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[Android] Thread v. 2018: Pixel 6 is out. Google might be bad at phones.

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Posts

  • BarrakkethBarrakketh Registered User regular
    wunderbar wrote: »
    So, OnePlus has announced that its 2023 flagship phones will get 4 Android version updates. Guessing the Nord line won't, but the standard OnePlus phones will.

    Now Samsung and OnePlus are promising longer/more robust Android support than Google does.
    My question is...are they really? I haven't paid attention to Samsung and OnePlus releases but have they been releasing their phones with the latest major Android version, or is this announcement basically meaningless (compared to Google) because the extra version update is essentially used by them catching up to the yearly Android update that Googles flagships launch with?

    Rollers are red, chargers are blue....omae wa mou shindeiru
  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    Barrakketh wrote: »
    wunderbar wrote: »
    So, OnePlus has announced that its 2023 flagship phones will get 4 Android version updates. Guessing the Nord line won't, but the standard OnePlus phones will.

    Now Samsung and OnePlus are promising longer/more robust Android support than Google does.
    My question is...are they really? I haven't paid attention to Samsung and OnePlus releases but have they been releasing their phones with the latest major Android version, or is this announcement basically meaningless (compared to Google) because the extra version update is essentially used by them catching up to the yearly Android update that Googles flagships launch with?

    The S23 will launch on Android 13, the current version of Android. It will get 14, 15, 16, and 17. The Pixel 7 launched on Android 13, the current version of Android. It will get 14, 15, and 16,

    If a samsung midrange phone launches in the last 3 months of a year, it might come with what is technically the previous version of Android, but you'll find that by this point, any new Samsung phone will ship with Android 13, with maybe a couple exceptions at the very low end.

    Perhaps the biggest offender is the Fold/Flip series, which usually launches right before Google drops the new Android version for the year. That's a circumstance of timing, and in that case, yes that phone is generally launching on the latest version, or what was the latest version that was available when the phone was developed, but then gets its first update right away.

    But regardless as to that, getting 4 version updates is still *checks notes* more than 3. The Pixel 7a that will launch next year will still only get 3 OS updates, while the Galaxy A54 that will also launch next year will get 4.

    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • Inquisitor77Inquisitor77 2 x Penny Arcade Fight Club Champion A fixed point in space and timeRegistered User regular
    Samsung phones are great but I can't stand their UI.

  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    It's funny, because I had a chance to play with an older pixel recently after several years on Samsung phones, an to be honest, I find the Pixel UI to be missing so many features compared to Samsung. I used to really prefer the Nexus/Pixel UI... I owned the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, 5, and 6P. I ended up on a Galaxy S8 after my 6P died and the Nexus 6 was no good. The first couple months were a big struggle getting used to OneUI. But after a few years.... One UI just feels like a full featured system where Google/Pixel UI feels... not unfinished, just, barebones.

    The one thing that I really appreciate from Samsung's stuff is their backup/restore tools are *significantly* better than Google's. Not as Good as Apple's, but much, much, much better than Google.

    3 years ago I would have never said this, but I think Samsung makes the better product.

    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    wunderbar wrote: »
    It's funny, because I had a chance to play with an older pixel recently after several years on Samsung phones, an to be honest, I find the Pixel UI to be missing so many features compared to Samsung. I used to really prefer the Nexus/Pixel UI... I owned the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, 5, and 6P. I ended up on a Galaxy S8 after my 6P died and the Nexus 6 was no good. The first couple months were a big struggle getting used to OneUI. But after a few years.... One UI just feels like a full featured system where Google/Pixel UI feels... not unfinished, just, barebones.

    The one thing that I really appreciate from Samsung's stuff is their backup/restore tools are *significantly* better than Google's. Not as Good as Apple's, but much, much, much better than Google.

    3 years ago I would have never said this, but I think Samsung makes the better product.

    I'm kind of the opposite Samsung, but maybe its just because my personal phone has been an S23, Note 4, and now a Note 8 and at this point I'm really just kind of over the Samsung thing.

