2015 suite of Android Devices: Who will be champion?

[pc747]

As 2015 near the final quarter we pretty much have all the devices in the books. With the exception of the next Droid device, which normally would have been released by now in time to cross promote with ESPN and the NFL, we can put a fork in the 2015 android year.

With 2015 we saw manufacturers add just a bump in specs while not really blowing it out of the park with innovation. One Plus talked a big game and then hit a grounder to the short stop, HTC gave up, and Samsung continued to remain the top dog screaming out the gate with their S6 edge, and Motorola quietly continues to inch their way back into the heart of fans. I felt like Samsung continued to stay ahead of the pack for the general public. But for us die hards, Motorola continue to remain the top dog and will probably end up earning the award for 2015 DF Community Phone of the Year. Carrier unlocked, bootloader unlock-able, and priced at $349 with the added addition of a much improved camera, I just do not see any phone taking its crown.

But we still have 2 months to go and if Blackberry manages to release the Priv in time for the holidays, it may garner enough interest from the community. The Droid-line will have to bring a lot of spunk if it is going to unseat its brother (Moto X Pure).

Has 2015 been a good year for Android phones or are you waiting to see what 2016 will offer?

 

[Universal]

Are you considering the Nexus 6p, 5K and LG v10 to be 2016 devices?

 

[pc747]

Are you considering the Nexus 6p, 5K and LG v10 to be 2016 devices?

No, I consider them 2015 devices. But I am wanting the community to chime in on which devices they like and dislike. Me personally, as much as I love Nexus phones, am not ready to say that the 6p is a better device than the Moto X pure and the V10 has not gotten into the hands of consumers yet (technically neither have nexus devices). But we still have a few months for you, the DF community, to decide who should get the crown.

 

[Ollie]

A phone hasn't been released this year that has made me move away from my last year's purchase, the Note 4 Edge.

The S6, S6 Edge, the Note 5, S6 Plus really look like great phones, but none of them replicate or improve upon what I have.

I like the customization features of Moto and being able to mix up the styles was fun to play with on their site. That being said I would have to actually use one to see if it is worth switching to them. I don't know anyone with a Moto phone so I would have to walk into a store and hope to find one there.

From what I see the Nexus P takes the cake from all of these phones. Nexus devices are typically not interesting to me since they have less features baked in and their cameras are usually lacking.

If I were to switch right now I would switch to the 6P. It has my vote for phone of the year.

 

[tech_head]

My daughter needs a new phone. Instead of my buying her a new phone. I get the new phone and she gets the LG G3 which is by no means a poor performer. But since I'm paying I want new. I pre-ordered the Nexus 6P in graphite with 128GB. I can't wait...

 

[Jonny Kansas]

I think you've all hit on some great points. PC, I completely agree that, for the average consumer, Samsung is the company to beat for sure.

For us enthusiasts, Moto is headed in the right direction. I still believe the MXP is a solid device and I'm glad they chose to circumvent the carriers, but as far as hard sales numbers, I think we'll see that device lagging far behind Samsung's offerings this year. I really doubt the most average of consumer is going to get a phone from anywhere other than their carrier. Sure, some will buy on Swappa or ebay to save some money if they've left the subsidized plans behind, but when you don't know what you're looking for and you decide to get a new phone, you're going to your carrier to check them out and get the salesperson's opinion (again, AVERAGE consumers, not those of use who know the difference between android and Droid.)

As for the best phone of the year, I've made my pick without even getting hands on with it. It's Nexus 6P for me. I'm with Ollie in that previous Nexus phones have left me wanting a bit more, but the 6P seems to check all of the boxes for me. As with the Moto offering, though, we won't see sales numbers to compete with Samsung on these, for much the same reason. They're stepping away from offering through carrier stores and that'll keep them out of hands of most average consumers. I also don't think the Nexus line appeals to most consumers the way it does to those like us here on the forums. I'm happy to be waiting the delivery of a stock device, but the average consumer wants the bells and whistles that OEMs add on top.

As for the LG V10, that remains to be seen as well, but I think they'll move a decent number of units on that one. Seems like a great choice for many different people, even though I think the 2 selfie cams are overkill and some of the video editing/tweaking will be more than the average person will care to mess with.

 

[supermandroid]

I don't know, I was a huge Motorola fan (my first was the Droid X), but then I hear my Moto X 2014 isn't getting the next Android update. That burned a huge bridge with me.

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[Mustang02]

I don't know, I was a huge Motorola fan (my first was the Droid X), but then I hear my Moto X 2014 isn't getting the next Android update. That burned a huge bridge with me.

Sent from my XT1096 using Tapatalk

That's Verizon not motos fault.

 

[Jonny Kansas]

I don't know, I was a huge Motorola fan (my first was the Droid X), but then I hear my Moto X 2014 isn't getting the next Android update. That burned a huge bridge with me.

