6 ms·

The number one issue I have with Android is that while this looks cool, because of the fragmentation of the OS delivery between vendors- I have no idea which ph

The number one issue I have with Android is that while this looks cool, because of the fragmentation of the OS delivery between vendors- I have no idea which phone or timeframe when I could see the rollout of Material 3 Expressive. More than 10 years later, shopping for an Android phone with the latest OS is a nightmare. Android leadership keeps on getting shuffled around, Google changes priorities every 6 months it seems. Despite Apple flubbing the ball on AI, at least I know that the phone will be supported for at least 4 years. They will need to improve on their ecosystem commitments if they'd like people like me to switch back.

skybrian 1y ago
Buying a Pixel phone seems pretty easy? I rarely upgrade and stopped looking at the others.
inquirerGeneral 1y ago
[dead]
Ajedi32 1y ago
If you care about always having the latest software with the latest Google features just get a Pixel. 7 years of OS and security updates: https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/4457705?hl=en https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/4457705?hl=en Google doesn't control what other vendors do; that's the beauty of open source. (You can argue how open Android really is these days but it's still more open than iOS.)
- malfist 1y ago
  What happens when one of those updates bricks your battery so it only lasts an hour or so off charger?
  - FreakyT 1y ago
    Not sure why you're getting downvoted, considering that this actually happened: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/01/google-pixel-4as-ruinous-battery-performance-update-is-a-bewildering-mess/ https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/01/google-pixel-4as-rui...
    - microtonal 1y ago
      Yes, and Google offers a free battery replacement for affected users: https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/15701861 https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/15701861 Last time Apple pushed a battery-related software update that avoided shutdowns (good), people had to sue them to get a compensation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batterygate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batterygate
      - malfist 1y ago
        You had to pick battery or strings attached cash, before the update arrived. And the battery replacement required you to send your phone off for repair leaving you without one, and Google didn't offer an sla for turn around. And let's be honest, inconveniencing me is hardly acceptable, even if the company makes a token effort to put things back to before they inconvenienced me.
  - alright2565 1y ago
    They replaced my battery free of charge when they did that.
  - QuarterReptile 1y ago
    Hate to say it, but everyone does this. My dad replaced his iPhone back in December when an update killed it. No acknowledgment of the problem from Apple. Hell, my car has a stupid system that shakes motor mounts apart and burns through ignition coils and spark plugs. Honda won't admit fault because, among other things, it was a fuel-saving boondoggle and they won't back down from lying to customers if it means stepping into the path of an oncoming EPA train.
- aucisson_masque 1y ago
  Pixel have other issue, quality control and run on Samsung exynos hardware with bad performance and connectivity. I'd argue that Android is technically more open than iOS but in practice it isn't. Google have dark pattern and elaborated ways to get Android user to stay in the 'walled Google play service garden'. Like when you install a third party store and Google play protect warns you it may be insecure. Or having to press install for every app installed outside of the store, over and over. The fact you can't get push notification without enabling the Google play services, which is the core framework of the Google data collection happening on every Android.
  - II2II 1y ago
    > Pixel have other issue Every product is going to have issues in one form or another. The question is which issues affect your personal use of the product. I'm too new to Pixel to comment on whether switching to it is a good or a bad thing in my case, but I have been happy with the trade-offs so far. Ironically, one of the reasons why I went with a Pixel was to avoid much of the Google software ecosystem.
    - attendant3446 1y ago
      I switched to a Pixel for the same reason. I'm on my second Pixel and the GrapheneOS is fantastic
  - int0x29 1y ago
    I have fdroid installed on a pixel and I didn't hit any warnings beyond needing to enable side loading. As for push notifications, if you are developing an app, you can build your own infrastructure for that or rent it from someone else. If you are concerned about google software you can, with effort, reflash with another OS. All of the above either don't exist on iOS or only exists in the EU. Personally I've never had issues with Samsung modems and I am honestly confused what people are doing with their phones that require high power CPUs.
    - aucisson_masque 1y ago
- ranger_danger 1y ago
