Reccomendations for the best vanilla android smartphone.

[chukka63]

As the title says.I love the N5 but being self employed i need a phone that will allow me to make calls when i want to make them.After the issue with N4 i was hoping they had sorted so i tried the N5.
So whats the best vanilla android phone out there at the moment and why ?.

 

[MartinS]

My N5 makes calls, what happened to yours?

I like the N5, second choice would be Moto X.

 

[Rxpert83]

The nexus line is the only vanilla android smartphone. The MotoX is close, but still has modifications.

I haven't had issues with making calls at all on my Nexus 5. From the sounds of it, you took your phone apart. Its entirely possible something got loose or affected.

Rather than move this to the device comparison forum, lets try to troubleshoot. Can you describe your calling issue with the nexus 5, as well as the nexus 4?

I'd also be more inclined to believe its an issue with your carrier, since you're having calling problems on multiple phones.

 

[jhawkkw]

Options for vanilla android are limited. The only real options are Nexus devices or Google Play devices. The Moto X and Moto G are very close to stock, but aren't 100% vanilla android.

 

[Rxpert83]

Whoops. Forgot about GPE devices.

Their price point never made them a viable option for me.

 

[NYCHitman1]

Whoops. Forgot about GPE devices.

Their price point never made them a viable option for me.

I don't even consider GPE devices to be vanilla because they don't use AOSP kernels. They use their OEM counterpart, which makes all the difference in the world (plus, they are ridiculously priced)

 

[jhawkkw]

I don't even consider GPE devices to be vanilla because they don't use AOSP kernels. They use their OEM counterpart, which makes all the difference in the world (plus, they are ridiculously priced)

Yeah, not to mention only available in North America, though it may only be available in the US.

 

[chukka63]

The issues i have with 3 N4's and 2 N5's are that even if i have all signal bars showing,at times i can not make a call or text etc and it ends without ringing,several times.I have changed the sim card about 3 times,i've turned the phone off and back on in different ways,i've contacted my provider.
Yes i did take the back off this phone in desperation to try to find something i could do to make it work.It's the only phone i've ever taken the back off.
The antenna is pushed onto a small nipple each end if my poor eye sight is correct.Would soldering these ends on make any difference either good or bad ?.
As i mentioned esrlier i love the vanilla android Nexus phones so if i could get it working like every other make of phone i've had i would be over the moon with it.

 

[Hook]

The issues i have with 3 N4's and 2 N5's are that even if i have all signal bars showing,at times i can not make a call or text etc and it ends without ringing,several times.I have changed the sim card about 3 times,i've turned the phone off and back on in different ways,i've contacted my provider.
Yes i did take the back off this phone in desperation to try to find something i could do to make it work.It's the only phone i've ever taken the back off.
The antenna is pushed onto a small nipple each end if my poor eye sight is correct.Would soldering these ends on make any difference either good or bad ?.
As i mentioned earlier i love the vanilla android Nexus phones so if i could get it working like every other make of phone i've had i would be over the moon with it.

It's odd. Even though it is possible to find other similar complaints using Google (although I seemed to see more complaints that the N5 couldn't receive calls but outgoing calls and texts were fine), this is clearly not a widespread phenomenon. Therefore, the odds of you getting 5 units (4s and 5s) all having the same problem seems astronomical. There has to be something else going on. Unfortunately, and frustratingly (for you, I'm sure) I have no idea what.

 

[jhawkkw]

The odds are indeed incredibly slim. It's more likely related to the carrier, the towers, or the sim card.

 

[ritchea]

This forum most likely relates to the same issue on the N5. My N4 did not have a problem; my N5 does. https://productforums.google.com/forum/m/#!msg/nexus/7s7DsI4DUYo/gMfKjtIsF1sJ
I agree that even though many of us are having signal reception issues on the N5, having it on both phones points to service signal.

 

[Wrend]

I've heard that some people have had issues making calls (lag after placing the call before the other end starts ringing). Maybe an issue with T-Mobile; maybe not. Maybe an issue with your carrier as well, by the sound of it.

I don't have any connectivity issues at all, so I don't think it's an issue with the Nexus 5.

Vanilla Android? The Nexus 5 is the best off all current phone options, in my opinion. One of those reasons being that it uses vanilla Android. Some more reasons, since you asked for them: Snapdragon 800, 2GB RAM, full 1920

 

[chukka63]

Well it looks like i've been extremely unlucky,story of my life.
I have a sure signal box at home,which if you're unfamiliar,supplied by and boosts my carrier signal.I can have the lack of call issues while standing next to it,10' away from it or anywhere else i've been.I can't see it being the sim card as i've tried plenty of new ones,although i have yet another one on it's way.
I'm going to open the phone back up and solder the antenna connections and if that doesn't work i'll have no choice but to buy a phone i don't really want but works.
Wifi,downstairs,great,upstairs crap.My wifes wifi great downstairs and upstairs.
Thx for your input and i wanna get this sorted but don't know what else to try.

 

[chukka63]

If you don't like the Nexus 5, or it doesn't seem to work for you, maybe you should try something else, but you asked for our opinions.

I love the phone as i mentioned,hence trying to overcome this issue.At the moment i have an expensive clock.
Most of yesterday i was out and about looking at jobs,half the time i couldn't use my phone and at one point had to use a telephone box.Last time i did that we had B&W TV and stage coaches.

 

[Omar Days]

Just seen you're in norfolk.

Whenever I've been up there i've had terrible reception, signal, texts coming through late, can't make calls etc, the whole lot with four different phones (HTC Magic, HTC Desire HD, Samsung Galaxy Note, and my current Nexus 5) . And I'm on vodafone too. It's the network in my opinion, because as soon as i get back home in kent, my phones work fine.

 

[chukka63]

But i have a sure signal box which on the last occasion i couldn't make calls was only 6' away from me.I am seriously thinking of changing to O2 but am wary to jump ship and be no better off.
It also doesn't add up to being Vodafone as my wife is with vodafone and she has never had the same problem with her S3.
I've inserted the new sim card and been ont he phone to vodafone for an hour trying to check everything out so i will keep an eye on it for a few days.
My biggest problem is i'm not keen on any of the other handsets i've tried between the N4's and the N5.I've tried the iphone 4s,the nokia something,the sony z1

 

[Omar Days]

That's a strange one then.

Back OT. Nearest you're gonna get to vanilla is the moto x. Better get in there quick though if you fancy one. Stock might be limited since the whole Lenovo takeover. :dontknow: