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Hi All,
I'm coming at you with a different type of post, one where I'm looking for everyone's expertise in choosing a new phone to replace my S21+ Exynos 256gb.
I've had the phone since launch, and I was forced to get the Exynos version as it's the only one available in my market (no SD).
I've had a myriad of problems and frustrations with this particular phone, and a few to mention are the fact that Fast charge and Super Fast charge no longer work. The phone refuses to charge in these modes even though I haven't changed my charger setup (genuine super fast charger and cable). Moreover, when the phone reaches a certain low battery level you cannot charge it because there's a "moisture detected in your port" error. It happens very randomly and yes, I've checked for moisture and pocket lint/dust each time, the phone and charging port are in pristine condition (air relative humidity in my home is ~40-50%). This even happens if I turn off the phone and try to charge it.
One thing that allows me to charge it in this condition is either - Wireless charging, which makes the phone scalding hot in a few minutes and the charging of course stops, or using a very old external battery (low amps maybe?) with it's built-in type-c cable.
My second gripe is camera UI performance. From the moment you start the camera and the moment you can take pictures there's a window of time where it acts very choppy and unresponsive (the whole phone does), and the interface takes time to draw to the whole screen. Sometimes when you change modes or exit the app and open it again, the same happens. Still on the topic of the camera, when I start the "Pro mode" and start working on a shot, including focusing, setting isso/exposure, zooming in/out and just general work to frame the best shot, the phone gets so hot in the upper right corner that you're given the impression it's gonna burn soon . I think the camera setup uses way more processing power than the phone is able to deliver for extended periods of time. (keep in mind we're talking about 3-5 minutes, not hours).
Third and final gripe is software+hardware performance. I've switched to this phone from an S10+ and I wholeheartedly say that the S10+ combination of hardware and software delivered more day-to-day usage performance than the S21+. The interface was snappy, there was no lag and no applications were "hanging" or taking too much time to process changes or screen refreshes. My overall experience with the S21+ has been horrible in terms of usability, it somehow gives the impresion of an underpowered computer trying to run the most advanced software. I won't go into details on specific apps and scenarios, but I have been extensively multitasking on my old s10+ with both work and personal apps at the same time and I have not had this level of dissatisfaction with the phone's performance like with the S21+. It feels like I'm using a phone 2-3 generations older.
I know, I know, I'm whining, but I was very enthusiastic about getting a newer phone, after having a stellar experience with my old S10+, and this s21+ has delivered only problems and disappointments.
I'm a long time Samsung fan (may flagship phones over the years, Samsung TVs and appliances, you name it).
But I think time has come to say goodbye to the smartphone division of Samsung. Continuing to use Samsung phones would be at a detriment to me and I am trying to avoid that.
That being said - I am looking for an alternative, maybe it's time to try Snapdragon at this point in my life since Samsung only sold Exynos phones on my market and that's what I've been using along these years.
I've been looking at the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro recently. Are there any other alternatives? I've been so far up with Samsung products that I don't even know who's their competition these days!
Thank you very much for reading my rant!
adrscu said:
I've been looking at the Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro recently. Are there any other alternatives? I've been so far up with Samsung products that I don't even know who's their competition these days!
Thank you very much for reading my rant!
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Click to collapse
Firstly, your post is too long that I believe not everyone will bother to read your personal story telling, including my self.
Secondly, you need to be more specific when calling a phone model because one letter or number means a totally different phone AND specifications.
I also was a fan of Samsung up to the Galaxy S2 which I believe was the best phone they ever made, everything after that is pure overpriced marketing garbage.
I also owned other Samsung phones too and I am not impressed by their price compared to what they offer.
Another reason why I dislike (and won't buy anymore) Samsung products is because their CEO poked and derided Huawei when America (and its slave allies) banned Huawei out of the country citing security reasons.
Obviously Samsung is worried about sales in the US and it is ready to say anything its master orders to.
Regarding Xiaomi, this year it has became the world's second manufacturer for sales and that tells which phone manufacturer company is leading in the world.
I'm sorry that you wasted a lot of money on a Samsung crap (like I did), I advise you look into Xiaomi or Poco (same as Xiaomi) because they offer the best available technology at the best price compared to other manufacturers.
And when asking for suggestions you need to (very very briefly) tell what you're looking for in a phone.
By the way, I also have a Samsung washing machine, it works but it's pure garbage because when is spins fast it makes too much noise compared to my much older washing machine.
Hello @mobnoob and thanks for your extensive reply.
I've since gone with the Oneplus 9 pro and I feel it fills my needs fine until now.
As to appliances, I've started exploring other manufacturers and it seems there are some good options out there. It feels weirdly good to be free
adrscu said:
Hello @mobnoob and thanks for your extensive reply.
I've since gone with the Oneplus 9 pro and I feel it fills my needs fine until now.
As to appliances, I've started exploring other manufacturers and it seems there are some good options out there. It feels weirdly good to be free
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The One Plus 9 Pro looks a nice phone and it offers a great value for what it costs but for my needs a phone must have at least a 5000mAh battery because I use Google Maps and GPS a lot.
I didn't update my previous preference, I got a Poco M3 global (EU) which is trash.
It's made in China by Xiaomi, notifications on a locked screen have a lot of problems so I need always to unlock the screen and check IF I got a message.
MIUI developed a always on screen APP which maybe fixes the problem, I updated the phone to the latest MIUI 12, I see people on Youtube showing the APP in the settings BUT I don't have it!
I found out that Xiaomi only offer this APP to the Chinese market, how stupid is that???
Also I'm not able to receive MMS messages anymore, weak wi-fi, overheating when charging etc. etc..
I tried to contact both Xiaomi and Poco in many ways, they never replayed!!!
I just bought a carrier unlocked version of this phone. It is the xt2115-1. Fastboot commands confirms it is boot loader unlockable. I have not yet unlocked it, or moved my SIM card to it, for that matter. I am coming from a Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite running PE Official, which I love, but the battery is almost toast after nearly 3 years, and my carrier Crickett Wireless keeps sending me messages that my XM8L is not supported after Feb '22.
So I got a pretty fair deal at Sam's Club on this phone ($219). I did look it up here to see how far development has progressed since it was released. I was disappointed to see, not much. Looks like nobody is able to access the /vendor mount and one other (it's late).
I would like to build PE (Pixel Experience) for this phone, but /vendor is pretty much required to do that. Has anyone succeeded in extracting this partition? Or has anyone figured out a reason why it cannot be extracted?
