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Android |OT7| Now With a Whole New Messaging System
- Thread starter Hasney
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Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
Samsung in particular would be stupid to give it up the same year as Apple to see how many detractors they could get to defect.
Jazzy Network
Member
Lol Moto Z is guaranteed to fail but not because they removed the headphone jack.
why can't any modular based phone come with accessories that people are compelled to get at launch?
I can see apple doing this and getting away with it because there is only 1 place to get ios devices... while android, if a phone isn't compelling with compromises... just pick any of the competitors.
I can see apple doing this and getting away with it because there is only 1 place to get ios devices... while android, if a phone isn't compelling with compromises... just pick any of the competitors.
SolidSnakeUS
Member
I'm curious, does anyone else think, and sadly so, that Sony will basically never change the price of their flagship devices away from 650/700+, even though they basically can't compete with Samsung, HTC, LG or even Huawei in the Android market? Hell, OP and ZTE are doing very well for themselves too, and selling affordable and well built phones with some damn good hardware. It's kind of amazing that Sony can keep doing this... are they really ignorant when it comes to pricing, trending and the market as a whole? If they make a flagship device that doesn't suck for about $500 to $550 and work on all major US carriers (I know the rest of the world is basically GSM, but still), it could actually sell. They should do what Google did with the 6P. Have a legit premium phone for $550, impressive specs, great camera and a damn good battery life, and work on basically all carriers. I guess that is too much to ask.
Sorry, had to rant a little there.
Sorry, had to rant a little there.
LostMyNarbles
Member
Really, everybody except maybe Samsung should drop their prices down to the $400-$500 price point and then see how that works out for them. Unless I am mistaken nobody except Samsung is doing very well in the Android space and yet every year they pump out a $600+ phone and think "This will be the year!" their phone will finally catch on. I honestly cannot imagine the margins are so bad on these devices that if they dropped to $400-$500 they would not make a reasonable amount of profit.
The HTC 10 looks like a really compelling device, but I cannot reasonably justify paying $700 ($600 with the sales) for that kind of a phone when something like the Axon 7, or the OnePlus 3 can offer an experience very much the same as the HTC 10 at a much lower price point. Apple has been able to command those kind of premiums because you cannot buy another manufacturers iOS device if you aren't happy with the price of the iPhone.
The HTC 10 looks like a really compelling device, but I cannot reasonably justify paying $700 ($600 with the sales) for that kind of a phone when something like the Axon 7, or the OnePlus 3 can offer an experience very much the same as the HTC 10 at a much lower price point. Apple has been able to command those kind of premiums because you cannot buy another manufacturers iOS device if you aren't happy with the price of the iPhone.
SolidSnakeUS
Member
I agree about every Android maker other than Samsung should be less than $600. Samsung is probably the only Android company to consistently sell phones at that price with every iteration (outside of the lackluster S6) for the past several years. HTC 10 is a really nice device, but am I the only one thinking that it only costs like $200 to make but they still sell it for $700? With something like the OP3 and the Axon 7 on the market at $400, what reason is there to go after the HTC 10 and at 200-300 bucks more?
HTC is a Taiwanese company that has to go through supply channel in China. Whereas ZTE, Xiaomi, Huaiwei are China based Chinese companies, thus lower operational and supply costs. And when your are making smaller volumes, the component prices rise as well. HTC would never be able to compete with them in overall pricing at the similar quality. Sony probably has even worse problem being a Japanese company -- the salary is higher than Taiwan which is higher than China. Sony at least has the Japanese market to sell a bit of their phones. I don't see how HTC can last without being able to carve out a niche market.
Which wouldn't bother me if they simply made better phones. I still don't get why Sony of all companies isn't basically making the best cameras in phones, at least on Android.
But yeah...overall I simply don't get the high end of the market. I just don't get the value of going from a 400$ android phone to 600$ or 800$. Especially since the feature set for the most part is the same. There are exceptions with things like 'tough' versions or security hardened or even styluses etc.
People are hard to adapt. Blame oneplus and midrange phones in general. Android market has changed drastically in the last few years.
As an economics major and a consumer of smart phones, it's incredibly exciting to see China follow Japan's footsteps in going from a cheap commodities manufacturer to an industry leader in product development. Eventually "made in China" is going to be a guarantee of quality manufacturing. It also seems inevitable that Apple and HTC and Samsung will have to move onto new, groundbreaking technologies sold at a premium to stay in business.
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
The thing is what mods do people even want that they don't expect to already be built into he phone?
I know 3 things:
Options are pretty cool.
Superior options are always welcomed.
The G4 is something I would never consider purchasing in 2016.
HTC 10 has better DAC, software, support, and camera than OP3/Axon 7.
Margins are razor thin in the smartphone market and that $700 price is justifiable considering all the costs associated with a device. One smartphone sale is 2640 rmb for a chinese vendor at a cost of $400 USD. Expensive tech costs money so $700 is an acceptable price for a smartphone.
Dr. Kitty Muffins
Member
With flat screens as Samsung goes curved.
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
Ehhh
I'd say software might be marginally better, but OEM wise most everyone has gotten to a good enough place. Especially since most of the time your in an app anyways. Support is kinda a wash too.
Basically your paying for the camera.
I feel like if you want to pay the extra just get a Samsung cause you also get the best in class screen and you get water proofing now. If not just skip the HTC and LG and get the Axon for less.
