?
Is it worth keeping an ageing device just for that?
Everything else is better.
If I was worried about sound quality that much I'd get a portable amp/dac combo from a brand like FiiO and combine it with the phone.
Can't get better quality than that.
P.S. The SD 845 dac is not rubbish, to be honest, compared to the AK the Axon has, dunno if you've listened to it or not.
Take a look at the V30 with quad DAC:
https://www.gsmarena.com/lg_v30-review-1657p7.php
The Axon 7:
https://www.gsmarena.com/zte_axon_7-review-1512p7.php
And the S9 performance:
https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s9_plus-review-1736p3.php
Not as different as I'd expect.

I just got the S9 with credit from T-Mobile. Unfortunately, the two axons under our family plan no longer worked with any carrier. No sim from T-Mobile or any carrier with LTE worked. The phone stopped getting signal. T-Mobile said they switched their bands and the Axon may not be compatible anymore. Oh well, I got a new S9 for as much as I paid the Axon for so I'm very happy. Time to move on now, but I'll keep the axon to help with development

Teet1 said:
I just got the S9 with credit from T-Mobile. Unfortunately, the two axons under our family plan no longer worked with any carrier. No sim from T-Mobile or any carrier with LTE worked. The phone stopped getting signal. T-Mobile said they switched their bands and the Axon may not be compatible anymore. Oh well, I got a new S9 for as much as I paid the Axon for so I'm very happy. Time to move on now, but I'll keep the axon to help with development
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool.

Red Hydrogen One FTMFW!! In August, of course ?

I require Band 20 (800MHz), QC3, QHD, microSD slot, dual sim and NFC. Don't seem to be much of a choice.
LG V30 is good to have, but very expensive, so LG G6 I guess.
Nokia 8 is a little too small.
HTC U11/+ another option.
Think Huawei does not support QC3? So Mate 10 is likely to be out for me.
Samsung..., generally too expensive for what it does.

nfsmw_gr said:
So?
Is it worth keeping an ageing device just for that?
Everything else is better.
If I was worried about sound quality that much I'd get a portable amp/dac combo from a brand like FiiO and combine it with the phone.
Can't get better quality than that.
P.S. The SD 845 dac is not rubbish, to be honest, compared to the AK the Axon has, dunno if you've listened to it or not.
Take a look at the V30 with quad DAC:
https://www.gsmarena.com/lg_v30-review-1657p7.php
The Axon 7:
https://www.gsmarena.com/zte_axon_7-review-1512p7.php
And the S9 performance:
https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s9_plus-review-1736p3.php
Not as different as I'd expect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, your statement that S9 has everything better than Axon7 is not true, simple as that
I've heard few phones using Snapdragon DAC (S8, S8 note - I admit that I haven't heard S9 though) and Axon 7 runs around them with its music performance. It is just better DAC.
But you might not care about music performance, your choice mate. Every man to their own I suppose.

docentore said:
So, your statement that S9 has everything better than Axon7 is not true, simple as that
I've heard few phones using Snapdragon DAC (S8, S8 note - I admit that I haven't heard S9 though) and Axon 7 runs around them with its music performance. It is just better DAC.
But you might not care about music performance, your choice mate. Every man to their own I suppose.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh you're one of those guys.
Ok sure you're right, keep the Axon till it rusts.
P.S. If you're not pleased with my response and feeling right, feel free to check the attachment, I made it to sum it up better.
Judging by the numbers and the commentary the differences are too small to consider one better than the other, but if I'd be hard pressed the S9 especially and maybe the plus model as well (because the only difference between the two is the output volume) seem to be superior.
I have personally heard the S9 in a local store, and it's sufficient enough for me, definitely matches the Axon in terms of audio output if not besting it.
So yeah, my statement is correct, sorry.

upgrading ...