  > that's the beauty of open source Many would argue that that kind of fragmentation is also its biggest downfall.
- mvdtnz 1y ago
  It's also not offered in my country, so your advice is worthless to me.
karlgkk 1y ago
> I have no idea which phone or timeframe when I could see the rollout of Material 3 Expressive. Not a problem with a pixel > More than 10 years later, shopping for an Android phone with the latest OS is a nightmare Not a problem with a pixel > They will need to improve on their ecosystem commitments Not a problem with a pixel
- jsheard 1y ago
  The problem with a Pixel is the hardware is always a step or two behind what other vendors are doing at the same price point, and they tend to be weirdly buggy for a first-party device. For example the bug where Pixel phones are randomly unable to call emergency services has been happening for years and keeps regressing again and again. 2021 https://www.vice.com/en/article/google-pixel-bug-prevented-users-from-calling-911/ https://www.vice.com/en/article/google-pixel-bug-prevented-u... 2022 https://old.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel/comments/y039zn/i_compiled_all_the_pixel_911emergency_call/ https://old.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel/comments/y039zn/i_compi... 2023 https://www.androidauthority.com/psa-google-pixel-911-emergency-calling-issues-3362990/ https://www.androidauthority.com/psa-google-pixel-911-emerge... 2024 https://old.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel/comments/1ano09x/pixel_8_still_has_the_911_calling_bug/ https://old.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel/comments/1ano09x/pixel_...
  - karlgkk 1y ago
    Not a problem with an iphone
    - mrcsharp 1y ago
      The walled garden is a problem with an iPhone. The OS treating me like a toddler is another.
  - chris_pie 1y ago
    I've been using Pixel 8 for nearly a year now and I agree that it's surprisingly buggy. Also, the chip is excessively power-hungry, especially for the performance it offers. In addition: the modem is bad and very power-hungry as well. And the cherry on top for me was the subpar fingerprint scanner. Can't recommend.
mattlondon 1y ago
Just get the Google Pixel phones? If you buy something from some other random manufacturer that is using the open source android code then yes you are going to have a different experience since they want to add their "special touch" which invariably is shite.
_old_dude_ 1y ago
> at least I know that the phone will be supported for at least 4 years It's 4 (mid) to 7 years (flagship) for Samsung. https://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-android-updates-1148888/ https://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-android-updates-114...
theandrewbailey 1y ago
Buy a phone with an unlocked/unlockable bootloader, and use custom ROMs to stay up to date long after the manufacturer has stopped caring about support. Unlocked phones seem few and far between nowadays, but there's still some. Here's another not-so-subtle recommendation for the Google Pixel line. I've been using a Moto X4 (8 years old!) with LineageOS for 6-7 years. I'll probably get an open box (for a discount) Pixel soon, and probably put GrapheneOS on it.
Grimblewald 1y ago
My problem was that all the modern Samsung watches have a battery life that wont get you through the day without removing half it's features, and charging solutions that are unreliable. If half the time you want to use the watch it's dead, it stops being a product you place value on or even rely on. I found myself checking time on my phone, despite the watch being on the same hand I'd grab the phone with, because I could rely on my phone to show my something other than a dark mirror. I used to have a gear sport, it was fine, held charge for 2-3 days, had more sensors, and was all around a good device, but all watches after were a massive step down, even if they moved from tizen to wear os. I'll give wearables one more try if someone has a good device to recommend, but as it stands I'd prefer to just spend the extra second to pull out my phone, and for health metrics, wear a more discrete and longer battery life device.
- Kivern7 1y ago
  That's odd. I have a Watch 6 Classic (I think?), it's my first smart watch, I have just about everything enabled, and on the rare occasion that I forget to charge it overnight it still just about gets through the next day too. In that situation, if I know I'll be sitting for a little while I can always top it up using my phone too (which, admittedly, is extremely fussy with charging placement). Initially I had a lot of frustration getting it to wake up to show me the time (rather than that "dark mirror") but I suppose I must have learned how to twist my wrist more recognisably for it now because it's very rare that I have that issue any more. I really like it.
  - microtonal 1y ago
    Same experience with the Watch 6 Classic. No issue of getting through the day with all features enabled. I stopped using it because I don't really like One UI (the Pixel Watch is so much cleaner).
- _mlbt 1y ago
  Garmin has the best smartwatches if you’re looking for battery life.

