The New "What Phone Should I Get" Thread

[Orange Julia]

My Samsung Galaxy 5 is on its last legs. And I am getting increasingly frustrated with TMobile's bizarre coverage where, in one of the most densely populated areas in the country, I can go miles with zero coverage. At least half of the one hour trip to Fredericksburg VA from Prince William County this past week I was without any service at all. That's really unacceptable.

So the old man (who also has an SG5) has Verizon and has coverage everywhere. I already have a relationship with Verizon via work because I have a MiFi, so we were thinking maybe we'd try to do a family plan or something and get a deal on phones--anyone know if there is a good offer out there (like buy one, get one?) I am not wedded to Samsung but I would like a phone with less bloatware if possible. I am ok with a phone without a micro sd card if it has enough internal storage. I'm not against considering an iPhone. I already have an iPad and an iPod (and a macbook pro) and it would be great if everything talked to each other, but I don't need a phone so big that it's half the size of an iPad. Bonus would be to be able to get a SIM card for my iPad which is Verizon compatible and somehow roll it all into one account.

Through TMobile I've been going thru about 2G of data a month (out of 3 in my plan) and supposedly it rolls over. I loved using my phone in Europe without doing anything special but it isn't like I travel there for work several times a year or anything.

Additional notes: Love having a great camera, don't play games on my phone, or really watch video or movies more than a few times a week when I'm super bored in a meeting, use square on my phone for work.

Thanks in advance for any advice folks might have.

 

[Time to Mo Vaughn]

The Google Pixel. Start by trying it on GoogleFi which is T Mobile plus Sprint's networks. If that's not good enough for you after a month then switch to Verizon, which will be no problem since Fi is a month to month contract and the Pixel is compatible on Verizon's network.

The Pixel also has the best camera of any smartphone ever.

 

[bibajesus]

Pixel works on all the networks. Im using one right now on at&t. You can only buy it through Verizon if you want to buy it through a carrier. I bought mine straight from Google and I do recommend it. My last phone was a Galaxy 5 and the Pixel is light years better. It's much more responsive and the battery lasts all day

 

[TSC]

I have the Google Pixel and I love it. I won't go back to Apple if they keep making Pixels every couple of years and they're as good as my current one.

 

[Orange Julia]

Don't you need a Fi invite? I thought I got on the list a while ago, but nada. So I can get a pixel from Google and use Fi, or get a pixel from Verizon only? Is that the deal?

 

[teddykgb]

You don't need an invite for Fi. You can buy a pixel from them or Verizon. I love the Fi service to cost ratio and the Pixel is great.


Edit: Fi does a 20 dollar referral code now if anyone wants one PM me. I don't need to hawk it out or anything and anyone with Fi can send you one if there's someone you know better on Fi

 

[Orange Julia]

Ok just so I'm clear, I can buy a pixel and use Fi by going through the google site (and i just follow the steps to transfer my number over and such) and if I don't like the Fi plan or coverage, within a month I can just show up at Verizon with my new Pixel in hand, and say "hook me, up, you people!?" If that's the case, definitely send me a referral code thingy. Thanks for the advice.

 

[saintnick912]

That's correct. You can use a Pixel that you purchase anywhere. Google and Fi (and BestBuy and Verizon) have different stock pools so get one where you can find one. I've heard Verizon won't sell you one if you tell them you mean to use it elsewhere, but it's not for technical reasons.

1. Order your Fi SIM package now

OR

1a. Order Fi SIM and Phone from Fi

2. Once you have phone, activate on Fi. Your Fi service will start until you activate it, so don't worry about having/ordering the SIM first. I did this recently (coming from AT&T).

If Fi doesn't work for you then yes you can bring any Pixel to Verizon (or T-Mobile).

 

[Orange Julia]

Ok, so which Pixel do people like? Is there a big difference between the two other than the size? Screen resolution and that's about it? Thanks again, guys. This is really helpful!

