Google Pixel XL vs iPhone 7 vs [Potential] Galaxy S8?

[Demindar]

So I'm due for an upgrade. I currently have the iPhone 6S Plus. My carrier is AT&T if that matters for whatever reason.

Now, I'm not really hearing good things about the iPhone 7 other then its just faster then the 6S. I often listen to my phone at night with headphones while its charging due to military barracks, so the no headphone jack kinda puts me off that, but I'm willing to tilt that decision if there are other deciding factors.

I hear a lot of good things about the Google Pixel, but most of them are just about its Camera. Is this the only thing? Is it matched by the other phones on the market? What makes this phone so good? At only 32GB (The 128 has been sold out forever and the 32GB just came back in stock with the XL model).

And even though its not released yet and specs are unknown, what do you guys think about the S8 rumors? Would it be the best idea to wait til the end of March and see the hype? Or do you think its really not going to be all people are saying its going to be? Is it going to challenge the Google Pixel / iPhone 7 in every way?

Help me decide what phone I should get? I mainly use it for browsing Imgur, the WoW Apps, Facebook, Hulu / Netflix, Taking Pictures, Saving those dank memes, and browsing the web in general.

[Themius]

Honestly why even upgrade? I have the 6s and I don't plan on upgrading because it's not necessary.

[Immitis]

why do you need a new phone if thats all you do?

[Kellhound]

Funny story, I bought a Pixel phone "new" on Amazon, when the factory sealed box showed up all that was in it was 3 AA batteries taped together to make it feel like their was a phone in it....
.
I play around with 22 cell phones, and I am not impressed with any of the iPhones in the collection (5c,5s,6,6s,7,SE).

[Demindar]

Honestly why even upgrade? I have the 6s and I don't plan on upgrading because it's not necessary.

Because its free?

[Themius]

Because its free?

Again why upgrade if it's not necessary? I mean I would upgrade to 7, sell it, and buy back a 6s.

[Demindar]

Again why upgrade if it's not necessary? I mean I would upgrade to 7, sell it, and buy back a 6s.

Why would you not upgrade something if it was completely free for better hardware? Either way, its not really the question I asked.

[primalmatter]

The real question is what one can I lob as a hand grenade against my foes.

[Sorshen]

Because its free?

Upgrades aren't really free...

[Tikaru]

If you've already spent money on apps, it might be worthwhile to stick with Apple.

If you want to switch to Android, then I would wait until the Galaxy S8 is announced to decide between the Pixel XL and the S8.

I used the smaller Google Pixel for a couple weeks before going back to my S7. The camera on the Pixel really is amazing, but that's really the only hardware advantage it's got going for it. The software is great and I liked that the Pixels get software updates before everyone else, but that's really it. With the S7, the camera is still great, but I also get water resistance, Samsung Pay (infinitely better than Apple or Android Pay), and it pairs better with my Gear Fit 2.

Honestly, you might want to just wait.

The S8 is probably going to be great, but I have no doubt that Google will make serious improvements on the Pixel 2 if you can wait until this summer/fall.

[Sidewinder]

Because its free?

AT&T does not offer free subsidized phones anymore. You lease the phone for for 12/20/28 months, after which time you trade the phone back in for another lease on a new phone. If you choose not to upgrade at the time, you pay 8 more months of the lease and its yours to own/trade/throw away. Each duration of the lease starts off expensive and gets cheaper so that AT&T can recoup the cost of the phone. While a phone is on a "Next" plan, you pay the full price of your plan, plus the lease rate. Once your phone is fully paid off, its the full price of your plan plus $9.

Example:
4 phones, all leased. Family plan = $100 15gb+unlimited text. + $30 per phone (leases on all 4) =$220+taxes/fees.

4 phones, 2paid, 2 leased. Plan = $100 + $30 per leased phone, plus $9 per purchased phone =$178+taxes/fees.

At least these are the numbers from my last change to my plan. Either way, damn do I miss subsidized phones. Usually free and only paying taxes on the full value of the phone.

