iPhone 6s to Samsung Galaxy S8 - Samsung Galaxy S8 Questions and Answers

Having come from years of Nokias to the first iPhone and sticking around until my current one, the iPhone 6s, I have decided I wanted to jump ship and see what else is out there when it comes to smartphones. I have been a big supporter of using phones created by the operating system owner (Apple iOS for iPhone and Google Android for the Nexus and Pixel) but after reading some reviews on the Samsung Galaxy S8, I cannot make my mind up.
I intend to buy the phone outright to save in the long run when compared to contracts/plans so I want to be sure of my purchase.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 comes with some very nice features and from what I've seen, the build quality is great. I haven't played around with one yet but I am quite savvy when it comes to smartphones and technology in general so getting used to the Android operating system will not be a huge deal for me.
Am I making the right decision going from my iPhone 6s straight to a Samsung Galaxy S8? What should I be looking out for?

The S8 is a standout looking device (OTOH I too purchased outright LOL). If you decide to jump to Android but not the S8, at the very least buy a premium device that is comfortable in hand - that's really the only way you'll get a comparable experience to your iPhone. Even though you are tech savvy, there will be a learning curve. I've adapted to many operating systems but still fumble when I pick up an iPhone because I never use one. If you rely on iMessage , there isn't something comparable on Android it seems.

If I was to jump to Android it would definitely be with the S8. Despite the Google Pixel being a top phone I do think that the S8 has the edge.
No doubt about it. My girlfriend used to have an Android (I think it was a HTC) a couple of smartphones ago and I got some early access on that. I do own a Google Nexus 5 that I used for a couple of weeks before coming back to my iPhone 6s so I have had some sort of exposure already.
Android doesn't have an equivalent app to iMessage?

Related

Samsung thinking of cutting prices

http://www.electronista.com/articles/11/03/04/samsung.worried.ipad.2.will.hurt.galaxy.tab.101/
It looks like the announcement of the iPad 2 is making Samsung rethink it's pricing strategy on the Galaxy 10.1. We can only hope that Xoom follows suit.
Would be too late for me! I got it for $600 anyway but i don't think Moto will budge in general. Perhaps with limited time offers.
Also in Engadget:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/04/samsung-finds-parts-of-galaxy-tab-10-1-inadequate-compared-to/
Price war has begun
Customer always win at the end when that happen!
Its a nice tab I just dont like Samsungs update policy.
DroidzFX said:
Its a nice tab I just dont like Samsungs update policy.
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I wonder if they will be better with the updates since the galaxy tab 10.1 is supposedly a Android 3.0 reference device (no touchWiz)
I can care less about anything made by Samsung. They need to rethink its policy on how they treat their customers here in the states it is rediculous that it has taken them so long to come out with froyo and I am fairly certain since they are coming to market with new phones that the galaxy lineup is not going to gingerbread. They get your money and leave you and move to the next. They really need to think a little more and get rid of the horrible touchwiz interface. Bad implememtation of the file system (even my mom and fiance hat that their fascinate lags so much), cheaply made plastic phones, and especiallystill no support for GPS. I don't know what they are doing but they sure as hell aren't supporting the phones they sold this last year. I will never buy anything samsung I know I would be pretty upset if I bought the galaxytab and now the price gets cut numerous times nd is being abandoned left with a phone is.
Even though I don't like Apple, the iPad 2 looks too irresistible, and with those prices Apple is winning this battle for now. The first iPad is now down to $399, and for somebody like me, who mainly wants apps, games, and movies, sounds like a no-brainer. That's the reason why I returned my xoom; lack of apps and games, no option to buy or rent movies, and for $799 plus tax I felt disrespected. Somebody better do something ASAP or else.
And yes! I'm whining!
Sent from my Inspire 4G using XDA App