    The past several years I've been using a Nexus 5x, Pixel 3XL, and now a Pixel 6a as my work/travel phone and Ive definitely liked the Pixels more than the Samsungs. The camera and form factor has been better with the Pixels and they feel like similar build quality. I dont find myself missing a Samsung feature when I'm using my work phone, but I will find myself missing a Pixel feature when using my Samsung (namely the call screening, better camera, and at this point speed/performance but thats really just because the Note 8 is old).

  • ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    I don't care for the UI either way, I tend to use Nova Launcher to mix the two. Mostly I just want the Google At a Glance widget, and Samsung's edge menu.

    Still heavily debating switching to Apple next year though.

    WiiU: Windrunner ; Guild Wars 2: Shadowfire.3940 ; PSN: Bradcopter
  • DouglasDangerDouglasDanger PennsylvaniaRegistered User regular
    Does anyone else have a pixel 6?

    My camera has a delay between my pushing the take picture button and the phone taking the picture. I cleared the app's cache and they didn't make a difference

  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    edited December 2022
    Does anyone else have a pixel 6?

    My camera has a delay between my pushing the take picture button and the phone taking the picture. I cleared the app's cache and they didn't make a difference

    I have a 6 Pro. I have auto Night Sight turned on which can cause delays. Try turning off flash/night sight and see if that helps (gear in top left, first option of the drop down)

    Mugsley on
  • SirToastySirToasty Registered User regular
    Does anyone else have a pixel 6?

    My camera has a delay between my pushing the take picture button and the phone taking the picture. I cleared the app's cache and they didn't make a difference

    No issues with mine

  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    Does anyone else have a pixel 6?

    My camera has a delay between my pushing the take picture button and the phone taking the picture. I cleared the app's cache and they didn't make a difference

    This only happens to me when I have selfie mode + flash on, or of course night mode. Normal shooting is fine

  • DouglasDangerDouglasDanger PennsylvaniaRegistered User regular
    Mugsley wrote: »
    Does anyone else have a pixel 6?

    My camera has a delay between my pushing the take picture button and the phone taking the picture. I cleared the app's cache and they didn't make a difference

    I have a 6 Pro. I have auto Night Sight turned on which can cause delays. Try turning off flash/night sight and see if that helps (gear in top left, first option of the drop down)

    Thanks, that seems to have done it!

  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    Yeah, Google pulled some shenanigans. They no longer have auto flash. They have auto Night Sight and Flash On, or neither on. It's a bit annoying tbh

  • Mortal SkyMortal Sky queer punk hedge witchRegistered User regular
    ok so if I'm gonna ditch my Pixel 4a soon, any strong opinions on a shiny new S23 or a deep-discount S22+, because damn, does Google Fi have some discounts going on there

  • jothkijothki Registered User regular
    Oh hey, I just realized that you can move the icons on the top of Gboard, including shoving them off into the overflow menu. Goodbye worthless emoji button, hello incredibly useful text selection button!

  • Phoenix-DPhoenix-D Registered User regular
    Turns out asus's waterproofing works against being dropped in wet shit.

    Still wish I hadn't found that one out experimentally. Freaking pocket of betrayal dropped it right into the bowl..

  • ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    edited December 2022
    Oh man that's both a relief and incredibly nasty.

    Shadowfire on
    WiiU: Windrunner ; Guild Wars 2: Shadowfire.3940 ; PSN: Bradcopter
  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    edited December 2022
    I feel like I'm missing something obvious.

    I have a set of Pixel Buds A-Series that I use when walking the dog. For whatever reason, they no longer play sounds when messages come in, and they're inconsistent at email notifications.

    I turned on Assistant (WTF Google I shouldn't have to do this to hear notifications) but I still don't get notification sounds.

    I do use Bouncer so I'm going to try to add the buds to its whitelist but I don't think that will help.

    I've had notifications come through in the past and I don't know what changed.

