Sunday Evening Chat: Week 3

[pc747]

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1) To you what is the biggest improvement in android that stands out the most since android debuted (or since you first started using android)?

2) Should Google start releasing more than one Nexus flagship phone a year (i.e one 5inch, one larger, etc), would you like to see Google incorporate some form of Moto Maker to their Nexus devices (ie choice in 3 different sizes, battery life, camera pixels, etc), and what categories or choices you feel are most important?

3) With battery tech getting better and better should users be able to expect a phone that lasts at least 10-12 hours easily on one charge with out having to disable sync or adjust brightness (minus heavy media consumption or gaming)?

 

[pc747]

1) Battery technology has improved especially since LTE devices debuted a few years back. It is not uncommon to have a phone that last almost 3 days on a single charge (ie Note 2, Note 3, Razr Maxx). I would like to see that be standard in high end devices that it can provide 12 hrs of moderate to heavy use battery life without having to dim your screen.

2) I understand that the Nexus program is mainly a way for Google to have a phone to release their software on for developers, but it is safe to say Nexus devices are getting more and more popular (maybe not to the level of Samsung Galaxy devices). One of the hesitations for me about buying a nexus is the battery life. Coming from a note 2 it is hard to see me going from a phone that can provide almost 3 days of battery life to a phone that can barely make it through a day. I would like to see Google give customers a few options. Now I understand that may be challenging for a phone that is meant to sell at around $399 but I believe it can be done as Motorola already have the tools in place (somewhat). Yes this will mean giving users a Motorola Nexus and I understand Motorola not wanting the the Nexus to have as many choice options as say a Moto Maker Phone. So here is my wish list: 1) A choice in battery size maybe go with a 3100 (or more option) and a standard (2) though I do not care much for color but it may be beneficial to offer a choice in a few colors (ie nexus red, yellow, green, blue) (3) choice in screen size choice 1 will be standard phone size such as 4 or 4.5 in, choice 2 large screen size of 5 , choice 3 be phablet size of 5.5 to 5.7 inch.

3) I basically hinted at it in answer #1 in that I feel that high end devices should last at least 12 hours (of course it will take more than just a larger battery as improvement in software and hardware plays an important role in battery life as well).

 

[Jmoore1701]

1. Biggest improvement...the versatility. I can put photos, videos and music on my Note II from any PC or website; I can always find a free app to do what I want or need, and I can (and have) switched brands without losing contacts or files.

2. I'm not too interested in the Nexus. I like Touchwiz, I don't feel that it gets in the way of making phone calls, or watching videos, or playing games, or taking photos. So I've never found the "pure Google experience" to be a compelling feature.

3. I already get a day and a half usage on one charge with my Note II. But I think that people should be able to go all day without worrying about recharging.

 

[johnomaz]

1) The shear power of the devices. We now have quad core 2.5 Ghz chips in our phones, gpus that are delivering graphics that can rival previous gen consoles. Its pretty amazing. Google can use that power to push Android farther. The MotoX for example can hear you say Ok Google and do its stuff. There is enough spare processiong power to always be listening for the wake up command from your voice.

2) Though I do love the Nexus line (I've owned both Nexus 7 tablets), I don't think its as necessary for me to have these days. When I had my DroidX, Motoblur and Google were very close. There were no features that seperated them enough to matter and so I ran an AOSP rom on my phone. But when I got my S3 and now Note 3, there is enough difference to keep TouchWiz on my phone. I've put an AOSP style launcher on my phone and went back to TouchWiz. TW is just better than it used to be and pure google is no longer the only way to get a smooth experience. Do I want the Nexus line to disappear, NEVER!, but I think it needs to be marketed differently. I think a phone should be released early in the year (like early Q1) and then have a refresh of that same phone but with a little better hardware in Q3. Something that won't make existing users feel like they are missing out, but enough to keep up with how hardware changes. Apple does it on a yearly basis. Their phones dont' change all that much but they are also the sole maker of their phone. With Android, Google has to essentially compete with itself on other phones.