Samsung should make a Galaxy S6 Active for power users

This phone should have the main GS6 feature along with:
a)waterproof with more robust design
b)removable battery
c) card slot
d) thicker (around 9mm) to accommodate 3000+ mAh battery
It would be an absolute killer phone which would make power users happy. Maybe not a huge market but almost certainly big enough to be profitable. At the same time there will be enough differentiation from the main model; those who want thin metal/glass design will pick the GS6, those who want features will pick the Active version.
My guess is Samsung will in fact do this in a few months. It's an obvious move.
Strategist said:
This phone should have the main GS6 feature along with:
a)waterproof with more robust design
b)removable battery
c) card slot
d) thicker (around 9mm) to accommodate 3000+ mAh battery
It would be an absolute killer phone which would make power users happy. Maybe not a huge market but almost certainly big enough to be profitable. At the same time there will be enough differentiation from the main model; those who want thin metal/glass design will pick the GS6, those who want features will pick the Active version.
My guess is Samsung will in fact do this in a few months. It's an obvious move.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My hope as well. But being an Active version, it will have 3 hardware keys for Recents, Home and Back, rather than one physical Home button as is now.
Where did you find these informations???
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3 GT-i9300 using TapaTalk2
PIRATA! said:
Where did you find these informations???
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3 GT-i9300 using TapaTalk2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's speculation based on the S4 Active and S5 Active plus a desire to see the S6's compromises fixed...
Strategist said:
This phone should have the main GS6 feature along with:
a)waterproof with more robust design
b)removable battery
c) card slot
d) thicker (around 9mm) to accommodate 3000+ mAh battery
It would be an absolute killer phone which would make power users happy. Maybe not a huge market but almost certainly big enough to be profitable. At the same time there will be enough differentiation from the main model; those who want thin metal/glass design will pick the GS6, those who want features will pick the Active version.
My guess is Samsung will in fact do this in a few months. It's an obvious move.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This would be brilliant and at least show that Samsung hasn't lost all their senses.
Also I would love having the recent apps and back button physical again because the consecutive ones are too easy to press accidentally.
If I was Samsung, this is the last thing I would consider. Power users are niche market, maybe just 1-2% of the market.
So, I see no reason why Samsung will even consider this. At best they will make a water proof cover or a limited version which is water resistant. Nothing much more.
CLARiiON said:
If I was Samsung, this is the last thing I would consider. Power users are niche market, maybe just 1-2% of the market.
So, I see no reason why Samsung will even consider this. At best they will make a water proof cover or a limited version which is water resistant. Nothing much more.
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Click to collapse
oh shut it, what do you care if they decide to release another verion? so only 1% of people that buy a samsung phone uses the sd card? lol.
i know why.. you just dont want to have buyers remorse for being an early adopter when a new s6 comes out 3 months later that is water resistant with an sd card.
tft said:
oh shut it, what do you care if they decide to release another verion? so only 1% of people that buy a samsung phone uses the sd card? lol.
i know why.. you just dont want to have buyers remorse for being an early adopter when a new s6 comes out 3 months later that is water resistant with an sd card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. I currently use a Nexus. So, the expandable storage, removable battery, water proofing doesn't matter to me.
2. I never bought Samsung phone during initial launch, always wait for prices to stabilize.
Next time you assume something, just remind yourself not to do it.
I don't care whether Samsung releases it or not, because it doesn't matter to me. It makes no sense to release it from business perspective as niche market is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. If Apple can sell 75m without any such features, I am sure Samsung could also sell decent amount (not necessarily as much as Apple considering the brand pull of Apple).
CLARiiON said:
1. I currently use a Nexus. So, the expandable storage, removable battery, water proofing doesn't matter to me.
2. I never bought Samsung phone during initial launch, always wait for prices to stabilize.
Next time you assume something, just remind yourself not to do it.
I don't care whether Samsung releases it or not, because it doesn't matter to me. It makes no sense to release it from business perspective as niche market is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. If Apple can sell 75m without any such features, I am sure Samsung could also sell decent amount (not necessarily as much as Apple considering the brand pull of Apple).
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Click to collapse
Exactly. I would love for this to be real too, but it doesn't make any sense whatsoever.
CLARiiON said:
1. I currently use a Nexus. So, the expandable storage, removable battery, water proofing doesn't matter to me.
2. I never bought Samsung phone during initial launch, always wait for prices to stabilize.
Next time you assume something, just remind yourself not to do it.
I don't care whether Samsung releases it or not, because it doesn't matter to me. It makes no sense to release it from business perspective as niche market is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. If Apple can sell 75m without any such features, I am sure Samsung could also sell decent amount (not necessarily as much as Apple considering the brand pull of Apple).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Talking about assumptions....have you considered that Apple might sell even more if it had those features?
Also, your presumption that only "power-users" would buy those features is at best misguided. Most people who buy the so-called Active versions aren't power users, just...users who are into fitness, sports, the outdoors etc. Many in that group may not care about ALL the features but they care enough about some to seek out those models (or just buy regular flagships that have the least worst set of compromises e.g. Sony Xperias or the S5).
Samsung can and has outsold Apple. It isn't that difficult to do on a level playing field. Just ask Apple's lawyers why they keep launching stupid lawsuits when none of the technology these devices use originates with Apple.
Unfortunately, looking at the specs for the S4 Active & S5 Active reveals that they are prohibitively larger & heavier than the normal versions, at least for me. I don't use cases on my phones; I accept the risks in exchange for having lighter weight, easier handling, and quicker access to the internals. Looks like my hopes to get an up-to-date and seriously souped-up version of my aging S4 will not happen unless the Saygus V2 sees the light of day, or the G4/Z4 offers what I'm looking for. Any of those will probably be a step down in terms of screen quality to even the S4, but I'd rather sacrifice some screen performance for the important features I want.
hella356 said:
Unfortunately, looking at the specs for the S4 Active & S5 Active reveals that they are prohibitively larger & heavier than the normal versions, at least for me. I don't use cases on my phones; I accept the risks in exchange for having lighter weight, easier handling, and quicker access to the internals. Looks like my hopes to get an up-to-date and seriously souped-up version of my aging S4 will not happen unless the Saygus V2 sees the light of day, or the G4/Z4 offers what I'm looking for. Any of those will probably be a step down in terms of screen quality to even the S4, but I'd rather sacrifice some screen performance for the important features I want.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why then do you ignore the soon-to-be-much-cheaper Galaxy S5 (qualcomm models)?
Once the bloated touchwiz stock rom is replaced with a lighter AOSP rom, it should be fast enough to use for years.
MiyagiSan said:
Talking about assumptions....have you considered that Apple might sell even more if it had those features?
Also, your presumption that only "power-users" would buy those features is at best misguided. Most people who buy the so-called Active versions aren't power users, just...users who are into fitness, sports, the outdoors etc. Many in that group may not care about ALL the features but they care enough about some to seek out those models (or just buy regular flagships that have the least worst set of compromises e.g. Sony Xperias or the S5).
Samsung can and has outsold Apple. It isn't that difficult to do on a level playing field. Just ask Apple's lawyers why they keep launching stupid lawsuits when none of the technology these devices use originates with Apple.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should read what others type - I said niche, not power-users. The question is about priority.
S5 had removable battery, SD card, water resistant and yet Apple might have sold more iPhones in single quarter what S5 sold in whole year. I say might beacuse Samsung doesn't reveal break-up of individual models. It's safe to assume S5 sold less than S4 and subsequently less than iPhone.
