What's Next for GNX Owners?

[UncleMike]

So what I'm gathering from all of these replies (which, as the OP, I appreciate very much), is that there is no obvious successor to the GNX and that the next greatest thing that will compel us to switch has not yet been released.

The only thing I would add to that is that if there's something you consider a major deficiency of the Nexus that's addressed in an otherwise equal device, that might be a reason to upgrade. In my case I really miss the brightness of the display on my Bionic. I often have difficulty seeing my Nexus screen outdoors, but this was NEVER an issue with the Bionic.

 

[Old Member]

The Galaxy Nexus was released on Verizon December 15, 2011 ( Samsung GALAXY Nexus CDMA specs), 1 year 4 months 24 days ago - not quite 2 years. I understand that the CDMA Nexus has had its issues, but considering that Verizon actually updated it to the current version of Android, is there anything about new phones you see as a "must have" feature?

I bought mine on December 15, 2011 as well. I almost got out the door with one on December 14th at Best Buy but the silly thing wouldn't ring up in their system. Wonder why? But I digress, TECHNICALLY we are all still able to upgrade with discounted pricing as of August 15, 2013 at the 20 month mark. Although this will be the last time for that.

 

[UncleMike]

I bought mine on December 15, 2011 as well. I almost got out the door with one on December 14th at Best Buy but the silly thing wouldn't ring up in their system. Wonder why? But I digress, TECHNICALLY we are all still able to upgrade with discounted pricing as of August 15, 2013 at the 20 month mark. Although this will be the last time for that.

I actually bought my GSM Nexus in June 2012, direct from Google. I have no discounts coming, but no contract either, so I will just wait until something I can't resist comes along. But given my experience with deviating from my long standing history of Motorola devices, (not happy with Nexus volume or display brightness), I'll probably go back to Motorola since I never had any such problems with their phones. Keeping my fingers crossed for a Motorola "nexus".

 

[GandalfTehGray]

Just waiting on a good Moto offering... Hopefully with no bootloader locks. My phones will be full price from now on though.

 

[gtbarry]

Just waiting on a good Moto offering... Hopefully with no bootloader locks. My phones will be full price from now on though.

They've always been full price. You just had to make a down payment before and paid over time for the difference.

 

[PlayfulGod]

They've always been full price. You just had to make a down payment before and paid over time for the difference.

you had to do that if you got a phone or not on spirit & verizon (maybe minus the down payment). lol

 

[UncleMike]

you had to do that if you got a phone or not on spirit & verizon (maybe minus the down payment). lol

Exactly... pay the difference over time, by way of inflated rates, even if you don't get a new phone for 10 years. I'd much rather keep my phone purchase separate from my plan pricing. Obfuscation can only hurt the consumer.

 

[darkcyber]

I would be in for a Motorola Nexus This Nexus from Samsung has really burned me...don't really see me owning another Samsung smartphone. The radio/reception on this thing has been near crap...to put it mildly. One thing you have to give Motorola they probably have the best radio/reception in smartphones. Even thought Samsung has the S3 and 4 and the Note 2, I still can't see myself owning another Samsung.

 

[Jay3]

HTC One and Galaxy S4 have all the buzz now. But if I were to choose any phone currently on the market I would get the Note 2. Simply because I realize that the amount of time I look at the screen is massive compared to the time I hold it up to my ear. (I used to say a big screen to my ear - the Note 2 being 5.5 inches - would make me look like an idiot.)

I'm coming around to the Note, as well. And the reason is, I'm not a tablet person. I'm a smartphone person. Too much of my lifestyle is about pulling a smartphone out of my pocket during a spare minute. A tablet is something I'm just not going to have with me for a lot of those moments. So I can't really "bond" with a tablet.

But for reading books (Kindle), watching streaming video, surfing the web, a bigger screen is nice. So I'm going to see if I can fit that Note in some of my pockets, and get used to it as a happy medium.

