Tired of waiting for Nexus 6---now what?

[radicchio]

I've been ready to step up to an Android phone, as i've really enjoyed my Android tablet and see how I would enjoy having an Android phone with me at all times. At first, I was interested in one of the Samsung Notes, as I like the big screen and included stylus. However, as I learned more, I thought I would like a simpler phone that I could customize according to my wishes rather than one that has so much customization already. Then I heard about the upcoming release of "Shamu," and I decided to wait to see what it was like. Once the Nexus 6 was released, I was sure that's what I wanted but couldn't get one. Now I'm not sure I want to. I am hearing about some serious issues with the Nexus 6 that make me uncomfortable with the idea of purchasing one now. In particular, there have been multiple reports of people getting phones that reboot randomly, shut down without warning, or simply freeze. What is worse is that they have returned the phone (sometimes more than once), only to find that the replacement phone has the same issue. If Google or Motorola had made some comment about working on this issue and expecting an answer soon, maybe I'd keep waiting. But as the weeks pass, I'm feeling less optimistic.

I'm reconsidering the Note 4 at this time, but I'm not certain about it either. It truly has a lot of features I don't need. I do like using a stylus to navigate through screens on the phone, but I probably wouldn't use it much for actually writing or drawing on the phone. I have no need for multiscreen operations. And I neither want nor need all of Samsung's duplicate apps. Also, if I get the Note 4, I will purchase it on a 2-year contract with AT&T, so I'll also get all of their bloatware, as well. That's a lot of clutter (if I'm not using an app or feature, it's "clutter" to me).

As I said, I'm new to Android. I didn't want an Android because it was easy to root or because I would get faster updates. I actually prefer to be a later adopter of updates, after any problems are resolved. I just want a reliable phone that can be a blank slate that I can set up with the features and apps I want. Also important is having a phone that will last a few years without becoming obsolete or difficult to use. I think, at heart, I really want the Nexus 6; but I can't bring myself to commit to it until the issues I've identified are resolved or clearly on their way to being resolved.

How good is Samsung at checking out the new Android releases and making sure they work with the phone before releasing them? I'm afraid that, if I go with a Samsung Note 4, I will just be deferring problems until Android 5.0 is released for the Samsung. And, of course, I'm still worried about all the extraneous stuff on the phone.

I know no one can give me a definitive answer about what I should do, but you might be able to share some ideas, based on your experience with Android phones.

 

[belodion]

I have myself been deterred from buying particular Android and Windows Phone devices because of reports of bad experiences from users in forums like this and elsewhere. But I have then gone ahead and bought them anyway and I can tell you that I've had no problems with any of the six smart phones that I've owned. We tend to hear about users' negative experiences because those who have had no problems are less likely to post about that.

If you wait for a perfect phone you'll wait forever because neither devices nor operating systems are anything like perfect....though what has been achieved so far is mighty impressive.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[radicchio]

Thanks for replying. I wasn't sure if anyone would. I agree that people tend to speak up when they are not happy with something and may not say anything when everything goes smoothly. I don't expect a perfect phone, but one that reboots or freezes daily or even more often just isn't reliable enough for me. If people hadn't reported that they returned the phone only to get another one with the same problem, I'd consider going ahead with the purchase---with the idea that I could always exchange it for a working phone if necessary. At one time I thought I would make do with the Samsung, even though it has so much on the phone that I don't want or need. However, now I'm not so sure. So I keep waiting for Motorola or Google to announce that they have a fix (or release an update that fixes it). I am just not sure how long I can keep waiting. If there isn't a fix in the near future, then I'm going to turn my attention to new offerings in 2015. I haven't had any past experience with Motorola (now Lenovo) or Google, but they aren't inspiring any confidence as they continue to send out phones that stop without warning and have not commented on the issues that so many are having with their phones.