Anyway, I hope we can get some ROMs for this phone eventually. I will do all I can to assist, as I have built ROMs for a few phones, just not this one (or Android 11+). I would also like to eventually build Pitch Black Recovery for this phone, as PBR is the most easy to use recovery, and very powerful too. Just my opinion.
Yeah, just looking at the Sam's Club version of this phone as it is $25 off this weekend, and kind of bummed not much is available at this point. Crossing my fingers there will be some action on this front in the near future.
verbage said:
Yeah, just looking at the Sam's Club version of this phone as it is $25 off this weekend, and kind of bummed not much is available at this point. Crossing my fingers there will be some action on this front in the near future.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So did you buy one? I still have yet to root mine, but hopefully will have time this weekend. I hate getting a new phone, especially when the one I had was brilliant! (Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite) Cricket Wireless kept sending me messages that my phone would no longer work on their nework after February, and at nearly 3 years old, the battery is getting tired (easily replaceable, but that doesn't make it compatible with Cricket, and probably AT&T as well). I might wall mount it and use it as a Home Assistant kiosk or something similar, at some point.
Yup, ended up picking up one and it will be a gift for my daughter for X-mas. And I'll probably pick up one for my wife, too, when it goes back on sale again. I have not played with it extensively yet, but it seems pretty impressive for the price. Then again, my daily driver is an LG G4, which was released back in 2015, so probably anything relatively modern will be impressive for me!
We are upgrading for the same reason as you--we use Tracfone with AT&T towers, and yeah, we have been receiving messages about the Feb 2022 deadline.
I think I might take the plunge, and go for a Pixel 6 myself though the base model is like $600. I am dreading the lack of a MicroSD slot, but the camera is apparently stunning. And there is guaranteed tons of custom development on it from the very start given that Google releases the source code for it immediately.
OnePlus is having a flash sale on the OP9 starting in a few hours, and the price will be $600, too, but if you sign up they will give you a $60 voucher bringing it down to $540. But the camera is apparently not as good as the Pixel 6. And I took a look at teardown/repairability info on both, and the Pixel 6 seems much more friendly in this regard.
verbage said:
Yup, ended up picking up one and it will be a gift for my daughter for X-mas. And I'll probably pick up one for my wife, too, when it goes back on sale again. I have not played with it extensively yet, but it seems pretty impressive for the price. Then again, my daily driver is an LG G4, which was released back in 2015, so probably anything relatively modern will be impressive for me!
We are upgrading for the same reason as you--we use Tracfone with AT&T towers, and yeah, we have been receiving messages about the Feb 2022 deadline.
I think I might take the plunge, and go for a Pixel 6 myself though the base model is like $600. I am dreading the lack of a MicroSD slot, but the camera is apparently stunning. And there is guaranteed tons of custom development on it from the very start given that Google releases the source code for it immediately.
OnePlus is having a flash sale on the OP9 starting in a few hours, and the price will be $600, too, but if you sign up they will give you a $60 voucher bringing it down to $540. But the camera is apparently not as good as the Pixel 6. And I took a look at teardown/repairability info on both, and the Pixel 6 seems much more friendly in this regard.
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Click to collapse
I too wanted a Pixel 6 but the lack of MicroSD killed it for me. There are kernel sources available for this phone, both for A10 and A11. I have grabbed the A11 source code. I want to attempt to build PE for this device at some point. I am still getting used to it however, as I had it a full week before I moved my SIM card to it. The only thing I dislike about it so far is the shear size of it. Such a HUGE phone and much more heavy than my Mi 8 Lite. Something I will just have to get used to. Also, Android Auto is very slow to start and the screen must be on and unlocked before my auto's head unit even detects its presence. Very odd.
Update: I am bootloader unlocked, rooted via Magisk, and have Orange Fox recovery installed (not my favorite). I have also managed to get the /vendor partition pulled. I have discovered a few quirks.
- Apex Launcher cannot backup or restore data. Seems to be some sort of permissions issue. This worked fine before unlocking and rooting, so not sure what the connection could be at this point.
EDIT: Apparently this is a problem with A11 and Apex Launcher. But, my Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite can backup and restore Apex data in A11.
- Magisk can not find nor download any modules. A search always reveals nothing.
I will continue to research the issues at hand. I have wiped and restored from Google cloud numerous times (3 so far) and nothing seems to fix this.
So I have a question when you bootloader unlocked were you on Android 10 or android 11 cause I'm on 11 and my code shows on Motorola site as not eligible
Android version does not matter. Try a different email address. If that doesn't work reset your router and modem and it should cycle the IP address. I get that error alot and both of those have worked equally as well.
I'm looking at getting a "new" phone to replace my Moto G5. I absolutely don't use the phone enough to justify paying big $$ for any totl model and I personally can't stand that every new phone is the size of a license plate (TBH, I hate using smart phones period, but they have just enough usefulness to make it worth having one)
The G5 biggest drawbacks are it's slow and laggy with most modern software (I'm running LOS 14.1 just to keep things as light as possible) and it doesn't have a compass either (I completely overlooked this when I purchased in the first place)
So, a refurb 3a is looking to be the best option so far - I would consider a 4a except the prices on those are ridiculous, even for a refurb. It all depends on whether the hardware can still cut it (btw the first thing I'll do is flash another rom, so the fact Google is dropping update support doesn't matter much)
Thoughts? (I also wouldn't mind alternative choices either)
If you're going to root and load a custom rom I go for the phones with the best hardware for the price. Older highly rated flagships be ideal. A SD card slot be useful.
Keep it simple: A 60hz refresh rate Amoled display with a high color rendering index.
That support 4G VoLTE.
Who's bootloaders compatible with firmware you want to load.
You have a lot of options, take your time and buy from a reliable vendor, whatever you chose.
Why do you want to change anyway? The Moto G5 still has official Lineage support. And technically it offers everything you need with a perfect small size. If you want a new one, you can't go wrong with a Pixel. I currently have a Pixel 1 and am very satisfied. Great quality and perfect custom rom support.
trisolaris said:
Why do you want to change anyway? The Moto G5 still has official Lineage support. And technically it offers everything you need with a perfect small size. If you want a new one, you can't go wrong with a Pixel. I currently have a Pixel 1 and am very satisfied. Great quality and perfect custom rom support.
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Click to collapse
I tried out Lineage18, the g5 was an absolute slug. Probably because it only has 2gb of RAM. Way better sticking with Nougat/Oreo vintage roms. Even on LOS14 I find the odd time I do use it for typical smartphone crap (web browsing, etc) it still is pretty ponderous. I also keep kicking myself in the ass for not noticing there was no compass either. Based on that alone I would've bought something else.
