Best smartphone?

4.7" is my ideal phone size so I might be tempted by an iPhone 6.. but that's a pretty big might! Hopefully HTC will bring out something in that size range which has flagship specs...

I really don't know who these people are who want a 5.5" phone, they look utterly ridiculous and they don't fit in pockets...
 
I think it is for playing games, but I do not personally get it either. All I do is text and answer required phone calls.
 
I use a fair bit of Internet on my phone so I get that a big screen is handy, but I really think it's gone too far now...
 
The one company I am surprised that has not caught up with everyone else is Nokia.

They failed to adapt to the smartphone market by keeping to their propriety OS. When they started to die, Microsoft ran a few partnerships with them, then bought them out. As Microsoft has never really understood anything outside of personal computer software, I doubt we'll see much big from them. Microsoft currently has around 4% of the mobile market, in the USA and Europe.

EDIT:

4.7" is my ideal phone size so I might be tempted by an iPhone 6.. but that's a pretty big might! Hopefully HTC will bring out something in that size range which has flagship specs...

I really don't know who these people are who want a 5.5" phone, they look utterly ridiculous and they don't fit in pockets...

What about the HTC One? A pretty decent phone by all accounts:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000NTBLV0/?tag=brite-21

I personally love the larger screen phones. At first I was dubious, but I find the Z1 great for typing on, and watching video.
 
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What about the HTC One? A pretty decent phone by all accounts:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000NTBLV0/?tag=brite-21

I personally love the larger screen phones. At first I was dubious, but I find the Z1 great for typing on, and watching video.

I have last year's HTC One, I love it but its getting a bit bogged down with the new version of Sense. The One M8 looks too big for me. But I don't have to decide til Novemberish when my contract's up..
 
Well, this discussion has just become more relevant for me since my family has decided to switch carriers. Which means we all have to get new phones. :mad:

So, I will be doing a bunch of research on phones now. If there is a dramatic price difference, I cannot imagine getting another iPhone.
 
Interesting update on this for anyone switching to Verizon. My family still works on a plan together because it is always cheaper. Verizon has a deal right now that if you switch to them and purchase your phone through them at retail price you pay it off over 20 months - but they subsidize your data plan significantly (assuming you have a 10GB or higher plan). I did the math, and for me to go from a $100 phone that only has 32GB storage to an iPhone 6 Plus 64GB version it would cost me about fifteen dollars a month more. At that much per month, I think I am willing to do it. I need the 64GB anyway, so it looks like I will be getting one of the new ones. That is two and a half packs of cigarettes less a month difference in price.
 
IMO Apple really need to go back to their roots and look again at how they use iTunes and manage music.

To me, the recent U2 debacle really highlights this.

Firstly, many people had it installed in their music library without permission. The BBC reports that Apple have released a quick removal tool for people who never wanted it:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29208540

Really, it should have been an optional download in the first place.

But here's the kicker for me - many people couldn't access it. If you used iTunes Match - a paid for Cloud Storage service for your music - you had to switch it off, and then back on again, to access it.

And those who don't normally use Cloud services, had to change the settings in iTunes to display "tracks in the cloud" to find it.

IMO this is demonstrative that Apple has moved from visionary to committee. Otherwise why else would Apple mess up one of the world's biggest promotions? On the newest iPhone, which aims to catch up to last year's Samsung Galaxy phone?
 
I agree with you, Brian. The difficulty is that their roots are innovation on a broad scale that is extremely well-branded. They are still doing fine on the branding aspect, but there is certainly a lull in the innovation or 'wow factor.' But this has happened before in their history. They have more than one several year slumps of essentially just upgrading their product lines without doing much new or inventive. That is why the branding is so important to them - the loyalty gets them past those slumps.

But I do think they are in a more permanent downswing where others will be alongside them from now on. The whole phenomenon that the Beats by Dre headphones became? Should have been Apple. There are those kind of opportunities going by that I think they could have had a hand in that they are not taking anymore. Instead they are re-envisioning a product that nobody needs anymore: watches.
 