What do you guys think of the xiaomi mi 8 ?
Would it be to crazy of he jump ?
I kind of like the idea , but I don't know , since I had never own a xiaomi phone ... Any one here had one before ? If so any help it's always appreciate

luisaet82 said:
What do you guys think of the xiaomi mi 8 ?
Would it be to crazy of he jump ?
I kind of like the idea , but I don't know , since I had never own a xiaomi phone ... Any one here had one before ? If so any help it's always appreciate
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Specs look good on the Mi 8... I just don't care for the blatant iPhone X copy, notch, lack of a headphone jack, or IP68. For a similar spec sheet, I liked the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s a lot better with the high screen to bezel ratio and no notch. I almost pulled the trigger on one but I ended up getting the S9+ for about the same price. I've been happy with it so far. The Axon 7 is going back to the factory for a repair.
Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Gearhead_ENG said:
Specs look good on the Mi 8... I just don't care for the blatant iPhone X copy, notch, lack of a headphone jack, or IP68. For a similar spec sheet, I liked the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s a lot better with the high screen to bezel ratio and no notch. I almost pulled the trigger on one but I ended up getting the S9+ for about the same price. I've been happy with it so far. The Axon 7 is going back to the factory for a repair.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you do to the axon 7 ? Is ZTE still working ?

It still works but the battery life is starting to degrade and the charging port is loose after 1.5 years. ZTE is replacing it under warranty. It'll make a good backup or media phone.
luisaet82 said:
What do you do to the axon 7 ? Is ZTE still working ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

I wouldn't get the mi8, lacks features compared to the Axon 7 although newer in others and faster.
If you want an all around better device get the S9+ or HTC U12+.

nfsmw_gr said:
I wouldn't get the mi8, lacks features compared to the Axon 7 although newer in others and faster.
If you want an all around better device get the S9+ or HTC U12+.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are both around the 1000 DLS and I'm not planning to spend that money on a phone again not when i pay 350 for and amazing phone like the axon 7 ... Im not sure wtf to do looks like I'm gonna keep the phone until it just dies ???

They are both around the 1000 DLS and I'm not planning to spend that money on a phone again not when i pay 350 for and amazing phone like the axon 7 ... Im not sure wtf to do looks like I'm gonna keep the phone until it just dies ???

nfsmw_gr said:
I wouldn't get the mi8, lacks features compared to the Axon 7 although newer in others and faster.
If you want an all around better device get the S9+ or HTC U12+.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it's crazy that if ZTE just re-released the Axon 7 with an upgraded Sd845 it would be the only phone (including announced unreleased) that suits my media demands of 1440p amoled, stereo front speakers and hifi DAC working in AOSP (for hifi when headset mic is enabled). They should just do it if they get back to business, LG did it to the V30 to V35.
Sent from my Xperia Z3C using XDA Labs

luisaet82 said:
They are both around the 1000 DLS and I'm not planning to spend that money on a phone again not when i pay 350 for and amazing phone like the axon 7 ... Im not sure wtf to do looks like I'm gonna keep the phone until it just dies ???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I agree man, unfortunately only these two fit the spec list and are wayyyy too expensive
Infy_AsiX said:
it's crazy that if ZTE just re-released the Axon 7 with an upgraded Sd845 it would be the only phone (including announced unreleased) that suits my media demands of 1440p amoled, stereo front speakers and hifi DAC working in AOSP (for hifi when headset mic is enabled). They should just do it if they get back to business, LG did it to the V30 to V35.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This would be phenomenal.
A bigger battery, better camera, ane IPXX protection should be possible as well, then it would be the perfect device even if they kept everything else the same really.