The Pixels do seem to check all of the boxes, feature wise, and I keep reading recommendations about buying older flagship models. I just haven't done much digging into the Pixel lineup until now and have no idea how much older is a safe bet.
I also have looked at some of the older Oneplus models, but it seems like they're prone to screen issues - most of the ones I've seen for sale mention screen burn
Horrible Username said:
I tried out Lineage18, the g5 was an absolute slug. Probably because it only has 2gb of RAM. Way better sticking with Nougat/Oreo vintage roms. Even on LOS14 I find the odd time I do use it for typical smartphone crap (web browsing, etc) it still is pretty ponderous. I also keep kicking myself in the ass for not noticing there was no compass either. Based on that alone I would've bought something else.
The Pixels do seem to check all of the boxes, feature wise, and I keep reading recommendations about buying older flagship models. I just haven't done much digging into the Pixel lineup until now and have no idea how much older is a safe bet.
I also have looked at some of the older Oneplus models, but it seems like they're prone to screen issues - most of the ones I've seen for sale mention screen burn
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All AMOLED displays have a finite lifespan. The higher energy blue pixels tend to go first, reds last. How high the brightness and for how long has a direct bearing on lifespan.
This N10+ has been heavily used for 2.5 years and has gone through one battery, soon the second one as well. Yet the display is still perfect.
I almost never use in direct sunlight and rarely go above 50% brightness, I manual brightness only except very rarely. I also use dark mode and wallpapers. Minimized red icon pack.
Problem is with used devices all you can do is use ScreenTest to look for damage or age related wear. This should be done even with new displays. One of the first things I test. For a higher price unsold older factory sealed new phones from 2020 can be had. My second N10+ was one of these. The benefits are obvious but they are almost double the price of a used one.
Regardless always buy from a trusted vendor, best to talk with them first. There's a lot of scamming going on... always use a Visa or MC to buy it with so you can do a charge back if needed.
blackhawk said:
All AMOLED displays have a finite lifespan. The higher energy blue pixels tend to go first, reds last. How high the brightness and for how long has a direct bearing on lifespan.
This N10+ has been heavily used for 2.5 years and has gone through one battery, soon the second one as well. Yet the display is still perfect.
I almost never use in direct sunlight and rarely go above 50% brightness, I manual brightness only except very rarely. I also use dark mode and wallpapers. Minimized red icon pack.
Problem is with used devices all you can do is use ScreenTest to look for damage or age related wear. This should be done even with new displays. One of the first things I test. For a higher price unsold older factory sealed new phones from 2020 can be had. My second N10+ was one of these. The benefits are obvious but they are almost double the price of a used one.
Regardless always buy from a trusted vendor, best to talk with them first. There's a lot of scamming going on... always use a Visa or MC to buy it with so you can do a charge back if needed.
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Click to collapse
Good advice. Most likely I'd end up buying through Amazon.ca. They seem to have a decent refurb. policy, and of course are great for returns.
I'd totally buy a NiB or open box except the prices for those units are absurd here in Canada - basically original MSRP for a 3yr. old phone when it comes to the Pixel models
Horrible Username said:
Good advice. Most likely I'd end up buying through Amazon.ca. They seem to have a decent refurb. policy, and of course are great for returns.
I'd totally buy a NiB or open box except the prices for those units are absurd here in Canada - basically original MSRP for a 3yr. old phone when it comes to the Pixel models
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Click to collapse
I'm not pleased with what Samsung or Google Android have released since the Note 10+ and Android 9 respectively. So I run my N10+'s and just don't care... or update.
Probably be 2-4 years until I buy another phone.
Maybe a Sony device could be a solution. Sony have a very good developer support. You can find very good refurb devices at a good price.
Horrible Username said:
I'm looking at getting a "new" phone to replace my Moto G5. I absolutely don't use the phone enough to justify paying big $$ for any totl model and I personally can't stand that every new phone is the size of a license plate (TBH, I hate using smart phones period, but they have just enough usefulness to make it worth having one)
The G5 biggest drawbacks are it's slow and laggy with most modern software (I'm running LOS 14.1 just to keep things as light as possible) and it doesn't have a compass either (I completely overlooked this when I purchased in the first place)
So, a refurb 3a is looking to be the best option so far - I would consider a 4a except the prices on those are ridiculous, even for a refurb. It all depends on whether the hardware can still cut it (btw the first thing I'll do is flash another rom, so the fact Google is dropping update support doesn't matter much)
Thoughts? (I also wouldn't mind alternative choices either)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought my pixel 3A a couple months ago, it's japan version. and i think this device still can be use as my primary device till a year ahead, i have nothing to complaint about this phone.
With 4G a SD card slot be useful.
12gb of ram be very useful.
The N10+* is a big (but thin) phone so you're probably hating that
However the Beast is just a joy to use. The spen is irreplaceable when needed for Smart Capture or as a bt remote camera shutter release. Build Q is impeccable as is its reliability... but it's huge... great for vids
The earlier S models from 2019 are smaller but lack the spen and the almost nonexistent bezel of the N10+, the N10 is smaller but so is the battery/SOT. The S series can be had with everything else though including a great AMOLED display. Stay away from all of the Folds.
I would make sure whatever you get has no higher than Android 10 on it. Because of the age of the phones you're targeting use the experiences of users as far as how they hold up and known faults for that model.
Samsung's especially the flagships are very customizable stock. The Galaxy store has hundreds of free icon packs, themes, plus the Good Lock family of customization apps.This is the Beast dark moded out, all stock running on Pie.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
*Note, most of the Samsung Snapdragon variants are notoriously hard to root including the N10+.
Unfortunately that generation of Samsung's is where you see a big leap in performance especially in ones with 12gb of ram. The Exynos variants are easily rooted but depending on the model may have poorer performance than the Snapdragon's. Read newer user reviews to see if this is an issue.
Horrible Username said:
I'm looking at getting a "new" phone to replace my Moto G5. I absolutely don't use the phone enough to justify paying big $$ for any totl model and I personally can't stand that every new phone is the size of a license plate (TBH, I hate using smart phones period, but they have just enough usefulness to make it worth having one)
The G5 biggest drawbacks are it's slow and laggy with most modern software (I'm running LOS 14.1 just to keep things as light as possible) and it doesn't have a compass either (I completely overlooked this when I purchased in the first place)
So, a refurb 3a is looking to be the best option so far - I would consider a 4a except the prices on those are ridiculous, even for a refurb. It all depends on whether the hardware can still cut it (btw the first thing I'll do is flash another rom, so the fact Google is dropping update support doesn't matter much)
Thoughts? (I also wouldn't mind alternative choices either)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am in the same boat. Looking for Pixel 3a as they suppose to have a good camera and a smaller size. It's going to replace Oneplus X which still works fine but there is no Lineage support anymore and /e/OS has some software issues and no updates.