 

[saintnick912]

The bigger one has a higher-resolution screen and a larger battery. From what I've seen the battery life on them is pretty comparable if you use it a lot, because the screen will eat the extra battery on the XL. I've found the battery life on the XL to be comparable to my Sony Z2, which I thought was quite good.

 

[Orange Julia]

Ok, so google doesn't seem to have any except the 5" 32G phones... Any guesses on how long it takes to get them back in stock? Best Buy also only seem to have the 32G ones, and I'd like the 128G. I have not checked at Verizon because I don't want the hassle of dealing with them trying to sell me a plan with them--I'd rather try the Fi service first.

 

[OldeBeanTowne]

Use this link to determine when they are in stock at the Google store. It looks like the black XL128 is in stock at the moment.

https://www.nowinstock.net/electronics/mobilephones/unlocked/googlepixel/

Edit: It looks like they may already be gone. You may want to set up an alert through that site because they move quickly. I'm waiting on mine that I ordered through Verizon on 12/24. It's supposed to ship 2/17

 

[Orange Julia]

I did set up an alert for any color, any size 128G. Are they squeaking these things out to maintain the mad crush to get one, or what?

 

[Orange Julia]

Update: I ordered the pixel 5 inch with 32g with the idea that when the 128 is available I'll get that one and give the other one to the old man. I would have been ok with waiting but my SG5 is really giving me some trouble and I need a phone I can rely on and I wasn't going to pay $1000 for one on ebay.

 

[Rudi Fingers]

Update: I ordered the pixel 5 inch with 32g with the idea that when the 128 is available I'll get that one and give the other one to the old man. I would have been ok with waiting but my SG5 is really giving me some trouble and I need a phone I can rely on and I wasn't going to pay $1000 for one on ebay.

With the way you use the phone (based on the additional notes in your post), and Google's unlimited photo backup for Google Pixel phones, you may find that 32GB is enough storage for you anyway...

http://www.androidcentral.com/how-google-pixel-unlimited-photo-backup-works

 

[Orange Julia]

I do have a 32g sd card now that isn't full so hopefully it is enough. What's the bloatware sitch on this thing?

 

[VBSoxFan]

There shouldn't be any bloatware on it. Pixel phones (and the Nexus phones that preceded it) are shipped with "pure Android" so there shouldn't be any unnecessary crap added by the manufacturer such as what Samsung lards up their phones with. You will also be among the first to get future Android updates.

I have had the Nexus 5X on Fi for almost a year and am very happy with the phone, the service and, especially, the monthly bill.

 

[saintnick912]

I do have a 32g sd card now that isn't full so hopefully it is enough. What's the bloatware sitch on this thing?

If you activate with a Verizon SIM you'll get a few of their apps installed afterward. I think they are generally benign.

 

[Orange Julia]

If you activate with a Verizon SIM you'll get a few of their apps installed afterward. I think they are generally benign.

I'm going to try the Fi service first and will move to vzn if I don't like it.

 

[Koufax]

I have that exact phone. I'm not a heavy user but I find the size to be just fine and the 32G to be enough for my purposes. I've got 4G of audio on it and 15G unused.

 

[saintnick912]

I'm going to try the Fi service first and will move to vzn if I don't like it.

In that case, you just get the regular "2016" set of Google Apps (Allo instead of Hangouts) preinstalled. I recommend getting Signal Spy (or something similar) if you're on Fi, it will let you see what network you're on and what the coverage is like over time.

 

[SumnerH]

In that case, you just get the regular "2016" set of Google Apps (Allo instead of Hangouts) preinstalled. I recommend getting Signal Spy (or something similar) if you're on Fi, it will let you see what network you're on and what the coverage is like over time.

FiSwitch is good, too. It'll let you cut the phone radio off if you want to force WiFi calling, and let you see which network you're on and force a switch to another if you want.

None of which is usually useful, but it's fun to have.