And regarding the headphones - or earpods or whatever stupid name they have now - Apple really seemed to be swimming against the current. I've not heard more vitriol levelled at anything like that in the past; they appeared to be universally hated. When you can buy a good set of in-ear Sennheisers or what-have-you, cheaply, that Apple should package those hellacious and dated ear phones is unfathomable.

Furthermore, their charge cables have such poor life expectancy that you now have to budget for replacements (which are not cheap, now that you are restricted to proprietary ones). I don't understand if that is a stylistic or quality/cost choice. When I go to West Africa, I use my Sony Ericsson i890 and the cable is still going strong! Can you imagine the life of an Apple cable in West Africa?

The thing is, I was a real Appleboy. I have an Ipod, an Imac, Iphone and Ipad. This started when Apple was really on their ****. I'm only staying with iPhone now because of the seamless integration with my other devices and Mac. But to be honest, the Fisher Price iOS7 upgrade has forced me to play with settings and how I use my devices to such an extent that I am now looking elsewhere.

My contract expires around January. I had planned on upgrading to an iPhone 6 but am now looking at Sony. And I get a free PS4 if I go that route!

I really hope they give me a reason to stay with them, but the Honeymoon period is really over for me; there's trouble in Paradise.

pH
 
I have a mix of different things. Apple phone and laptop, but not my desktop or tablet. Over time, I am sure I will move all of my devices away from Apple so there is more seamless use with my desktop. But with the deal I am getting switching to Verizon, the cost difference per month between the phone I was going to get (the new Nokia) and the iPhone 6 is too small for me to pass up.

And in defense of iOS7, minimalism in UI and design is very 'in' right now everywhere. It is not just Apple.
 
I strongly believe that Android is better than iOS for the simple fact that it allows you to choose from a vast array of OEMs Samsung, Sony, HTC, LG, even Huawei and then choose the screen size and bells and whistles that best fit your budget.

Case in point, my wife uses a Samsung S4 mini, I have a Samsung Note 10.1 tablet (love the S-Pen!) and a (cheapo) Alcatel One Touch that I use when I visit the US (around 8 weeks a year). Unfortunately my company forces me to use a BB, but since they pay for both the phone and the service, I can't rebel against it. If I had my way though, I'd get a Note 3 (or Note 4 when it becomes available).

As for Apple, they are just trying to keep up with the many advantages and superior performance of Android. In my case, I just could not justify buying an expensive iPhone to use just a few weeks a year. I recently saw a video explaining the reasons iPhones are better than Android devices and the best they could do is say that Apple gives you just 2 choices of phone, (because it's confusing to choose from the hundreds of Androids).

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.
 
IMO Apple really need to go back to their roots and look again at how they use iTunes and manage music.
To me, the recent U2 debacle really highlights this.

Totally agree with you!

I've gotten several free songs and albums from the Google Play store, but never had one added to my library without my consent. I have declined to "buy" several offered for free that did not interest me.
 
What's the big deal of U2? Just checked my iPad's music app and the album is there, but not actually downloaded. Had to click the "cloud" icon to bring it down. But then again I do have "automatic updates" turned off in the settings, like any sane person :)
I might not have enough space to download and install it, either! :)
I do - just, but am in no rush... my iPad2 struggles enough with it's daily life these days. Apps spontaneously close when it runs out of memory!
 
I always wait a few sub-iterations of the new iOS before I update. They always come up with 7 or 8 things they had to fix.
 
Smoothly updated my aged iPad2 to iOS8 today, via the cable into my PC. I think you'd be very brave/patient to do it OTA!

So far it seems like a very minor update as I cant barely find any differences...

On another note, I'd love any recommendations for a high-end Android phone, under 5". I love my HTC One (M7) but the M8 is too big...
 
High-end under 5"? That's a tough one. What aspect of the M8's size is putting you off?
 
The size aspect :D

I want a phone that fits in my hand/pocket comfortably, which the M7 is at the upper limit of. And one I can use as a phone without looking like a plonker!

I've been directed towards the upcoming Xperia Z3 Compact, due for UK release this month. I'll want to get hands on with a few devices before I decide though.

I feel dirty even saying it, but the iPhone 6 is in the sweet spot for me, size-wise.
 

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