Did you get it or choose something else in the end? How much did you pay?
Thanks.
Fostel said:
I am in the same boat. Looking for Pixel 3a as they suppose to have a good camera and a smaller size. It's going to replace Oneplus X which still works fine but there is no Lineage support anymore and /e/OS has some software issues and no updates.
Did you get it or choose something else in the end? How much did you pay?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Still haven't made up my mind yet, but It's looking more likely that I'll get either a 3 or a 4a. The price diff. between refurbed 3 and 3a on Amazon isn't enough to not get the better specced phone. The 4a are quite a bit more $$ here in Canada, but probably are more "future proof" with the 6gb of RAM. I doubt I'd bother with the 5G 4a however
Personally, I'd stay away from the Pixel 3 due to disappointing battery life and overheating issues. The 4a is a bit better. The best value IMO is the 5a. Same SoC as the 4a5g and 5, with a larger screen and battery.
Unless your credit is terrible, you'll likely qualify for the interest free financing. Look for a sale on the 5a when the 6a launches. I picked the 5a up for my wife for $349 when the 6/6Pro launched.
V0latyle said:
Personally, I'd stay away from the Pixel 3 due to disappointing battery life and overheating issues. The 4a is a bit better. The best value IMO is the 5a. Same SoC as the 4a5g and 5, with a larger screen and battery.
Unless your credit is terrible, you'll likely qualify for the interest free financing. Look for a sale on the 5a when the 6a launches. I picked the 5a up for my wife for $349 when the 6/6Pro launched.
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Click to collapse
Probably good advice, but I hate smartphones enough that there's no way I'd pay +$500 CAD just to get a refurb (TBH, for what and how much I use my phone, ~$200/250 is plenty). Plus, I would prefer to keep my screen size under 6"
I ordered Pixel 3A yesterday, based on the hype of the great camera and a good screen. Then I found that SO MANY users broke the screens just by a small 1 feet drop.
And yes, they had expensive screen protectors, cases and still, the screen shattered. As could be expected, Google is making the phone purposely weak as screen damage voids their warranty and cost a lot to replace.
Tons of Reddit and Google support posts evidencing this.
Why so many companies are advertising Pixel 3A screen replacement?
It's really simple - supply and demand!
Google is no different from Apple and other brands. They make those phones in China for a few bucks and sell them to you for a few hundred.
I will be returning this one and will look for a proper phone. I have Oneplus One (2014 model), Oneplus X (2015), and Oneplus 5T (2017). All of them were dropped multiple times, from more than one foot, sometimes on concrete.
They are still fully working. OP1 and OP5T just received the Android 12 update. Even the original batteries are still going strong. The Gorilla glass seems to be way better than the one they used on those 3A's.
The 3A is prone to screen crack. It's a weak phone with an inferior glass.
Hard to deny that after spending some time on research.
Fostel said:
I ordered Pixel 3A yesterday, based on the hype of the great camera and a good screen. Then I found that SO MANY users broke the screens just by a small 1 feet drop.
And yes, they had expensive screen protectors, cases and still, the screen shattered. As could be expected, Google is making the phone purposely weak as screen damage voids their warranty and cost a lot to replace.
Tons of Reddit and Google support posts evidencing this.
Why so many companies are advertising Pixel 3A screen replacement?
It's really simple - supply and demand!
Google is no different from Apple and other brands. They make those phones in China for a few bucks and sell them to you for a few hundred.
I will be returning this one and will look for a proper phone. I have Oneplus One (2014 model), Oneplus X (2015), and Oneplus 5T (2017). All of them were dropped multiple times, from more than one foot, sometimes on concrete.
They are still fully working. OP1 and OP5T just received the Android 12 update. Even the original batteries are still going strong. The Gorilla glass seems to be way better than the one they used on those 3A's.
The 3A is prone to screen crack. It's a weak phone with an inferior glass.
Hard to deny that after spending some time on research.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
More good info. Considering I have a longstanding feud with gravity, maybe a 3a isn't a good choice for me.
Maybe I'll just say screw it and keep my Moto Potato until it complete packs it in
I can't vouch for the 3a, but the Pixel 2 is a similar form factor and power. I loved it, though it had overheating issues and some apparent software flaws with LineageOS. I'm here now because after cracking it, I dropped it again and the screen is finally dead. No case.
A year ago when I bought the Pixel 2, it was neck and neck with the 3a. I happened to get a deal on the 2 so that's what I went with. If you want a cheap Android phone it makes sense to get a popular old phone like a Pixel series. The good camera requires Google apps, and on the Pixel 2 it didn't always work. But that was a hacked APK to get night sight.
My Pixel 2 was very expensive (new from Google), and both of them developed bulged batteries, both the original and its warranty replacement. In contrast, my Pixel 3a started out cheaper, and has been trouble free ever since.
About a month ago, I noticed that there was a wide selection of used Pixel 3a's on Ebay for around $55 - $70! I bought several (all from vendor "wise-deals"; no affiliation) for my kids to use as Minecraft tablets, for which they're excellent. No complaints; battery life seems ok, and even the "fair" graded phone looks great. I like the simple clear Spigen Liquid Crystal case, $9 or $10 from Amazon. Currently it looks like the selection of used Pixels is down, but you can still get an unlocked 3a XL for $75 or so. A used Pixel 4a 5G also seems like a good deal at around $175, but of course that's more than twice the price.
The only downside I see to these used 3a's (or the 3a XL) is that Google is stopping all further software updates. They just pushed a June security update to my 3a, and there might be one more coming, but that's it. Definitely nothing past their current Android 12 for these released-in-2019 phones. If you ever want to install non-stock software, be sure to get the "unlocked" 3a 2020G model. It works on any (American) cellular network, and it's easy to unlock its bootloader and install a different Android ROM, just follow the instructions. The Verizon-only G020E model is usually slightly cheaper, but regardless of whether it is SIM locked or unlocked, it has a PERMANENTLY locked bootloader; you can NEVER install your own version of Android on it.
blackhawk said:
If you're going to root and load a custom rom I go for the phones with the best hardware for the price. Older highly rated flagships be ideal. A SD card slot be useful.