 

[Jay3]

So what I'm gathering from all of these replies (which, as the OP, I appreciate very much), is that there is no obvious successor to the GNX and that the next greatest thing that will compel us to switch has not yet been released.

Keep in mind that if feels like we're at a key crossroads in how plans work -- things like prepaid (Smart Talk) could be the wave of the future for those of us that like to switch devices. So don't bind yourself to a 2 year contract right when things are in flux.

 

[CharlzO]

Thing thing with pre-paid services like Straight Talk...Well, to put it plainly, the phone offerings are less than stellar. The only phone they had that I would've even considered, was basically the SII. And then throw in the lack of 4G, and whatnot. And then there was the part where they stopped running on AT&T for a bit (dunno if they ever resolved that or not), is sure to turn off some people (wouldn't matter to me, I've been on VZW - Which has poor service at my house unless I'm on my porch, so I have an extender, which won't work for a Straight-Talk phone).

So while I know I'm paying a lot more money for my service, I at least know that I have a wider selection of phones, that will handle more things, and I know my service. Now, if they ever get things caught up closer to where the carriers are offering, it might sway me more. I know it's a great solution for a lot of people, just not for me yet. (considering they JUST added a Blackberry Curve...I'm not seeing a lot of leaps and bounds forward just yet)

 

[mogelijk]

Thing thing with pre-paid services like Straight Talk...Well, to put it plainly, the phone offerings are less than stellar. The only phone they had that I would've even considered, was basically the SII. And then throw in the lack of 4G, and whatnot. And then there was the part where they stopped running on AT&T for a bit (dunno if they ever resolved that or not), is sure to turn off some people (wouldn't matter to me, I've been on VZW - Which has poor service at my house unless I'm on my porch, so I have an extender, which won't work for a Straight-Talk phone).

So while I know I'm paying a lot more money for my service, I at least know that I have a wider selection of phones, that will handle more things, and I know my service. Now, if they ever get things caught up closer to where the carriers are offering, it might sway me more. I know it's a great solution for a lot of people, just not for me yet. (considering they JUST added a Blackberry Curve...I'm not seeing a lot of leaps and bounds forward just yet)

You can basically take any unlocked GSM phone to Straight Talk, just that it will currently need to be compatible with T-Mobile's frequencies to get 3G speeds, so they don't really have an issue with a lack of phones. This is a big advantage GSM phones have.

 

[GandalfTehGray]

They've always been full price. You just had to make a down payment before and paid over time for the difference.

But $200 is a lot easier to swallow than 600-800 up front.

 

[UncleMike]

You can basically take any unlocked GSM phone to Straight Talk, just that it will currently need to be compatible with T-Mobile's frequencies to get 3G speeds, so they don't really have an issue with a lack of phones. This is a big advantage GSM phones have.

Because of the current carrier model in the US, many consumers feel their phone choices are limited to what the carrier offers; this is especially true of Sprint & Verizon customers, due to the nature of CDMA. But the Bring Your Own Phone plans have changed all that for prepaid GSM service.

Unfortunately many people (in the US) are stuck a cycle of low up-front costs and high monthly costs, and either can't grasp that spending more (on a phone) now and less on a monthly basis will save money in the long term, or they just can't afford more now, even though it will be offset later. For me, it was 6 months before my monthly savings offset my up-front costs, and that included selling my old phone to cover the ETF. If people wait until they're out of contact and buy a Nexus from Google, they can recoup their excess up-front costs in 1-3 months.

 

[gtbarry]

What we need is phone stores to sell phones. And carriers to sell plans.

Then I buy the best phone I want at the best price from the phone stores that are all competing to give me the best price.

Then I buy the plan that best fits me based on price, reception and customer service.

GSM (at&t and tmobile) have always kind of had this. I haven't bought a phone from a carrier since Clinton was in office. Now the plans are finally coming around. No offense to you Verizon and Sprint users, but I can't wait for CDMA (or TDMA, whatever!) to freakin die!

 

[nj02vette]

They've always been full price. You just had to make a down payment before and paid over time for the difference.