skybrian 1y ago

Buying a Pixel phone seems pretty easy? I rarely upgrade and stopped looking at the others.

inquirerGeneral 1y ago

[dead]

Ajedi32 1y ago

If you care about always having the latest software with the latest Google features just get a Pixel. 7 years of OS and security updates: https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/4457705?hl=en https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/4457705?hl=en Google doesn't control what other vendors do; that's the beauty of open source. (You can argue how open Android really is these days but it's still more open than iOS.)

malfist 1y ago
What happens when one of those updates bricks your battery so it only lasts an hour or so off charger?
- FreakyT 1y ago
  Not sure why you're getting downvoted, considering that this actually happened: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/01/google-pixel-4as-ruinous-battery-performance-update-is-a-bewildering-mess/ https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/01/google-pixel-4as-rui...
  - microtonal 1y ago
    Yes, and Google offers a free battery replacement for affected users: https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/15701861 https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/15701861 Last time Apple pushed a battery-related software update that avoided shutdowns (good), people had to sue them to get a compensation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batterygate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batterygate
    - malfist 1y ago
      You had to pick battery or strings attached cash, before the update arrived. And the battery replacement required you to send your phone off for repair leaving you without one, and Google didn't offer an sla for turn around. And let's be honest, inconveniencing me is hardly acceptable, even if the company makes a token effort to put things back to before they inconvenienced me.
- alright2565 1y ago
  They replaced my battery free of charge when they did that.
- QuarterReptile 1y ago
  Hate to say it, but everyone does this. My dad replaced his iPhone back in December when an update killed it. No acknowledgment of the problem from Apple. Hell, my car has a stupid system that shakes motor mounts apart and burns through ignition coils and spark plugs. Honda won't admit fault because, among other things, it was a fuel-saving boondoggle and they won't back down from lying to customers if it means stepping into the path of an oncoming EPA train.
aucisson_masque 1y ago
Pixel have other issue, quality control and run on Samsung exynos hardware with bad performance and connectivity. I'd argue that Android is technically more open than iOS but in practice it isn't. Google have dark pattern and elaborated ways to get Android user to stay in the 'walled Google play service garden'. Like when you install a third party store and Google play protect warns you it may be insecure. Or having to press install for every app installed outside of the store, over and over. The fact you can't get push notification without enabling the Google play services, which is the core framework of the Google data collection happening on every Android.
- II2II 1y ago
  > Pixel have other issue Every product is going to have issues in one form or another. The question is which issues affect your personal use of the product. I'm too new to Pixel to comment on whether switching to it is a good or a bad thing in my case, but I have been happy with the trade-offs so far. Ironically, one of the reasons why I went with a Pixel was to avoid much of the Google software ecosystem.
  - attendant3446 1y ago
    I switched to a Pixel for the same reason. I'm on my second Pixel and the GrapheneOS is fantastic
- int0x29 1y ago
  I have fdroid installed on a pixel and I didn't hit any warnings beyond needing to enable side loading. As for push notifications, if you are developing an app, you can build your own infrastructure for that or rent it from someone else. If you are concerned about google software you can, with effort, reflash with another OS. All of the above either don't exist on iOS or only exists in the EU. Personally I've never had issues with Samsung modems and I am honestly confused what people are doing with their phones that require high power CPUs.
  - aucisson_masque 1y ago
ranger_danger 1y ago
> that's the beauty of open source Many would argue that that kind of fragmentation is also its biggest downfall.
mvdtnz 1y ago
It's also not offered in my country, so your advice is worthless to me.