Keep it simple: A 60hz refresh rate Amoled display with a high color rendering index.
That support 4G VoLTE.
Who's bootloaders compatible with firmware you want to load.
You have a lot of options, take your time and buy from a reliable vendor, whatever you chose.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you recommend me a replacement for my P3A? the headphone jack is dead and I tried to open it thinking it was like the Nexus5/X but apparently it is glued on.. basically I ruined the entire edge of the phone trying to just replace the jack port. So I think I'll just get a new phone.
I use LineageOS, I'd like to keep using that, pref 64gb minimum 32gb, must have a headphone jack on the top of the phone, and able to load custom roms(lineage etc), kernels, root it, install something like TWRP backup permanently because it's so awkward on this phone I never once made a nandroid backup and I'd like to be able to do that again.
I'll be getting something used on ebay, it doesn't have to be powerful just at least a bit better than the P3a.
Could you ping me with a couple suggestions I can check out please?
Thanks in advance.
paradoxiumwind said:
Can you recommend me a replacement for my P3A? the headphone jack is dead and I tried to open it thinking it was like the Nexus5/X but apparently it is glued on.. basically I ruined the entire edge of the phone trying to just replace the jack port. So I think I'll just get a new phone.
I use LineageOS, I'd like to keep using that, pref 64gb minimum 32gb, must have a headphone jack on the top of the phone, and able to load custom roms(lineage etc), kernels, root it, install something like TWRP backup permanently because it's so awkward on this phone I never once made a nandroid backup and I'd like to be able to do that again.
I'll be getting something used on ebay, it doesn't have to be powerful just at least a bit better than the P3a.
Could you ping me with a couple suggestions I can check out please?
Thanks in advance.
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I run stock Samsung N10+'s. They are Snapdragon's that are notoriously hard to root with no 3.5mm jack. Not a good rooting candidate... but a superb workhorse.
You want expandable storage if possible. The upper midrange Samsung's have both. Like the S10. I'm not well enough versed to give you a good opinion on this.
For your purposes there may be better choices from other manufacturers like LG, HTC, etc.
This is a known good vendor that sells new, factory sealed Google and Samsung's, many were bought up as overstock. A good choice if you want a new unit. WYSIWYG...
Hello!
I noticed there's a trade-in program at the Google Store for the 6a. I currently have a Pixel 4a. It's working fine, a bit slow and stuttery sometimes (but maybe that's because I'm using a ROM with an overwhelming amount of features), but otherwise it's okay.
I could trade it in for €275 if it was in perfect condition. I have accidentally dropped it once, so there's a tiny crack in the plastic on the top left of the phone. The screen isn't cracked or anything, it's purely aesthetic. Worst case scenario, I can trade it in for €199, which would mean I could buy a 6a for at most €260.
I've heard a lot of bad stuff about the 6a, so I'm very hesitant about this upgrade. Paying 260 euros for a new Pixel sounds like an amazing deal to me.
Is the fingerprint reader really that slow? Is the display truly choppy? Does the phone really constantly overheat even after the first few days of setting it up? Are the connectivity issues a thing for real?
Should I just stick to my 4a for another year or two, and then look at what's on the market?
I've had a great experience with the 6a. A lot of the issues that were out there have been fixed for the most part imo. Hot phone, etc. - have been fixed with the upgrade to 13, and even better with the Quarterly update if you are a beta tester. At this point most people out there say, like me, the experience is pretty damn great - even better if you get the trade in money. I upgraded from the 3a - same story - I had it rom'd out and it ran fine enough, but with the $300 trade in it was a no brainer. For me - taxes, shipping, case and screen protector - I'm out of pocket 189 for a phone that really is worth 450...can't beat that.
I've also rooted, added the MVK kernel - this can't be more snappier. Also keep in mind that development has just started so more options are on the way. GL
Take pictures or video of your old phone from all angles. Google/3rd party WILL try to rip you off any way they can. They will try to say your battery exploded or your perfectly funcioning LCD screen has major LCD damage. Crap like that. So protect yourself beforehand.
My perspective having 2 4a's trading one for a 6a and trading a OnePlus 7t for another 6a.
I have a 6 which is my backup/backup just for camera, it's a little bit larger than I like.
I kept a 4a as emergency backup. Positive stuff; faster, bigger screen will have a long support for updates. Bargain pricing.
You mentioned a different kernel / ROM so let's use the history of 4a vs 4... 4a was not supported by developers in same numbers as 4. Currently the existing resources on 6a vs 6 it looks the same, as you can see. I am hoping that just the sheer numbers of 6a being pushed into market that will change... likely depends on October new phone releases? If you need 5g well it's not a question then.
If you don't need 5g, the biggest disappointment will be battery life...No way will a 6a will compete with a 4a on absolute longevity on one charge cycle. I would guess in my use it's HALF, yes seems impossible but that's after daily use of both in same locations and usage.
I had a 4a (stock with Android 13) and I did the trade-in for a 6a. The trade-in went smoothly for me, and I got the value I was expecting for the 4a ($300). Since I have owned the 6a (stock android 13 w/Sept. update), It has improved. The fingerprint sensor under the screen has gotten better. It still misses every so often. It still isn't quite as good as the rear fingerprint sensor of the 4a. The battery life has improved a lot for me. As of typing this it is 3:34 PM and I am at 80%. I unplugged it at 6:40 AM. It is on Wi-Fi most of the day and it's fairly light usage. The camera processing is loads faster than on the 4a. It is also nice to have a wide-angle lens. The software touches with the 6a are nice, magic eraser is especially fun. The speech to text is especially good and fast. The phone itself feels a lot higher quality especially compared to the 4a. The more and longer I use the 6a, the more I like it.
mmead1143 said:
I've had a great experience with the 6a. A lot of the issues that were out there have been fixed for the most part imo. Hot phone, etc. - have been fixed with the upgrade to 13, and even better with the Quarterly update if you are a beta tester. At this point most people out there say, like me, the experience is pretty damn great - even better if you get the trade in money. I upgraded from the 3a - same story - I had it rom'd out and it ran fine enough, but with the $300 trade in it was a no brainer. For me - taxes, shipping, case and screen protector - I'm out of pocket 189 for a phone that really is worth 450...can't beat that.
I've also rooted, added the MVK kernel - this can't be more snappier. Also keep in mind that development has just started so more options are on the way. GL
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Click to collapse
kkjb said:
If you don't need 5g, the biggest disappointment will be battery life...No way will a 6a will compete with a 4a on absolute longevity on one charge cycle. I would guess in my use it's HALF, yes seems impossible but that's after daily use of both in same locations and usage.
