# Newest crop of "superphones"



## dervish (Mar 6, 2014)

So, after the Galaxy S5 and Xperia Z2's release at MWC with less than blowaway spec's and the multiple rumours about the (All New) HTC One (Plus 2014 edition) and the frankly monstrous sounding LG G3 which might not be released till October, or June depending on the rumours, do any of them have you desperate to queue up at carphone whorehouse? 

I have to admit I am pretty underwhelmed by the S5 and Z2, they feel like bugfix phones, they have listened to the criticisms about the previous generation and fixed most of the glaring issues, but the S5 still looks plasticy, the processor on both is not much of an improvement and both appear to have most of the same hardware. The HTC seems to be the only one brave enough to try something new and interesting, the dual cameras could be great, especially if you can do Lyto style post image refocussing. The LG may have a 4K screen, which I'm sure sounds great on paper, but I'd be surprised if you could tell the difference on a 5" screen, it will probably make a difference to the battery life though.  

At the moment I'm most interested in the Z2 as wiskey has a Z1 and it's an excellent phone, but I'm also very interested in what HTC announce on the 25th, they have the potential to produce another fantastic phone, hopefully it won't get ignored like the original One was.


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## Pickman's model (Mar 6, 2014)

none of the above


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## beesonthewhatnow (Mar 6, 2014)

If I ever went back to Android I'd only have something running the stock OS, with no bloody useless bloatware on it. So I guess the latest Nexus of the time would be the one I'd look at.


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## marty21 (Mar 6, 2014)

The S5 for me - although I've only had the S4 since August so not going to upgrade til next year - the plasticy back can be overcome - bought one of the larger extended batteries which comes with a tougher case (£17 on Amazon atm) and that makes it more chunky and solid


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## dervish (Mar 6, 2014)

I didn't include the next Nexus as there isn't any info on it right now, the closest I could find was that it is likely to be a cut down G3


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## DJWrongspeed (Mar 6, 2014)

this seems to work fine for me.


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## stuff_it (Mar 6, 2014)

DJWrongspeed said:


> this seems to work fine for me.


Multitouch doesn't work though.


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## Virtual Blue (Mar 6, 2014)

Out of the above, the HTC One and LG G3  interests me the most.

But, I will never pay full price for a current mobile.
Phone value depreciates too quickly and last years tech isn't that far behind...

I think I'll buy the LG G2 now, the price is reasonable - about £350 for a 32gb (same as Nexus 5 inc postage).


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## Hocus Eye. (Mar 6, 2014)

I will be going for the S5 as my S3 is due for an upgrade sometime. I don't have a problem with it being made of plastic I don't understand why people object to plastic - lots of stuff is made of plastic, and in any case as with the S3 will get a case for it to protect the screen when it is in my pocket.


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## RedDragon (Mar 6, 2014)

myopic poll


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## stupid dogbot (Mar 6, 2014)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> If I ever went back to Android I'd only have something running the stock OS, with no bloody useless bloatware on it. So I guess the latest Nexus of the time would be the one I'd look at.



That. I like my Samsung, but I hugely dislike all the crap that comes with it. I won't be getting an S5 for this reason.


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## PursuedByBears (Mar 6, 2014)

The next version of the nexus as there's no point getting all the bloatware. But I've only had my N5 for 4 months so won't be upgrading any time soon.


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## SpookyFrank (Mar 6, 2014)

I was gonna get a smartphone but I decided to stick with having a personality instead.


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## kraepelin (Mar 7, 2014)

Smartphone hate so 20late


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## Sunray (Mar 7, 2014)

Missing the iPhone 6, though I think they may well drop the version on it this time. iPhone Air perhaps?

I hope for a larger sized screen.  Given I'm still pretty happy with my 4 (2010), its going to take something great to make me upgrade before this one croaks.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 15, 2014)

The nice thing about all this is that we don't have to upgrade so often.  

I'd probably go for the Note 4 if I had to pick one as it would be a direct upgrade, but that's because I'm happy with what I've with any luck I'll get another year out of it once the contract runs out and save a few quid each month.


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## DrRingDing (Mar 15, 2014)

It's all about the Blackphone........

*Individuals*
*If you ever…*

Speak personally with a partner
Worry about your kids
Make plans, share secrets, or want others to mind their business…







*…then Blackphone is for you*
Blackphone is a measure of safety for the 21st century. Your personal information can be duplicated a million times overnight, and putting that genie back in the bottle is an insurmountable task. Make your own choices and regain the ability to keep your life private. Now only you will decide what to publish, what to share, and what to keep entirely to yourself.


https://www.blackphone.ch/


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## FridgeMagnet (Mar 15, 2014)

Good thing that consumerism can save us, I was getting worried there.


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## DrRingDing (Mar 15, 2014)

FridgeMagnet said:


> Good thing that consumerism can save us, I was getting worried there.



Would you care to expand or just be bitchy and aloof from the sidelines?


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## FridgeMagnet (Mar 15, 2014)

No, I'll just leave you with that amazingly obscure concept, only to be deciphered by philosophers in future millennia.