 

[TallerThanPedroia]

I ended up getting the Pixel, and I like it a lot. My one criticism, and maybe I got spoiled by having two kevlar-backed phones in a row - it is slippery as shit. If I put it on a surface with even a slight incline, it'll slide right off, and I've almost had it slip right out of my hand a few times.

 

[Orange Julia]

Despite Google saying the phone wouldn't ship to the 6th it actually shipped yesterday. Thanks for all the hints and tricks, keep them coming!

 

[SumnerH]

One of the Signal Spy developers on FiSwitch vs. Signal Spy:

Signal Spy and Fi Switch have similar features.

Signal Spy is currently free with ads but has a $2 pro level. The free level provides users with information about their current connection, including current LTE band, and keeps a history for them to view. There's also a widget available with their current connection info. A notification is provided to make dialer codes easy to switch as well as to show the current carrier from the status bar. The pro version provides location, band, and signal strength history, root and non-root auto-dialer code capabilities. We also provide other features such as daily usage monitoring per app and a data shut off feature based upon a daily data limit you set yourself. We also have a dialer code library so you can access all of the dialer codes in one place if you don't have enough room in the notification shade. You can get the latest info and download the app from https://signalspy.com.

Fi Switch is $1.99 paid app. It provides current connectivity status, some history of connectivity and statistics, and root dialer code switching. They also have a widget, but you can enable dialer codes from it (which Signal Spy cannot right now).

The purposes of the apps are a bit different. Signal Spy has a lot to do with logging your Fi experience while providing you with the ability to switch if needed. Fi Switch has more built around the switching and less about recording the history of your connectivity.

Full disclosure: I'm one of the developers of the Signal Spy app, but I'm trying not to bias my answer here. We both provide great apps. Our purposes are similar yet different.

Neither is really mandatory, IMO, but they're kind of neat to play with if you geek out on this stuff and want to see the actual strength of Sprint vs. T Mobile vs US Cellular at your home or office or wherever.

 

[Orange Julia]

Ok. Phone in hand. I transferred over my stuff (minus photos and music) and have been setting it all up but one thing that is weird--I synced my google photos, I can click on the app and see all the little thumbnails, but I can't access Photos from either fb messenger, or the sms messages app. I can only access pics that are local on the phone. I can click on the photos icon from within Messages, but I still only get the three I just took of my cat while setting it up. That can't be right, can it?

 

[saintnick912]

The Photos app keeps the rest of your pictures online and doesn't download them to the device by default. You can go into any photo and use the "three dots" menu in the upper right to download it locally. Or you can use the share icon on the photo and it will auto-download it. I just tested to to send a picture text.

 

[Orange Julia]

I do understand that, because when I'm in Messages I can select any number of folders or apps including my camera uploads folder on dropbox and select it and send it, but it seems like it would make a lot of sense to default to the photos app and that's where I am stuck. It seems a cludgy workaround to send photos from the photos app as opposed to attaching them. I can select the Photos app from within messages, but there's only 4 photos there. I feel like I must have set something up wrong. If I can see all the photos in my dropbox folder, why can't I see all the photos in Photos? Does that make sense?

 

[Fishercat]

I hope you don't mind if I hijack this one.

My phone is also on its last legs, between a rapidly depleting battery (rarely get 4 hours of charge out of it unless it's on battery saver and I'm careful) and a nearly busted charge port I'll be buying new soon. I use T-Mobile pre-paid and am quite happy with it so it needs to be a phone that can work with T-Mobile's network, and I generally go for a step behind flagship: $400 is at the upper end of my preferred price range (I'm expecting to put down 200-400). What models should I be looking at? Main priorities are battery life, decent+ camera quality, and ideally micro SD storage (but if storage is at least 32 GB I can work).

I'm guessing it's gonna be a lot of "non-flagship, camera, and battery: pick 2", but does anyone have some good experience on the models. The Moto X Plus looked pretty ideal but I worry about the charge port reviews (numerous reviews with busted ports in a year) and the age of the phone and how it may keep with updates. The Moto Z Play kills it on battery life but camera isn't great. Any experience in the non Moto realm would be great too.