    Mugsley on
  • MichaelLCMichaelLC In what furnace was thy brain? ChicagoRegistered User regular
    Are the buds a trusted device?

    Anything about being in motion? Do they play notifications if the phone is not moving?

  • ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    I broke my phone screen yesterday. Dropped it on the sidewalk and the thing just smashed. So until I can get the screen replaced, I'm using my old Pixel 4XL. And man do I miss this phone.

    But the battery life is just laughable. It's sitting on the wireless charger in my work van and actually losing charge. Cool cool cool.

    WiiU: Windrunner ; Guild Wars 2: Shadowfire.3940 ; PSN: Bradcopter
  • OldSlackerOldSlacker Registered User regular
    Retailers here in the Uk decided they don't care about launch dates so I got my shiny new S23 today.

    It came out of the box with some light screen scratches in the corner and I can't do anything about it because the phone hasn't officially launched yet. :neutral:

  • ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    So I still haven't been able to get my phone screen repaired, but my Pixel 4XL is finally going through battery failure. I keep getting "problem reading your battery meter" errors and the only solution is to send it in. They extended the warranty, but not this far.

    Guess I really need to send my Galaxy away for repair already.

    WiiU: Windrunner ; Guild Wars 2: Shadowfire.3940 ; PSN: Bradcopter
  • BarrakkethBarrakketh Registered User regular
    Shadowfire wrote: »
    So I still haven't been able to get my phone screen repaired, but my Pixel 4XL is finally going through battery failure. I keep getting "problem reading your battery meter" errors and the only solution is to send it in. They extended the warranty, but not this far.

    Guess I really need to send my Galaxy away for repair already.

    iFixit sells replacement kits with official parts. It was like...$50 the last time I looked. You only really need to remove the back panel on the 4XL to have access to the battery.

    Rollers are red, chargers are blue....omae wa mou shindeiru
  • ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    Nah it's dead dead now. Won't even charge because it can't find the battery at all. I could have bought a battery for $50 but then I'd be waiting a few days for it with no phone. So I spent $120 on a Motorola phone instead. Which is kinda dumb, but also I can't be without a phone entirely.

    But I did buy it in pink, so at least if we end up giving my daughter a phone next year, it can be this one.

    WiiU: Windrunner ; Guild Wars 2: Shadowfire.3940 ; PSN: Bradcopter
  • NaphtaliNaphtali Hazy + Flow SeaRegistered User regular
    My 4a is starting to chug battery and if I leave it on the charge overnight there's a chance it bootloops (it will at least restart when you manually hit the power button, but it shuts itself off which sucks when it's my alarm clock).

    Hopefully I can make it to the summer and the next round of #a phones but idk. Anything good in that $300-400 niche these days that works on Google Fi and isn't a gigantic phone?

    Steam | Nintendo ID: Naphtali | Wish List
  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    I'll keep these Pixel Buds A-Series but I'm fed up with the fact they try to be too smart. I can't get my notifications because I have to turn on Assistant; but Assistant decides not to tell me about things at least half the time. Why is this so difficult?

  • ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    God, using this Motorola phone for even a day... I'm only ever going with a Pixel or switching to iPhone next time around.

    WiiU: Windrunner ; Guild Wars 2: Shadowfire.3940 ; PSN: Bradcopter
  • urahonkyurahonky Registered User regular
    Hey have you guys ever used a file recovery app on your phones? Have you used anything useful? A friend of mine lost a bunch of music he moved over and was hoping to get it back.

  • NaphtaliNaphtali Hazy + Flow SeaRegistered User regular
    Naphtali wrote: »
    My 4a is starting to chug battery and if I leave it on the charge overnight there's a chance it bootloops (it will at least restart when you manually hit the power button, but it shuts itself off which sucks when it's my alarm clock).

    Hopefully I can make it to the summer and the next round of #a phones but idk. Anything good in that $300-400 niche these days that works on Google Fi and isn't a gigantic phone?