So you would have to think what is people giving priority to? SD card, water resistant is definitely a plus point, no consumer will say that he won't get a device if it's water resistant. But it looks like these parameters are not "must" for many consumers. People are still buying iPhone even when these options are missing. This tells us that even though these things are welcome, they are not mandatory for consumers to make a purchase decision.
As for sales, Samsung's S-series never outsold iPhone by itself. They are the highest among Android phones, but not as many as iPhones. Samsung outsold Apple many times in total smartphones (low/mid range combined), not as a individual model. They are trying to get back in the groove, and that's easily understandable after the S5 sales performance.
MiyagiSan said:
Talking about assumptions....have you considered that Apple might sell even more if it had those features?
Also, your presumption that only "power-users" would buy those features is at best misguided. Most people who buy the so-called Active versions aren't power users, just...users who are into fitness, sports, the outdoors etc. Many in that group may not care about ALL the features but they care enough about some to seek out those models (or just buy regular flagships that have the least worst set of compromises e.g. Sony Xperias or the S5).
Samsung can and has outsold Apple. It isn't that difficult to do on a level playing field. Just ask Apple's lawyers why they keep launching stupid lawsuits when none of the technology these devices use originates with Apple.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know Samsung sells lots of different phones at different price points right?
CLARiiON said:
You should read what others type - I said niche, not power-users. The question is about priority.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You actually said (typed?!?) both:
Power users are niche market, maybe just 1-2% of the market.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The implication is clear. The speculative feature set of GS6 Active was only for power-users who were a niche market.
CLARiiON said:
S5 had removable battery, SD card, water resistant and yet Apple might have sold more iPhones in single quarter what S5 sold in whole year. I say might beacuse Samsung doesn't reveal break-up of individual models. It's safe to assume S5 sold less than S4 and subsequently less than iPhone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is equally plausible given you don't know the figures: Apple might have sold less iPhones in a single quarter than the S5 sold in a whole year.
It is disingenious of you to compare total sales of all Apple iPhone smartphone models to just one Samsung smartphone model.
Why is it safe to assume S5 sold less units than the S4?
CLARiiON said:
So you would have to think what is people giving priority to? SD card, water resistant is definitely a plus point, no consumer will say that he won't get a device if it's water resistant. But it looks like these parameters are not "must" for many consumers. People are still buying iPhone even when these options are missing. This tells us that even though these things are welcome, they are not mandatory for consumers to make a purchase decision.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You've just argued that some consumers are happy to buy a device without one or more of these features. We already knew that.
CLARiiON said:
As for sales, Samsung's S-series never outsold iPhone by itself. They are the highest among Android phones, but not as many as iPhones. Samsung outsold Apple many times in total smartphones (low/mid range combined), not as a individual model. They are trying to get back in the groove, and that's easily understandable after the S5 sales performance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I say might beacuse Samsung doesn't reveal break-up of individual models.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You've already admitted that you have no way of knowing if the Samsung S series ever outsold all iPhone models combined. So, why make this claim?
I repeat, why compare a single model when the whole market is the real target? Samsung Galaxy Note users are potential customers Apple lost to Samsung too. As are Galaxy Alpha users, Galaxy Grand...
---------- Post added at 07:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:53 PM ----------
joshm.1219 said:
You know Samsung sells lots of different phones at different price points right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes.
Why did you ask?
MiyagiSan said:
You actually said (typed?!?) both:
The implication is clear. The speculative feature set of GS6 Active was only for power-users who were a niche market.
This is equally plausible given you don't know the figures: Apple might have sold less iPhones in a single quarter than the S5 sold in a whole year.
It is disingenious of you to compare total sales of all Apple iPhone smartphone models to just one Samsung smartphone model.
Why is it safe to assume S5 sold less units than the S4?
You've just argued that some consumers are happy to buy a device without one or more of these features. We already knew that.
You've already admitted that you have no way of knowing if the Samsung S series ever outsold all iPhone models combined. So, why make this claim?
I repeat, why compare a single model when the whole market is the real target? Samsung Galaxy Note users are potential customers Apple lost to Samsung too. As are Galaxy Alpha users, Galaxy Grand...
---------- Post added at 07:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:53 PM ----------
Yes.
Why did you ask?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your post implies that the fact that Samsung has sold more phones than Apple in some past quarters validates the features of its flagship device vs an iPhone, when you're not comparing the sales of one model vs another but rather 1,000 models vs one.
I'm a definite Samsung fan, but I know the reality of the market, and the iPhone has wayyyy more sales than the S series.
So you can't try to use sales as a validation of features on your side of the argument.
MiyagiSan said:
Why then do you ignore the soon-to-be-much-cheaper Galaxy S5 (qualcomm models)?
Once the bloated touchwiz stock rom is replaced with a lighter AOSP rom, it should be fast enough to use for years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been holding out for the S6, assuming it would retain the features the S series had always had, because the S5 didn't represent enough of a step forward over the S4 to justify spending the money. In terms of screen, RAM, CPU, UFS, OIS, etc., the S6 is a much bigger jump over the S5 than the S5 over the S4. The only big improvement the S5 has over the S4 is water resistance, but this comes at a price of being larger & heavier than the S4 than it should be, considering it's only a 0.1" larger screen. However, if the G4, Z4, & Saygus V2 (which won't have WiFi calling, but might still be so good that I can suffer without it) don't pan out, I'd take the S5 over the S6, even at the same price. Now, if they do make an Active S6 with the extra hardware features, and it was comparable in size and weight to the S5, I'd pony up extra $ for the S6A without hesitation.
TMo is still charging $410 for the S4 & $530 for the S5, so it doesn't look like the S5 is going to be very cheap anytime soon. I am still too in need of TMo WiFi calling to use anything but a stock-based, custom TW ROM, but that's never actually been a problem for me - I've always preferred the TW ROMs to AOSP. Realistically, the S4 is still fast enough. Still yet to see if TMo offers WiFi calling on the S6, anyway.
joshm.1219 said:
Your post implies that the fact that Samsung has sold more phones than Apple in some past quarters validates the features of its flagship device vs an iPhone, when you're not comparing the sales of one model vs another but rather 1,000 models vs one.
I'm a definite Samsung fan, but I know the reality of the market, and the iPhone has wayyyy more sales than the S series.
So you can't try to use sales as a validation of features on your side of the argument.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My assertion that Samsung can and has sold more smartphones than Apple (which is a fact) was in response to this:
If Apple can sell 75m without any such features, I am sure Samsung could also sell decent amount (not necessarily as much as Apple considering the brand pull of Apple).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wasn't using sales to justify features of the flagship as you put it. Anyway.....is the Galaxy Note a flagship? What about the Galaxy Alpha?
I don't know the model-by-model breakdown of Samsung's sales and I suspect, neither do you. Nevertheless, popular consensus is that the combined sales of all iPhone models yearly may be higher than that for the Galaxy S series. It is speculation at best but....
CLARiiON said:
If I was Samsung, this is the last thing I would consider. Power users are niche market, maybe just 1-2% of the market.
So, I see no reason why Samsung will even consider this. At best they will make a water proof cover or a limited version which is water resistant. Nothing much more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even if that 1-2% number is true that that would be 10-20 million potential customers given the vast size of the smartphone market. And they would be buying a premium phone with high margins. That is potentially worth billions of dollars of profit and it would be pretty foolish for Samsung to leave it on the table.
And it's not as if there would be a vast overhead involved. The could re-use the GS5 Active design with a few modifications. Marketing costs would be minimal since it would be targeted to power users who follow tech news closely. Overall I think it's a fairly easy business call.
Now this is something I can support and hope to see happening.

