Pretty much the only reason I even use Android has been the Nexus line. Why would I want vendor crapware on my phone? Why would I want a Google phone with Google crapware?
It looks like there are quite a few options for your device: http://forum.xda-developers.com/s7-edge/development . On further investigation, there is a wrinkle - if your device has the Exynos chip, then your options are pretty limited while Snapdragon devices are well supported: http://forum.xda-developers.com/s7-edge/development . Unfortunately it looks like it won't be a slam dunk for your particular device.
Unfortunately it looks like it won't be a slam dunk for your particular device.
And this is why I won't attempt to it, since I really don't know what I'm doing. I'd love to use Cyanogenmod but probably won't until I buy a new phone that I feel more comfortable flashing a ROM onto. Looks like I'll just live with crapware for now :)
The OnePlus looks like an option, though I haven't ever used one myself. It's got an unlockable bootloader, so an AOSP variant or CyanogenMod should be reasonable simple to install.
I don't want to go back to a dumbphone. I like having a computer in my hand. But what with privacy, the unsafety of apps, the crapware … what's the point anymore?
Does anyone know of a decent sub 5-inch phone? All the reviews sites seem to ignore this factor. My old 4.3" moto X is dying and I'm hoping to find a truly pocketable replacement.
The "compact" phones in the Sony Xperia line are really the only ones that come close. My wife is still happily using her Z3 Compact though its successor, the Z5 Compact, didn't review as well. The newest Xperia X Compact is getting decent reviews.
Sony provided an update to 6.0.1 I did not think the bloatware was as bad as a carrier-branded phone and most of it appears easy enough to delete. For a personal phone, I'd buy the Z3C again. (For my second, work phone, I liked the Z3C enough that I decided to go with a Z3, which I also like.)
On the Z3C, the Sony bloatware is bad. Apparently they've reduced it a bit since then but I haven't gone back. The hardware is nice, it's a shame they have to ruin it with crap.
I fiddled with various settings, and I think managed to disable almost all the bloatware. I get a notification about every two months that Sony's updater needs an update.
I'm pleased with the phone otherwise, and would buy it again.
agreed. I also feel like I got the shaft with the nexus 5x. it wasn't "top of the line expensive" but it was more than any other nexus phone I'd had, and until Android 7 came out I felt like it was a piece of crap; thankfully that update smoothed performance (or perception) out A LOT for me.
Agreed. Between this and dropped support for Moto G/E, Google is proving to be super flaky, and which has diminished my desire to invest in any of their hardware.
Just saying they generally don't gollow through. Selling off a company would fall under this umbrella. Boston Dynamics anyone. Google is basically the head "mean girl". Bitch will drop you in a second if you're cramping her style.
If the 650 USD sticker price (which inevitably end up being 700+ EUR) turns out to be true, I'm getting a Chinese phone, most likely a Xiaomi Mi5. I want updates from Google, but not to the tune of an extra 400 EUR. The OnePlus 3 is fine if you can handle 5.5".
I'm in the same boat as gp -- my Nexus 5 is dying, and I'm looking for something similar for under $500. The OnePlus 3 looks perfect, except they have a history of lying about android updates (promising rapid release then taking 7-8 months).
I don't think Google's new Pixel strategy will work well for them. My opinion is Android is inferior to Apple on almost every dimension and I own an android because it was $400 instead of $1k for iphone (7 is $650 + $100 for more than 32g storage + case + 3-5 headphone cables + applecare + tax). So I was hoping for a Pixel that was a good replacement for my Nexus 5 which just decided that using bluetooth should reboot the phone...
I guess I'm more of an Android "fan" in that I prefer it over iOS in general after using both fairly extensively. As is the norm, I find iOS to be a bit more polished than Android but a bit less forgiving when I want to do something that isn't the default behavior.
Granted these are more generalizations but they're a bit of a cliche for a reason. Still, the combination of a bit more flexibility and the ability to buy a Nexus (or that one time, a Moto X) for $350-450 instead of $650 and up for an iPhone has kept me in the Android camp for the past several years.
I've also been holding off on replacing my Nexus 5 and will still wait to see just what the word is on these new Pixel phones but I will say that the higher, more iPhone-like price means I'm likely to be less forgiving of minor issues or complaints that I'd just deal with on a device that costs 2/3 as much.
Just as my Asus laptop has a worse screen than a similar Macbook sold at the time but cost $950 instead of $2200 for otherwise similar specs, I have no problem accepting some tradeoffs for the right price. But if that Asus had be marked at $1950 compared to the $2200 Macbook, I might have just gone with the better viewing angles and better support record.
Still, it's all just speculation. We all make our purchasing decisions after we get a chance to evaluate all of the options. Until the devices and reviews show up, it's all a bit premature.
how's their update schedule for Security fixes and OS versions?
How botched are their security lockdown of their phones compared to the Nexus line?
Can't seem to find a list of CVE's fixed with each update (not in their changelogs, that they only post on the forum...) , based on that, they do not fix known security problems.
I was waiting for the Pixels, but the OnePlus 3 looks awesome for the price! How is the camera on that phone? I remember researching OnePlus 2 a while back, and it was the camera that killed it for me.
But are they still doing that ridiculous "invite-only" buying model? I really wanted to get a OnePlus One when it came out but they wouldn't ever let me give them money for one.
Same. I was waiting for the Pixel to release so I could hop on Google FI, but if the smaller device is more than $300, you can count me out. I'll just purchase a used Nexus 5X.
That is what I am waiting for also. Google Fi looks good, and would save a ton of money over Verizon, with more flexibility. I didn't care about having a premium phone though. My 2 1/2 year old Note 4 is perfect for my needs, so I might forget about switching to Fi. It does seem strange that if Google ants to grow Fi that they wouldn't have a low cost entry point.