    A post-script to this: I ended up getting a Galaxy S23 (regular edition) from Google Fi when they had the promotion last week offering it at a heavy discount when used on an existing Fi line. $360 for the 256GB model. Seems pretty nice so far and One UI seems much closer to stock android than TouchWiz ever did (I had a Galaxy S3 back in the day). I would have held out for a 7a, but considering Pixels have slowly removed everything about them I liked (headphone jack, physical fingerprint reader) the difference between that and this seems pretty small.

    Steam | Nintendo ID: Naphtali | Wish List
  • XantusXantus Registered User regular
    its pretty amazing what can be had these days on the used market for around a hundred bucks.
    i recently went on an upgrade search from my nokia g20 (which is nice enough and solid, but kinda slow and can barely game)
    ended up scoring a Galaxy A71 5gUW and a TCL 10 Plus for a combined price of 200$. The curved bezel-less screen on the TCL is pretty nice and futuristic looking, but the A71 is a fair bit better in pretty much every aspect. they both put my g20 to shame at least ;D

  • ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    Finally have some extra money so I just sent out my s22 ultra for repair. It'll be nice to get off this moto phone soon.

    WiiU: Windrunner ; Guild Wars 2: Shadowfire.3940 ; PSN: Bradcopter
  • IanatorIanator Gaze upon my works, ye mighty and facepalm.Registered User regular
    Finally said "good night" to my Moto Z3 Play tonight. The screen had been randomly blanking out for a bit, which I could tolerate. Then it started shutting off during those blackouts and continually refusing to restart, which I could not put up with.

    New phone is a ZTE Z5158 from Consumer Cellular (their "Avid 589") which was literally their cheapest phone, which is fine by me since I don't play mobile games anymore. Gonna have to get used to no fingerprint sensor and the old wake button spot now having a big red SOS button.

    Oh, guess what this thing has? An aux jack!

    steam_sig.png
    Twitch | Blizzard: Ianator#1479 | 3DS: Ianator - 1779 2336 5317 | FFXIV: Iana Ateliere (NA Sarg)
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  • ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    Phone repair is finally complete, now I just have to wait for it to ship back.

    WiiU: Windrunner ; Guild Wars 2: Shadowfire.3940 ; PSN: Bradcopter
  • NosfNosf Registered User regular
  • CarpyCarpy Registered User regular
    Nosf wrote: »

    Project Zero lists the following as the vulnerable devices:

    - Mobile devices from Samsung, including those in the S22, M33, M13, M12, A71, A53, A33, A21s, A13, A12 and A04 series;

    - Mobile devices from Vivo, including those in the S16, S15, S6, X70, X60 and X30 series;

    - The Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series of devices from Google;

    - any vehicles that use the Exynos Auto T5123 chipset.

  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    It says the pixels got an update for it but other devices are still at risk

  • SiliconStewSiliconStew Registered User regular
    edited March 2023
    It says the pixels got an update for it but other devices are still at risk

    Not entirely true. They haven't released it for the Pixel 6 range yet.

    SiliconStew on
    Just remember that half the people you meet are below average intelligence.
  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    This is one of those things that is bad, and I'm not minimizing the severity of the vulnerability, but it probably isn't something most people need to worry about unless you're already a high risk target.

    And Thankfully, Samsung does actually have a very good track record on patching devices. Every device in that their list is still supported, and will receive patches. So it will get resolved on those phones.

    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    So, on Thursday, my Z Fold 3 started exhibiting some weird behaviour. If i restarted the phone when it was closed, wifi worked just fine. If I opened the phone to the inner display, wifi would break in a hilarious but device breaking manner. within about 3 minutes of opening the phone, the device would lock up, restart, and after rebooting the wifi would no longer turn on, you could tap the toggle all you wanted, and it wouldn't turn on. Restart the phone with the display open, wifi would not work. restart the phone with the phone closed, wifi would work... until the display was opened.

