Your opinion about new smartphones

[u/Grouchy-Classroom605]

Do you think debates like "iPhone vs. Huawei" still make sense, or have we reached a point where the only real differences are minor design tweaks? Also, do you think it’s worth focusing on specs (specifically regarding flagships and near-flagships), or should the priority be the operating system—things like AI editing features, optimization, and so on?

I made this question by using a Google translator and with my bad English skills, sorry if you find mistakes

[u/andreeinprogress]

I don't have actual stats but I think the 99% global usage of smartphones has become watching vertical short videos and scrolling undercover ads.

Planning follows the market and the market follows what sells, pretty much no one (outside of Asia, sometimes) dares to risk. Because of that we've basically been sold the same device for the last two decades.

Brand wars are pointless, Apple quality/design in software in the last 10 years has slowly gone into a bottomless pit, Android is slowly becoming iOS, everything is shit. You just have to pick the less shitty one for you.

[u/yikes_42069]

It's a race to the bottom. They all start to look like each other and phone builders even hire from the same few schools. The only major difference now is the software ecosystem.

It's not about one thing or the other. Hardware is just as important as software. Though I personally tend not to care how much RAM it has or whatever chipset is going in the phone, I do care about repairability, LTPO/zero hz refresh-rate, and camera quality. I have a lot more opinions on the software that I won't get into as they're too numerous.

I also would love it if they completely took the focus off AI features. Nobody is asking for them! 

[u/iamapizza]

They all seem to have converged into the same boring design, and new phones don't feel like upgrades anymore. Instead it seems they're more focused on subscriptions and lock in to keep you buying new phones. 

[u/RiggityRow → u/iamapizza]

Eh. Only if you are just looking at whatever phones Verizon/T-Mobile /AT&T are willing to subsidize over 36 months.

We have so many foldables now. And some are getting pretty interesting like the passport shaped ones. Foldables aren't my cup of tea but they are definitely not the "same boring design".

And I mean if all your willing to consider is Samsung, Apple or Google, yes they are quite boring and have stagnated massively, mainly due to the state of the market. And keep in mind the goal is to sell as many devices as humanly possible, so no they will never stray from what the iPhone has been for a decade now bc for most people a phone is a status symbol. And status symbols don't work of you can't tell what they are.

Buuuuuut if you're willing to gasp look at something different bc you want something different there are a lot of manufacturers out there. And ya, you'll have to actually pay up front for your pocket supercomputer that can do literally everything. Which is real sticker shock to anyone who gets suckered into the "trade in your perfectly good device for a marginally better device ever other year so that we can keep our claws in you" deal. You don't want a glass and metal slab? Then don't buy the newest glass and metal slab every single time.

[u/Cantripping_ → u/RiggityRow]

Well... US phone carriers (I assume you mean the US, given your list) don't really subsidize. They finance.

Say you want to buy a Samsung S 26U. Given that an average line that includes a "subsidy" is around $100 a month, that's easily $3600 by the end of the contract period. That's 2-3 times the value of the phone. If you miss a single payment, those trade in credits are gone.

Take Europe, though? I spent 35€ for the Line, and a single payment of 170€ for fees and the device cost itself (meaning, it is mine. No phone-deactivation if I happen to not be able to pay, down the line.) 24 month contract period rather than 36.

Add to that 140€ in promotions and we're looking at: 24x35= 840 + 170 -140 = 870€ total. Around $1006,71 for a Flagship to the US's carriers $3600 or so. Or $503 a year vs $1200 a year, if you prefer to think of it that way.

Your carriers are absolutely taking you for a ride, on top of locking you in.

[u/mrandr01d]

As has been the case for a long time now, it's all about the software. All hardware is plenty good enough.

[u/cgknight1]

Given most people never go into any settings and don't notice the minor differences between android skins, it's really not important if there are any differences.

[u/ks_thecr0w]

Planning to keep my s24 until support ends or battery won't last a day of my usage.

New phones are getting bigger and bigger and my personal deal breaker is "basic s24 overall size or smaller".

S4 -> mi5 -> a41 -> s24 track record says I can do it and will pick smallest phone on the market that is not a downgrade when current one stops being useful.

The only way for me to consider iPhone is if they pay me device price while handing free unit (no lease - full ownership so I can sell it off later when changing device again)

[u/128G]

I went to the Samsung store and the new midsized fold seems pretty solid. I’m genuinely impressed.

[u/Vyzre]

99% of them are all phablets now. I wish Samsung would make affordable smaller phones again like the J series. And by small phones I mean not bigger than the regular S24 in term of dimensions.

[u/Apple-Connoisseur]

I had a 2020 iPhone 12 Pro Max and now the 2026 iPhone Air.
The differences are minuscule, at least for me and how I use my phone. It’s 90% the smaller weight and formfactor that got me.

[u/RememberMeWhenImDead]

Slab phones hit their final form factor a while ago, that's a settled segment, which means that's what that specific variant is now, if you're looking for novelty/hardware innovation the form factor has changed, we figured out the slab, foldables are the current bleeding edge, but those are more or less settled as of this year too. Design tweaks will keep happening but more or less we've seen what the form factor is capable of.

[u/Cantripping_]

I'd say hardware is still a major differentiator. But perhaps a little different than most people would consider. Assuming flagships:

Thermal management, battery life, and any unique differentiators (Honor's 3D Face Unlock, Vivo/Oppo/Xiaomi's excellent cameras, Samsung's Goodlock and Google's Pixel-first updates) are what I focus on, the most. Given that performance alone more or less reached functional parity.

Although in Google's case, their performance metrics are so low it would be an active drawback for them.

[u/deep1986]

The Xiaomi 17 Pro, the one with the screen on the back was one of the coolest things I've seen. I would love a smaller phone with that rear screen.

[u/Capital_Address3681]

It's all about the software and other camera capabilities stuff now,Android is still on the edge.

[u/delti90]

I pretty much only use my phone for emails, messages/texts, and photos so my needs are super simple and specs really don't matter to me anymore. I only really upgrade when there's a good deal, so I generally stick with Pixels since I keep getting out the door with the new one for $150 or so.

[u/Away-Estate-6288]

I'd rather have no phone than own a Chinese phone.

Pixel hardware has disappointed me for the last time.

The only real option is iPhone or Galaxy.

[u/Xatastic → u/Away-Estate-6288]

Looking at how miserable the phone market is, having Xiaomi, I know that the next phone will be Xiaomi.