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I have a Note 3 AND an iPhone 5. I've been using an iPhone since the first one was released. When I purchased the Note 3 a little over 2 weeks ago I regarded it as somewhat of an experiment. As a result my iPhone 5 was placed safely in a drawer. 2+ weeks on I still find myself taking the iPhone out to play around with it and asking myself which phone I want to stick with. I still don't have an answer.
Random thoughts after owning the Note 3 for 2+ weeks and the iPhone 5 for a year:
1. The iPhone 5 is undeniably slicker. Everything feels so much more like it is working in harmony and I rarely if ever experience any system slowdowns or crashes. Since using the Note 3 I've experienced crashes with a few apps.
2. The iPhone 5 is also undeniably easier to get in and out of just about any pocket. Sometimes when I take the Note 3 out I have to be conscious of which pants I put on as some pockets just aren't deep enough.
3. The accessory situation with the Note 3 is absolutely putrid! I've scoured my town and found so little it's shocking. Contrasting that with the iPhone 5 is absolutely a joke, there are accessories EVERYWHERE for the iPhone 5.
4. The build quality of the iPhone is sublime. It looks and feels like a fine piece of jewelery. The Note 3 is merely ok. The "chrome" band that wraps around the phone is of embarrassing quality when scrutinized. It looks ok from a distance but look at it closely and it's just not a smoothly finished piece of material. The home button on mine and every other one I have tried is loose. It works ok but I am constantly adjusting it to sit level. These issues do not portray what a $700 device should.
5. I was literally shocked when I took my iPhone out of its safe drawer storage location and a notification came in. It sounded so loud and crisp. In comparison the Note 3 speaker is so underwhelming. I can't understand who decided this was a good decision. My Galaxy Tab 1 speakers (admittedly 2 speakers in stereo) sound infinitely better and at least from the outside looking at them are basically the same size each. Couldn't they use 1 of these in the Note 3 for a dramatically improved sound experience? Money certainly can't be the reason on a flagship phone, bad mistake Samsung. I would have paid $705 instead of the $703 I did to get a decent speaker.
6. On the bright side the Note 3 screen is EPIC. Not only in size but in quality. I'm not stunned when I go back to the iPhone 5 that its screen is poor, hardly. But the size difference is impossible to ignore.
7. How can you ignore the Apple ecosystem? For every app I've tried on the Note 3, the iPhone version was better. It's hard to put a finger on why, but that is my perception.
8. IMO the Note 3 is a great device but it feels very thrown together from so many often unrelated parts. It's like a car made up of Porsche, Lexus, Audi, and Mercedes parts, and none of the companies ever talked to each other. The iPhone is exactly the opposite, it feels like a tightly integrated machine. Like a Lamborghini, period.
With all of this said, the Note 3 is outstanding and I can't imagine ever going back to a smaller device.
so your basically saying every negative thing about the note and praising the iphone 5 i would be suprised if this place doesn't turn into a flaming centre and you are saying that you still like it ?? it's like saying my wife is a ***** but i still love her
Blackwolf10 said:
so your basically saying every negative thing about the note and praising the iphone 5 i would be suprised if this place doesn't turn into a flaming centre and you are saying that you still like it ?? it's like saying my wife is a ***** but i still love her
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Yes I still like it, very much in fact. I'm just giving the perspective of someone who owns both. Yes I did point out every negative I have personally observed with the Note 3. But all of these negatives combined don't change the fact that the Note 3 is a terrific device. BTW I'm sorry your wife is a *****. :laugh:
You should consider getting iPhone 5s instead. It's clearly the better device for your needs.
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To OP..clearly u are not belong here..anyway enjoy ur iphn 5..or just upgrade it to iphn 5s..
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This is the problem with Samsung. Its a cheap asian knock off company and their quality is typically asian. Samsung phones are franken phones made up of what ever pieces they can find. They are not put together with care or thought. If it fits it will go in.... Apple designs their phones which is why it takes 24 months for a new design.
If Apple launched a 5 inch iphone id likely go back to Apple. I used to use all the android features and freedom but now i cant be bothered.
To be honest im getting tired of the Android ecosystem of manufacturers. Only Apple and Nokia know how to make a quality made device. Samsung have no idea, Their S3 was ugly and their nature theme was a puke inducing typical asian idea that the west just doesnt get. Now these whole notebook theme is another typical korean theme that they think is "cool" The problem is that Korea and China and the rest of Asia have no idea what "Cool" is or even what good design is.
Clearly an iphone lover looking to start up a flaming thread....
This is the problem with Samsung. Its a cheap asian knock off company and their quality is typically asian. Samsung phones are franken phones made up of what ever pieces they can find. They are not put together with care or thought. If it fits it will go in.... Apple designs their phones which is why it takes 24 months for a new design.
If Apple launched a 5 inch iphone id likely go back to Apple. I used to use all the android features and freedom but now i cant be bothered.
To be honest im getting tired of the Android ecosystem of manufacturers. Only Apple and Nokia know how to make a quality made device. Samsung have no idea, Their S3 was ugly and their nature theme was a puke inducing typical asian idea that the west just doesnt get. Now these whole notebook theme is another typical korean theme that they think is "cool" The problem is that Korea and China and the rest of Asia have no idea what "Cool" is or even what good design is. This is why they cant get enough of European brands and western luxury items.
Samsung have never made a cool phone ever. Never will either..
It's obvious that you purchased a device that you don't need . I don't think that a device sound be made of expensive materials here in Europe I can buy an original samsung back cover for my note 3 spending $3 I also can replace it's broken screen for 150$ try to do that with an iPhone so if can suggest something ...next time you gonna a buy a device just value your needs
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irzero said:
This is the problem with Samsung. Its a cheap asian knock off company and their quality is typically asian. Samsung phones are franken phones made up of what ever pieces they can find. They are not put together with care or thought. If it fits it will go in.... Apple designs their phones which is why it takes 24 months for a new design.
If Apple launched a 5 inch iphone id likely go back to Apple. I used to use all the android features and freedom but now i cant be bothered.
To be honest im getting tired of the Android ecosystem of manufacturers. Only Apple and Nokia know how to make a quality made device. Samsung have no idea, Their S3 was ugly and their nature theme was a puke inducing typical asian idea that the west just doesnt get. Now these whole notebook theme is another typical korean theme that they think is "cool" The problem is that Korea and China and the rest of Asia have no idea what "Cool" is or even what good design is.
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Maybe you should take a look at the HTC One mate. Best designed phone around I reckon. Truly beautiful.
As for the rest, stick with 5 or 5s. Both great phones and seemingly fit your needs better. Alternately I'd highly recommend the highly acclaimed HTC One if you want a bigger screen than Iphone but want a gorgeous aluninium device rather than the cheaper plastic design of Samsung.
And to all the anti-metal lot... no, not every plastic phone feels cheap. (5c and HTC One X, etc) Samsung are just lax and can't be bothered with design.
I'm 100% with you, iPhone is the best. Android is just another Symbian and/or Java. I buy android phones for 2 reasons, first for the big display and second to test the apps for free before I buy them for my iDevices. I gotta tell you though this is the first time I used a Samsung device and the display is awesome
fade2black101 said:
Maybe you should take a look at the HTC One mate. Best designed phone around I reckon. Truly beautiful.
As for the rest, stick with 5 or 5s. Both great phones and seemingly fit your needs better. Alternately I'd highly recommend the highly acclaimed HTC One if you want a bigger screen than Iphone but want a gorgeous aluninium device rather than the cheaper plastic design of Samsung.
And no, not every plastic phone feels cheap. (5c and HTC One X, etc)
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The HTC one is a nightmare. My friend had 5. The build issues are huge. Its a very nice phone and maybe next year if they make a follow up just as good as the one then i might jump. As long as they fix the dead pixels and poorly stuck down aluminium pieces. Slow charging and short battery life.
The Note 3 will have to do till next year. Im hoping things get better next year. Specs are now high enough for me not to care.. i want quality design and build now.
docprego said:
1. The iPhone 5 is undeniably slicker. Everything feels so much more like it is working in harmony and I rarely if ever experience any system slowdowns or crashes. Since using the Note 3 I've experienced crashes with a few apps. Mac OS X runs lovely on a Mac, but you can still do more on a traditional PC, you can take full advantage of the entire provided hardware on the PC rather than on a Mac (overclocking, hotswapping of mods, hardware upgrades).