Was going to upgrade to an S6 but now having second thoughts

Like the thread title says my upgrade is up and i was really excited when samsung revealed it (i watched the livestream even) and now that its a few weeks later im having second thoughts.. Its not what you think either.I am ok with no sdcard and im ok with my phone not being water proof (a silly reason not to buy a phone IMO) Obviously we have no real world reviews yet (most of the early reviews are on demo units and its been posted here they are not optimized like the retail units will be) so i take them with a grain of salt...
My actual thoughts are considering waiting a little bit to see what sony and motorola/lenovo bring to the table for 2015. I am hearing good things about the z4 and lots of crazy rumors about a moto x 2015 flagship or a droid turbo 2.. .. i have to admit i was in love with the moto x sadly not the battery life and i actually owned a droid turbo for a few days till i returned it and got my wife a note 4.. .. its not even the glass back (even though it seems like a poor design idea ) i case and screen protect my phone always ..
I guess overall samsung hasn't made me that excited to use my upgrade to the point im not willing to wait and see what sony and moto have up their sleeve... worse comes to worse the price will have dropped by may/june (most likely when we will know about all the 2015 flagships) It kinda makes me sad that im not all jazzed to buy an s6 this time around
To each his own. I'm eligible for an upgrade as well. Right now I'm still using my SGS3. Going to wait and see what the galaxy s6 Active has to offer. Will be one or the other though. In my opinion Samsung has always has the best phones out there period.
If you value an excellent camera in a phone then both Sony and Motorola are absolutely terrible in that regard (harsh on Sony a bit but, seriously, they deserve to be shot for not knowing how to properly use and optimize a big ass 1/2.3 sensor). I loved the Moto X and I love that it has stock android with a few nifty tricks but - believe it or not - the battery wasn't the main reason I didn't go for it - it was its god-awful excuse for a camera.
Part of my decision is already made because I'm stuck on Sprint - Xperia is it out as is the Droid. The G4 is going to be bigger than the G3, which I had passed on for being too big. Even so, only the Xperia has a shot at having as good a camera as the S6, and fingerprint scanner and wireless charging are huge differentiators for me. Plus, nothing down the pike is going to look as hot or distinctive as the S6 Edge. I've never take cared about looks before, but the S6 Edge fills me with lust.
I am on an s3 atm as well .. my phone should have a "decent" camera (meaning when i send pics to my wife on her note 4 or post them online they look good) my smartphone doesnt need to be a DSLR ( i have a nikon D5300 for the good stuff and a canon for trips etc ) honestly the droid turbo took really good shots it just doesnt have OIS (which would be nice) thyeres actually a thread in the turbo forum with lots of nice pics..
i guess my "dream" flagship phone would be like 5.2 in 2k display screen,decent camera, good battery (at least all day watching videos playing games browsing etc) without quick charging ,805-810 processor m(or equiv) 3-4 gigs of ram (new gen not old)
ATM the closest things (last gen) are the droid turbo and note 4.. so far this year we have had alot of letdowns (m9 gflex 2 etc) i figure worse comes to worse ill buy a turbo or note 4 if the flagships truly disappoint or the 810 overheating throttling issues continue
After all the drama about the M9 having worse display than the M8, overheating, and having worse battery life than the M8, you seriously want to consider the G4 and Z4, both of which will suffer from the same problems as the M9?
Are you crazy?
Hanson68 said:
Part of my decision is already made because I'm stuck on Sprint - Xperia is it out as is the Droid. .
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Click to collapse
same here.. honestly the only reason i keep buying samsung is because of Sprint. would have loved to get the Z3.
the folks running sprint are idiots for not trying to carry more phones.. then they wonder why they are in the last place when it comes to subscribers. i would of switched carriers long ago, but i am not willing to double the payment of my plan and it's just not worth switching solely to get a different brand phone, and overall i am satisfied with the coverage so i guess i'll keep eating samsung phones until the idiots at sprint finally grow some brains.
tft said:
same here.. honestly the only reason i keep buying samsung is because of Sprint. would have loved to get the Z3.
the folks running sprint are idiots for not trying to carry more phones.. then they wonder why they are in the last place when it comes to subscribers. i would of switched carriers long ago, but i am not willing to double the payment of my plan and it's just not worth switching solely to get a different brand phone, and overall i am satisfied with the coverage so i guess i'll keep eating samsung phones until the idiots at sprint finally grow some brains.
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Click to collapse
There is no other option but Samsung this year. Count your blessings.
I will definitely upgrade to S6. Moto is real good but camera is only average quality everytime, it never got top notch camera. I will also put an eye on upcoming Sony but they delayed the Z4/Z4c/Z4U to Sep(latest leaked info) that would be wait too long, still half year to go....
I will get S6 first and if Sony is real good this time, I may give Z4c a chance later. However, the IMX230 camera in Z4 probably will got better focus because of phase detection focus added but might be still lack of OIS. So, it is a 50/50. S6 focus may loss to Z4 but got OIS to deal with low-light and video stuffs.
Applesexual said:
After all the drama about the M9 having worse display than the M8, overheating, and having worse battery life than the M8, you seriously want to consider the G4 and Z4, both of which will suffer from the same problems as the M9?
Are you crazy?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well seeing as the z4 and motos offerings arent even out yet we dont know do we?? motos flagship will be out late august sept which is plenty of time to either have snapdragon fix their issues or for them to use a different chipset... so far with the z4 and moto all we have is internet speculation and conjecture... call me "crazy" but i prefer to wait until theres more concrete evidence
Hanson68 said:
Part of my decision is already made because I'm stuck on Sprint - Xperia is it out as is the Droid.
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Click to collapse
OT: Why do you say you are stuck on Sprint?.
I actually get okay customer service at Sprint. AT&T and Verizon are absolute a-holes and look to screwing you over any chance they get. TMo's voice is still awful.
Hanson68 said:
I actually get okay customer service at Sprint. AT&T and Verizon are absolute a-holes and look to screwing you over any chance they get. TMo's voice is still awful.
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Click to collapse
