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Message
Android Police: Android flagships need more competition.
Posted on 3/31/24 at 12:23 pm
Posted on 3/31/24 at 12:23 pm
Android Police website
quote:
The upper strata of the Android phone market seems a little stagnant lately. There are only a handful of devices at this end of the market, which is normally fine, but the premium phones from which we get to choose are painfully the same, compounding the situation. A lack of innovation is stifling customer excitement..
Android could be exciting. The operating system is available for any OEM to power whatever crazy new ideas they come up with. Indeed, it used to be this way. Remember when Motorola and Nokia and Modu tried to make modular phones? The idea was cool. Android used to be the OS where innovation happened.
Today, it seems the high-end of Android exists solely to parrot the iPhone, by far the greatest competition to Android in places like North America and Europe. Every design is the same: a glass and metal slab with three or four cameras slapped on the back. The foldable line is a bright spot, but even those are beginning to converge, much like the similarities between the leaked Pixel Fold 2 and OnePlus Open. Nothing feels fresh anymore.
To me, the solution is simple: make Android exciting again. Manufacturers, for instance, could make high-end Android devices out of unique materials using a diverse range of bold colors. Or they could jump on the old modular idea and create customizable phones we can upgrade (and collect) piecemeal. Even limited editions could bring back some excitement, like the recent and absolutely glorious OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact phone.
Companies jumped all over AI and are pushing it into everything because it's all they've got. AI is the latest buzzword, but let's be honest, it doesn't blow us away. We want tangible gains.
Camera advancements are slowing down. Some would even say this year's cameras are a little worse than last year if that's even possible. The Galaxy S24 Ultra no longer has the same extreme 10x zoom found on last year's S23 Ultra.
Other valuable features disappeared years ago: removable storage, headphone jacks, and replaceable batteries were once standard on phones. We would love to see them come back.
7
Posted on 3/31/24 at 12:54 pm to prplhze2000
This is an across the board thing. Until someone comes up with some insane step forward, nobody really has much room left for innovation.
Posted on 3/31/24 at 1:23 pm to prplhze2000
I want a smaller phone with flagship specs. Pretty happy with Pixel 8, but I'd go smaller given the option.
Posted on 3/31/24 at 2:10 pm to prplhze2000
I don't but flagships. I haven't in awhile. Midrange phones handle everything I throw at it.
I don't hardcore game with my phone. I only use my phone camera for quick snapshots not wall portraits, so no need for latest camera tech.
I think most people are like me or could even use a budget phone.
It's also why I don't care about OS updates. They are only incremental changes now. There's nothing really innovative with the latest OS versions.
The article kind of hints at one of the phones I loved the most, the moto Z line. Phone was so thin it could easily slip into a pocket. Could easily snap on extended battery or other add on, like better camera or speakers. Was a great phone line that should not have been cancelled.
I don't hardcore game with my phone. I only use my phone camera for quick snapshots not wall portraits, so no need for latest camera tech.
I think most people are like me or could even use a budget phone.
It's also why I don't care about OS updates. They are only incremental changes now. There's nothing really innovative with the latest OS versions.
The article kind of hints at one of the phones I loved the most, the moto Z line. Phone was so thin it could easily slip into a pocket. Could easily snap on extended battery or other add on, like better camera or speakers. Was a great phone line that should not have been cancelled.
This post was edited on 3/31/24 at 2:14 pm
Posted on 3/31/24 at 2:51 pm to h0bnail
quote:
I want a smaller phone with flagship specs. Pretty happy with Pixel 8, but I'd go smaller given the option.
Marques Brownlee had a great video on this exact topic within the last month. He talks about how they tried to sell the high end smaller phones but the simply don't sell well even if they are objectively impressive phones.
Posted on 3/31/24 at 2:58 pm to tiggerthetooth
I've been on every Fold since the 2 and couldn't ever go back. Use the huge gorgeous tablet screen 90% of the time.
Posted on 3/31/24 at 3:23 pm to tiggerthetooth
I watched that video. Numbers are numbers.
I like having a phone jack for backup and for travel/flights. I'm pretty stationary so mobile is not a concern in that case.