[Spectral]

Until there's some very large jump in functionality, I simply don't see the appeal in upgrading. This is disposable goods consumerism at its dumbest - incredible processor or camera improvements aren't something the average user will ever notice and previous generations of these devices aren't even close to obsolete in any meaningful sense. Continuing to buy position goods that don't actually impact your life at all is just a terrible use of resources.

- - - Updated - - -

Because its free?

Upgrading isn't free. If it looks free, it's a trick of how contracts work. If you own your phone outright, you can almost certainly go to a service like Ting and save a significant amount of money. Companies aren't handing out $500 devices without getting that $500 (and more) out of your pocket in some fashion.

[Deleted]

Apple will ban apps from their store after they show signs of illegal behavior - so apple.

[Demindar]

It's not really free. You're still paying into a new phone, which may or may not increase your monthly bill. Your carriers want you to upgrade because that keeps you locked in and you continue to pay for the phone and the service. Pay the phone off, and you're only paying for the service.

They don't just give you a "free" phone. You're leasing it and making monthly payments towards it, which are included in the bill.

I know how the leasing works. However, mine is coming from an AT&T employee. I'm actually getting the phone free. My bill will actually be cheaper since I will no longer have a lease payment on the phone

- - - Updated - - -

If you've already spent money on apps, it might be worthwhile to stick with Apple.

If you want to switch to Android, then I would wait until the Galaxy S8 is announced to decide between the Pixel XL and the S8.

I used the smaller Google Pixel for a couple weeks before going back to my S7. The camera on the Pixel really is amazing, but that's really the only hardware advantage it's got going for it. The software is great and I liked that the Pixels get software updates before everyone else, but that's really it. With the S7, the camera is still great, but I also get water resistance, Samsung Pay (infinitely better than Apple or Android Pay), and it pairs better with my Gear Fit 2.

Honestly, you might want to just wait.

The S8 is probably going to be great, but I have no doubt that Google will make serious improvements on the Pixel 2 if you can wait until this summer/fall.

Finally some constructive input! Thank you! Yeah the Pixel not being Water Resistant is kinda tilting me away from it as well as I work in hot areas often that can build up moisture on surfaces, including the phone.

[Bakis]

Feels like every time I get a new phone the battery life is halved. *yuak*
Cant wait for the relaunch of the classic Nokia 3310 in the spring, I will go buy one just to tell the charger to fuck off if I go someplace.

[Trassk]

I've been looking for a new tablet myself. I've owned a kindle fire HDx 7 for years now, and still use it today, but it has no upgradeable storage slots, and has crashed several times by now. From what I looked into, kindle hasn't made any newer HDx series, only making the basic fire series. I got a kindle fire hd 10, wasn't impressed by the speakers, so took it back and got a cheaper fire 7, with even worse audio, but it's cheaper and it has storage upgrade.

I brought a Lenovo tab 3 8inch, which has much better audio speakers, storage upgrade, about as powerful as a kindle, but unfortunately nobody has made a decent case for this thing, so again, just doesn't compare to my old HDx 7.

I'm gonna try one more time, and buy a nvidia shield tablet k1, since it has a decent case, stereo speakers, and made for gaming.

[PC2]

I'm happy with my Pixel and Project Fi service. The S8 is interesting from a hardware level because the 8-core Snapdragon 835 will be the first to use 10nm transistors. But that will only be exclusive to the S8 for a couple months.

All the phones you listed are premium, you can't go wrong.

[Demindar]

I don't follow. How is a phone coming from an employee? Like, they're giving you their already paid off (personal) phone? AT&T doesn't just hand out free phones. Free Subsidized phones isn't something they do anymore.

Its a person that owns a few AT&T Authorized Retail store. A close family friend, and he offered me whatever phone I would want to upgrade to under those 3 choices. Though he said since AT&T doesn't sell the Google Pixel itself, he is buying a few unlocked ones from Google to have in his shop.

[Demindar]

So, then he would be paying for it. He's not getting it for free. It would be coming out of his paycheck, which is probably $600+. Not something I've heard of AT&T doing.

Well if you want to get technical, then yes. Someone is paying for it somewhere down the line as everything in life so nothing is really free. But its free for me. FOR ME. But again, the fact if its free or not is offtopic in general, as this thread is more about which one I should upgrade to.