2. The iPhone 5 is also undeniably easier to get in and out of just about any pocket. Sometimes when I take the Note 3 out I have to be conscious of which pants I put on as some pockets just aren't deep enough. They are two different types of devices, one is a PHABLET, one is a PHONE.
3. The accessory situation with the Note 3 is absolutely putrid! I've scoured my town and found so little it's shocking. Contrasting that with the iPhone 5 is absolutely a joke, there are accessories EVERYWHERE for the iPhone 5. The Note 3 just came out, give it some time. Also the iPhone community is much bigger than the Note 3 community, because the iPhone has a tiny screen and most of the population have small hands and can't take the Note's big screen.
4. The build quality of the iPhone is sublime. It looks and feels like a fine piece of jewelery. The Note 3 is merely ok. The "chrome" band that wraps around the phone is of embarrassing quality when scrutinized. It looks ok from a distance but look at it closely and it's just not a smoothly finished piece of material. The home button on mine and every other one I have tried is loose. It works ok but I am constantly adjusting it to sit level. These issues do not portray what a $700 device should. An iPhone is so girly, in the sense that they live the life of a girl, they would sacrifice everything just to look good. What does the iPhone 5 have? 3GB RAM? Eight-cores/S800 Quad? S-Pen? Big screen? Big battery? LOL should I even continue? The Note 3 is already so good, and packs all this hardware into such a thin form factor.
5. I was literally shocked when I took my iPhone out of its safe drawer storage location and a notification came in. It sounded so loud and crisp. In comparison the Note 3 speaker is so underwhelming. I can't understand who decided this was a good decision. My Galaxy Tab 1 speakers (admittedly 2 speakers in stereo) sound infinitely better and at least from the outside looking at them are basically the same size each. Couldn't they use 1 of these in the Note 3 for a dramatically improved sound experience? Money certainly can't be the reason on a flagship phone, bad mistake Samsung. I would have paid $705 instead of the $703 I did to get a decent speaker. Well Samsung is notorious for speaker complaints, you don't really choose LG for waterproof devices, or Sony for the Nexus line, you know the rep of the phone you're buying, you're in for the problems. If you want a good phone with good speakers, try the HTC One with Beats (last model of phones to release with Beats on HTC).
6. On the bright side the Note 3 screen is EPIC. Not only in size but in quality. I'm not stunned when I go back to the iPhone 5 that its screen is poor, hardly. But the size difference is impossible to ignore. Both different kind of devices, screen size shouldn't matter, you can't compare an iPod Nano to an iPod touch, clearly there is no winner.
7. How can you ignore the Apple ecosystem? For every app I've tried on the Note 3, the iPhone version was better. It's hard to put a finger on why, but that is my perception. The App Store has been here and fully controlled by Apple ever since the 2.0 days. It obviously controls every aspect of every app, which limits developers to what Apple wants them to do. On Android, they could have been made by kids, grandmas or your mom, there's more freedom, but you can't complain because Google encourages more "free" apps to be developed to take advantage of the hardware.
8. IMO the Note 3 is a great device but it feels very thrown together from so many often unrelated parts. It's like a car made up of Porsche, Lexus, Audi, and Mercedes parts, and none of the companies ever talked to each other. The iPhone is exactly the opposite, it feels like a tightly integrated machine. Like a Lamborghini, period. An iPhone is like a Macbook, all software built for it's hardware. But an iPhone is so simple, and 'jailed' in a non-sandbox environment/containers that cannot essentially interact with each other nicely. What you get from an iPhone is if you want things to work, stay with the iPhone, you don't get more options than an Android, instead, you are running Touchwiz Home on Easy mode....more integrated machine? Well, as I said, Apple makes the software and hardware. Samsung, skins the original software from Google, creates the hardware, and also develops the drivers for each individual machine. This is why people mod cars, you can buy a closed system like Lamborghini or Porsche, keeping all their stock values and everything, limited from doing anything 'special'. One Android, you can essentially run Samsung/HTC/LG/Motorola specific apps on one device, and you can overclock it to make it faster too. You can't upgrade the graphics card in an iMac, but you can on a PC - means that when a new game comes out, the Android runs it better on a newer device by a different company the next week, rather than limiting down THE GAME to be able to run smoothly on an iPhone. People who think iPhone's are better, they're alright, because they DO NOT LIKE CHANGE, and they do not like to **** up or experiment hands on (no offence but it's true), and jailbreaking is just getting a skin + addons onto the device. On Android, you can run different platforms of OS'es, like Windows 95 (natively in VM) or Ubuntu 13 (as a complete OS install).
With all of this said, the Note 3 is outstanding and I can't imagine ever going back to a smaller device.
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Just my two cents. Not here to flame the Apple-loving crowd roaming around an open source OS development website.
I used an iPhone for 2 weeks last month, I didn't notice this "Apple ecosystem" people are so much talking about. LOL even Play Store is way better than Apple's App Store. Also, of course iPhone accessories will be everywhere because they make so much money from Apple users. When I went to buy a Note 3 they didn't even ask me if I wanted extended warranty or not, somebody was buying an iPhone right beside me and I couldn't believe how they sold extended warranty(not Apple Care), screen protector and a case. If somebody is buying an iPhone, they're probably very naive, so upselling is very easy lol On iOS you have to wait for those annoying animations to finish before the screen recognises your finger. If this is what you call "smooth/fast" no thank you I'm happy with my "laggy" Android
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Dreadful thread tbh
In regards to the HTC One, the earlier models may have had issues but from what I've seen the newer ones are fine.
---------- Post added at 12:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:49 PM ----------
Also, someone who can see the benefits of both OS is not an "Apple fan"
I don't own any Apple products and I was using a more productive but horribly laggy windows mobile back when smartphones were not common. By the time the iphone came out you could see that it was aimed at the more casual market and it has since inproved significantly but Android will always be the one for tweaking and customizing. There was no denying though that even from day 1, iPhone was much smoother and a better user experience in comparison to windows mobile.
Some people couldn't care less about that though, and people shouldn't get so defensive if someone wants to compare this phone with the iPhone 5. I don't have a Note 3 and I'm still on 2, and I read this part of the forum for general feedback.
Some people need to get a life and realise its only a phone. People will have different needs! If you really can't bear to see a thread like this and feel is MUST be locked down, then you really need to reevaluate your lives.
fade2black101 said:
Also, someone who can see the benefits of both OS is not an "Apple fan"
I don't own any Apple products and I was using a more productive but horribly laggy windows mobile back when smartphones were not common. By the time the iphone came out you could see that it was aimed at the more casual market and it has since inproved significantly but Android will always be the one for tweaking and customizing. There was no denying though that even from day 1, iPhone was much smoother and a better user experience in comparison to windows mobile.
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Were you aiming this at me, calling him an Apple fan?
Well...I never said the word 'fan', but he has a Note 3 and an iPhone, but he's more towards an iPhone, as they are more...an 'iPhone person'.
Back in the day, Apple was the new thing, cool, fast and everything. But that is in the past. Imagine running Symbian on loads of devices today, I'd go no phone forever. Windows Mobile 6.5 and below....were so slow.....so Apple fixed that, but now Android adds upon what Apple does, and Samsung builds on Google, but since Samsung's shares are increasing, Apple sues Samsung for all they got, instead of innovating as what Steve Jobs and past partners would have done.
The OP has a point.
people are missing the big picture.
this is not the tipical apple /android flame thread , because this are not tipical times . The tides are changing
.
the apple fans are here admitting the virtues off iphone but recognizing that note 3 is superior.
that post about asians suck at aesthetics .. oh man is so true! Note 3 wins .. but what is going on with the aesthetics? Its just screen basically. . Hard to miss .. and sometimes they do ( n 2 / s3 phones ugly as sin )
And android with TW is truly bad ! Thats why modding is good and we like . Those ex-apple-fanboys-still-think-they-are , probably run all stock.
