Are phones becoming a bore?

Minstadave · 21 Jan 2019 at 14:15

The biggest change for me going from a 6S to a Pocophone wasn't the OS or the hardware but the battery life.

Having a phone you can either use 2 days in a row with no battery worries or hammer for a whole day is really useful.

When you can get a phone with flagship SoC, decent camera, 128GB storage, microSD support, all day battery and actually OK software support for just over £250 I'm a happy man.

There is only so many cameras that a phone needs. Folding displays are a bit meh. I don't think flagship hardware where the innovation is currently, but hardware at the value end seems to be changing rapidly.

Funky-Melon · 21 Jan 2019 at 14:40

Yep, personally I'm bored of it all.

First phone was a Nokia 3210 when I was a teenager and every year they got better and better, something new, up till the last 5+ years where they've all peaked. Now it's just a better cameras that'll never quite be as good as a proper camera, bigger battery and a faster processor and more RAM that isn't needed/makes very little differences to the overall performance of the phone.

Currently on the Note 8 and it'll be my last for a while. The only real improvement I gained from my S6 Edge+ to my Note 8 was Android 7 and the pen. Sadly, it's the 2 year software life cycle that seems to warrant new devices these days.

something daft already!! · 21 Jan 2019 at 14:47

I found Sony phones really boring. Samsung phones are just so much more interesting. However, I have to say my old Z2 is going strong with my partner who has had it three years now. I had it for two. They do last it seems.

mark43 · 21 Jan 2019 at 19:00

Confused Stu said:
I've been bored with all the options for an upgrade for my coming-up 2 year old Galaxy S8, there's very little out there that's interesting or different. In the end, I put an order in last week for a Vivo Nex Dual Display. It might well be a step sideways (or down in some cases - no USB3, no Wireless Charging, no NFC), but it's the first phone that I've found genuinely interesting since the S6 Edge.

Just got to wait several weeks for despatch/delivery!

Ooh, now that's an interesting one, curious to know what that's like.

mattyfez · 21 Jan 2019 at 19:03

Think we've reached peak phone.
Averge ram is good enough for my use.
Average screen
Average cpu
Average camera etc.

All fine for me.
My last 'upgrade' costs me a fiver a month less but has the benefit of a slightly bigger battery and ip67 water/dust proof.

Going from a Huawei P9 to an LG G6.

Rroff · 21 Jan 2019 at 19:07

Nothing has really moved on since the Note 4 for me (and even the Note 1 isn't far off the mark) - performance and screen are all good enough, all the features, etc. I could need other than maybe some additional sensors, etc. might be handy. The biggest improvement I like to see is from battery life and the camera could be done better but I'm not that miffed by the current one either.

Merlin5 · 21 Jan 2019 at 19:36

My contract is renewable in just over 2 weeks and I've decided to go sim only and stick with my perfectly good and still in perfect condition S7 Edge. I've also still got my S6 which works perfectly and still pristine.

I really couldn't care less about the latest and greatest Android phone, they're all much of a much anyway. My S7 is waterproof and does everything I need, plus I never use most of the gimmicky things these phones are sold on. Sim only should almost halve my monthly cost.

Confused Stu · 21 Jan 2019 at 19:57

mark43 said:
Ooh, now that's an interesting one, curious to know what that's like.

I'm 95% sure it'll be mostly a gimmick that doesn't get used very often, but I'm thinking any phone will be so much more capable than my needs that I don't need a flagship. I'm looking forward to having a quirky phone again, even if most others would be better by any measurable metric.

mark43 · 22 Jan 2019 at 07:07

Confused Stu said:
I'm 95% sure it'll be mostly a gimmick that doesn't get used very often, but I'm thinking any phone will be so much more capable than my needs that I don't need a flagship. I'm looking forward to having a quirky phone again, even if most others would be better by any measurable metric.

Great reason for choosing it imo.

IvanDobskey · 22 Jan 2019 at 11:08

There has been no real innovation in phones for a couple of years now. It's small incremental improvements only.

I still have my S8 and I'm completely happy with it. Nothing out there that's considerably better yet. I'll probably keep it until the battery starts to give up.

Buying a new phone every year is a mugs game these days.

ttaskmaster · 22 Jan 2019 at 11:34

mrochester · 22 Jan 2019 at 12:26

ttaskmaster said:
Gaffer tape, duct/duck tape, electrical tape, blu-tack, Sugru... Happens alla' time.

I think I can just about imagine how someone *might* cover the camera. The point was I have never seen it happen other than reading about how Mark Zuckerberg has his covered.

Kanpai · 22 Jan 2019 at 12:30

Been changing so many phones in the last 5 years and now I am pretty much tired out from it all.

Will be keeping my Note 9 for as long as it lasts as it ticks all boxes:

- Best display
- Big battery (Easily getting 1.5 days)
- Good camera
- Good stereo speakers
- Smooth OS (One UI is easily the best UI and software change to date for Samsung)

When I look at other phones, sure they might excel in one area but I feel Note 9 is one of the best no compromise phones you can get.

413x · 22 Jan 2019 at 13:40

Lartyconshayo said:
I'm sure I will be proved wrong but don't cheap Chinese phones tend to skimp on the camera ?

That's my belief/experience too

Dixons apparently have released they are struggling work phone sales, apple too amoung many others.

More and more people thinking the same, most be a concern for companies that deal with mobiles as a primary selling sector.

4K8KW10 · 22 Jan 2019 at 13:48

Mark1989 said:
So I have a Sony XZ premium, its due for upgrade in May.

Looking at what's out now, nothing to me is worthy upgrade, they all seem the same or just not worth the monthly costs imo.

I detest everything about iphones, Samsung s9 is just okay.

The hawaiu phones look nice but again I feel zero point in changing.

Am I the only one who feels there just all becoming the exact same?

Well, XZ4 will be out by then. Go for it.

https://www.phonearena.com/news/Sony-Xperia-XZ4-real-pictures-leak_id113013

Mark1989 · 22 Jan 2019 at 14:04

4K8KW10 said:
Well, XZ4 will be out by then. Go for it.

https://www.phonearena.com/news/Sony-Xperia-XZ4-real-pictures-leak_id113013

Just looks like what I have, again not really much change.

I know the photo could be fake but can't see what they can do with phones much these days

4K8KW10 · 22 Jan 2019 at 14:06

Mark1989 said:
Just looks like what I have, again not really much change.

I know the photo could be fake but can't see what they can do with phones much these days

The real question is why would you want to change your 2017 phone so soon? :eek:

413x · 22 Jan 2019 at 14:07

Only thing that would make me upgrade now is a massive camera. Upgrade over my current phone (s7e) without losing headphone jack.

ttaskmaster · 22 Jan 2019 at 14:42

wellibob · 22 Jan 2019 at 15:02

Consumer world. No need now to upgrade yearly or 2 yearly. Use what you have until it can't do what you require or the battery dies. Poco F1 user here now (4 months) after years (12) of top priced high end androids. Never again will I spend over £300 on a phone. Its madness. Look about and spend less time worrying about your phone if you can. I agree it's an essential item thesedays but too much stigma on high end technology and the need to replace it so soon isn't nessasary and the sooner you realise this the better.