Let's Talk Smart Phones

The S7 is a nice phone. If you were to try to buy it on ebay, you would pay $150-200. The newer phones have slightly better displays and cameras, but no way would I feel a need to upgrade from an S7. I use an S6 and the camera is a little lacking, but I can't justfiy a new phone.

The Pixels are nice, but the Samsungs have better bill pay technology and the Pixels don't support wireless charging.

My S7 gets arbitrarily ... laggy for no apparent reason. Plus I'm wondering when 5G is being put into the equation. Would there be backwards compatibility for older phones?

If the Pixel wasn't so expensive, that would be an easy choice for me. Presently, TMobile has the current Galaxy and Note options (and that's it credit wise/option wise: monthly payments and no interest...).

I still want a better camera than my current S7 to supplement my new(ish) Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digitial Camera (though I am not desperate since I'm still learning how to use that pretty complicated camera).

I'll start with the last; I prefer android to iOS. But I'm a tinkerer, and like to be able to manipulate files, and move them on and off of the device without the need for the ridiculous iTunes handcuff. I root my phones to setup custom navigation and shortcuts, improve large screen reachability, and circumvent the bs toy-like qualities that tend to accompany the average smartphone. If I had to guess, I'd say that android device resale will always be paltry, especially compared to iPhone.

Currently I have the 1st gen Pixel, still running android N – on purpose (if I had my way, I'd go back to Kitkat). I bought it outright from google, as buying direct from a manufacturer eliminates carrier junk apps. Google's phones have an added bonus, like the iPhone, of working with all carriers, unlike most others which are either cdma or gsm.

Like most higher end phones available, the camera is about as good as the amount of light available. The old Samsung S5 seemed a bit better in comparison, but camera and storage aren't a big deal to me. I mainly am looking at processor speed vs the smallest screen I can find.

My daughter has the Pixel first generation and it's a pretty nice phone. My wife has an S8 and I am continuously shocked by how good the camera is. The camera seems to compensate for just about everything, low lighting, glare, unsteady hands, etc.

As for the iPhone, we've gone from a three iPhones, three Android household to all Androids. The hardware on Apples just isn't cutting it. Between slowing down phones, continuous software upgrades (which seem more and more bloated), fighting iTunes and Apples decision with the headphone jack, there is more and more space between what we want and what Apple is selling.

Hmm...
I too have an S7, mine hasn't gotten slow (or maybe I'm too slow to notice). I wonder if your provider has issued enough updates or any fixes and if perhaps you have too many open Apps. I am constantly closing the apps I'm not using and keep the total rather limited.

Not expecting to update this year, possibly next. Ideally, I can get to 2020 before I need to upgrade at which time more should be being done with the 5G. My S4 still has some life to it (i use it for Netflix mainly and occasional other internet stuff.) Didn't try trading it in as the value wasn't significant at the time.

I tend to buy later in the phone season, got the S4 at the end of August 2013 and the S7 at the end of October 2016. That way most if the issues with a design have been addressed. Never buy in the first weeks of months.

Main reason for the current phone was the previous (S4) had suffered a near drowning. It did eventually come out of the coma but would heat up and shut down after a few minutes. Following a month or two, it revived to usability and can now handle a few hours before the battery drains. (used it for all 690+ episodes of Prisoner CellBlock H which I located in youtube. This was after the water had tried to claim it)

I’m all in on the new iPhone XS that just came out this week. Preordered a 256gb version.

I’ve tried the android phones (bought and used the note 4 for about a year) and I didn’t like the experience on Android. I haven’t found anything on Apple that I’d like to do that I couldn’t and that Android could. I’ve been using wireless headphones ever since the first Bluetooth ones came out long before Apple got rid of the jack.

I don’t think I’ve used iTunes in about 2 years. I don’t think it’s even installed on my computer I upgraded about 6 months ago.

I went with the XS over the Max because I wanted a smaller screen that fit better in my hand and my pocket. I went with the XS over the XR because I didn’t want to wait a month for the XR.

I’m on TMobile and I’m mostly excited that this new iPhone supports LTE band 71 which is the 600mHz spectrum that TMobile has been building out.

And I'm not some luddite. I enjoy building and upgrading my own computer. I've owned Linux machines. I code in arduino language and love the maker-lifestyle.

I also work on all my own cars and love getting my hand dirty.

I'm pretty diligent on this front.

Samsung Developer Conference 2018

The conference starts 10:oo PST or 13:00 EST.

Hoping that Samsung will crush both Google Pixel 2 and the newest Apple iPhones with their latest Galaxy S10 variants.

Any smart phone sold today is going to be obsolete the moment 5G phones hit the market.
https://www.cnet.com/news/galaxy-note-9s-5g-dilemma-upgrade-now-or-wait-for-2019s-mobile-revolution/

The problem with that ... is when the first generation 5Gs come out? They are going to be extra premium pricing wise... in phone as well as the dataplan.

If all things stay the same when 5G rolls out? Waiting until the new compatible phones would make sense. As of right now? I'm pretty sure that the first generation 5G will be too buggy, glitchy and pricey for my blood and wallet.

I am perfectly happy with the speed of my phone right now (iPhone XS). I get video almost instantly. I can get email, surf the web, download podcasts all super quickly.

I don't think 5G is going to be a huge selling point for me. It's like owning a Porsche that goes 170mph. Do I really need to buy a Lamborghini that goes 175mph? Especially when I spend most of my time in Chicago traffic going 20mph? (I don't own any of these cars, just making a point)

Technology keeps improving, but the improvements get to be less and less important over time.

What was most critical to me on the most current iPhone was the support for TMobile's new LTE band 71 which is the 600mHz spectrum that gives them as good/better coverage than Verizon.

The 600mHz spectrum is not even LTE fast, but it's more than enough for most all daily uses.

The new Samsung phones (S9 and up) also support band 71.
https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/02/26/samsung-galaxy-s9-s9-first-phones-support-t-mobiles-band-71-lte/

I'm aware.

Aside from a 1 year Note 4 experience several years ago where I never got used to Android, I've been an iPhone user.

Thanks for bringing this up. I've been reading about it and it is a whopper speed increase (and I am on T-Mobile).