Never owned an iphone , to me an iphone since day one, is a girl thing.
irzero said:
This is the problem with Samsung. Its a cheap asian knock off company and their quality is typically asian. Samsung phones are franken phones made up of what ever pieces they can find. They are not put together with care or thought. If it fits it will go in.... Apple designs their phones which is why it takes 24 months for a new design.
If Apple launched a 5 inch iphone id likely go back to Apple. I used to use all the android features and freedom but now i cant be bothered.
To be honest im getting tired of the Android ecosystem of manufacturers. Only Apple and Nokia know how to make a quality made device. Samsung have no idea, Their S3 was ugly and their nature theme was a puke inducing typical asian idea that the west just doesnt get. Now these whole notebook theme is another typical korean theme that they think is "cool" The problem is that Korea and China and the rest of Asia have no idea what "Cool" is or even what good design is. This is why they cant get enough of European brands and western luxury items.
Samsung have never made a cool phone ever. Never will either..
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Here, watch this video.
http://youtu.be/WxmD2xPBJ2w
You're welcome.
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As of now there I have not seen any smartphone with major changes to say "It is the most awesome phone." Samsung brings gimmicks, which they are cool, but not completely useful. Sony and other companies, improve the screen and components, but nothing else. Smartphones is the current fab, but will it die soon? Just wonder what people think.
Pointless
raul4916 said:
As of now there I have not seen any smartphone with major changes to say "It is the most awesome phone." Samsung brings gimmicks, which they are cool, but not completely useful. Sony and other companies, improve the screen and components, but nothing else. Smartphones is the current fab, but will it die soon? Just wonder what people think.
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Some of the features of new phones are kinda pointless and alot of people wont use them, they are just selling points.
No, not yet.
i think for a while standard things will be improved , 2 year down the line i think there will be new innovations. thats my guess anyway
Honestly, the last innovation I can think of that hasn't been done already for Android devices is utilizing the 64-bit instruction set. Almost everything else has been done...
I think the things Nokia did with the cameras have been great innovations. I think the Lumia 1020 was really innovative.
I think a lot of people have mixed up the meaning of "innovation" with "upgrade" or "improve".
I think that smartphone companies are doing a lot of research into innovating, for example this year we have already seen the heartbeat sensor (S5), fingerprint scanners (old technology but still visible in newer releases) and there's a lot of features that Samsung have brought to the market like their AI elements such as face detection, Beam and also hardware features that we've seen in Note 3. The Nexus 6 is also rumoured to have the x64 architecture which will open up new possibilities to development. I think people only focus on hardware when it comes to innovation, but there's A LOT of software side aspects that contribute. For example I'd say that the Xposed Framework is very innovative as it gave a chance for developers to "pick 'n mix" features to include in other various types of ROMS.
I think that innovation is slowly happening, of course Samsung have their gimmicks on every release but overall those gimmicks contribute to their research on what else the consumer wants/needs.
It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that at any given time there's no room for more innovation in a particular field. It might seem like that now, but technology will always evolve
raul4916 said:
As of now there I have not seen any smartphone with major changes to say "It is the most awesome phone." Samsung brings gimmicks, which they are cool, but not completely useful. Sony and other companies, improve the screen and components, but nothing else. Smartphones is the current fab, but will it die soon? Just wonder what people think.
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will never stop
raul4916 said:
As of now there I have not seen any smartphone with major changes to say "It is the most awesome phone." Samsung brings gimmicks, which they are cool, but not completely useful. Sony and other companies, improve the screen and components, but nothing else. Smartphones is the current fab, but will it die soon? Just wonder what people think.
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Click to collapse
Smartphones have improved so much and so fast these past few years that we have now come to expect ground breaking new tech every year.
I would say the HTC one did that last year with its built and it's speakers. The note 2 and 3 with the S pen features.
But what would you consider as a major change? Personally it depends on each company. For example if Samsung were to drastically improve its build quality it would be a major change.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
Redrail said:
I think a lot of people have mixed up the meaning of "innovation" with "upgrade" or "improve".
I think that smartphone companies are doing a lot of research into innovating, for example this year we have already seen the heartbeat sensor (S5), fingerprint scanners (old technology but still visible in newer releases) and there's a lot of features that Samsung have brought to the market like their AI elements such as face detection, Beam and also hardware features that we've seen in Note 3. The Nexus 6 is also rumoured to have the x64 architecture which will open up new possibilities to development. I think people only focus on hardware when it comes to innovation, but there's A LOT of software side aspects that contribute. For example I'd say that the Xposed Framework is very innovative as it gave a chance for developers to "pick 'n mix" features to include in other various types of ROMS.
I think that innovation is slowly happening, of course Samsung have their gimmicks on every release but overall those gimmicks contribute to their research on what else the consumer wants/needs.
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It is true. The hardware to me is considered "upgrade." That is what I am seeing happening on most phones.
It is fun to see what people see as innovation.
Xposed was the thing I liked the most on rooting (Which is awesome. You choose whatever you want on your Rom!)
barondebxl said:
Smartphones have improved so much and so fast these past few years that we have now come to expect ground breaking new tech every year.
I would say the HTC one did that last year with its built and it's speakers. The note 2 and 3 with the S pen features.
But what would you consider as a major change? Personally it depends on each company. For example if Samsung were to drastically improve its build quality it would be a major change.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
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By Major change is improvement on software towards productivity(that is what makes me love android). As I mentioned Gimmicks are fun for the first couple of days. I dont find them useful for productivity later. I have a Galaxy S4, I cannot stand the lag with the TW, this is due to so many gimmicks they placed. Thankfully I have it rooted and LOKI bootloader with vanilla AOSP rom. What I see as an innovation is adapting the size of phones to the software. I cannot reach the top only using one hand, most can't. They need a way to solve that problem(not complaining about big screens. Unfortunately, there is a tradeoff for everything).
But something I hate that companies are doing, is restricting rooting and unlocking bootloader.
If they take that privilege out of our power, they need to take the step and fix the reason most people root and unlock. Customization. Everyone sees productivity differently. That is why they need to give the option for people to adapt to their needs and not just leave it open to the majority.
The x64 architecture should be interesting to see on newer phones.
I liked the way they designed 4.4. It runs the system much smoother.
I bought Vivo Nex S Global last week but i was abit scared between Oneplus6T and this, since activity of XDA is booming on Oneplus. Decided against it because i don't like notchs and if i bought it it was going to eat me from inside when looking at the phone.
My Nex S is going to arrive 2 weeks from now but when i purchase a phone i usually come to XDA to see if people are doing alot of things for the phone, Apps, Themes, Roots, Roms, Guides, etc....
For a flashship like Vivo Nex S people don't talk about it much here and developers working on stuff to put here are rare.
It's almost Feb 2019 and any thoughts on how this come to be from a phone that released march 2018?
Is it dead?
even the "VIVO NEX REAL LIFE REVIEW" have very few replies compared to other phones.
I decided to take that risk and come forward with the purchase anyway... but still.
xwonic said:
I bought Vivo Nex S Global last week but i was abit scared between Oneplus6T and this, since activity of XDA is booming on Oneplus. Decided against it because i don't like notchs and if i bought it it was going to eat me from inside when looking at the phone.
My Nex S is going to arrive 2 weeks from now but when i purchase a phone i usually come to XDA to see if people are doing alot of things for the phone, Apps, Themes, Roots, Roms, Guides, etc....
For a flashship like Vivo Nex S people don't talk about it much here and developers working on stuff to put here are rare.
It's almost Feb 2019 and any thoughts on how this come to be from a phone that released march 2018?
Is it dead?
even the "VIVO NEX REAL LIFE REVIEW" have very few replies compared to other phones.
I decided to take that risk and come forward with the purchase anyway... but still.
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It's a device that not many will perhaps as attracted to, Samsungs, OnePlus, are the dominant players in the development world.
Also from what I hear Vivo are reluctant to release sources so this is another factor.
However for me it doesn't detract (I also have the global version) I must say it's an absolute joy to use.....:good:
I dont like stupid hole or waterdrop in the screen when you watch movie or play game...vivo nex its amazing screen and battery is wooow
Well, they have not so many of them I think its below 5 million most likely. And I think the main reason is the pricing, its priced in the same class as the high end phones from samsung etc... its also more expensive then oneplus, even if the hardware are in the same ballpark people pay for brands..samsung is stronger brand...