I would only consider buying mods if I knew it would be compatible with more than one phone (i.e. compatible with future iterations).
Everyone is raving about the sound quality on the Axon 7, and HTC is nothing special when it comes to software support so I'd put OnePlus and ZTE on their level (last year's Axon Pro receives monthly security updates just like other flagships). So you're paying hundreds more for a marginally better camera in low light situations.
look at the Nexus 5X. Prices drop to $250 all the time. Expect lower after next gen is out soonish.
dont know. I'm not being paid to figure that out for billion dollar companies. Just do what Apple did in the Job era. Sell me something that I didn't realize I wanted.
SolidSnakeUS
Member
Still, I think someone like Sony, considering how they are risking a lot every time they put out a phone (because they sure as hell don't sell many and they sometimes aren't the best phones), they might as well have it work with all carriers, buy directly from them and be $550 at most for the flagship phone. I can tell you they will sell a lot better than they have been.
Saiyan-Rox
Member
Anyone of you who has the Pixel C can you do a quick Antutu score for me? my tablet is lagging like fuck atm in the app drawer and switching apps and i've reinstalled the software a few times and it won't fix it
I got a score of 57130 when a youtube video I saw the guy get 90000 :S the 3D part of the benchmark was really really laggy
Nothing but issues lately with everything Google/Android I own
I got a score of 57130 when a youtube video I saw the guy get 90000 :S the 3D part of the benchmark was really really laggy
Nothing but issues lately with everything Google/Android I own
Jazzy Network
Member
Both the Amazon Tap and Amazon Echo are $50 off on Best Buy. Might bite on the Tap.
number 1 rule of technology is when someone introduces a new gimmick, wait for 2nd gen.
Or at the very least wait for the moto Z version without the verizon bloatware.
brotkasten
Member
It's supposedly great for home automatization, since it allows you to tie in that stuff in one central place and control it with your voice.
I don't have one, but it's being mentioned a lot on the IoT podcast (good podcast, if you're interested in that topic).
Jazzy Network
Member
Picked up a Tap. I needed a portable Bluetooth speaker anyway and was going to get a JBL Flip, but this seems like a better deal.
Unknown Soldier
Member
Best Buy had that sale a couple weeks back, I picked up a Bluetooth speaker for $10. It works fine though if you want waterproof you won't get that in this price bracket lol
alpinestars1980
Member
I bought this for my son on Friday. Got it in yesterday and he liked it. Of course time will tell if it holds up but at the price I got it it's already great.
Jazzy Network
Member
I have a Huawei one that I got for free that isn't very loud and a Photiv water resistant one that can get loud, but very tinny and distorted. I'm hoping the Tap has good sound quality cause it does seem to have it based on reviews.
Damn, was about to post this.
Marty Chinn
Member
Think of it as an always available hands free voice assistant. No need to ever fiddle for a phone or even have it on you in order to do certain tasks. It becomes second nature to just ask for things rather than pull out your phone or tablet. Home automation is one area it excels in but I also think of it as a great device used in the kitchen since you can set timers, ask for measurement conversions, and other useful things when you're cooking and your hands are either full or got crap all over them. I use it to set timers, alarms, control my Nest thermostat, control lights, check the weather for the day, check traffic, check what's on my calendar for the day or the week, create shopping lists, listening to music while cooking since you can use your voice to control music playback or even to pull up a specific song or playlist. During hockey season I'll even ask it for the score or ask when the next game is. It's pretty programmable too so people have created skills to do certain things. It can do quite a bit. I loved my Echo so much that I bought two Echo Dots to distribute to other parts of the house.
is there really anything left to be said about the axon 7 atm?
solid hardware, not the best camera processing software. And the 'additions' to somewhat stock android are all kinda blergh.
They mentioned they are working on fixes to the common complaints, so hopefully we get those sooner than later.
solid hardware, not the best camera processing software. And the 'additions' to somewhat stock android are all kinda blergh.
They mentioned they are working on fixes to the common complaints, so hopefully we get those sooner than later.
Got a link to where they acknowledge the bugs?
remember reading stuff from their forum mod team, but their site is trash so not the easiest to search.
the whole notification bell is suppose to be an optional toggle in an upcoming update.
Jazzy Network
Member
How do you find out what devices are whitelisted?
What's the significance?
Yeah, that was the other one I was thinking about. Better processor than the P9000, but less RAM, no SD Card support. And I believe it isn't compatible with 800Mhz 4G? Not sure if that would effect me at all though.
Find a 60fps video on your desktop. See if it's 60fps on your device. If it's not white listed it will max out at 480p.
Nice videos. But he's too friendly to devices imo
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
I mean the whole thing is if the module is better than what's stock people would just rather have the module built in.
Unless of course it can't be built in due to space in which case consumers could give a fuck. Obviously you can't find a DSLR lens on your smartphone, but they sell stand alone cameras for that.
Other than just space and storage idk what else people would even want that they wouldn't say just build it in.
Specialised stuff. I certainly like the idea of a glucose meter addon for instance, but I don't expect there to be enough of a market for there to be phones I otherwise like that would have such a feature builtin.
That said, I'm leary of brand exclusive modules/interfaces. I'd much rather see some android wide standard so I'd have more of a choice of phones and module makers.