I still say some of the lack of innovation is because there is less competition here. There are great phones overseas. Xiaomi and Oppo, as I wrote elsewhere, make great phones. Nothing 2 is a great budget phone. There are others. However, they don't sell them here because as Carl Pei put it, the carrier stranglehold. Carriers aren't interested in carrying but a few manufacturers and subsidize the big 2. The unlocked market isn't really large enough to tempt them. Look at Oppo's Oneplus. Great phones. Great hardware. Partnering with Leica for the cameras. Can't make a dent here. Hell, in my area, I wouldn't be able to use it with Cspire or mine, Xfinity Mobile.
Less competition means less innovations and here we are.
Apple is on the right track though as it tries to turn its phones and wearables into semi-medical devices.
The folds are promising but damn, the price is high and the cameras are subpar compared to the phones. And as I said about Oneplus's phones, its fold is not going to work on some carrier networks.
I like having a phone jack for backup and for travel/flights. I'm pretty stationary so mobile is not a concern in that case.
I still say some of the lack of innovation is because there is less competition here. There are great phones overseas. Xiaomi and Oppo, as I wrote elsewhere, make great phones. Nothing 2 is a great budget phone. There are others. However, they don't sell them here because as Carl Pei put it, the carrier stranglehold. Carriers aren't interested in carrying but a few manufacturers and subsidize the big 2. The unlocked market isn't really large enough to tempt them. Look at Oppo's Oneplus. Great phones. Great hardware. Partnering with Leica for the cameras. Can't make a dent here. Hell, in my area, I wouldn't be able to use it with Cspire or mine, Xfinity Mobile.
Less competition means less innovations and here we are.
Apple is on the right track though as it tries to turn its phones and wearables into semi-medical devices.
The folds are promising but damn, the price is high and the cameras are subpar compared to the phones. And as I said about Oneplus's phones, its fold is not going to work on some carrier networks.
Posted on 3/31/24 at 3:28 pm to mchias1
quote:I'm in this crowd. I haven't had a new latest and greatest android phone in over a decade. I have an A50 right now and it's just fine with me. Will probably buy a new to me phone this year but it won't be anything that's been out within a year or so
I don't but flagships. I haven't in awhile. Midrange phones handle everything I throw at it.
I don't hardcore game with my phone. I only use my phone camera for quick snapshots not wall portraits, so no need for latest camera tech.
Posted on 3/31/24 at 4:26 pm to Bama and Beer
Got the Pixel 8 Pro but I wasn't going to pay a flagship price. Google had the 256 gb for $850 and $360 for trade in on my 7 pro. The trade in was $60 above the average value on swappa.
Posted on 3/31/24 at 6:56 pm to prplhze2000
whoever wrote that is welcome to follow his own ideas and do it
Posted on 3/31/24 at 8:01 pm to prplhze2000
I just had this talk with biff wrench. I'm still on the 6 and have literally no reasons to want to upgrade.
I still have no idea what programs people are running on their phones to require the newest
I still have no idea what programs people are running on their phones to require the newest
Posted on 4/1/24 at 3:53 pm to prplhze2000
Sony could step in and get some market share if they would focus on the average user and not photography professionals. I like how they don't use the in-display fingerprint reader. I think there's in on the side in the power button.
Posted on 4/1/24 at 4:05 pm to GrizzlyAlloy
20 years ago I had Sony Ericssons. Well made and great phones. Probably my favorite non smartphone.
Also had an auxiliary antenna. Plugged it in to back to phone, then antenna had a base magnet, put it on roof of car and ran through window. Was really nice to use.
Also had an auxiliary antenna. Plugged it in to back to phone, then antenna had a base magnet, put it on roof of car and ran through window. Was really nice to use.
Posted on 4/1/24 at 7:46 pm to prplhze2000
I still have removable storage with my Samsung S20 FE 5G, and so I don't want to lose it. There might be a rude awakening when I absolutely have to get a new one.
With a boatload of apps, some photos and music files, I want enough storage that I won't have to upload to the cloud.
As for the quality of the photos, I still use my Nikon and don't see an issue.
With a boatload of apps, some photos and music files, I want enough storage that I won't have to upload to the cloud.
As for the quality of the photos, I still use my Nikon and don't see an issue.
Posted on 4/1/24 at 9:55 pm to prplhze2000
I'm really happy with my Oneplus 12. I'm glad it exists to compete with Samsung and Google.
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