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aaronzimm75 said:
The battery life has improved a lot for me.
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How's the battery life for you guys? I guess I get about 2-4 hours of SOT with my 4a. That of course depends on a lot of things. I travel quite frequently nowadays (usually about 2 - 2.5 hours by train/bus), so I usually listen to Spotify or watch some videos on YouTube. I guess the crappy connectivity while traveling by train + music streaming isn't always easy on the battery. Also, I use YouTube Vanced, and it does this weird thing where while watching some certain videos, the phone gets crazy hot (and obviously drains the battery quickly), watching other videos is just fine.
I use ACC, so I only charge the battery to 75%. I was at home this weekend, barely used my phone at all, it drained to like 45%, so standby time is okay, but I really have no idea what my usual daily battery usage (for the lack of a better term) is.
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smokejumper76 said:
Take pictures or video of your old phone from all angles. Google/3rd party WILL try to rip you off any way they can. They will try to say your battery exploded or your perfectly funcioning LCD screen has major LCD damage. Crap like that. So protect yourself beforehand.
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Click to collapse
Have you tried to trade your device in with Google before? Can you tell us a bit more about your experience with them?
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aaronzimm75 said:
The fingerprint sensor under the screen has gotten better. It still misses every so often. It still isn't quite as good as the rear fingerprint sensor of the 4a.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How unreliable is it? The 4a's fingerprint reader has never failed on me. Luckily not even when I was out and needed to access something on my phone instantly.
Just by looking up some recent(-ish) videos on YouTube, it seems like the phone needs anywhere from about half a second to a full second to unlock. I guess it's not so much about how long it takes, but how accurate it actually is. Could you guys give me an estimate (of course it doesn't have to be an exact measurement, more just how consistent it feels to you) of how many times the phone fails to correctly read your finger so you have to re-place it on the reader?
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kkjb said:
You mentioned a different kernel / ROM so let's use the history of 4a vs 4... 4a was not supported by developers in same numbers as 4. Currently the existing resources on 6a vs 6 it looks the same, as you can see. I am hoping that just the sheer numbers of 6a being pushed into market that will change... likely depends on October new phone releases?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Before my 4a I had a OnePlus 3T, rooted it on day one and soon got really fond of ResurrectionRemix. When I switched to the 4a (almost two years ago, damn, time flies fast), I hadn't tinkered with it for over a year I think. Even now, there are barely any regularly maintained custom ROMs for it. From what I can tell, the modding community is ever-so-slowly dying off. I guess it doesn't help that Google and other OEMs make it more difficult for us to tinker with out devices every year.
That being said, I'm not considering a 6a because of many custom things there are for it. Honestly, if there was a way to limit charging speed, and set a maximum charge level, I probably wouldn't even root. I have gotten to a point in my life where reliability is much more of a priority than endless customization
---
One thing I forgot to add to my original post is another reason why I'm hesitant with this upgrade:
Surely, the trade-in option helps a lot, I could essentially get a brand new phone for half its price, which is virtually unbeatable. But if I look past that, and I was about to actually need to buy a new phone, thus look at what my options are, I'm not 100% sure my choice would land on a Pixel. Definitely going to have to look into it (and do it quickly, since the trade-in is only until the 24th).
I traded my 4a in for $300 off and a free pair of Pixel Buds a too during the pre-launch sale, so 'all in' my 6a was only $50 so it'd take a LOT to make me regret the 6a. As stated already, yeah it had it's teething period at first like most new phones. Most have been sorted out tho. I don't mind the FP scanner taking a slightly 'paused' touch/release to unlock...I got used to it pretty quick thus it stopped buggin' me as well. Too help w/batt life and tweaking, I rooted and added my favs plus a batt mod or 2. Above all, besides the $300 + Buds...it knowing I have the same CPU under the hood as the P6 Pro...for less than HALF the price and even less out-of-pocket. My only wish is a 6" 90Hz screen vs. the 6.1" @ 60Hz. Here's to hoping the 90Hz o/c tweak makes it's way into the custom kernel releases sooner than later!
Lada333 said:
How's the battery life for you guys? I guess I get about 2-4 hours of SOT with my 4a. That of course depends on a lot of things. I travel quite frequently nowadays (usually about 2 - 2.5 hours by train/bus), so I usually listen to Spotify or watch some videos on YouTube. I guess the crappy connectivity while traveling by train + music streaming isn't always easy on the battery. Also, I use YouTube Vanced, and it does this weird thing where while watching some certain videos, the phone gets crazy hot (and obviously drains the battery quickly), watching other videos is just fine.
I use ACC, so I only charge the battery to 75%. I was at home this weekend, barely used my phone at all, it drained to like 45%, so standby time is okay, but I really have no idea what my usual daily battery usage (for the lack of a better term) is.
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Have you tried to trade your device in with Google before? Can you tell us a bit more about your experience with them?
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How unreliable is it? The 4a's fingerprint reader has never failed on me. Luckily not even when I was out and needed to access something on my phone instantly.
Just by looking up some recent(-ish) videos on YouTube, it seems like the phone needs anywhere from about half a second to a full second to unlock. I guess it's not so much about how long it takes, but how accurate it actually is. Could you guys give me an estimate (of course it doesn't have to be an exact measurement, more just how consistent it feels to you) of how many times the phone fails to correctly read your finger so you have to re-place it on the reader?
---
Before my 4a I had a OnePlus 3T, rooted it on day one and soon got really fond of ResurrectionRemix. When I switched to the 4a (almost two years ago, damn, time flies fast), I hadn't tinkered with it for over a year I think. Even now, there are barely any regularly maintained custom ROMs for it. From what I can tell, the modding community is ever-so-slowly dying off. I guess it doesn't help that Google and other OEMs make it more difficult for us to tinker with out devices every year.
That being said, I'm not considering a 6a because of many custom things there are for it. Honestly, if there was a way to limit charging speed, and set a maximum charge level, I probably wouldn't even root. I have gotten to a point in my life where reliability is much more of a priority than endless customization
---
One thing I forgot to add to my original post is another reason why I'm hesitant with this upgrade:
Surely, the trade-in option helps a lot, I could essentially get a brand new phone for half its price, which is virtually unbeatable. But if I look past that, and I was about to actually need to buy a new phone, thus look at what my options are, I'm not 100% sure my choice would land on a Pixel. Definitely going to have to look into it (and do it quickly, since the trade-in is only until the 24th).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Battery life - obviously super specific to each individual's usage, preferences etc. So I'll give you a comparison. On my 3a, a 100% full charge beginning most day's, up at 530a, workout - work etc. I'd come home at 5p at about 35-40% left on the battery. Light usage and I have wifi at the office. With the 6a, the same day I come home at about 45-50%. So it's a tich better. I notice NO performance difference with battery saver mode on (not the extreme version) and for fun, I run the phone with the same daily schedule above - I come home at like 70% battery left and honestly, I see no difference in performance. - Keep in mind I'm also rooted and running MVK.
