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These seem underwhelming compared to what the Chinese manufacturers are doing. For example, 100$ can get you one of these: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_4_(4x)-8608.php
Isn't Xiaomi subsidized by the government? Hard to compete against that in price.
As far as I'm concerned, the only question that matters is "What is the chain of responsibility for making security updates get to my phone?" If the answer is "Google-Carrier-Me" or "Google-Vendor-Carrier-Me" and not "Google-Me", then fuck it sideways. I'm so done with Android until the update model stops being garbage.
If the option of installing your own OS isn't available, eg due to insufficient community interest or DRM-based fraud, then don't buy the brick in the first place.
As far as I'm concerned, the only question that matters is "What is the chain of responsibility for making security updates get to my phone?" If the answer is "Google-Carrier-Me" or "Google-Vendor-Carrier-Me" and not "Google-Me", then fuck it sideways. I'm so done with Android until the update model stops being garbage.
I personally own a Xiaomi Mi A1[2] that I purchased from Amazon for under CAD$320. Solid phone and overall great specs for this price range. The only thing missing is NFC, but I don't miss it too much since the rollout of Android Pay (Google Pay) in Canada extends only to few financial institutions.
[2] https://www.amazon.ca/Xiaomi-Android-Cameras-Unlocked-Versio...
These seem underwhelming compared to what the Chinese manufacturers are doing. For example, 100$ can get you one of these: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_4_(4x)-8608.php
They make all of the phones, actually. You have to pay hella licensing to get a cell chip that works in the west. Then, they sell that phone to the company wholesale. Then the American company upcharges for retail.
You can get a Samsung S whatever for 1/3 the price if you don't want to connect to a cell network and don't mind waiting 3 months for it to ship.
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I'd prefer a more classical model of having a group of volunteers work with semi-independent groups of vendors - along the lines of Debian Gnu/Linux. Rather than some semi-closed Linux + Google+hw-vendor Android. I like the direction Google one + lineage Os seem to be taking us; even if the baseband are still a problem / back-door.
Devices with LineageOS are still stuck on old kernels and can't run mainline Linux.
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The iPhone is a flagship with excellent software support, it just so happens it’s also Apple's only phone line
I can't put up with iOS, it feels like I'm using a crippled feature phone rather than a pocket computer.
But my tastes have changed over the years, now if I want a pocket computer I’ll just get a pocket computer. My phone needs to make phone calls and not annoy me. The same freedom that makes Android not an iOS clone can be (and is often) abused, and now Google is cracking down on said freedom try and save us all from apps abusing the features that let Android apps do amazing things (like background processing and hidden APIs).
I’m an Android Developer but I use an iPhone because at the end of the day it does what it needs to and no app will ever be able to show ads on my lockscreen.
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I'm not buying any phones anymore unless they come from Google or Apple. Even manufacturers that do update their phones can be very slow getting security fixes out.
The Pixel devices don't really last that long either, and there isn't much progress on custom ROMs due to the weird partition layout.
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Sure, I bought a bunch of LG Sunrise phones, but the current offer seems much better: https://slickdeals.net/f/11329603-8gb-alcatel-pop-icon-2-lte... Brick and mortar only though, and stock varies. I usually power dial all the local stores, then go to the ones with the most stock and clean 'em out. Easy way to get a few dozen Androids in short order. Sadly, at the $5 price point Amazon and eBay will never beat Brick…
Crazy if you compare this with Raspberry Pi Zero at $5 - you get: better CPU, 1 GB RAM, 8 GB storage, display, 2 cameras, GSM, GPS, microphone, speakers, battery, enclosure and a charger... if this continues, in 5-10 years you will get a solid machine for $5...
This smells of companies making phones because certain Google execs recommended they do so.
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These phones seem like really good deals... too good to be true? I'm in the market for a cheap phone coming from a moto E 1st gen and these seem like promising options.
The Xiaomi phones absolutely work. They're amazing for the price, and very popular as imports here in Ireland. There's always the chance they might have Chinese govt spyware however, as has been alleged with Huawei https://mashable.com/2018/02/14/huawei-prove-phones-not-spyi...