Any mobile suggestions?

[Micronetic]

I know this is not the right off-forum but there is no mobile one, so I am asking what you guys would suggest for a new mobie phone?

1. I don't like Apple (don't want to buy the name with crappy hardware)
2. Must be customizable (had HTC only so far)
3. Not tooo expensive (could be point 1 too) to 200 Euro?

Thanks for reading

[munkeyinorbit]

If you don't like crappy hardware then android is definitely out. You have a thing against Apple for no real reason. There's not much left out there. Do Microsoft still have phones?

[Temp name]

If you don't like crappy hardware then android is definitely out.

Wat? Android doesn't have crappy hardware. Then again, neither does apple in their phones.

As for something sub-200: maybe buy a used one? Maybe you can buy a HTC flagship from 1-2 generations ago? I'm not super familiar with budget-ish phones

[grettin]

I think it's slightly over your budget but the pixel 3a is like 20% off for googles birthday right now.

edit- I just converted to Euros and its more than slightly over budget, so maybe ignore this

[Mendzia]

Wow. I am impressed. 2nd post and Apple vs Android battle already started.

Honestly it really depends on what you are going to do with it. Making photos? Playing games? Or only texting and making calls?

[nocturnus]

I know this is not the right off-forum but there is no mobile one, so I am asking what you guys would suggest for a new mobie phone?

1. I don't like Apple (don't want to buy the name with crappy hardware)
2. Must be customizable (had HTC only so far)
3. Not tooo expensive (could be point 1 too) to 200 Euro?

Thanks for reading

First of all, iPhones have excellent hardware. Secondly, what does it even mean to not want "crappy hardware"? especially considering you aim for a low-budget mark of €200.

[Coldkil]

First of all, iPhones have excellent hardware. Secondly, what does it even mean to not want "crappy hardware"? especially considering you aim for a low-budget mark of €200.

All phones have good hardware if you spend enough. The brand doesn't matter shit because everything is produced in the same place.

@OP if you want cheap phones, you're gonna have a bad time. 200 euros gets you just at the bottom of the mid tier - it's not that a phone at that price tag doesn't work, but the experience isn't that good. 350-400 is the sweet spot between quality/performance/price.

Also for everyone: it depends a lot on how providers and the phone market works in your state. Here in Italy you can get plans for as cheap as 8€/month for like 50GB and unlimited calls/sms, which is extremely competitive compared to other places. However contracts that include phones aren't really popular because they cost much more for no reason and everyone basically buys his phone depending on budget - which ranges from extra cheap to 1500€ top notch iPhones/Samsung.

From my point of view, there's literally zero reason to blow 1k+ bucks on a device that won't last me more or work better than a 400€ one. If instead the choice was between a 20€ montly plan including a mid tier android VS a 30€ one that includes lates iPhone, things change.

[nocturnus]

All phones have good hardware if you spend enough.

That was my point

The brand doesn't matter shit because everything is produced in the same place.

Brand determines software though, which can matter a lot.

[Life-Binder]

Redmi Note 7/8 (Pro) or Samsung A50 for ~200+ eur

Redmi K20/Mi 9T or Samsung A70 for ~300 eur

[Coldkil]

Brand determines software though, which can matter a lot.

I have nothing against iPhones, i just don't justify that price delta for the software - since Android runs just as well. Phones have become so powerful now that they're way overkill for the tasks they're used to.

Apple created an ecosystem that works really well if you stay in its boundaries. Android created something more widely usable and open, so most manufacturers decided to change the software to accomodate their bloatware and it seems now everyone runs a different thing.

If the main objective is to used Whatsapp, facebook/Instagram and have a good camera, there's plenty of phones capable of doing that flawlessly.

In the end, it's all about the looks and what people are used to. I use PCs and MACs for work, i manage my company mobile device fleet, there are pros and cons for both.

I like my android because i can use my own launcher with a custom icon set. It's literally the peskiest reason ever, but iPhones just don't let me do that.

[Temp name]

For 150 euro or so the Samsung J series offers a decent phone. Around 200 I believe is A series or Galaxy series the base version.