Vivo is a strong brand in china but it is a no-brand outside chinas borders, they are slowely getting more known globally... in china they can sell vivo devices expensive because of the brand outside china they really need to dump prices in order to climb up.
I surprised not more people have adopted the pop up camera... it was a real surprise to me... main argument is that people are worried about the motor will fail with time... only time can test and prove them wrong..maybe then when its proven to be reliable it can become more popular
xwonic said:
I bought Vivo Nex S Global last week but i was abit scared between Oneplus6T and this, since activity of XDA is booming on Oneplus. Decided against it because i don't like notchs and if i bought it it was going to eat me from inside when looking at the phone.
My Nex S is going to arrive 2 weeks from now but when i purchase a phone i usually come to XDA to see if people are doing alot of things for the phone, Apps, Themes, Roots, Roms, Guides, etc....
For a flashship like Vivo Nex S people don't talk about it much here and developers working on stuff to put here are rare.
It's almost Feb 2019 and any thoughts on how this come to be from a phone that released march 2018?
Is it dead?
even the "VIVO NEX REAL LIFE REVIEW" have very few replies compared to other phones.
I decided to take that risk and come forward with the purchase anyway... but still.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The simple answer is that you can't root the Nex therefore mods are limited. It's also relatively rare and I blame that on the initial reviewers who only tested the Chinese version and never followed up to review the Global one which solved the China specific complaints.
Probably the best phone I've ever owned. A real underrated gem with insane battery life.
Less people have this phone...more you are Unique..lol..all my friend love my unique phone
once you show your pop up camera, they will be like WOW
This isn't a rant, but an honest analysis of why I think the Google Pixels are bad smartphones for their price.
I will explain why the Pixels are overpriced, and why the so-called 'Clean' nature of Stock Android is overrated.
If you disagree with my points, you'll have to explain it with valid reason(s).
When we talk of 'clean' software, we are essentially expecting better performance AND better battery life. Because lack of unwanted apps and background services should automatically translate into the above two benefits.
Do we actually see Pixels exhibiting better performance or having better battery life in real life usage?
The answer is NO.
So at the cost of sacrificing a lot of useful features found on most other OEM implementations of Android, you get absolutely nothing in return.
If you're on XDA, one can expect you to know a little more than the average user. If you dig into device settings, you'll be able to uninstall/ disable most unwanted apps and services, remove their permissions (including the ability to post notifications), and stop most of them from running in the background. This will effectively 'clean up' the OS, giving you pretty much the same 'clean' experience as Stock Android, WITHOUT sacrificing on several useful features.
The hardware used in Pixel phones are usually of sub-par quality compared to flagships from other brands. Pixel phones have several complaints on the hardware front, just as there are on the software front.
Beginning with Pixel 6, you don't get unlimited storage on Google Photos even at 'Storage Saver' quality. But with Pixel 5 or older Pixel phones, there is a unique advantage and it has been discussed here.
Q. So what did you pay all that premium for?
A. To essentially cover all their marketing expenses.
These are the only benefits of Pixel phones:
1. Google Pixel offers one of the best cameras on a smartphone. But so does Samsung, and flagships from other brands are great alternatives too. One needs the camera to capture great photos and videos, and not necessarily the absolute best, which also has a subjective element to it.
A smartphone is much more than its cameras. And with GCam available for most devices, it reduces the need for a Pixel even more due to its cameras.
2. Google Pixel offers some advanced editing features. If you are a Google One subscriber, they are of no additional use to you. And there are several 3rd party tools that do a competing job.
3. Offline voice transcription: This is probably the only Pixel exclusive feature, but then not many care about it.
4. Fast software updates: This doesn't actually make anyone's life better.
CONCLUSION
As you can see, there really isn't any reason to get a Pixel, given the alternatives you have available in the market.
If you have been a lifelong iPhone user, you'll really be unaware of how much better the smartphone experience is with Android phones.
Likewise, if you have been a long time user of Pixel phones alone, you're really unaware of how much better your experience can be with smartphones from other brands.
A Google charger costs as much as my new phone ! ...LoL
EdT586 said:
A Google charger costs as much as my new phone ! ...LoL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google should either offer better hardware and software for the price, or bring back unlimited storage (even in Storage Saver quality) on Google Photos for Pixel devices to justify their price.
EdT586 said:
A Google charger costs as much as my new phone ! ...LoL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like . Their chargers are crazy expensive, but they aren't durable. I've had to buy multiple replacements. Like how and Google spend more money on lawsuits/patents then R&D. Ridiculous.
ethical_haquer said:
Sounds like . Their chargers are crazy expensive, but they aren't durable. I've had to buy multiple replacements. Like how and Google spend more money on lawsuits/patents then R&D. Ridiculous.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Durable as in withstanding physical abuse or poor quality of components that cause them to simply stop working after sometime?
TheMystic said:
Durable as in withstanding physical abuse or poor quality of components that cause them to simply stop working after sometime?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Durable as in being able to withstand normal use for multiple years. I have multiple -branded lightning cables that have failed to the point of being able to see the wire. I mean really, with normal use, they just fail. I'm guessing it's because they are so thin, probably so they look better. My Samsung cable I just got is much more wiry, but it is also thicker and feels more durable, but I've only had it for a few months. Also, my charger blocks are showing small cracks in certain areas. Oh, and I had to buy a new charging cable for my Mac-book. It's a 2013, so okay, but guess how much a new charger costs? Straight from , $80 - Made in China.
ethical_haquer said:
Durable as in being able to withstand normal use for multiple years. I have multiple -branded lightning cables that have failed to the point of being able to see the wire. I mean really, with normal use, they just fail. I'm guessing it's because they are so thin, probably so they look better. My Samsung cable I just got is much more wiry, but it is also thicker and feels more durable, but I've only had it for a few months. Also, my charger blocks are showing small cracks in certain areas. Oh, and I had to buy a new charging cable for my Mac-book. It's a 2013, so okay, but guess how much a new charger costs? Straight from , $80 - Made in China.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All these are signs of charger and cable being moved around constantly. I have never seen that happen to any of my cables or chargers, and that's because I rarely move them around. I keep one at home, one at my workstation, and I rarely need to charge when I'm on the move, unless I'm traveling, which isn't too often.
TheMystic said:
All these are signs of charger and cable being moved around constantly. I have never seen that happen to any of my cables or chargers, and that's because I rarely move them around. I keep one at home, one at my workstation, and I rarely need to charge when I'm on the move, unless I'm traveling, which isn't too often.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Who knows. I keep a charger in my car and house, but I do move them around to different outlets. That could be it. You're talking about cables, right?
ethical_haquer said:
Who knows. I keep a charger in my car and house, but I do move them around to different outlets. That could be it. You're talking about cables, right?
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Click to collapse
Not just , all brands included: never had an issue with any of them in the last 10 years.
ethical_haquer said:
Sounds like . Their chargers are crazy expensive, but they aren't durable. I've had to buy multiple replacements. Like how and Google spend more money on lawsuits/patents then R&D. Ridiculous.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google chargers and USB-C cable are good compared to Apple's !
The latest 30W G9BRI Google charger at least meets all USB-C specifications and DOE efficiency requirements, Apple's chargers don't and are one of the worst chargers available at crazy high cost.
The only problem I see with google is that they are stuck with Samsung node. Last year up to September or so this didn't matter - because before Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ the alternative was only old phones.
This year it's different.
But if software updates come at a pace of China OS devices (like Vivo China OS, Oppo China OS or Xiaomi China OS after first year) and your banking apps stop working or whatever due to it - it kinda leaves google and Samsung as the only viable buys. Yeah China OS devices are cheap but likely they are EOL after 2 years outside China - and inside China not much better with any security updates being stopped 2.5 years in. Outside China you likely cannot even get the batteery replaced except trying your luck on aliexpress and Co. to import a genuine replacement battery (and fake batteries are way too common - hard to find any genuine ones outside of a manufacturer shop and even then they may sell you fakes - huge advantage at Apple here).