i never had a problem with sprint and generally have the same experience. the only thing i hate is lack of diversity of phones. i give sprint much credit as they are the only real company that actually built their entire network, and its greatly improved. att and vzw only became that big because they basically gobbled up a bunch of companies in the early 90s, they didnt build their network, the bells they took over did, anyway a bit OT..
furfmonkey said:
Like the thread title says my upgrade is up and i was really excited when samsung revealed it (i watched the livestream even) and now that its a few weeks later im having second thoughts.. Its not what you think either.I am ok with no sdcard and im ok with my phone not being water proof (a silly reason not to buy a phone IMO) Obviously we have no real world reviews yet (most of the early reviews are on demo units and its been posted here they are not optimized like the retail units will be) so i take them with a grain of salt...
My actual thoughts are considering waiting a little bit to see what sony and motorola/lenovo bring to the table for 2015. I am hearing good things about the z4 and lots of crazy rumors about a moto x 2015 flagship or a droid turbo 2.. .. i have to admit i was in love with the moto x sadly not the battery life and i actually owned a droid turbo for a few days till i returned it and got my wife a note 4.. .. its not even the glass back (even though it seems like a poor design idea ) i case and screen protect my phone always ..
I guess overall samsung hasn't made me that excited to use my upgrade to the point im not willing to wait and see what sony and moto have up their sleeve... worse comes to worse the price will have dropped by may/june (most likely when we will know about all the 2015 flagships) It kinda makes me sad that im not all jazzed to buy an s6 this time around
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Click to collapse
I am almost the same as you...i was 100% to get either s6 or s6 edge but now i am not that sure anymore and to be honest they are expensive especially the edge...the small battery is killing me...and then i also see my brothers Z3 (his first SONY phone and he said he will never have a samsung again) that have a 5h30min of SOT with 35% battery left and i am not that sure anymore...i might wait for Z4 but now the rumors have it it will be released in september and that is a little too long for me. The one phone i am also eagerly awaiting is ZTE NUBIA Z9 (march 26) especially if it will have very small bezels (i like the look of the small bezel phne) and now that i have a NUBIA Z7mini and i am very happy with it i might go for the NUBIA (i was curious to try chinese phone and that phone surprised me) ...the only think that i dont like in Z7mini is battery...and i also like the fact that there are not many of them in my country as for the samsung i think every 2nd person is gona have one...dont know what will happen till 10th of april
I was going to the the Z4, but Sony's mobile division is going down under and is unstable with all their job cuts and them deciding not to focus much on their mobile department. I'd rather be with a company that is more stable and will provide updates on time and be assured my phone can be warranted
Kind of the same.. I do want a S6 but I won't give up the battery life I get on my 6 Plus and go back to the days of worrying about battery life. I want to return to android but won't go backward in battery life. Had a Note 4 and that didn't match my Plus either. Z4 maybe?
furfmonkey said:
well seeing as the z4 and motos offerings arent even out yet we dont know do we?? motos flagship will be out late august sept which is plenty of time to either have snapdragon fix their issues or for them to use a different chipset... so far with the z4 and moto all we have is internet speculation and conjecture... call me "crazy" but i prefer to wait until theres more concrete evidence
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you prefer to wait 6 months for a phone, that is your option. Just remember....there will always be something "better" coming out in 6 months. Right now....and for the foreseeable future the s6 will be the best phone on the market.
das boot said:
If you prefer to wait 6 months for a phone, that is your option. Just remember....there will always be something "better" coming out in 6 months. Right now....and for the foreseeable future the s6 will be the best phone on the market.
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Click to collapse
honestly (purely in my own opinion) if i HAD to get a phone now , i would pick the Note 4 over the S6 my wife has it and once you get used to a larger screen (still smaller than a nexus 6) its a really nice phone sd card slot,arguably the best camera on a smartphone,and i enjoy the s pen post its and making stupid doodles on it from time to time.. and games and movies look amazing... and the battery lasts forever (i have watched 2-3 hrs of movies on my wifes, played graphics intensive games like deer hunter and dino hunter and browsed the web etc... ) at about 55% brightness with like 35-40% left at the end of the day.. so if Moto doesnt have anything good out or on the horizon by like june ill probably just get a note 4 or wait for a note 5 (if samsung doesnt mess it up)
While the droid turbo is a great phone, I'd avoid it like the plague. It's basically a verizon exclusive (will be released as the Droid Maxx 2, but not in the US), so any updates will be few and far between. Everyone who bought this phone initially was thinking "moto updates their phones quickly...this will be great!" But quickly realized it's the X,G, and E phones that were released globally that are getting the updates. The turbo is a niche device that verizon has basically already forgotten about.
I only consider purchasing flagship devices from any manufacturer, because I want device support. While I may buy year old flagships, they are still supported way more than niche and newly released mid-range devices.
But, based on what I've seen so far, the S6 is the device to beat this year.
furfmonkey said:
well seeing as the z4 and motos offerings arent even out yet we dont know do we?? motos flagship will be out late august sept which is plenty of time to either have snapdragon fix their issues or for them to use a different chipset... so far with the z4 and moto all we have is internet speculation and conjecture... call me "crazy" but i prefer to wait until theres more concrete evidence
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All the other flagships this year will use either the 810 or the 815, both of which are manufactured on the same process node technology and have the same exact reference ARM CPU cores.
The only difference is that the 815 will be using a newer GPU.
The 815 will still have the same problems as the 810.
If you want a non-Samsung flagship, I suggest you wait next year around this month and day, as that is when they'll be using the SnapDragon 820, with Qualcomm's own custom CPU cores.
Of course by then, Samsung will also have their custom Exynos CPU and GPU cores.
Next year is going to be REALLY interesting.