If you can spend a bit more there is a widespread discount at some very big Huawei models currently.

Last but not least if you can get your hands at an iphone 8 plus (used) around the money you want to spend it will be a GODLY phone for 2-3 more years.

I'm not sure I'd buy Huawei.. Not because of the whole spying thing, but because they might be blacklisted from anything but open-source Android, which is a while behind what the big manufacturers are running

[Micronetic]

Thank you very much guys, looks like iPhones aren't the worst compared to iMacs and PCs. I will look out for an HTC (pretty biased here) an iPhone and maybe a Samsung, with the Samsung I still don't know because every one I have seen looked like plastic garbage.

[nocturnus]

I have nothing against iPhones, i just don't justify that price delta for the software - since Android runs just as well. Phones have become so powerful now that they're way overkill for the tasks they're used to.

Apple created an ecosystem that works really well if you stay in its boundaries. Android created something more widely usable and open, so most manufacturers decided to change the software to accomodate their bloatware and it seems now everyone runs a different thing.

If the main objective is to used Whatsapp, facebook/Instagram and have a good camera, there's plenty of phones capable of doing that flawlessly.

In the end, it's all about the looks and what people are used to. I use PCs and MACs for work, i manage my company mobile device fleet, there are pros and cons for both.

I like my android because i can use my own launcher with a custom icon set. It's literally the peskiest reason ever, but iPhones just don't let me do that.

I agree, if we consider that most people probably just use their phones for sending messages, social media and the sporadic candy crush, high-end specs are utterly overkill.

I use both Mac OS as Windows but will not soil my hands on Android. The whole hospital (work) switched to an Apple ecosystem some time ago which completely stabilised our work environment.

I won't go as far as claiming that one is per definition better than the other, because it's not my area of expertise. I will however justify my choice on experience, which in Android's case is horrible.

[Temp name]

Thank you very much guys, looks like iPhones aren't the worst compared to iMacs and PCs. I will look out for an HTC (pretty biased here) an iPhone and maybe a Samsung, with the Samsung I still don't know because every one I have seen looked like plastic garbage.

The newer ones look okay, but the software is garbage imo. I had one Samsung phone and got rid of it super quickly, just did not like the software experience at all.

- - - Updated - - -

I won't go as far as claiming that one is per definition better than the other, because it's not my area of expertise. I will however justify my choice on experience, which in Android's case is horrible.

Neither are strictly better than the other.
iPhones are very good if you're in the apple ecosystem. They all integrate really nicely together, to the point where you can basically do all your work on whatever device. But as a result, all their devices are very locked down (A common example is not being able to place things on the bottom of the home screen on the iPhone).
Android are, on the other hand, very open, but as a result don't really integrate as nicely with your computer/laptop. But the experience can be customized very heavily, and you can also get true budget options

It's really a question of what you prefer in your phone/life

[Coldkil]

The whole hospital (work) switched to an Apple ecosystem some time ago which completely stabilised our work environment.

Good choice imho in a work environment - having a standardized system is a great plus. I have to deal with both, especially since we develop also on mobile and we have to guarantee our apps and integration not only work in both systems, but also on a plethora of different models, from top tier to cheapest of the bunch.

Must say that out-of-the-box experience for iPhone is so streamlined it's impossible someone will have issues with that. I have more issues on practices Apple does to force people change/not repair devices that are basically scamming (the whole iPhone 6S/7 update that throttled the system for no reason, or the fact you can take a brand new phone, take out the battery and put it on another and the second one will show the "faulty battery" error).

[nocturnus]

Neither are strictly better than the other.
iPhones are very good if you're in the apple ecosystem. They all integrate really nicely together, to the point where you can basically do all your work on whatever device. But as a result, all their devices are very locked down (A common example is not being able to place things on the bottom of the home screen on the iPhone).
Android are, on the other hand, very open, but as a result don't really integrate as nicely with your computer/laptop. But the experience can be customized very heavily, and you can also get true budget options

It's really a question of what you prefer in your phone/life

Aye, that's exactly what I said: not better per definition, but per individual. I couldn't care less about the way my icons look, or the colour of my boot screen (which technically, can all be change on an iPhone as well). I just want my devices to work well, all the time. I want an intuitive interface, a seamless experience across devices, good build quality and especially a stable environment.