karlgkk 1y ago

> I have no idea which phone or timeframe when I could see the rollout of Material 3 Expressive. Not a problem with a pixel > More than 10 years later, shopping for an Android phone with the latest OS is a nightmare Not a problem with a pixel > They will need to improve on their ecosystem commitments Not a problem with a pixel

jsheard 1y ago
The problem with a Pixel is the hardware is always a step or two behind what other vendors are doing at the same price point, and they tend to be weirdly buggy for a first-party device. For example the bug where Pixel phones are randomly unable to call emergency services has been happening for years and keeps regressing again and again. 2021 https://www.vice.com/en/article/google-pixel-bug-prevented-users-from-calling-911/ https://www.vice.com/en/article/google-pixel-bug-prevented-u... 2022 https://old.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel/comments/y039zn/i_compiled_all_the_pixel_911emergency_call/ https://old.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel/comments/y039zn/i_compi... 2023 https://www.androidauthority.com/psa-google-pixel-911-emergency-calling-issues-3362990/ https://www.androidauthority.com/psa-google-pixel-911-emerge... 2024 https://old.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel/comments/1ano09x/pixel_8_still_has_the_911_calling_bug/ https://old.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel/comments/1ano09x/pixel_...
- karlgkk 1y ago
  Not a problem with an iphone
  - mrcsharp 1y ago
    The walled garden is a problem with an iPhone. The OS treating me like a toddler is another.
- chris_pie 1y ago
  I've been using Pixel 8 for nearly a year now and I agree that it's surprisingly buggy. Also, the chip is excessively power-hungry, especially for the performance it offers. In addition: the modem is bad and very power-hungry as well. And the cherry on top for me was the subpar fingerprint scanner. Can't recommend.

mattlondon 1y ago

Just get the Google Pixel phones? If you buy something from some other random manufacturer that is using the open source android code then yes you are going to have a different experience since they want to add their "special touch" which invariably is shite.

_old_dude_ 1y ago

> at least I know that the phone will be supported for at least 4 years It's 4 (mid) to 7 years (flagship) for Samsung. https://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-android-updates-1148888/ https://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-android-updates-114...

theandrewbailey 1y ago

Buy a phone with an unlocked/unlockable bootloader, and use custom ROMs to stay up to date long after the manufacturer has stopped caring about support. Unlocked phones seem few and far between nowadays, but there's still some. Here's another not-so-subtle recommendation for the Google Pixel line. I've been using a Moto X4 (8 years old!) with LineageOS for 6-7 years. I'll probably get an open box (for a discount) Pixel soon, and probably put GrapheneOS on it.

Grimblewald 1y ago

My problem was that all the modern Samsung watches have a battery life that wont get you through the day without removing half it's features, and charging solutions that are unreliable. If half the time you want to use the watch it's dead, it stops being a product you place value on or even rely on. I found myself checking time on my phone, despite the watch being on the same hand I'd grab the phone with, because I could rely on my phone to show my something other than a dark mirror. I used to have a gear sport, it was fine, held charge for 2-3 days, had more sensors, and was all around a good device, but all watches after were a massive step down, even if they moved from tizen to wear os. I'll give wearables one more try if someone has a good device to recommend, but as it stands I'd prefer to just spend the extra second to pull out my phone, and for health metrics, wear a more discrete and longer battery life device.

Kivern7 1y ago
That's odd. I have a Watch 6 Classic (I think?), it's my first smart watch, I have just about everything enabled, and on the rare occasion that I forget to charge it overnight it still just about gets through the next day too. In that situation, if I know I'll be sitting for a little while I can always top it up using my phone too (which, admittedly, is extremely fussy with charging placement). Initially I had a lot of frustration getting it to wake up to show me the time (rather than that "dark mirror") but I suppose I must have learned how to twist my wrist more recognisably for it now because it's very rare that I have that issue any more. I really like it.
- microtonal 1y ago
  Same experience with the Watch 6 Classic. No issue of getting through the day with all features enabled. I stopped using it because I don't really like One UI (the Pixel Watch is so much cleaner).
_mlbt 1y ago
Garmin has the best smartwatches if you’re looking for battery life.