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## DrRingDing (Mar 15, 2014)

Who on here said or even suggested _consumerism can save us_?


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## DrRingDing (Mar 15, 2014)

What ever the fuck that means.


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## ChrisFilter (Mar 15, 2014)

stupid dogbot said:


> That. I like my Samsung, but I hugely dislike all the crap that comes with it. I won't be getting an S5 for this reason.



I keep hearing this talk of bloatware on Samsung phones, but I've not noticed any on my Note 2.

I mean, there's stuff installed that I wouldn't choose to download but it's not running or using any memory so it doesn't bother me.


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## Bernie Gunther (Jul 4, 2014)

Blackphone does look quite interesting, if only as a way to say 'fuck off' to marketing people and other snoops.



> What’s really important in the end about the Blackphone is that it has made the idea of a privacy-focused phone a reality—and it opens a conversation about what security technology can do for average people. And if it brings enough people into the conversation, the next generation of the Blackphone, and of mobile security products in general, could reach a much wider audience—and perhaps force some of the bigger mobile players to pay more attention to privacy.



http://arstechnica.com/security/201...-the-blackphone-the-android-for-the-paranoid/


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## Supine (Jul 4, 2014)

Back to apple for me I reckon. Android is just a bit amateur for my liking, although my Galaxy S4 is kind of sweet.

Think I will wait for the iPhone 6 to get released, I need a big screen


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## Bob_the_lost (Jul 4, 2014)

Windows doesn't get the credit it deserves these days. The styling is well ahead of Android and Apple and the phones themselves coming out of Nokia are first rate.

The lack of apps is the one, massive, weakness but to balance that they do work really well with other MS products if you know how to join the dots.


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## Callum91 (Jul 5, 2014)

Until Windows sorts out it's dire app situation I won't be personally buying another one (as lovely as my last Lumia device was, the total app void meant it was in my possession a mere 2 weeks before being traded in for an iPhone 4...). Of the phones listed in the poll I'd go for either the LG G3 or the HTC. Both phones feel, look and perform amazingly well.


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## toblerone3 (Jul 5, 2014)

apps are overrated.


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## ohmyliver (Jul 21, 2014)

I bit the bullet and went for the s5 (can use it for work, sd card, removable battery, etc)... and it's quite a big leap up from the s3.  

Did have a bit of a middle aged 'what this button now does that? why did they change this? wwwhhhhyyyyy? I hate it' moment on first use. 

But, screen is lovely, doesn't feel amazingly big in the hand, camera is good, but what's really impressed is the battery life... after a taking it off charge at about 7am, I've still got 56% battery left (with gprs off except for when I used maps to find me an alternative route to work in the morning, but with gmail/facebook auto notifications on) after a day of medium to heavy use (playing games on the way to work, pacifying an excited 'it's the morning, yay' baby via youtube clips of carmen miranda so I could have a coffee to wake up, limited browsing/fbing during the day, etc).


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## Athos (Jul 21, 2014)

I hated my S4 so much that I took a hammer to it, just a month into my contract. Had to pay £300 for a Nokia Lumia, but, overall, a worthwile exercise - I much prefer Windows.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 21, 2014)

ohmyliver said:


> I bit the bullet and went for the s5 (can use it for work, sd card, removable battery, etc)... and it's quite a big leap up from the s3.
> 
> Did have a bit of a middle aged 'what this button now does that? why did they change this? wwwhhhhyyyyy? I hate it' moment on first use.
> 
> But, screen is lovely, doesn't feel amazingly big in the hand, camera is good, but what's really impressed is the battery life... after a taking it off charge at about 7am, I've still got 56% battery left (with gprs off except for when I used maps to find me an alternative route to work in the morning, but with gmail/facebook auto notifications on) after a day of medium to heavy use (playing games on the way to work, pacifying an excited 'it's the morning, yay' baby via youtube clips of carmen miranda so I could have a coffee to wake up, limited browsing/fbing during the day, etc).



Amazing what a new phone battery can do.


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## ohmyliver (Jul 21, 2014)

To be fair, it's much better than the s3 was when I first got it. Scores second after the g2 in tests. 

Although I expect Samsung to fuck that up with the next update


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## Idaho (Jul 22, 2014)

Just rooted and installed a new rom on my s3 and it's as good as new with no bloatware. I don't understand why so many people get the latest top of the range phone just to do the same things they always did but on a shiny shine new new. 

Actually I do understand. It's because they are mind meltingly shallow and don't really understand technology.


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## ohmyliver (Jul 22, 2014)

I got a new phone as my s3 got lost at Streatham Kite Day, and got handed to a policeman and then disappeared off the face of the earth. Of course the woman had claimed to have handed it in or a phone and case matching it via twitter could be a liar, but.... And I got sick of my old HTC Desire


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## Hocus Eye. (Jul 25, 2014)

I am delighted to read that Apple will be catching up with Android by going for large screens on their next iPhone. It will also have some new extra transparent and strong flexible screen to judge from a video demonstration. I hope it is not ridiculously expensive. My Samsung is due an upgrade in September.