All the Axon 9 needs is the Axon 7s with SD845 and IR blaster. Maybe a better camera but it already is improved over the Axon 7.

nfsmw_gr said:
This would be phenomenal.
A bigger battery, better camera, ane IPXX protection should be possible as well, then it would be the perfect device even if they kept everything else the same really.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perfect phone is a really hard ideal to fit for everyone. For me personally none of those are needed as I've resigned myself to the fact a single all purpose perfect device is impossible. I have a compact phone for primary general use and a secondary media phone as a media device to complement each other.
Sent from my Xperia Z3C using XDA Labs

Infy_AsiX said:
Perfect phone is a really hard ideal to fit for everyone. For me personally none of those are needed as I've resigned myself to the fact a single all purpose perfect device is impossible. I have a compact phone for primary general use and a secondary media phone as a media device to complement each other.
Sent from my Xperia Z3C using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand your way of thinking, hope this works for you, I can't imagine carrying two phones myself.
In my own case, the Axon 7 suits all my daily needs to be honest, so I could call it a perfect device.
It's just starting to age when compared to newer devices, that is all.
A couple of current flagships would fit my needs to upgrade (S9+,U12+), but the prices are way too high.
Unfortunately, no equivalent of the Axon 7 exists in the price range the Axon 7 released, which is a big shame.
Just gotta hang on to it for now, or bite the bullet and pay the price premium if you really need to upgrade for whatever reason. :crying:

Infy_AsiX said:
it's crazy that if ZTE just re-released the Axon 7 with an upgraded Sd845 it would be the only phone (including announced unreleased) that suits my media demands of 1440p amoled, stereo front speakers and hifi DAC working in AOSP (for hifi when headset mic is enabled). They should just do it if they get back to business, LG did it to the V30 to V35.
Sent from my Xperia Z3C using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They were actually, well it was a concept, but to me it looked like the real axon 9. It had the front facing speakers and had a cool name "ZTE Iceberg".
There are renders of the phone on the web, give it a search

nfsmw_gr said:
I understand your way of thinking, hope this works for you, I can't imagine carrying two phones myself.
In my own case, the Axon 7 suits all my daily needs to be honest, so I could call it a perfect device.
It's just starting to age when compared to newer devices, that is all.
A couple of current flagships would fit my needs to upgrade (S9+,U12+), but the prices are way too high.
Unfortunately, no equivalent of the Axon 7 exists in the price range the Axon 7 released, which is a big shame.
Just gotta hang on to it for now, or bite the bullet and pay the price premium if you really need to upgrade for whatever reason. :crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Having more than one device is just an extra step to getting more than just one can offer. As my old Z3C still does music well but not as well as A7 it suits on the go environments where quality is lost to the environment anyway. With custom updates it's still fast for general use and I much prefer it's form and ergonomic factor. The A7 is stored away in a bag until more immersive media is used. For going out without a bag the A7 is left at home. I guess doubling up my Z3C's purpose as a bike computer is part of the reason for keeping it around too. In fact I've got another second half-broken Z3C with both batteries modded removable to also suit a second sim card, it's just like carrying spare powerbanks really. Of course I could swap them both for the A7 dual sim, but where there's a gain there's always a loss.
Aged in what respect? I can only really think of SD820 performance as behind. Pushing the boundary with various mods like disabling thermal throttling and such I've managed tweaked PUBGM for 1080p high settings >30fps which is by all intents above expected average and desirable. Of course upgraded better chipsets will pull more but not too much more in a S835 and only more noticeably on a S845.
Well if current generation flagships suit you but not in price the only issue is to wait. Or you could join the buy, use and sell market cycle to get it now and not necessarily cost more.
JustaRandomCat said:
They were actually, well it was a concept, but to me it looked like the real axon 9. It had the front facing speakers and had a cool name "ZTE Iceberg".
There are renders of the phone on the web, give it a search
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you're mixing the rumoured Axon 9 leak where there's no stereo speaker and the dual notch Iceberg. I think they did re-release the Axon 7 with a S821 as a Chinese government model though. Getting to the point where they could save costs on redeveloping a new model and just reuse a successful design with a new chipset would be a nice move. However they'd have to be sure the old design is actually successful and popular enough to drive sales demand again, LG evidently thinks they hit something nice with the V30. Brings up the thought, why not sell updated chipsets to consumers that could be installed into old models, maybe through service centres and provide new firmware support. Guess that's too ambitious and consumer friendly an idea.

Been thinking about moto z2 play or force was given a old moto z play by a friend to play with for a while.......