Next Phone for us on the 2 year upgrade cycle

Well, it's coming up on that time to think about our next phone. It seems that Samsung and Verizon is hell bent to keep us from flashing our phones. I've been looking around here and it seems that most of the developers have gone to Nexus and LG devices. From what I've seen so far I might go to the LG G4+ I recently heard rumor about.
What phones do you think is going to be popular among developers?
For sure, it isn't going to be the note 5, we all know why. The note 4 will still be with developers I'm guessing. The lg g4+ (lg g4 pro) is probably being announced at Berlin IFA and will be supported, look at the lg g4 devs.
The new nexus device will obviously be a powerhouse for a lot of people looking for an unlocked bootloader and stock vanilla android .
Anyways more devices might have support like the moto x series and sony's Xperia lines are good devices too compared to Samsung's insane pricing on their devices.
Definitely the new Nexus devices will be on the top of that list. I'm also looking @, for my use come Feb '16, a GSM G4 as well as the M9.
I'm interested in seeing what others have to say. This is what I want - removable battery, SD card slot, IR blaster, easy root and unlocked bootloader.
This is what I need - all of the above (or, if not a replaceable battery, then a battery case that allows on the fly recharging...)
I'm looking forward to Christmas and seeing what comes of it - that's the season (well, just prior to it) for all the new goodies...
What are others looking @?
I know I'm done with Samsung (iron fisted, whore mongers... No offense!) - they and Verizon have made it apparent who they believe owns my phone. Top it off with the lobotomized phones they now offer and they've gone from "smart" phone to "not-so-smart" phone...
I'm happy with my Note3 on Jasmine, but I don't see it getting an upgrade to Marshmallow. The note 5 is out of the question, I'd like a Note4(but the Verizon retail version doesn't appear to be rootable). I've got time, the Nexus on the Verizon site seems to be a bit light in the hardware side, the LG looks nice. Of course, there's always leaving Verizon, if I can convince the wife.
I just made the jump to TMO. I was afraid they'd not have the network I need here in Georgia, but they're comparable thus far to Big Red, with a greatly reduced cost structure and a heap more data for the $$$.
I was able to set my Note 3 (CDMA) up to work on TMO's GSM network and have awesome data speeds. It's a game changer - if I don't like them, I can move to AT&T and, when the time comes, root whatever I buy outright without the runaround that Verizon offers.
I thought about the Note 4 on TMO - it's an easy root but it's just not that much of an upgrade over the 3 and certainly not a $500+ upgrade. So, I'll stay put with the N3 and move to something else when this old daily driver don't drive no more... (That'll likely be Android "Zebra cake....")