    This persisted after a factory reset, and a setup to the point where I reset it without wifi/cellular on so it got no updates. it's on the most recent patch. I took it to a repair center where they have the official tools to flash the ROM to it. Only one repair tech in the store had seen anything like that before, but not on a folding phone. In that case it was the motherboard on the device. But no one could be sure with this exact behaviour. My gut tells me that the issue was going to be in the flex cable between the two halves of the phone, but the tech in the store pointed out that while that was probably true, it was probably still a controller chip somewhere that was broken.

    My issues then were twofold: there isn't a person in my city officially certified to work on Samsung Folding phones, so I'd have to send it to Samsung, and the device is out of warranty since it's a phone that's closer to 2 years old instead of one year.

    And.... there is a tiny crack on the outer display, so 100% Samsung was going to tell me that it was that that caused the problem, and require me to replace the outer display along with probably the motherboard. I'd be looking at $1000 Canadian to get it fixed....

    So long story short I bought a Z Fold 4 yesterday instead. Hurts, but Samsung did have $300 off the phone, 2 years of Samsung Care+ for the price of 1 (an offer I took, not making that mistake again), and a free Galaxy Watch 4 classic. I own a watch 5 Pro so I don't need the classic, so between the sale on the phone and that i'll sell the watch and end up recouping about $500-$600 off the cost of the phone.

    While I was planning on waiting for the Z Fold 5, I must say the Fold 4 is a small, but notable improvement over the 3. The hinge feels much more refined, the crease is actually much less visibile (though that may change with age), and the outer display is 3mm wider. That doesn't seem like much but makes the phone feel a lot more usable closed.

    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • MichaelLCMichaelLC In what furnace was thy brain? ChicagoRegistered User regular
    Glad you got an upgrade instead of just needing to buy another 3.

    I guess the answer is you like it, but how is living in fold lifestyle? Finding you can use it in ways not possible with a slab?

  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    MichaelLC wrote: »
    Glad you got an upgrade instead of just needing to buy another 3.

    I guess the answer is you like it, but how is living in fold lifestyle? Finding you can use it in ways not possible with a slab?

    The Fold definitely isn't for everyone. When closed, it is heavy, and feels like a brick. It isn't quite as dramatic as you'd think, as the Z Fold 4 is only 30 grams heavier than a S23 ultra, but it feels denser. There is also the fact that for video, the thing you'd think a bigger screen device is better for, the actual physical size of a video on the large, inner dislay isn't that much more than the afore mentioned S23 ultra because of the aspect ratio of the screen.

    Where the Fold style device shines is oddly not in video. I read a lot of kindle books on it, as the screen is about the size of a dedicated kindle. Multi app is actually usable. I can actually have a youtube video going on one side of the screen and say, Twitter, Wikipedia, etc on the other side and have both be usable.

    Basically, if you think a device the size of an iPad mini is perfect for you, that's what the Fold 4 is. But you can fold it in half and stick it in your pocket.

    The cameras are a good step up from the Fold 3, which was the one thing I really wished was better on that phone. The internet tells me that the cameras on the fold 4 are the same as the S22+, so you're getting among the best of the camera systems from 2022. It will be a step below the Pixel and Galaxy S22/23 Ultra, but the best among the rest. And the flex mode of being able to use the phone as its own tripod for certain shots is fantastic.


    Realistically, I don't recommend it for most people, unless you just want the best, most innovative gadget. The reason I own a Fold is due to a variety of personal life situations where I'm essentially "on call" for a family health situation that might need me to get to a family member's house in a "drop what you're doing and come here (or a hospital)" And it's a thing where I may be there for an hour... or overnight. I used to always carry a backpack with everything I may need I keep myself entertained. iPad and/or laptop, chargers, Kindle, sometimes a switch, etc. The Fold 4 is something where I have that, grab a small charger and portable battery and throw it in the other pocket, and I'm set for an indefinite amount of time. I don't feel the need to carry an iPad and/or other devices around with me everywhere anymore. That has been worth the cost to me.

    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
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