Trade in - was slick as snot for me. I got the full $300 about 10 days after the 6a arrived. I know some people video tape the trade in phone etc - I did none of that and had no issues.
Fingerprint is working 100% with the 13 upgrade. I was on the 13 standards, then went with the Beta 13 - no issues since both upgrades. It is a tich different feel an the 3a. On the 3a the back sensor was automatic. With the 6a, you kind of "press into" the screen. But it works everytime - perfect now. It's very reliable now for me.
Customization - I'm about the same. Stock Android is pretty great these days and there's not much of a reason to rom like there was 10 years ago. I have root simply to update the kernel. I've had MVK running and the phone can't be any more snappy than it is to be honest. Other than that I'm 100% stock and have no complaints.
GL
Zaxx32 said:
I traded my 4a in for $300 off and a free pair of Pixel Buds a too during the pre-launch sale, so 'all in' my 6a was only $50 so it'd take a LOT to make me regret the 6a. As stated already, yeah it had it's teething period at first like most new phones. Most have been sorted out tho. I don't mind the FP scanner taking a slightly 'paused' touch/release to unlock...I got used to it pretty quick thus it stopped buggin' me as well. Too help w/batt life and tweaking, I rooted and added my favs plus a batt mod or 2. Above all, besides the $300 + Buds...it knowing I have the same CPU under the hood as the P6 Pro...for less than HALF the price and even less out-of-pocket. My only wish is a 6" 90Hz screen vs. the 6.1" @ 60Hz. Here's to hoping the 90Hz o/c tweak makes it's way into the custom kernel releases sooner than later!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a high refresh rate monitor at home + I've used phones that have a high refresh rate display. As much as I love them, it's not a dealbreaker for me, luckily. Sure, the animations and scrolling looks a lot smoother, but at the end of the day, it makes no difference when watching videos or reading articles/browsing Reddit.
mmead1143 said:
Battery life - obviously super specific to each individual's usage, preferences etc. So I'll give you a comparison. On my 3a, a 100% full charge beginning most day's, up at 530a, workout - work etc. I'd come home at 5p at about 35-40% left on the battery. Light usage and I have wifi at the office. With the 6a, the same day I come home at about 45-50%. So it's a tich better. I notice NO performance difference with battery saver mode on (not the extreme version) and for fun, I run the phone with the same daily schedule above - I come home at like 70% battery left and honestly, I see no difference in performance. - Keep in mind I'm also rooted and running MVK.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Notice any difference between Snapdragon and Tensor SOC? IIRC Tensor is basically just a customized Exynos from Samsung, so both performance and root-wise it should be very similar to Snapdragon, right?
mmead1143 said:
Trade in - was slick as snot for me. I got the full $300 about 10 days after the 6a arrived. I know some people video tape the trade in phone etc - I did none of that and had no issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Making photos and recording a video beforehand didn't cross my mind before smokejumper's comment in this thread. I wouldn't assume Google would want to "rip me off," but I guess it never hurts to record some proof - just in case.
6a gets you security updates at least until July 2027. Your 4a, only until August 2023.
As far as trade-in, sounds like you still get a good deal - when I traded in a couple of 3as a month ago, trade-in credit was $300 ($295 with cracked display). Now it's $200/165 for both 3a and 4a, so it sounds like you currently get a better deal than in the US.
Lada333 said:
Notice any difference between Snapdragon and Tensor SOC? IIRC Tensor is basically just a customized Exynos from Samsung, so both performance and root-wise it should be very similar to Snapdragon, right?
Making photos and recording a video beforehand didn't cross my mind before smokejumper's comment in this thread. I wouldn't assume Google would want to "rip me off," but I guess it never hurts to record some proof - just in case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't notice any differences in the differing CPUs but honestly - I'm the worst person to ask I don't have the technical know-how to see nuanced advances. So no clue on comparison - but this phone is fast as ****. That's my "professional" opinion haha!
Lada333 said:
---
Have you tried to trade your device in with Google before? Can you tell us a bit more about your experience with them?
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was a first time trade-in to Google for me. The phone I traded in did not boot up correctly (4a5g). It powered on. It factory reset (despite tunefs errors and able to flash it and lock/unlock bootloader) but it would bootloop to fastboot no valid slot to boot. The screen was free of cracks and scratches. It turned on. And factory reset. The back housing had peeling near the camera. The housing had no cracks or scratches. I mailed it off nearly a month ago. And 3.5 weeks or so I got email of stated value. Instead of $300 for a device with no cracks, powers on, and factory reset they gave me $260. They said Display Damage/Major LCD damage.
Now before all this I had read various threads regarding the pixel trade in on reddit and horror stories about other people's experiences. That's where I copied what many people on there had did which was to photograph/video record the phone and its condition prior to shipping it off. I was anticipating Google to screw me over the peeling back housing. But no. They decided to screw me over the Major LCD damage that doesn't exist with blatant video evidence to prove it. So I chatted and emailed them multiple times including pictures and video of the phone. And they come back with "we are unable to alter the amount". "Heres $40 google store credit". Which is useless to me. I'm waiting for another supervisor to get back to me to tell me the same thing and that they will not be able to convert that $40 store credit to back on my CC. Has been such a hassle. Such a scam. It's not the money. It's the principle of the thing. Especially when even Google's own office drones who have seen the video and pictures agreed, otherwise they would not have given me their useless store credit. Yeah I'm bitter.
Coming from a 3a myself, and because your 4a is slightly smaller even than my 3a, the size of the 6a might hit you like it did me. I didn't expect it to make much difference, but the 6a is a 25% weight increase over the 3a & 4a and wearing lighter-weight clothes it still feels like I've got a brick in my pocket. That said, its other features are an improvement. I'm using about 10% more battery per day on average compared to the 3a, but since the 6a's battery is 50% larger it makes a big difference in the time it takes to recharge in the morning (affects my morning routines ). The fingerprint sensor is behaving well now that I've learned how to best use it and I no longer miss the rear sensor.
Overall I'm pleased with it, especially since it cost me a net $150 after the $300 trade-in (which I have yet to see, but that's another thread!).
@smokejumper76 So just to be clear, you sent in a device that didn't boot (display damage possibly, loosely defined) and they gave you $260 for a phone that basically was a door stop. And you are bitter? Now think about the time spent on the phone with tech support and supervisors and email. Do you really think the bitterness is worth your time, principle or not?
And for you and everyone else in this thread having Google issues, next time bring it in to BB and they'll give you credit on the spot. Granted it was $250 not 3 bills but the phone was only $399 not $459. They didn't even charge me and then refund me, it just came right off the purchase price.
bobby janow said:
@smokejumper76 So just to be clear, you sent in a device that didn't boot (display damage possibly, loosely defined) and they gave you $260 for a phone that basically was a door stop. And you are bitter? Now think about the time spent on the phone with tech support and supervisors and email. Do you really think the bitterness is worth your time, principle or not?
And for you and everyone else in this thread having Google issues, next time bring it in to BB and they'll give you credit on the spot. Granted it was $250 not 3 bills but the phone was only $399 not $459. They didn't even charge me and then refund me, it just came right off the purchase price.
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Click to collapse
A device not able to boot was not a condition they imposed. A bootable device is completely different from one that powers on. And they went through the trouble to clarify every other aspect of the device including but not limited to the condition of the back housing (no deep scratches or cracks.). They should have had me on the hook for that. Therefore they can't say anything about the housing. Major LCD would constitute something obvious on the display. They said major. Like huge discoloration, smudges, deal pixels,cracks, breaks, something along those lines. And yes it was completely contrary to the device I sent in. So yes, it is worth my time. The world may be damned on what it thinks are important issues (the environment, jobs, if vaginas are owned by the state,etc.), but if we cannot even have honest and fair transactions of the mundane--Russia's nukes are the least of our problems. What can I say. I'm old fashioned. I like to hold people and companies accountable. Even if I "lose" it's a reminder for me, to not trust anyone. What? Am I going to sue them? Of course not. I don't have that right. Maybe if I lauched a car in space or my ancestors owned slaves and I had an estate, maybe. And google knows that--so they can do whatever they F they want. Like most companies. Only if it gets a rich laywer's attention were $$ is involved would anything ever happen. Hell they [companies and banks] run the countries. That's how the world works. Always has. Always will--doesnt matter what color your flag is.
TLTR: It's the whole "catching them in a lie" kind of thing. And not being able to do a damned thing about it. Yeah I know: cry me a river boo hoo.
mike.s said:
6a gets you security updates at least until July 2027. Your 4a, only until August 2023.
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I'm not necessarily concerned about security updates. I'll likely flash a custom ROM waaay before OEM support ceases for the device
rochrunner said:
Coming from a 3a myself, and because your 4a is slightly smaller even than my 3a, the size of the 6a might hit you like it did me. I didn't expect it to make much difference, but the 6a is a 25% weight increase over the 3a & 4a and wearing lighter-weight clothes it still feels like I've got a brick in my pocket. That said, its other features are an improvement. I'm using about 10% more battery per day on average compared to the 3a, but since the 6a's battery is 50% larger it makes a big difference in the time it takes to recharge in the morning (affects my morning routines ). The fingerprint sensor is behaving well now that I've learned how to best use it and I no longer miss the rear sensor.
Overall I'm pleased with it, especially since it cost me a net $150 after the $300 trade-in (which I have yet to see, but that's another thread!).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I honestly wouldn't mind the extra weight. The 4a is so light, I'm sometimes scared that the wind might blow it out of my hands.
I'm a bit sad to see that the actual device is bigger though. If I hold my 4a in my hand just the right way, I can just about reach across the screen. It truly is a shame that all budget and/or small phones are stupidly huge these days.
Happy to hear that the fingerprint sensor isn't a total flop. That was honestly one of my main concerns.
smokejumper76 said:
It's the whole "catching them in a lie" kind of thing. And not being able to do a damned thing about it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do understand your frustration. I really do.
But would you be okay with receiving $260 instead of $300 if their reasoning for the deduction would've been "The back housing had peeling near the camera"? I assume you would be okay with that, right? It is physical damage. Sure, it is not a crack, by definition, but you can't blame them for not listing every possible means of physical damage that can happen to a phone, can you now?
Lada333 said:
I do understand your frustration. I really do.
But would you be okay with receiving $260 instead of $300 if their reasoning for the deduction would've been "The back housing had peeling near the camera"? I assume you would be okay with that, right? It is physical damage. Sure, it is not a crack, by definition, but you can't blame them for not listing every possible means of physical damage that can happen to a phone, can you now?
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Click to collapse
Yes. I would have been ok with that. Granted a $40 reduction is a little harsh for a cheap plastic piece. But if they had actually straight up said that, I feel I would not really have much to say against it. But they did not. Major LCD damage is very broad. They are so specific on their trade-in details page, yet they fail to be specific when it comes to why/what failed the inspection on the traded in device.
Buy a Pixel phone & trade in your old phone for a credit - United States - Google Store Help
When you buy a new Pixel phone, you can get credit when you trade in your old phone through Google Store. Trade-in through Google Store is available in Canada, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and
support.google.com
And the fine print of the trade in makes no mention of anything other than LCD, housing, buttons, powers on, touchscreen, battery (edit see above link), hinges (if applies)...there is a bunch of things the trade in page tells you in detail that must pass inspection (note: nothing about ability to boot into OS is listed as a requirement to pass inspection merely that it powers on, factory reset, and no cracks and display works) and for them to put it under Major LCD damage when there is obviously none. Only air bubble under screen protector which I left on. My situation is exactly what others on various reddit threads about their google trade in experiences. And when I showed the video to google..I mean they would not have given me that store credit if I Iacked any credibility to my accusation. And yes I keep pressing because I know I'm right. And they admitted as such when they said something along lines of "As they found the issue from their end after the inspection"...and issues credit vs CC. And I'm like no. Put it on my card. I'm not buying overpriced/hyped earbuds. So yea. Complete waste of time but dammit I'm right. Otherwise say it was the backing or the LCD had (insert something specific) in the first place and be prepared to prove it. And the video I have which shows a blatent near pristine device (except backing..it had one of those sticky skins which peeled off a small section from back)..no. They are wrong. Does it matter?--No. Whatever right? I'm just laying this all out for others. Take pictures/video of it if you send it in, if you have to fight it out, if one even can.Good luck.
Edit: Technically one could trade in a bricked phone if it powers into rescue/download/EDL/9008 mode since technically it "powers on" and screen not "dark".
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?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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.