prices are INSANE - I just bought a Nexus 5x

In Germany you have to pay 759€ for the version with 32GB.
Sorry Google but I just did something I thought I'd never do: buy a Nexus from last year instead buying the very best Google has to offer.
For 245€ I got a 32 GB Nexus 5x. A good upgrade form my 16GB Nexus 4 which I loved so much.
Sure, I get it: let's just price the Pixel nearly the same as an iPhone 7 but for a company that's doing 'its very own phone' (hello HTC) for the first time this price is just nuts.
I am so angry atm but I really want to hear your opinion on pricing. Except daydream VR this phone has simply nothing that stands out from the competition and now please don't come with the 'best camera in any smartphone'. I have waited for a big nexus upgrade for years now and I can't believe that this is ruined by a price that's beyond good and evil. I kinda waited the whole time for 'one more thing'.....the pixel will support Andromeda via USB type C in the future or something similar but no.
BIG DISAPPOINTMENT.
Very happy that I got a Nexus 5x now so cheap!
I totally agree. I've been waiting for an upgrade to the Nexus 5 for years and Google have blown it with this crazy price. :crying:
I bet the pixel won't even run as well as the Nexus 5 in the good old days of kit kat and for double the price. WTF, Google. Apart from doze, it's all been down hill since kit kat.
Masteryates said:
I totally agree. I've been waiting for an upgrade to the Nexus 5 for years and Google have blown it with this crazy price. :crying:
I bet the pixel won't even run as well as the Nexus 5 in the good old days of kit kat and for double the price. WTF, Google. Apart from doze, it's all been down hill since kit kat.
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Click to collapse
You'll love the 5X if you are coming from the Nexus 5 (Specially because of the Fingerprint sensor). But I must confess the only cons is the RAM. Nexus 5 have much more free ram because it's android x86. The 5X consumes much more ram and, hence, it redraws more apps.
Also, the hi frequency of the cores in the N5 sometimes gives a good boost of performance, but that's more personal, and I still prefer 5X's SoC, because the 5's SoC used to thermal throttle and decrease performance often in summer.
thesebastian said:
You'll love the 5X if you are coming from the Nexus 5 (Specially because of the Fingerprint sensor). But I must confess the only cons is the RAM. Nexus 5 have much more free ram because it's android x86. The 5X consumes much more ram and, hence, it redraws more apps.
Also, the hi frequency of the cores in the N5 sometimes gives a good boost of performance, but that's more personal, and I still prefer 5X's SoC, because the 5's SoC used to thermal throttle and decrease performance often in summer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was burnt by the low ram on the Nexus 9 so I'm giving the 5x a miss. It will be the one plus 3 or a Nexus 6p if I see one at the right price. Thanks for the suggestion seb. :highfive:
thesebastian said:
You'll love the 5X if you are coming from the Nexus 5 (Specially because of the Fingerprint sensor). But I must confess the only cons is the RAM. Nexus 5 have much more free ram because it's android x86. The 5X consumes much more ram and, hence, it redraws more apps.
Also, the hi frequency of the cores in the N5 sometimes gives a good boost of performance, but that's more personal, and I still prefer 5X's SoC, because the 5's SoC used to thermal throttle and decrease performance often in summer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
N5 is not x86 its arm.
tohtorin said:
N5 is not x86 its arm.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You re right I tend to confuse x86 with 32-bit. I'd meant 32-bit
Sent from my Nexus 5X
Here in Germany it starts at 759,00 € or $851.37.
I think it would be cheaper to buy it in the US and pay the taxes.
Bummer that the pixel is so expensive. On the other hand though, Google allows you to finance the phone so I MAY do that. $649 up front is too much, but $27/month is fine.
I'm very interested in the new google assistant because I use google now a lot. Also, I use google photos as well so the free unlimited storage is very enticing.
id3alistic said:
Bummer that the pixel is so expensive. On the other hand though, Google allows you to finance the phone so I MAY do that. $649 up front is too much, but $27/month is fine.
I'm very interested in the new google assistant because I use google now a lot. Also, I use google photos as well so the free unlimited storage is very enticing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't look like you can do the financing option in the UK yet.
For anyone in a location in which the financing option is available is it possible to upgrade after a year? One nice thing about the Apple upgrade program is that even though it is a 2 year agreement you can upgrade every year provided you return your old phone in good condition which shouldn't be too hard as it includes accidental damage cover.
Obviously if you only upgrade your phone once every 2 years either would be fine, but I'm a bit worried Google will actually work out twice as expensive as owning an Apple device if you upgrade each year...
$$$ no way Jose
Bought the wife a 5x on sale 6 weeks ago for $199 shipped (new)
I've had a nexus 5 since release in 2013.
Was chomping at the bit for the new Google phone.
Was hoping no more than $499, nope.
So bought a moto g4 plus yesterday for $249.
Only 2 gigs ram and 16 gig storage but has an sd card slot.
Much better looking display than the 5x. 3000 mah battery.
Unless you need a lot of ram for gaming or whatever the moto is a good choice.
Azarin said:
It doesn't look like you can do the financing option in the UK yet.
For anyone in a location in which the financing option is available is it possible to upgrade after a year? One nice thing about the Apple upgrade program is that even though it is a 2 year agreement you can upgrade every year provided you return your old phone in good condition which shouldn't be too hard as it includes accidental damage cover.
Obviously if you only upgrade your phone once every 2 years either would be fine, but I'm a bit worried Google will actually work out twice as expensive as owning an Apple device if you upgrade each year...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My EXACT thoughts, as well. I recently made the switch away from Android for the first time to see what all the fuss was about with the iPhone 7. So far, I must admit that I am very pleased with the phone. Especially with how seamless it is with my Mac. But I was still anticipating the Pixel launch to see what Google had to offer. The phone itself looks great. But what you mentioned above is the big thing preventing me from returning the iPhone and getting the Pixel phone. With the iPhone, I'm locked in for two years but when the new one comes out next year I just take this one into the Apple store and walk out with the new one. It's a really great concept.