- - - Updated - - -

Good choice imho in a work environment - having a standardized system is a great plus. I have to deal with both, especially since we develop also on mobile and we have to guarantee our apps and integration not only work in both systems, but also on a plethora of different models, from top tier to cheapest of the bunch.

Must say that out-of-the-box experience for iPhone is so streamlined it's impossible someone will have issues with that. I have more issues on practices Apple does to force people change/not repair devices that are basically scamming (the whole iPhone 6S/7 update that throttled the system for no reason, or the fact you can take a brand new phone, take out the battery and put it on another and the second one will show the "faulty battery" error).

I'm not sure to which scam you're referring. I do know that there was a version of iOS that throttled the iPhone's CPU to conserve power if the battery was wearing out. This doesn't seem like a scam to me, but rather a smart compromise; I'd rather have a somewhat slower phone that lasts me a full day, than a fast one that gives out after half a day. Besides, didn't they change the iPhone 6's battery virtually for free? I paid like €25 if I recall correctly; it's quite long ago.

[Temp name]

I'm not sure to which scam you're referring. I do know that there was a version of iOS that throttled the iPhone's CPU to conserve power if the battery was wearing out. This doesn't seem like a scam to me, but rather a smart compromise; I'd rather have a somewhat slower phone that lasts me a full day, than a fast one that gives out after half a day. Besides, didn't they change the iPhone 6's battery virtually for free? I paid like €25 if I recall correctly; it's quite long ago.

The scam part is where they didn't tell anyone that's what they were doing until they got caught and shamed, and they only reduced the price for battery replacements after that too.

Apple in general is just very anti-right to repair which I find sad, it's a very black mark against the company

[nocturnus]

The scam part is where they didn't tell anyone that's what they were doing until they got caught and shamed, and they only reduced the price for battery replacements after that too.

Apple in general is just very anti-right to repair which I find sad, it's a very black mark against the company

Well, I wouldn't call it a scam myself, but it would've been nice if they'd communicated this feature so people would've known why their phone slowed down.

I'm not against the fact that their devices aren't as approachable as others when it comes to repairs; it's one way to guarantee that no one messes with their hardware and I don't think that most Apple users are actually interested in fiddling with the hardware anyway. That seems more like a tweaker/enthousiast thing, which isn't their target audience anyway.

[Temp name]

Well, I wouldn't call it a scam myself, but it would've been nice if they'd communicated this feature so people would've known why their phone slowed down.

I'm not against the fact that their devices aren't as approachable as others when it comes to repairs; it's one way to guarantee that no one messes with their hardware and I don't think that most Apple users are actually interested in fiddling with the hardware anyway. That seems more like a tweaker/enthousiast thing, which isn't their target audience anyway.

But Apples locked down parts also means that, no joking, if you buy 2 entirely new iphones, and move the battery from one to the other, it'll say the battery is bunk. You can remove that if you have Apples fancy software, but no one outside of Apple or their authorised repair centres have that.
It's not just a "tweaker/enthusiast" thing, it's a consumer thing where you want to have ownership over your device rather than be forced into only what Apple says.
Quick example is if you search for restoring files after water damage, until recently on their support forums they were claiming it was it IMPOSSIBLE to get your data back, and anyone claiming otherwise was scamming you, despite lots of evidence existing that water damage is very easy to restore data from (though not guaranteed of course).

[Syri79]

I've been quite happy with the new Nokia android range. I've got the 7.1 myself, and know a few others with different models, and they're pretty well built for the price. They also use pretty much stock android, and get fairly quick updates compared to most. Out of the phones I looked at, I'd say if you get the right model, it can easily be one of the best for the price. There are a few models that aren't so great, and it does depend on what you want out of a phone, for example gaming or camera as a priority, but anything at lower price points has to involve a compromise somewhere.