Unfortunately, when you buy at full price your service rate continues to be the same.

I'd agree with you if we saved $20/mo, but we don't.

 

[gtbarry]

Unfortunately, when you buy at full price your service rate continues to be the same.

I'd agree with you if we saved $20/mo, but we don't.

Fair enough. But there is no price for the freedom I have had for the last 3-4 years of being contract free and knowing that I can yell at my provider and realistic threat to leave immediately without threat of penalty in return. (And I call and yell at them often. Very often.)

 

[ritholtz]

Is upgrading to galaxy s3 worth it. Do we see noticeable difference in browsing, youtube / video, screen and battery life. I am thinking of getting s3 with clean esin for $225 and flipping my gnex on cg.

 

[Jay3]

What we need is phone stores to sell phones. And carriers to sell plans.

Then I buy the best phone I want at the best price from the phone stores that are all competing to give me the best price.

Then I buy the plan that best fits me based on price, reception and customer service.

GSM (at&t and tmobile) have always kind of had this. I haven't bought a phone from a carrier since Clinton was in office. Now the plans are finally coming around. No offense to you Verizon and Sprint users, but I can't wait for CDMA (or TDMA, whatever!) to freakin die!

It's an unholy alliance between the carriers and the phone manufacturers -- it serves both of them well. For the carriers, it keeps you locked in and not switching, and not as sensitive to pricing on the plan. For the handset manufacturer, it keeps a price war at bay, so that we don't see the kind of competition that brought flat panel TV's down to prices much cheaper than phones (for the equivalent amount of materials and technology).

I'm done -- unlocked phone and prepaid plan for me after Verizon commitment expires. Assuming I can get acceptable 4G somewhere by then.

 

[tube517]

I am forever a prepaid/no contract customer. After years with a fat bloated contract w/Sprint, I switched to Tmobile prepaid last year and love it. I buy only used/refurb phones and I don't need the latest and greatest phone. ( I do like the latest and greatest OS so I always root the phone that I buy. Right now, I have an Amaze and GNote I that I got for cheap on Ebay and both were/are in fantastic condition.

 

[ritholtz]

Is upgrading to galaxy s3 worth it. Do we see noticeable difference in browsing, youtube / video, screen and battery life. I am thinking of getting s3 with clean esin for $225 and flipping my gnex on cg.

Any suggestions?

 

[umataro42]

One of my cousins has it, and I think the specs are only slightly above the GNex, and a slightly bigger screen. But I wouldn't consider it a "next step" for a GNex owner, more like the other phone to consider back when it came out.

If you like the S series, I'd consider the S4 since Google announced a stock Android version for GSM, and this phone is a step up spec-wise. But I don't really like that physical home button. If Verizon doesn't get another Nexus by the time I can upgrade, I might have to consider a switch to AT&T or T-Mobile.

 

[dafutr]

I am on Verizon and I can't really see myself leaving the carrier although I almost caved when the nexus 4 came out. That being said, I'm still on my rooted Gnex and i don't plan on getting another phone other than from the nexus lineup. I'm really hoping that Verizon sticks to their pattern:

OG Droid - Android 2.0
Motorola Xoom - Android 3.0
Samsung Gnex - Android 4.0
????? Nexus 5 ????? - Android 5.0

See the trend? lol maybe I'm just dreaming, but I hope Verizon brings a nexus phone at the end of the year as my Gnex battery life is starting to get intolerable. Only a few more months to go and rumorville is already starting to build the hype machines!

 

[UncleMike]

I don't plan on getting another phone other than from the nexus lineup. I'm really hoping that Verizon sticks to their pattern...

Don't hold your breath waiting for another Verizon Nexus.

 

[jova33]

Don't hold your breath waiting for another Verizon Nexus.

+1

If you're staying with Verizon, don't hold your breath waiting for another nexus phone for them. Google basically gave Verizon the middle finger with the nexus 4.
The Motorola X Phone, if it has an unlockable bootloader, might be my next upgrade.