Can't say I blame them. Phones are really close to being commodities. Samsung and Apple have the top end on lockdown. Xiaomi will obliterate you on the low and mid range. So your only real option is to dump huge amounts of cash into top photo and app folks and try to fight with the big two.
LG is getting out of the mobile phone business
21–30 of 700 posts
Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business
#22Can someone enlighten me on why manufacturers who have experience with software, such as Microsoft, don’t create their own OS for their mobile phones? I recognize that it’s easier and faster to iterate to just use Android with some sprinkles on top, but even if it meant spending 4-5 years developing it, the potential market share is absolutely massive. I can see the first year or two would not be great since app developers would need to build their apps, but after that initial hurdle, then I’d imagine it wouldn’t be as bad. After that, it comes down to sales, marketing and mindshare adoption.
To me regarding LG, I was never a fan of their phones, but less competition is always bad in my book.
Edit: Yes I remember the Windows Phone and it’s failures, was thinking more of starting a newer OS these days rather than several years ago.
Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business
#23I can't really blame them. Ever since the LG G4, they haven't really been relevant, which is unfortunate. They have the capability to experiment outside of the box, like the Wing, but a business is a business. RIP LG Mobile.
I'm still amazed at how well the LG G3 holds up today (with custom roms). That era of LG phones was great.
It's too bad that they started to concentrate all their efforts on coming up with the dumbest gimmicks possible (like that ridiculous second screen on the V20)
Sometimes it seems like Apple owes much of its success to the bizarre fact that all their competitors are completely incompetent.
Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business
#24What happened to the Android phone ecosystem? Android phones used to offer unique and useful features like removable batteries, headphone jacks, IR blasters, SD cards, etc. Now it seems that Samsung and Google are obsessed with copying whatever Apple does, even their controversial decisions like removing the headphone jack, even after making fun of Apple for doing it. No thanks, why would I buy a shittier iPhone with…
They're obsessed with making money. No 3.5mm means you're more likely to buy bluetooth earbuds. No SD? Cloud services. Battery? You'll get a new phone after 18-24 months. No charger? Wireless charging pad. Apple can "get away" with it because to a lot of people it's a luxury/lifestyle brand. Android vendors copy them because they want to create new revenue streams by removing features/out of nothing too!
Then why wasn't there massive commercial success for the phones that kept these features, like a headphone jack an SD card? Samsung tried to market it for a few years, but eventually surrendered to the same trends like the rest of the market. If this was really so bad for consumers, they would've chosen the alternatives that were available at the time.
Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business
#25What happened to the Android phone ecosystem? Android phones used to offer unique and useful features like removable batteries, headphone jacks, IR blasters, SD cards, etc. Now it seems that Samsung and Google are obsessed with copying whatever Apple does, even their controversial decisions like removing the headphone jack, even after making fun of Apple for doing it. No thanks, why would I buy a shittier iPhone with…
Apples controversial decisions aren't without reason, probably they realized it makes sense for them too.
Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business
#26Can't say I blame them. Phones are really close to being commodities. Samsung and Apple have the top end on lockdown. Xiaomi will obliterate you on the low and mid range. So your only real option is to dump huge amounts of cash into top photo and app folks and try to fight with the big two.
I wouldn't discard Huawei, they are on par with Samsung.
Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business
#27This is actually very very bad. Google's lack of focus/vision w.r.t Pixel all but guarantees that Samsung can eat up the whole high end android phone market. Samsung's desire to stuff so much garbage unto their phones that they are molasses-slow even with the fastest mobile SoCs available to them all but guarantees that for most users, android will remain a huge mess. As an android user, this saddens me.
I dunno. I think Google's new focus on the mid range is where it is at. Got a Pixel 4a 5G and it's a great phone (after the major missteps of the 3 and 4 with their hopeless battery life).
To me, I don't see what I'm missing going up from the 4a to a high end Samsung at twice the cost. Maybe a 90Hz display and a slightly faster CPU/GPU, which seem very marginal.
I think if Google doubles down on its mid range strategy (again) it's on to a winner.
Fwiw I feel similar about the iPhone SE, especially if apple refresh it at some point without a home button and better res OLED screen. Feels we are reaching the end of the S curve on smartphones.
Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business
#28Can someone enlighten me on why manufacturers who have experience with software, such as Microsoft, don’t create their own OS for their mobile phones? I recognize that it’s easier and faster to iterate to just use Android with some sprinkles on top, but even if it meant spending 4-5 years developing it, the potential market share is absolutely massive. I can see the first year or two would not be great since app deve…
Microsoft has tried and failed multiple times.
Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business
#29Can manufacturers do a wedge like design with a thicker top & tapered bottom edge? That way there is no camera bump & the device sits flat on a desk & a bit raised towards you as well.
Bonus camera points coz the lenses are along the same axis horizontally & closer to the centre of the device than in one corner, likewise for the front facing camera too, which could just be shoved into one corner without leaving a hole-punch or notch at all.
Re: LG is getting out of the mobile phone business
#30What happened to the Android phone ecosystem? Android phones used to offer unique and useful features like removable batteries, headphone jacks, IR blasters, SD cards, etc. Now it seems that Samsung and Google are obsessed with copying whatever Apple does, even their controversial decisions like removing the headphone jack, even after making fun of Apple for doing it. No thanks, why would I buy a shittier iPhone with…
They realized people use their phones as fashion accessories and don't care about specs? Removable batteries create bulk, make the phone ugly. Headphone jacks? Added width and makes it harder to sell the consumer bluetooth headphones. IR blasters/SD cards? Nobody cares.