With the exception of Samsung, none of the other OEMs seem to get it right.
It seems the formula for success, based on most user input here and elsewhere, is to make a phone like this:
1. use a lightly or non-skinned Android UI, vanilla is best of course. Back that up with good support for updates to newer versions of Android.
2. offer SD card storage. Data cap limits / cloud storage / poor wifi & cellular coverage limits severely cramp phones with limited internal storage only.
3. offer removable battery (this one may not be as critical as 1 & 2), but it's one of the reasons I did not go for the HTC One series versus the S3 that I carry.
4. Don't encrypt the bootloader, or at least allow people to unlock it (another ding against HTC, why I went with Samsung). Even though my S3 is still stock, I feel much better that if I choose, I can root it and put a ROM on it should I desire.
Samsung has got it mostly right on these points. Why no other OEM follow these guidelines seems mysterious. Understand carrier bloat and all of that junk, but seeing the new LG Nexus phone rumors makes me sad (no removable battery, no SD card, plus LG's poor reputation of OS update support - even if this is a Nexus device).
Android owners would all be better off if more OEMs followed these principles. Come on LG and HTC and others, don't languish in mediocrity by crippling your Android devices in one more more key ways listed here.
It seems the formula for success, based on most user input here and elsewhere, is to make a phone like this:
1. use a lightly or non-skinned Android UI, vanilla is best of course. Back that up with good support for updates to newer versions of Android.
2. offer SD card storage. Data cap limits / cloud storage / poor wifi & cellular coverage limits severely cramp phones with limited internal storage only.
3. offer removable battery (this one may not be as critical as 1 & 2), but it's one of the reasons I did not go for the HTC One series versus the S3 that I carry.
4. Don't encrypt the bootloader, or at least allow people to unlock it (another ding against HTC, why I went with Samsung). Even though my S3 is still stock, I feel much better that if I choose, I can root it and put a ROM on it should I desire.
Samsung has got it mostly right on these points. Why no other OEM follow these guidelines seems mysterious. Understand carrier bloat and all of that junk, but seeing the new LG Nexus phone rumors makes me sad (no removable battery, no SD card, plus LG's poor reputation of OS update support - even if this is a Nexus device).
Android owners would all be better off if more OEMs followed these principles. Come on LG and HTC and others, don't languish in mediocrity by crippling your Android devices in one more more key ways listed here.