And I haven't seen anything suggesting that the Note 4 will have front firing speakers either.
There's no question (and not because I own one but it's why I own one) - if you want front facing speakers and the best hardware DSP, get an M8 and flash the Harman Kardon mod - there's nothing like it.
If you want more screen and less bezels, get the G3.
If you want a Note, get a Note.
To me these are all separate class devices.
It's only hard if one of the classes doesn't strongly appeal to you.
Then you're not only choosing devices but across classes as well.
But - with the bold design moves by LG here, I think that we truly have the new class defined.
I've read just about every battery related post and article, here and at XDA as far as the forums go.
Regardless of personal mileage, the additional QHD circuitry eats more power. That's just silicon truth. So guess what - the design statement is complete with a removable battery.
I don't read that as "let's copy Samsung." I read that as balanced design - they knew what the screen decision would do to a lot of users so they planned to mitigate it from the start.
And as far as I'm concerned, it's the balanced design that makes this a class rather than a gimmick.
So, my opinion is that if any one of the 3 classes I've mentioned by example really appeal to you then the other two won't make sense to you and they'll seem deficient by comparison.
Because - class preference, and each class really has one and only one top of class choice.
Believe it or not but now that I've lived with my class choice (and prerelease thread buds know that I really chose for the speakers, that is my class choice) I'm actually glad I have more bezel happening. It's still skinny, the side bezels don't exist because they gave room I wanted for case overlap, and the top and bottom bezels are invisible - they just force more stereo separation.
Not too long ago, I was very much screen centric. All of the og EVO owners and Note owners, and now G3 owners, know exactly what I'm talking about.
If I'd read the above blind a few years ago, I'd have thought an idiot or lunatic wrote it (but not lunatic59 lmao).
But a few years ago we had maybe two classes, phones and phablets - and for a lot of us, really just one class - phones, and a lot of brand arguments.
We still have the general phone class. Back in the 60s and 70s we had the UJM - the universal Japanese motorcycle, neither a chopper, a flat tracker or a dresser.
I think that things like the S5 and Oppo (and 1+1) and etc etc are the that 4th class - UAP - Universal Android Phone.
There. Perfectly authoritative and definitive view - because I'm on a work break where I have to play all authoritative and crap. :rofl: So the high tone of voice is just that, crosstalk, and nothing real.
TL/DR - Android is all about choice.
Now that we have 4 very clear class choices and three models perfecting 3 of those classes, this has to be the best year I've seen for Android in a LONG, LONG time.
Every year we talk about game changers but for me personally, in retrospect, after each year's pixie dust(*) has worn off, I've looked back and said - "You know - not so much - the game hasn't changed like before."
This time, it's different as far as I'm concerned.
Really, really different.
This year, we have real choices that transcend brand, OEM skin and marketing brainwashing among one or two classes.
Yes, we had the M7 and the G2 last year. Yes, we've had a Note in the running for a while.
But looking back, I'm finally able to put words on what I couldn't find in 2013 - those were practice rounds and we all knew it. Srsly, how many of you said to yourself what I did last year? Really HTC? BEATS?!? Again? And no optimized headphones included? Really LG? Hermetically sealed? Are you trying to be another HTC? Really Samsung? Less storage and more software on the S4? Really, are you committed to the Note?
Call me crazy but that's why I think that this year is different.
And it's why I stuck my nose in when I didn't pick the G3.
Every year, every top model gets one of these threads. They're usually fun but neutral mods without the phone have to lurk to watch out for trolls.
This time something unique happened - no trolls.
That really proves to me that the new level of choice is real.
And I could say that I wanted to intervene and calm buds down over some disagreements brewing. I could have actually sold that I guess. Everyone's used to that. Lmao
But I actually got away with saying that banana creme pie is better than benchmarking and that's the other reason I'm posting - to let you all know that there was a method to my off-topic madness.
If you reading this are like me, then the answer to the thread title and OP - why did you pick this phone over the other flagships - can only have one answer:
Because there's nothing else TO pick - this defines the class and this is the class of choice.
Never before have I been as truly excited for others who've made a different choice than mine.
I've always respected everyone in my heart of hearts but not really excited (except for the rare cases here and there).
But this time - I'm excited for you all, I really am.
Someone finally made a class of phone to serve you exactly as well as mine serves me.
And I'm still excited 6 weeks later so I think I know how you feel.
So - is the G3 freaking cool or what?!
(* pixie dust - that's actually in the Android build repository - but all credit to rushmore for the best new phone meme since the Evo would turn into a jet)