The pixel 6a sells for really low prices - e.g. i Taiwan 8000 ntd which is <240€ / <260 USD. including sales taxes... All other phones in that price range either run out of software updates soon or are much worse compromises.
And the software features of other devices? Well wouldn't trust a China OS anything when it comes to secure space or secure keyboard. Means likely it's sent to China CCP servers with priority support... And when you start debloating things, other things will stop working.
E.g. BBK phones - take away the appstore (better china crapstore) and you cannot sideload apks anymore. Ridiculous. Take away the phone or messaging app - and while you can receive calls or messages you cannot make calls or messages with other apps anymore if on China OS. Now BBK phones except Oneplus with global OS are way overpriced vs google.
Google and Samsung charge with any USB-PD charger at their full speed. BBK/Xiaomi/Meizu and whatever phones charge at 10-20w only if lucky on USB-PD so you rely on their proprietary charging - which is not only proprietary on the charger but also on their cable as they don't use standard pin configuration (changed now on Xiaomi 13 Ultra which I think went back to default config - otherwise cannot use one cable for USB 3.2 as well as their proprietary charging). BBK phones if they have USB 3.x need another cable for USB 3.x than the one supplied as the supplied ones are made for their proprietary charging and mess up the pins giving you USB 2.0 speeds only (yeah USB 3.2 100w charging cables so far are all pretty expensive - most cheap cables only do either or but it's possible at least)
That's why the Samsung S23 series excells. Finally again without all those limitations from Chinaphones (also with global OS) that has a good SOC again. Huawei used to be on a similar level but that was stopped now 2.5 years ago with restrictions and so either no google framework or on older phones stuck on Android 10.
Dual apps, secure space, work folder whatever - Just dive into Shizuku and you can even get open source solutions for this that you can trust unlike the China manufacturers.
At least things work unlike Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi that have hundreds of bugs. What sense is a face unlock that you can trigger with a photo or with a mask on? Face unlock should only be supported by devices that don't use the camera for it but instead a laser sensor.
If a feature isn't hardware related, you can kinda always find a better software solution for it - except on chinese phones that kill apps running in background - especially shizuku. Root with Magisk or Shizuku is a must.
extremecarver said:
But if software updates come at a pace of China OS devices (like Vivo China OS, Oppo China OS or Xiaomi China OS after first year) and your banking apps stop working or whatever due to it - it kinda leaves google and Samsung as the only viable buys. Yeah China OS devices are cheap but likely they are EOL after 2 years outside China - and inside China not much better with any security updates being stopped 2.5 years in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All phones today come with a minimum of 2 or 3 years of OS support and an additional 2 years of security updates. This is enough because most people will buy a new phone in 4 or 5 years. I'm not sure where you got your information from.
extremecarver said:
And the software features of other devices? Well wouldn't trust a China OS anything when it comes to secure space or secure keyboard. Means likely it's sent to China CCP servers with priority support...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please, stop this China CCP thingy. Want to know who the biggest spy is? Read here.
extremecarver said:
And when you start debloating things, other things will stop working.
E.g. BBK phones - take away the appstore (better china crapstore) and you cannot sideload apks anymore. Ridiculous. Take away the phone or messaging app - and while you can receive calls or messages you cannot make calls or messages with other apps anymore if on China OS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no such problem on devices that are launched globally. The global variants support Google Play Store and everything works if you just keep unwanted apps and services disabled. Or at the very least, block them using a firewall.
extremecarver said:
Now BBK phones except Oneplus with global OS are way overpriced vs google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They offer better hardware and far more value than Google Pixels. Even the camera performance is comparable, taking away the only thing that Google Pixels are good at.
extremecarver said:
oogle and Samsung charge with any USB-PD charger at their full speed. BBK/Xiaomi/Meizu and whatever phones charge at 10-20w only if lucky on USB-PD so you rely on their proprietary charging - which is not only proprietary on the charger but also on their cable as they don't use standard pin configuration (changed now on Xiaomi 13 Ultra which I think went back to default config - otherwise cannot use one cable for USB 3.2 as well as their proprietary charging). BBK phones if they have USB 3.x need another cable for USB 3.x than the one supplied as the supplied ones are made for their proprietary charging and mess up the pins giving you USB 2.0 speeds only (yeah USB 3.2 100w charging cables so far are all pretty expensive - most cheap cables only do either or but it's possible at least)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know why people make this a big issue. The Chinese brands offer the charger in the box in most cases. Google, Apple and even Samsung don't. One can also buy accessories from their online/ offline stores, if needed. Their proprietary charging technology is magical and has revolutionalized the charging experience. You can still charge them using 3rd party accessories. But then you'll have to live with the charging speeds offered by Google, Apple and Samsung. Why are you complaining?
extremecarver said:
Dual apps, secure space, work folder whatever - Just dive into Shizuku and you can even get open source solutions for this that you can trust unlike the China manufacturers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please, stop this trust thing. 3rd party solutions are not as efficient and effective as features built into the OS.
extremecarver said:
At least things work unlike Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi that have hundreds of bugs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pixels and iPhones too have their own share of bugs. I don't understand why Pixels have so many bugs when their software has nothing to offer. And there are not as many bugs with the Chinese software as you make them seem to be. I have both OnePlus and iQOO phones and the softwares on both are great. I'm just annoyed with the notification handling on OnePlus phones since OOS 12. Hopefully they will fix them soon.
extremecarver said:
What sense is a face unlock that you can trigger with a photo or with a mask on? Face unlock should only be supported by devices that don't use the camera for it but instead a laser sensor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
User is free not to use it. Google Pixel didn't even offer the feature (except on Pixel 4). Face Unlock is super convenient, works pretty well and fairly secure too with all the updates today. Better to offer with warnings about being less secure than not offering it at all like Google did.
extremecarver said:
If a feature isn't hardware related, you can kinda always find a better software solution for it - except on chinese phones that kill apps running in background - especially shizuku. Root with Magisk or Shizuku is a must.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Memory management is aggressive with the Chinese ROMs. But you can solve most of them by changing some settings.
TheMystic said:
All phones today come with a minimum of 2 or 3 years of OS support and an additional 2 years of security updates. This is enough because most people will buy a new phone in 4 or 5 years. I'm not sure where you got your information from.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's only true for global OS. There are no promises for support on most China OS phones - and if you look back at the support timeframe for older China OS flagship phones from Vivo and Oppo for example - they mostly got a single major android upgrade only! There own OS usually got 2 major upgrades - but one was based on the same android major version as another version.
Security updates come only every 2-3 months with one month delay in the first year - and stop alltogether after 2.5 years.
For Vivo their IQOO series is a bit more frequent on security updates. Well at least officially because if you use snoopsnitch you will often notice they actually update less frequent than what they say in their release notes and simply upgrade the android certified date but skip any actualy security patches (this becomes clear when an actual security update arrives later).
No single Vivo X series (their flagship serise) has received 2 major android upgrades yet.
The update situation is much better for their global OS versions. Also the software stack is really different in general. Spyware is only a problem on China OS, not on global OS. Also battery life is way worse on China OS of same phone in general as the spyware is very aggressive in uploading what you do causing thousands of wakelocks per day.
And yes - most people buy a new phone every 2-3 years. However they may not buy it at launch but 1 year later. Then with China OS you often only have 1.5 years of security updates left. In China with the pricing that makes not much sense - so there phones are mostly sold only for 6 months after appearing - hence also the fast update cycle on models.
The charging speed on USB-PD on china phones at max is 18-20w/hour - so slower than Samsung. However many models only charged at 10w on USB-PD. Also they are hyper sensitive to cables (BBK) so on thinner or longer cables they may trickle charge while on the same cable and charger my laptop has no problem charging at 60w.
I don't care about supeer fast charging - ruins the battery anyhow. But I care about decent charging speeds with USB-PD because I have plenty of high quality and light USB-PD chargers - and cannot bother to carry around the much bigger per real wattage China speed chargers (if they indicate 85w charging they usually never charge above 60w anyhow - so compare them with 65w USB-PD chargers) - also problems with cables and the chargers usually having a single output only.
The efficiency of shizuku based apps is great for what I experienced. So I prefer to use those features that I need and not have a huge bundle pre installed clogging up the system. And no the battery management on China OS cannot be fully solved - especially when it comes to killing apps like Shizuku. China OS usually doesn't allow much content on AOD, makes it super troublesome to change the launcher and so on.
Yeah - I will never buy a China OS phone anymore. I do know that. I may by China phones with global OS or those that can be flashed to global OS (if they come with all required bands). But right now the price for China phones with global OS is usually ridiculoous compared to Samsung and google, while the software to me is clearly inferior. Oneplus is the only brand that sells for somewhat decent prices vs China in Europe. And yeah of course I know VAT - I'm talking about prices without VAT/Sales tax.
There is however a clear reason for not buying Pixel, and that is battery life. But that is clearly caused by the Samsung node - not by Pixel software. Samsung may catch up with 3nm GAAFET. But who knows when this will make it into production phones. TSMC is already producing 3nm SOC right now for the next Iphone (Pro only?).
Samsung announced production start even earlier than TSMC yet nothing is reported so far about actual SOCs in 3nm. Rumours don't look positive for Pixel 8 (Pro) to be on 3nm node. Rumours about S24 serise sometimes say 3nm, sometimes yet again another lousy Samsung 5nm refresh (4nm for both TSMC and Samsung are just running on 5nm production line refreshes - 3nm gets new production lines).
extremecarver said:
That's only true for global OS. There are no promises for support on most China OS phones - and if you look back at the support timeframe for older China OS flagship phones from Vivo and Oppo for example - they mostly got a single major android upgrade only! There own OS usually got 2 major upgrades - but one was based on the same android major version as another version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Things have improved over time. Today Chinese OEMs are at par with global brands in terms of software support. Flagships get 4 years Android updates and 5 years of security update. Others get 2 or 3 years of software update and an additional 1 or 2 years of security updates. This is sufficient.
extremecarver said:
Security updates come only every 2-3 months with one month delay in the first year - and stop alltogether after 2.5 years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Too much is made out of security updates. If you follow good practices, your phone will be safe. No need for monthly or weekly security updates, unless there is some emergency.
extremecarver said:
Spyware is only a problem on China OS, not on global OS.
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Click to collapse
You have a problem with one country 'spying' on its own people but none with the country that spies on the whole world. Lovely!
extremecarver said:
The efficiency of shizuku based apps is great for what I experienced. So I prefer to use those features that I need and not have a huge bundle pre installed clogging up the system. And no the battery management on China OS cannot be fully solved - especially when it comes to killing apps like Shizuku. China OS usually doesn't allow much content on AOD, makes it super troublesome to change the launcher and so on.
Yeah - I will never buy a China OS phone anymore. I do know that. I may by China phones with global OS or those that can be flashed to global OS (if they come with all required bands). But right now the price for China phones with global OS is usually ridiculoous compared to Samsung and google, while the software to me is clearly inferior. Oneplus is the only brand that sells for somewhat decent prices vs China in Europe. And yeah of course I know VAT - I'm talking about prices without VAT/Sales tax.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My experience with Chinese OEMs have so far only been with their global variants, and so I can't comment on the China OS.
As a general principle, it is not a good idea to buy a product that hasn't been released for your market. Because it can cause problems and there won't be any support.
As far as I know, China phones can be expensive only if you are importing them. Otherwise, they are always less expensive than other brands, and as a result, offer excellent value for the price. The problem is with people who expect Chinese OEMs to offer everything cheap, even if the quality is at par or superior to global brands.
extremecarver said:
There is however a clear reason for not buying Pixel, and that is battery life. But that is clearly caused by the Samsung node - not by Pixel software. Samsung may catch up with 3nm GAAFET. But who knows when this will make it into production phones. TSMC is already producing 3nm SOC right now for the next Iphone (Pro only?).
Samsung announced production start even earlier than TSMC yet nothing is reported so far about actual SOCs in 3nm. Rumours don't look positive for Pixel 8 (Pro) to be on 3nm node. Rumours about S24 serise sometimes say 3nm, sometimes yet again another lousy Samsung 5nm refresh (4nm for both TSMC and Samsung are just running on 5nm production line refreshes - 3nm gets new production lines).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So Chinese phones giving poor battery life is due to spying, but Pixels giving poor battery life is due to Samsung? I can't stop laughing.
Like i said before, even without adding anything of value to the software, the Pixel phones have too many problems and complaints. It just shows they are too overpriced for what they have to offer. This is also the point of OP.
TheMystic said:
So Chinese phones giving poor battery life is due to spying, but Pixels giving poor battery life is due to Samsung? I can't stop laughing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can read up reviews of rebranded phones on Gsmarena which has a quite decent battery runtime review. Plenty of the global OS rebrands scored much better than their China OS counterparts.
There are rules and laws in China about what data is under inspection - and that includes emails, messages, and phone call content. There needs to be filters that censor words in private communication - all that costs battery life as soon as you us a phone productively. If you don't install any social networks, and do a review like most websites do never installing your personal email, personal social messenger profiles, and so on - this software of course will not be active. Basically most reviews just use the camera and then look at hardware and software and surf the internet. Not actually using the phone as daily driver - so they nevere notice.
They don't notice that any China OS has strict restrictions on replacing the launcher. e.g. for ColorOS and OriginOS you need to be logged in - into the respective Vivo/Oppo account to change the default launcher, plus it will nag you every couple of days trying to default back to their own launcher. If you debloat their own launcher then some settings will be missing and you cannot use things that shouldn't be part of the launcher like recent apps or accessing some of the battery optimizations.
You clearly have no clue about China OS versions, so stop claiming they would offer update policy or their system could do X or Y.
Then comes the thing that some China OS phones if exported without activating in China before - will stop being able to do things like phonecalls. (Oppo/Oneplus).
Xiaomi/Redmi is kinda the big exception because you can unlock the bootloader and flash a global OS or a patched China OS (xiaomi.eu) and only live with missing LTT band 20 and some others. That's their way of making grey imports less usable - but still much better than others.
Honor / Huawei cannot even install google services framework on their China OS nor is there unlocked bootloader. There are ways for very basic google support but that's about it.
Meizu I'm not fully sure - very few people ever import them though they are quite big in China.
There are huge differences on the software side, and sometimes even on the hardware side between China OS and global OS versions of phones. Therefore I write China OS phone vs Chinaphone with global OS.
TheMystic said:
Things have improved over time. Today Chinese OEMs are at par with global brands in terms of software support. Flagships get 4 years Android updates and 5 years of security update. Others get 2 or 3 years of software update and an additional 1 or 2 years of security updates. This is sufficient.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You speak about Chinese OEM global phones. Not Chinese OEM China OS phones. They do not get so many updates except Honor/Huawei which I think actually even treat their China OS to longer support. However Honor/Huawei really has no way of installing google services framework.
Xiaomi 13 Ultra China OS has 3/5 update policy according to some Chinese reviews - but I didn't see an actual source from Xiaomi in Chinese verifying this.
All other previous China OS Chinese flagships DO NOT have 3/5 or similar update policy! And in the past no China OS flagship got 3 year major upgrades and 5 year security updates. Rather so far after 2.5 years their software support has been End of Life!
I don't think it's overrated because other phone companies ruin the UI with their own design language alongside material you and the pixel is modding friendly when compared to other flagships
extremecarver said:
You clearly have no clue about China OS versions, so stop claiming they would offer update policy or their system could do X or Y.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I already told you this:
TheMystic said:
My experience with Chinese OEMs have so far only been with their global variants, and so I can't comment on the China OS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
extremecarver said:
There are huge differences on the software side, and sometimes even on the hardware side between China OS and global OS versions of phones. Therefore I write China OS phone vs Chinaphone with global OS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This:
TheMystic said:
As a general principle, it is not a good idea to buy a product that hasn't been released for your market. Because it can cause problems and there won't be any support.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
#YetAnotherPerson said:
I don't think it's overrated because other phone companies ruin the UI with their own design language alongside material you and the pixel is modding friendly when compared to other flagships
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are overpriced just because of this reason. UI, design language are all subjective. Stock Android is too basic and leave a lot of useful features out. Saying stock Android is better is similar to saying iOS is better than Android.