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## Hassan I Sabha (Jul 25, 2014)

Idaho said:


> Just rooted and installed a new rom on my s3 and it's as good as new with no bloatware. I don't understand why so many people get the latest top of the range phone just to do the same things they always did but on a shiny shine new new.
> 
> Actually I do understand. It's because they are mind meltingly shallow and don't really understand technology.



Yep, I run the SOTMAX ROM on mine, and that combined with CleanMaster and Greenify means that it runs better than some friends S4's


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## farmerbarleymow (Sep 3, 2014)

Idaho said:


> Just rooted and installed a new rom on my s3 and it's as good as new with no bloatware. I don't understand why so many people get the latest top of the range phone just to do the same things they always did but on a shiny shine new new.
> 
> Actually I do understand. It's because they are mind meltingly shallow and don't really understand technology.



That's more than a little bit arrogant, too.  Lots of people have no interest in the ins and outs of how a given piece of kit works, and that is their choice.  It doesn't mean they are shallow.


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## Idaho (Sep 3, 2014)

farmerbarleymow said:


> That's more than a little bit arrogant, too.  Lots of people have no interest in the ins and outs of how a given piece of kit works, and that is their choice.  It doesn't mean they are shallow.


Yeah probably was arrogant. 

If you aren't interested in technology, why get the latest technology?


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## farmerbarleymow (Sep 3, 2014)

Idaho said:


> Yeah probably was arrogant.
> 
> If you aren't interested in technology, why get the latest technology?



Some people just want new technology though, and aren't especially interested in exactly how it works to be fair.  I've got an expensive phone, but as long as it works I'm not that interested in how it works.  Everyone is different.


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## Idaho (Sep 3, 2014)

I would contend that perhaps a less expensive phone would work just as well in the things you want it to do, and, not unreasonably, you want a pretty shiny one.


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## farmerbarleymow (Sep 3, 2014)

Idaho said:


> I would contend that perhaps a less expensive phone would work just as well in the things you want it to do, and, not unreasonably, you want a pretty shiny one.



I would disagree - the latest one I've bought is faster than the old one, and does more, so is worthwhile buying - for me at least.  Everyone has their own reasons for picking a phone (or any other bit of kit), and they are just down to the wants and needs of the individual.  Nowt wrong with that.

The bottom line is that people don't need to be interested in the latest technology to want it - it is perfectly justified to want it simply because of the benefits it will bring to them, rather than how or why it works.  Not everyone is a geek after all.  

The same reasoning applies to any technology.  So by your logic why should people buy the latest type of house design if they aren't interested in it?  Most people just don't care - they want a house which is weather-proof, keeps them warm and secure, and care relatively little about exactly how or why it achieves this.  Otherwise we'd all be living in mud huts.  Ditto cars, tellies, or whatever.


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## ohmyliver (Sep 11, 2014)

I've been working in various agencies who make apps, and I'd have to say that new device take up seems to be a dev thing. In that the people who seem to have the latest shinyest phones tend to be working building things on said devices. And I think it's probably because from a work point of view it allows them to stay ahead of the curve, techwise.  Because you don't really get latest Android versions on old phones (and there's no argument for them to go down the rooting/rom route, because that means effectively they'll have a non standard phone, unlike the majority of android users, who don't root and muck around with custom roms, and the various overlays like TouchWiz/HTC Sense do make an impact how things work). There is also the fact that they get paid enough to aggressively upgrade, and don't relate to the device in the same way as a hobbyist rooter/ROMster does (as the phone is predominantly a tool which must work, rather than a thing to take apart in a virtual shed and fiddle with). 

Personally speaking my S5 is a fairly pleasing jump from the S3 in things like speed/battery life/display quality/and 4g over 3g makes a much bigger impact than I thought it would do.


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## dervish (Sep 11, 2014)

ohmyliver said:


> 4g over 3g makes a much bigger impact than I thought it would do.



This. I didn't really care about the 4G-ness of my current phone when I got it, but it is just so fast it has made a massive difference to how I use the phone. Even if I only have 1-2 bars of signal I can still get broadband speeds on the phone, which means I can watch videos with no lag, often it is faster than my home broadband so I regularly use it instead. (having 10 gig of data helps too)


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## beesonthewhatnow (Sep 11, 2014)

dervish said:


> This. I didn't really care about the 4G-ness of my current phone when I got it, but it is just so fast it has made a massive difference to how I use the phone. Even if I only have 1-2 bars of signal I can still get broadband speeds on the phone, which means I can watch videos with no lag, often it is faster than my home broadband so I regularly use it instead. (having 10 gig of data helps too)


Absolutely. My 4g connection saves me a fortune in hotel wifi access fees.


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## ohmyliver (Sep 12, 2014)

yeah, I've brought the 3 mobile 3 quid a month 'unlimited' upgrade as a consequence (mainly because i've wanted to video chat my family on the way home, but being able to use tvcatchup and iplayer is a nice bonus).  I have, however, used 1.1 gig of data in the last week!


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