3) I've gotten two full days on my Note 3 with light use. I work in IT so I have my workstation in front of me pretty much all day long. Checking e-mail is never more than a click away so I don't need to pull out my phone. My coworkers (and I) use IM to talk during the day so I don't text much during the day either. I try not to play on my phone during work hours either but even if I do, its light use. I have wifi nearly everywhere I go too. All those factors help the battery stay fresh all day long. But when I do use my N3 heavily, the battery still lasts until I go to bed and plug it in. I've been very impressed with my battery life. I think there is a lot of tech going into batteries right now and hopefully we'll see it soon. Graphene tech in batteries looks amazing and I can't wait to see how it does in real world use.

 

[jspradling7]

1) The Apps, mainly the Google Apps. Maps, Voice, QuickOffice, Translate, etc. The device advances in the display and processors are awesome but for me it's the apps that make it sing.

2) I owned a GNex for 2 years and we've had a Nexus 10 since release too and I loved them both. But since I'm on Verizon I haven't bought a N4 or N5, and so now I've lost interest in Nexus phones. Stock rooted is the way I like them now days. I'll just put AOKP or CM on a phone if I get the urge to.

3) The Razr HD Maxx and the G2 are examples of what I personally think is the right display and battery mix. (Approx 5" and 3000 mah) That seems to be a good combination for a easy to handle device that will last all day unless you decide to watch video for hours.

 

[badtoy1986]

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1) To you what is the biggest improvement in android that stands out the most since android debuted (or since you first started using android)?

Since 2.0, I would say the biggest improvement for android is...(This is hard, there are so many places they have improved.) I would say, google now.

2) Should Google start releasing more than one Nexus flagship phone a year (i.e one 5inch, one larger, etc), would you like to see Google incorporate some form of Moto Maker to their Nexus devices (ie choice in 3 different sizes, battery life, camera pixels, etc), and what categories or choices you feel are most important?

I don't care to much about the screen size option, they seem to have a nice size now. However, I think it's a no-brainier that allowing customization would be great. You could still have the $349 base model, or you could pay a little extra to have a better camera, bigger battery or different styles. Almost all OEMs already do it with storage options (Most of which charge way to much for going larger... I'm looking at you Apple! $100 to change from a 16GB NAND chip to a 32GM NAND chip, I mean really you could pay an American worker parts, labor and shipping to pull the phone apart and change that chip out for less.) so I don't see why this could not be done.

3) With battery tech getting better and better should users be able to expect a phone that lasts at least 10-12 hours easily on one charge with out having to disable sync or adjust brightness (minus heavy media consumption or gaming)?

This is a must and I think consumers are proving it. Look at the success of the Moto X. It has a dual core Snapdragon S4 Pro from what two years ago? But between the proccessor and optimized code they can provide a great user experience and superb battery life. Other great examples of people showing that they want more battery life; The quantity of spare or exteneded batteries and or quick charge packs that are sold and the moto MAXX series.

 

[squeak]

1. Evolution. It's how all the small, continuous improvements come together to create an OS that is constantly getting better. I also love that Google is now updating individual apps, like Google Now, instead of making us wait for the next version of Android to get pushed out to our devices.

2. I think the Nexus program currently in place is working, but who wouldn't love having more options? I love that there are Google Play Edition devices available too.

3. I think that is an expectation of all phone buyers and I feel like most new phones don't have any trouble achieving that kind of battery life. What I think needs to be focused on more than that is making sure that after a year or two of use the phone is still able to offer decent battery life. I replaced my Galaxy Nexus battery within the first year I owned it and would have replaced it again had I not upgraded to the Note 3. I know that batteries have a finite number of charging cycles, but I really think that with the technology available today the batteries should last 2 years without needing to be replaced.

 

[pc747]

You guys made some good points. Those of you that prefer twiz I understand that choice and have to admit that Samsung has done a good job providing the power to match the software so the phone remains smooth. But there are some who prefer the vanilla android look and feel over the touchwiz version. I think that is also an improvement over the years. Custom skins in the day got a bad rap for performance but now manufacturers have done a much better job to where some skins performance wise is on par (or a negligible difference) with vanilla. So really I think it becomes more of a preference.