Huawei was my default brand until that Orange turd put them on a certain list...
They can be unlocked - if you know how... GMS can be sideloaded.
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Pixel represents good value because of quick updates and support.
Anyone who thinks "safe practices" preclude being pwned by a zero-day is delusional! You could pwn a Pixel 7 just by an SMS message before the March update.
Custom ROMS is another giant reason Pixel is good vaule - I have Android 13 running on my Pixel 2 years after Google stopped supporting it because of Lineage. That phone is still useful because of it.
I would buy Chinese over Korean any day for what that's worth. I refuse to buy another Samsung ANYTHING. The OS in my television is slow garbage. KNOX pisses me off. One UI is trash IMHO
Here's a photo of my last Samsung - a Fold 3: Taken with a Huawei Mate 20 Pro that still works perfectly, and was one of the best devices I've ever owned. The Samsung Fold 3 would take over 2 minutes to install something the Huawei installed in 5 seconds!
I'm still paying for this POS, too!
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I would not want a Pixel if I was required to run the stock firmware.
Frankly, I want a phone that has 16GB of memory, an AMD SOC, and a Linux based on Arch - phones should be standardised to use UEFI IMHO.
It should be fast enough to compile the Linux kernel in 10 minutes, be a desktop computer using a dock, have 2TB of space etc. Then the phone would be worth 2000$, right?
The PinePhone is far too slow to be useful
I currently use a Pixel 7 Pro which I paid 800$CAD for. You can get a Pixel 7 for 240$ on a two year phone plan with Rogers - for 240$, you get GARBAGE from any other brand. It isn't the best value if you buy it for full retail, but only an idiot does that anyway!
kodabmx said:
Anyone who thinks "safe practices" preclude being pwned by a zero-day is delusional! You could pwn a Pixel 7 just by an SMS message before the March update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When there are known vulnerabilities, they must be patched. There need not be a monthly or weekly time frame to it.
kodabmx said:
Custom ROMS is another giant reason Pixel is good vaule
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can buy Redmi phones for a fraction of the price and get the same performance.
kodabmx said:
KNOX pisses me off. One UI is trash IMHO
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why so? There are a few things I wish OneUI had (especially a proper built-in Firewall), but it is otherwise an excellent experience with it. I have kept my phone completely stock, as it has most things I need (without root), unlike stock Android which has nothing.
Heard lots of people talking about 499 dollars?
WIl lit better than galaxy a54?
Yes, $499 I just ordered it + free Buds A-series & x-case(pre-order promotion worth $124 supposedly), promised delivery May15 - May16.
dfwfreaks said:
Heard lots of people talking about 499 dollars?
WIl lit better than galaxy a54?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tensor G2 runs circles around Exynos 1380. It won't even be close.
{Mod edit: Quoted post has been deleted. Oswald Boelcke, Senior Moderator}
Only the camera would be better. Nothing else.
If you must get a Pixel, get the 7 instead of the 7a.
dfwfreaks said:
Heard lots of people talking about 499 dollars?
WIl lit better than galaxy a54?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
price in australia remains unchanged from the pixel 6a from some reason, probably because of aud inflating
TheMystic said:
Only the camera would be better. Nothing else.
If you must get a Pixel, get the 7 instead of the 7a.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Phones are rather subjective... So without knowing what one wants in a phone I'm stumped why you would come to a subforum to say don't buy something (especially without adding your opinion as to why). The 7a is smaller (better), has a slightly bigger battery, slightly lighter, and a higher pixel density for the same resolution screen, and as you pointed out, a better camera. And is cheaper. From the snobbish "if you must but a Pixel" (you really said that???) your bias is clear but what do you actually see as the negatives of the 7a? Please elaborate...
lampel said:
Phones are rather subjective... So without knowing what one wants in a phone I'm stumped why you would come to a subforum to say don't buy something (especially without adding your opinion as to why). The 7a is smaller (better), has a slightly bigger battery, slightly lighter, and a higher pixel density for the same resolution screen, and as you pointed out, a better camera. And is cheaper. From the snobbish "if you must but a Pixel" (you really said that???) your bias is clear but what do you actually see as the negatives of the 7a? Please elaborate...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My biases towards smartphones are based purely on what they have to offer in terms of their price, and that is the best thing from the perspective of a buyer.
I have explained why Pixel phones are bad value for their price here. Feel free to counter me with facts there.
The Pixel A series offer relatively better value compared to the regular Pixels (especially the Pro), but the software experience leaves a lot to desire for. If you agree that Android is much better than iOS, then the same arguments can be used to understand why OEM versions of Android are much better than Stock Android that we get to see in Pixels.
Some people are too fond of Pixels because they fall for the hype that the marketing creates. So yes, i really said 'If you must get a Pixel'.
TheMystic said:
Only the camera would be better. Nothing else.
If you must get a Pixel, get the 7 instead of the 7a.
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May i know why you are suggesting Pixel 7 over the newly released Pixel 7a? It would be very useful if you can provide a descriptive information regarding the same!
balavigneshyolo said:
May i know why you are suggesting Pixel 7 over the newly released Pixel 7a? It would be very useful if you can provide a descriptive information regarding the same!
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Pixels have ONLY one thing to offer that is comparable (may be better too in some cases) to competition in the same price category: Cameras.
The Pixel 7 has better cameras than the 7a. Also better build quality, faster charging, reverse wireless charging, better accessories support, etc. It has a secondary noise cancelling microphone too that the 7a lacks. There is a reason why any company would price one of its products higher than another in its portfolio.
Since the pricing difference is minimal as the 7 is now over 6 months old, it makes sense to get the better product for a marginally higher price.
dfwfreaks said:
Heard lots of people talking about 499 dollars?
WIl lit better than galaxy a54?
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Mostly it depends what you want. If you want samsung experience, then buy A54 and if you want clean Android experience, then buy Pixel 7a.
If i have to choose which one to buy.... Easy choice.. Pixel 7a
TheMystic said:
Pixels have ONLY one thing to offer that is comparable (may be better too in some cases) to competition in the same price category: Cameras.
The Pixel 7 has better cameras than the 7a. Also better build quality, faster charging, reverse wireless charging, better accessories support, etc. It has a secondary noise cancelling microphone too that the 7a lacks. There is a reason why any company would price one of its products higher than another in its portfolio.
Since the pricing difference is minimal as the 7 is now over 6 months old, it makes sense to get the better product for a marginally higher price.
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Thats a really good way to put it! But what if I told you that I have a budget constraint? Would you still suggest me going with a Pixel 7a or are there any other better devices in similar price range?
TheMystic said:
My biases towards smartphones are based purely on what they have to offer in terms of their price, and that is the best thing from the perspective of a buyer.
I have explained why Pixel phones are bad value for their price here. Feel free to counter me with facts there.
The Pixel A series offer relatively better value compared to the regular Pixels (especially the Pro), but the software experience leaves a lot to desire for. If you agree that Android is much better than iOS, then the same arguments can be used to understand why OEM versions of Android are much better than Stock Android that we get to see in Pixels.
Some people are too fond of Pixels because they fall for the hype that the marketing creates. So yes, i really said 'If you must get a Pixel'.
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Click to collapse
You're criteria is totally subjective. And while important to you, for many users your statements are irrelevant. And i mean no disrespect by that but you start off with cost which, at least for me, doesn't matter much at all. I don't want to overpay but cost isn't a limiting factor for most purchases. I love the unskinned android experience, that's one of the many reasons i like pixels. Not sure why you mention ios... I don't see them as a competitor to Android for advanced users. Until ios allows rooting and a version of tasker it's not a contender. And, again for me, price really isn't a factor as one of my jobs offers free apple devices on a regular basis. I hate how Samsung and other companies change Android for no benefit other than simply making a change. Also, I've found, again for me, that although Google apps aren't perfect when another oem recreates them they tend to be garbage, and frequently uninstallable. The pixel pros are way too large for me so wouldn't consider them either. I wish Google would bring out a phone similar in size to the pixel 4, i think that was an ideal size. But all this is very subjective... I'm sure many will want something very different than you and i.
balavigneshyolo said:
Thats a really good way to put it! But what if I told you that I have a budget constraint? Would you still suggest me going with a Pixel 7a or are there any other better devices in similar price range?