I'm afraid you are right about Google. I imagine if they were going to have an upgrade program, they would have announced it when discussing pricing to help justify the extremely high price point. Without that and with the resale value of these phones being about 50% 12 months after purchasing (based off what I've seen from the recent Nexus phones), the total cost to upgrade to the new Google phone every year just skyrocketed compared to what it used to be with the sub $450 nexus phones.
Because of this I'm having a very hard time trying to justify picking one up. Which is sad considering this will now be the first Nexus (i know... "Pixel") I haven't purchased after initial release.
EDIT: After wasting my afternoon reading tons of articles about the phone and watching the first few "hands on" videos, I decided to bite the bullet and purchase the 5" Pixel (Black, 128GB version). I have 3 more days to return my iPhone 7 for a full refund so it was either do it now or face the possibility of regret and be stuck with this $850 iPhone.
I still think the Pixel is overpriced but it does look to be an extremely solid phone. And I opted for the 128GB version to give myself a little future proofing. I'm planning on holding onto the Pixel for 2 years this time around, rather than making a quick phone jump again next year. This mindset helped me justify the price. Hopefully I can stick to that plan.
The pixel is so average, it has nothing my £300 OnePlus 3 doesn't have. Google's phone is overpriced and about as naff as their new bull**** chat app, Allo. Not impressed. Sub par. And those prices? Google has shot right up the ranks of overpriced **** to join Apple and Samsung. Ludicrous.
another thing I want to mention: Google spoke all the time about how Hardware and Software works together in this phone, especially with the Google assistant but hell, we all know that the assistant has nothing to do with hardware. It's just Android 7.1 and exclusivnes. Plus most of the talked about 'features' were just apps you can get in the playstore.
Another thing: if I buy an iPhone for the same price, I kind of know that I can sell it after like 11month for about 75% of the original price. NOT so with the pixel plus Apple provides the longest software updates. Just remember how freacking long the iPhone 4 was supported..!!
I am happy if my upcoming 5x would get fully featured Android 8. Even now when Android 7.1 seems ready they said that first betas can be expected by the end of the year..??!
I'd suggest the honor 8 if you want a one handed phone that's cheap and great quality
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
trsix said:
Bought the wife a 5x on sale 6 weeks ago for $199 shipped (new)
I've had a nexus 5 since release in 2013.
Was chomping at the bit for the new Google phone.
Was hoping no more than $499, nope.
So bought a moto g4 plus yesterday for $249.
Only 2 gigs ram and 16 gig storage but has an sd card slot.
Much better looking display than the 5x. 3000 mah battery.
Unless you need a lot of ram for gaming or whatever the moto is a good choice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me too, bought the Moto G4 Plus for 266 euro`s a week ago and its working perfect for me and has a front firing speaker. I`am never paying more then 400 euro`s tops for a phone again
Everyone moans about the price. No shet its expensive. Its got the latest and greatest hardware in
Same in computing, same in cars
I hate apple with a passion but they do make well put together phones. If this is anything like that of be happy to shell out
Hardly any android phones feel premium. Only one that comes close is the s7edge but that's just because of the screen (which is pretty pointless)
Jesus Christ
Even if you compared stuff like ram I guarantee the ram in the pixel is faster than anything else out all for about a month lol
rosswaa said:
Everyone moans about the price. No shet its expensive. Its got the latest and greatest hardware in
Same in computing, same in cars
I hate apple with a passion but they do make well put together phones. If this is anything like that of be happy to shell out
Hardly any android phones feel premium. Only one that comes close is the s7edge but that's just because of the screen (which is pretty pointless)
Jesus Christ
Even if you compared stuff like ram I guarantee the ram in the pixel is faster than anything else out all for about a month lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nexus was never about premium feel. It was nexus just like an iphone is iphone. It was for people who wanted more from their device, who liked to tinker it, play with it. In short having a nexus meant you own your device and at affordable price.
Now with newer, pricier and premium pixel, they may hit new customers who like premium devices, people who change phones faster than seasons change, but they lost their fan base, tinkerers, developers. Most of them are students, young part time workers.
I feel pixel is just an iphone made by google and i m hugely disappointed. It may offer a great experience for user but as an android enthusiast, I don't see it's worth of that much money.
I was really interested in replacing my Honor 6 within the next months, but honestly, with those prices, I think I'll either stick with it, or go buying the Honor 8....
Sorry Google, but this is just too overpriced to be a *good* phone.
Any recommendations for 5" pixel substitute? I need something unlocked but can't don't want to carry anything larger than 5.
Sent from my Moto X using Tapatalk
CplBasti said:
Sorry Google, but this is just too overpriced to be a *good* phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This sentence doesn't make any sense. The price has nothing to do with whether or not it is a "good" phone.
Quite frankly, the more I think about it, the more comfortable I am with the increased pricing. Over the years the Nexus sections of XDA have become overly saturated with kids whose parents bought their ~$350 phones for them and then they flood the Nexus sub-forums expecting to be spoon-fed everything without trying to learn things themselves from the plethora of guides and helpful posts readily available to them. All while refusing to contribute anything worthwhile to the community. It's gotten so bad that spending time in the Nexus forums has me wondering why I even bother anymore. Many developers have expressed the same feelings.
I'm really hoping the increased pricing of the Pixel phones will help keep the kids away and allow the Pixel forums to remain clean and full of people who actually like to contribute. Similar to how it was back in the early Nexus days.

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