Sent from my XT1096 using Tapatalk

While I feel your pain and believe that it's a completely legit complaint, we're talking about which device that launched in 2015 will be the best device, not which phone launched in a different year has been snubbed with an update.

The new X Pure won't have to wait on VZW to pull their heads out of the place that the sun doesn't shine to get its updates.

 

[supermandroid]

While I feel your pain and believe that it's a completely legit complaint, we're talking about which device that launched in 2015 will be the best device, not which phone launched in a different year has been snubbed with an update.

The new X Pure won't have to wait on VZW to pull their heads out of the place that the sun doesn't shine to get its updates.

Yes, I was implying that I would have been team Motorola, but I won't be for reasons previously stated.

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[Jonny Kansas]

Yes, I was implying that I would have been team Motorola, but I won't be for reasons previously stated.

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Yeah, but we're looking for your unbiased opinion. Base it off of the specs and features of the phones and how you think they'll sell, not how you feel about that particular company.

Personally, I'm done with Samsung for a while, even when I go to upgrade the Nexus 6P that I haven't even received yet, but I still have to give them props for selling devices that people seem to love to get.

Granted, I'm done with them from a personal preference standpoint, not because I felt cheated by them, but still...

 

[supermandroid]

That's Verizon not motos fault.

While the blame does lie more with Verizon and AT&T than Motorola, Motorola knew the carrier terms of agreement from the beginning, and they should continue to support all of their more than capable product line from 2014.

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[pc747]

I think you've all hit on some great points. PC, I completely agree that, for the average consumer, Samsung is the company to beat for sure.

For us enthusiasts, Moto is headed in the right direction. I still believe the MXP is a solid device and I'm glad they chose to circumvent the carriers, but as far as hard sales numbers, I think we'll see that device lagging far behind Samsung's offerings this year. I really doubt the most average of consumer is going to get a phone from anywhere other than their carrier. Sure, some will buy on Swappa or ebay to save some money if they've left the subsidized plans behind, but when you don't know what you're looking for and you decide to get a new phone, you're going to your carrier to check them out and get the salesperson's opinion (again, AVERAGE consumers, not those of use who know the difference between android and Droid.)

As for the best phone of the year, I've made my pick without even getting hands on with it. It's Nexus 6P for me. I'm with Ollie in that previous Nexus phones have left me wanting a bit more, but the 6P seems to check all of the boxes for me. As with the Moto offering, though, we won't see sales numbers to compete with Samsung on these, for much the same reason. They're stepping away from offering through carrier stores and that'll keep them out of hands of most average consumers. I also don't think the Nexus line appeals to most consumers the way it does to those like us here on the forums. I'm happy to be waiting the delivery of a stock device, but the average consumer wants the bells and whistles that OEMs add on top.

As for the LG V10, that remains to be seen as well, but I think they'll move a decent number of units on that one. Seems like a great choice for many different people, even though I think the 2 selfie cams are overkill and some of the video editing/tweaking will be more than the average person will care to mess with.

Awesome point. But since this is going to be a device voted on by the df community (I'm putting a poll up in November after all the big devices have had the chance to get in the hands of consumers) we will get a chance to see how much the community really differs from the average consumer. I am betting if we were to gauge the numbers by what people use on a daily basis and what they buy I would not be surprised to see Samsung on top still.

But will be interested to see what the poll numbers in November say. But this thread was just to make some early predictions.

Hey you never know, HTC may make a surprise device and catch everyone from behind (HTC don't even believe that).

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[pc747]

Sadly I think BlackBerry may botch their opportunity here. If they wait until 2016 to launch it they will fail. Those specs look awesome now compared to what is out. But waiting until March and launching it up against a new model galaxy S, LG G device, and even HTC will make it look outdated. We crucified Motorola and Verizon 5 years back when they hesitated on the Droid Maxx, which would have sold in the dead of the summer. But they waited and Samsung released the Note 2 and that was that.

Blackberry need to release a good device now and release it with Marshmallow to come out the gates fast. They could sell in this landscape, especially will less and less caring about being rooted to a point where it will effect their purchasing decisions.

A late release (releasing next year), lollipop (if released late), slow updates, being buggy, and/or a lot of bloatware will keep it out of the hands of the community. They have a nice build up, despite the CEO unwittingly sabotaging it. They just need to find a way to get a smooth release and actually follow through on keeping the device supported and performing at a top tier level.

Be interesting to see what the community actually give that device score wise. And could it be enough to be in the conversation for top device of 2015?

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[bkdodger]

Nothing about this Priv device has me excited.. First it's a waste with that slide out KB... Take away some sales for peeps that actually want to go old school for one and some that just bc it's BB they want to try..

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