 

[teddykgb]

I hope you don't mind if I hijack this one.

My phone is also on its last legs, between a rapidly depleting battery (rarely get 4 hours of charge out of it unless it's on battery saver and I'm careful) and a nearly busted charge port I'll be buying new soon. I use T-Mobile pre-paid and am quite happy with it so it needs to be a phone that can work with T-Mobile's network, and I generally go for a step behind flagship: $400 is at the upper end of my preferred price range (I'm expecting to put down 200-400). What models should I be looking at? Main priorities are battery life, decent+ camera quality, and ideally micro SD storage (but if storage is at least 32 GB I can work).

I'm guessing it's gonna be a lot of "non-flagship, camera, and battery: pick 2", but does anyone have some good experience on the models. The Moto X Plus looked pretty ideal but I worry about the charge port reviews (numerous reviews with busted ports in a year) and the age of the phone and how it may keep with updates. The Moto Z Play kills it on battery life but camera isn't great. Any experience in the non Moto realm would be great too.

The OnePlus 3t sounds perfect for you although you won't have to mobile wifi calling if you get that post paid. Perfect in the sense that you basically get flagship for cheap.

If you want to optimize battery, I think you maybe can do better with an older snapdragon, but I'm not certain on that

 

[Spelunker]

Fi safely tip, that will apply to almost no one? Zero data coverage in Alaska. Once I realized that I hadn't downloaded the email with the access code for my AirBNB, I had to war drive around Anchorage looking for an open wifi network.

 

[Fishercat]

The OnePlus 3t sounds perfect for you although you won't have to mobile wifi calling if you get that post paid. Perfect in the sense that you basically get flagship for cheap.

If you want to optimize battery, I think you maybe can do better with an older snapdragon, but I'm not certain on that

Seems like a winner. Down to the 3t, Z Play, and maybe Axon equivalent. Great recommendation, very much what I am looking for

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

I hope you don't mind if I hijack this one.

My phone is also on its last legs, between a rapidly depleting battery (rarely get 4 hours of charge out of it unless it's on battery saver and I'm careful) and a nearly busted charge port I'll be buying new soon. I use T-Mobile pre-paid and am quite happy with it so it needs to be a phone that can work with T-Mobile's network, and I generally go for a step behind flagship: $400 is at the upper end of my preferred price range (I'm expecting to put down 200-400). What models should I be looking at? Main priorities are battery life, decent+ camera quality, and ideally micro SD storage (but if storage is at least 32 GB I can work).

I'm guessing it's gonna be a lot of "non-flagship, camera, and battery: pick 2", but does anyone have some good experience on the models. The Moto X Plus looked pretty ideal but I worry about the charge port reviews (numerous reviews with busted ports in a year) and the age of the phone and how it may keep with updates. The Moto Z Play kills it on battery life but camera isn't great. Any experience in the non Moto realm would be great too.

Not many people are using Windows Phone these days but you can get a Lumia 950 for less than $400. It's a really good phone if you don't use any apps or if you like the Windows compatibility. Otherwise, ignore this post.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=1192640&gclid=CN6j3r_si9ICFZhKDQodgaABYg&Q=&ap=y&m=Y&c3api=1876,92051677442,&is=REG&A=details

 

[TallerThanPedroia]

I just went to the Verizon Wireless site just to see the details of the new unlimited data plan, and I went in far enough to see the pricing and I was able to change from my current 4GB for $50 to 5GB for $40! So if you've got the same plan, you might want to jump on that.

 

[Orange Julia]

So far I've been happy with the Pixel (even though the photos thing still vexes me, and I would like to see the percentage of battery left, not just a little icon) and the Google Fi service. As of now it pretty well matches the coverage that Ben gets with his phone on Verizon. There was one spot where I lost coverage for about 10 seconds and he was down to 1 bar.