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For the price of Pixel 7a, there are much better alternatives (if they are available in your region):
1. OnePlus 11R
2. Vivo V27
3. iQOO Neo 7 (even Neo 6)
4. Poco F5 Pro (camera is not good)
5. Samsung S22 (battery life is not good)
6. Samsung A54 (has microSD card support PLUS dual SIM)
I will pick the Pixel 7 over 7a if I have to get a Google Pixel by paying the small premium.
lampel said:
You're criteria is totally subjective. And while important to you, for many users your statements are irrelevant. And i mean no disrespect by that but you start off with cost which, at least for me, doesn't matter much at all. I don't want to overpay but cost isn't a limiting factor for most purchases. I love the unskinned android experience, that's one of the many reasons i like pixels. Not sure why you mention ios... I don't see them as a competitor to Android for advanced users. Until ios allows rooting and a version of tasker it's not a contender. And, again for me, price really isn't a factor as one of my jobs offers free apple devices on a regular basis. I hate how Samsung and other companies change Android for no benefit other than simply making a change. Also, I've found, again for me, that although Google apps aren't perfect when another oem recreates them they tend to be garbage, and frequently uninstallable. The pixel pros are way too large for me so wouldn't consider them either. I wish Google would bring out a phone similar in size to the pixel 4, i think that was an ideal size. But all this is very subjective... I'm sure many will want something very different than you and i.
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You talk like a lifelong iPhone user whose image about Android is still from 2014. I shared a link with you where I have already explained why the Pixels are bad value for their price. You can counter me there with current facts rather than opinions/ personal preferences.
When was the last time you used a Samsung/ Xiaomi/ Vivo device? I'm not even talking of OnePlus Oxygen OS which is much better than Stock Android and still offers a very clean experience. As with OEM versions, it is quite easy to uninstall/ disable stuff you don't need and then they are as clean as stock Android, without sacrificing some very useful features.
I have already asked this several times: did the clean nature of stock Android translate into better performance or battery life or even a bug-free experience on Pixels? The answer is an easy NO. So it completely justifies my statement that stock Android offers an empty experience.
But as you said, if that is what you want, it is fine. Please go ahead and get what works best for you. Pixels are still better than iPhones though in terms of software experience. But you do have iPhone users who swear by that product.
As someone who has been using iPhones and Androids (from different brands) for over a decade now, I know what I'm talking about. I don't need to have a bias. It is purely about user experience and function.
TheMystic said:
You talk like a lifelong iPhone user whose image about Android is still from 2014. I shared a link with you where I have already explained why the Pixels are bad value for their price. You can counter me there with current facts rather than opinions/ personal preferences.
When was the last time you used a Samsung/ Xiaomi/ Vivo device? I'm not even talking of OnePlus Oxygen OS which is much better than Stock Android and still offers a very clean experience. As with OEM versions, it is quite easy to uninstall/ disable stuff you don't need and then they are as clean as stock Android, without sacrificing some very useful features.
I have already asked this several times: did the clean nature of stock Android translate into better performance or battery life or even a bug-free experience on Pixels? The answer is an easy NO. So it completely justifies my statement that stock Android offers an empty experience.
But as you said, if that is what you want, it is fine. Please go ahead and get what works best for you. Pixels are still better than iPhones though in terms of software experience. But you do have iPhone users who swear by that product.
As someone who has been using iPhones and Androids (from different brands) for over a decade now, I know what I'm talking about. I don't need to have a bias. It is purely about user experience and function.
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Last time i used a Samsung device: my current tablet is samsung. You mention oneplus: i won't use a device that is Chinese manufactured and owned. The risk, for me, greatly out weighs the benefit - totally my personal preference. I don't question your experience but your personal bias is so tremendous I'm not sure you realize how far it goes. And, at the least, with such bias when recommending someone not buy something, i think, you should mention said bias.
I read your other thread and purposely didn't post there. You make statements, followed by baseless claims, that you then label as facts. To me, a fact is something irrefutable and provable; i.e. dimensions, processors, etc... Not whether unskinned android is better or worse, or battery life determining anything other than how long the phone lasts between charges, or even your assumption that long time pixel users must be "unaware." And your list of Google exclusive features is missing most of them. So, respectfully, i won't be posting in that thread.
lampel said:
You mention oneplus: i won't use a device that is Chinese manufactured and owned. The risk, for me, greatly out weighs the benefit
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You have ruled out all devices except Pixel and Samsung in the Android world because of your misconceptions. That explains why you prefer Pixels, because you don't have a choice. Talking about risks, you should first stay away anything from Google then. Afterall, they are the biggest data miners in the world.
lampel said:
a fact is something irrefutable and provable;
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That's exactly what's available in that post. I was asking you to respond there simply because I didn't want to derail the topic of this post. But you missed the point.
Anyways, I have listed several reasons against Pixel, and those are facts. You have listed none as you have deprived yourself of choices due to your own misconceptions.
TheMystic said:
You have ruled out all devices except Pixel and Samsung in the Android world because of your misconceptions. That explains why you prefer Pixels, because you don't have a choice. Talking about risks, you should first stay away anything from Google then. Afterall, they are the biggest data miners in the world.
That's exactly what's available in that post. I was asking you to respond there simply because I didn't want to derail the topic of this post. But you missed the point.
Anyways, I have listed several reasons against Pixel, and those are facts. You have listed none as you have deprived yourself of choices due to your own misconceptions.
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I don't like Samsung either. I did like HTC and Google happened to hire thousands of their engineers so i lucked out with pixels having clean android and being similar to HTC... But, while in this case you're correct, it was an assumption and bad logic that got you there. And i agree with Google being a tremendous data miner. And again, my having misconceptions... Another baseless, uniformed, inaccurate claim. Although, i am biased. But i readily admit it.
TheMystic said:
I have already asked this several times: did the clean nature of stock Android translate into better performance or battery life or even a bug-free experience on Pixels? The answer is an easy NO. So it completely justifies my statement that stock Android offers an empty experience.
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I don't know about performance but battery life is usually better with clean android system than others. But this depends also many things on phones and settings user have chosen.
lampel said:
I don't like Samsung either. I did like HTC and Google happened to hire thousands of their engineers so i lucked out with pixels having clean android and being similar to HTC... But, while in this case you're correct, it was an assumption and bad logic that got you there. And i agree with Google being a tremendous data miner. And again, my having misconceptions... Another baseless, uniformed, inaccurate claim. Although, i am biased. But i readily admit it.
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With so much biases of your own and with heavy limitations you have imposed upon yourself, you shouldn't be pointing fingers at others. And it is a big mistake trying to extrapolate your experience with a Tablet to the experience on a flagship phone.
I have no such limitations, and I don't need to have any bias as my only concern is user experience and value returned for money spent. That doesn't mean I don't care about privacy. I have made quite a few posts on Privacy too. I use Netguard to firewall block most apps on my device.
Dayuser said:
I don't know about performance but battery life is usually better with clean android system than others. But this depends also many things on phones and settings user have chosen.
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The number and nature of complaints about Pixel devices are no different from the ones we see for other brands. The so-called 'clean' Android experience brought nothing for its users except hype, and lots of money for Google.
TheMystic said:
With so much biases of your own and with heavy limitations you have imposed upon yourself, you shouldn't be pointing fingers at others. And it is a big mistake trying to extrapolate your experience with a Tablet to the experience on a flagship phone.
I have no such limitations, and I don't need to have any bias as my only concern is user experience and value returned for money spent. That doesn't mean I don't care about privacy. I have made quite a few posts on Privacy too. I use Netguard to firewall block most apps on my device.
The number and nature of complaints about Pixel devices are no different from the ones we see for other brands. The so-called 'clean' Android experience brought nothing for its users except hype, and lots of money for Google.
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I just received my 7a as well as a friends but only one of the free ear buds was in the package. Google chat requests access to account data to even discuss it. Talk about data mining... They get to read my e-mails and Internet history before discussing a missing item. Fortunately, i don't need them. And to think i was defending them.