Since Feb 6 I have been either at home or at the office and some place in between, I have burned through 7.68 G of data on wifi and only 493 MB on cellular data. But I'm leaving on vacation for two weeks so I am sure I will use a lot more data.

 

[B H Kim]

So far I've been happy with the Pixel (even though the photos thing still vexes me, and I would like to see the percentage of battery left, not just a little icon) and the Google Fi service. As of now it pretty well matches the coverage that Ben gets with his phone on Verizon. There was one spot where I lost coverage for about 10 seconds and he was down to 1 bar.

Since Feb 6 I have been either at home or at the office and some place in between, I have burned through 7.68 G of data on wifi and only 493 MB on cellular data. But I'm leaving on vacation for two weeks so I am sure I will use a lot more data.

There are plenty of widgets that show battery percentage.

EDIT: I think the one I use is called Battery Widget Reborn 2017

 

[Red Sox Physicist]

I would like to see the percentage of battery left, not just a little icon

You can turn that on through System UI Tuner. Instructions: https://www.howtogeek.com/270568/how-to-enable-android’s-“system-ui-tuner”-for-access-to-experimental-features/

 

[Orange Julia]

There are plenty of widgets that show battery percentage.

EDIT: I think the one I use is called Battery Widget Reborn 2017

This is perfect, thanks!

 

[SumnerH]

You can turn that on through System UI Tuner. Instructions: https://www.howtogeek.com/270568/how-to-enable-android’s-“system-ui-tuner”-for-access-to-experimental-features/

Yep, this way is built in and avoids the need to install a 3rd party app, and also gives you access to a few other tweaks.

 

[B H Kim]

Yep, this way is built in and avoids the need to install a 3rd party app, and also gives you access to a few other tweaks.

I think it depends on what you want. The built-in change just adds the battery percentage to the status bar, but I was looking for something easier to see which is why I went with the 3rd party widget.

 

[SumnerH]

I think it depends on what you want. The built-in change just adds the battery percentage to the status bar, but I was looking for something easier to see which is why I went with the 3rd party widget....
[SNIP]

Somebody smooshed your dog's face.

(And it's adorable).

 

[johnmd20]

It is adorable.

 

[Orange Julia]

Serious homescreen doggo is serious af 13/10

 

[Warning Track Speed]

If I might limp into this thread with a couple questions. I'm a pretty modest phone user and my S3 serves me just fine for four-plus years now. But it is starting to wear out. I'd like to upgrade to the S7. My questions: How much can I expect the price to drop when the S8 comes out later this month? And, what's the deal with the "international" models on Amazon? They're close to $200 cheaper. Beyond the lack of US warranty, and there advantages/disadvantages to buying the international? Things to look for in particular?

Thanks. I'm intrigued by the Pixel too although cost is obviously a factor there.

 

[johnmd20]

I had an S7 and the Pixel is better in every way a phone can be better. If you can somehow swing a Pixel, I suggest going in that direction. The phone is absolutely awesome.

 

[Fishercat]

The Pixel will be an invariably better phone (newer tech, and even if not newer it's by all accounts the premier phone on the market and comes from the source), but the price gap can be pretty dramatic now. Samsung just had the T-Mobile S7 on sale for $330 with an SD card, and I've seen other brands around the same range at different points. The standard Pixel is double that at retail. Like for me, if those were my two choices that's nearly a year of service between the two.

This calculus does change if you do a contract and your carrier is going to subsidize some to all of the cost, and obviously if the S7's dropped "base" price is 450 or something...then that's a whole different debate to where the $200 may be worth it for the better experience. If my two choices were the S7 at $450 or Pixel at $650...that's a tougher call.

For price drop, I think you can expect a drop for sure but I wouldn't expect it to be too dramatic. The S6s I'm seeing to buy are still in the 250-400 range depending on network, refurb/new, etc., with S5's dropping more. My understanding is that for international models the available bands and wireless data availability can be compromised based on networkand that they often come without warranty. It's not my specialty though.