Do you feel the Android smartphone community is becoming divided?

[Darrkman]

Not everyone is mentally ill and wants to carry an extra battery in their pocket like it's a roll of mentos. Some normal people prefer to fully replace the small battery with a larger one and be done with it.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

It just comes back to people saying no removable memory or battery is a deal breaker. Really?? Cause the iPhone is doing wonders and thats exactly how its set up. To be honest the HTC One X or Evo 4G LTE are great phones. The only reason that they didn't do better is that HTC is still going with the old method of exclusive phones for certain carriers. That's silly. People don't switch carriers for phones anymore. Those days have come and gone. The Galaxy SIII shows that if you make a great phone and make it accessable to everyone it will sell. The One X is a great phone...only available to AT&T users. Yes the Evo is the same phone but with the change in naming and look to the average consumer its not. Imagine how well the One X would of done if available everywhere, like the SIII or Note 2. So annoying.

 

[Ry]

It's hilarious how people blame the carriers for missing "features".

Yet HTC rolled out the HTC One X and X without a user-replaceable battery and expandable memory.

Yet Google hasn't had a Nexus phone or tablet with expandable memory since the One S.

 

[Ry]

Oh and another thing..

If the phones all had unlocked bootloaders, all of these manufacturers would definitely sell more phones. Yep. lol.

 

[nrm5110]

Most of the people want sd cards because it makes it easier to install stolen apps and music!! They need an extra battery because they spend their time tethered to a computer, stealing data at breakneck speeds!

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

Comments like this make me want to punch people like you in the mouth. I'm not a pirate I use my SD for work documents, army docs, music, backups, pictures, and whatever else I need to take with me.

Removable batteries are handy for power users who play games alot, use their phone for work, or do a lot of intensive browsing and such. I personally carry 2 batteries at times as I'm known to use a remote desktop commonly for work purposes. So before you talk your s*** maybe you should think.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Darrkman]

Comments like this make me want to punch people like you in the mouth. I'm not a pirate I use my SD for work documents, army docs, music, backups, pictures, and whatever else I need to take with me.

Removable batteries are handy for power users who play games alot, use their phone for work, or do a lot of intensive browsing and such. I personally carry 2 batteries at times as I'm known to use a remote desktop commonly for work purposes. So before you talk your s*** maybe you should think.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

The guy was joking take it easy.

However your post is a great example. You're not the average user at all.

 

[gameaddict8]

SD card > Battery. You can't easily replicate extra storage space unless you want to roll with usb otg. Battery on the evo is good w/ juice defender. I carry a battery pack in my bag though, just in case though.

 

[nrm5110]

The guy was joking take it easy.

However your post is a great example. You're not the average user at all.

If it was a joke I apologize but it wasn't very tasteful.

No I'm not the average user as I do know what my phone is fully capable of and use it to its fullest extent. As an IT professional I make full use of the tools I have, my phone being one of my favorites as its more portable than my laptop and easy to get things done with it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Habiib]

I'd like to offer up this challenge. I will specifically mention HTC this time. I do not want this to turn into an HTC vs. Samsung argument. This year I've read/watched many comparison reviews for HTC devices (i.e., tech websites, youtube, etc.). It was objectively noted that each device lacked either a removable battery and/or expandable memory. However, in the scoring, these aspects were actually factored subjectively in when deciding the winner. In their defense, most editors made it clear that those features may or may not matter to some, and the review/decision was made from their (editor) point of view and ultimately the buyer should decide what suites them the best. I think the worst case was when the HOX was compared against the S3 on CNET. The HOX ended up losing by like .1 of a point. It was scored poorly in the features do to it's fixed storage and lack of removable battery. I was thinking, had this been the EVO4GLTE it may have came out on top. This was the first time I thought to myself that those features do carry some weight, but I didn't understand why devices (from other OEMs) weren't scored poorly for that same deficiency. Comparison test have no impact on how I need to make/defend my purchase nor will it change how I view any device that gets reviewed.

With that said this is where my observation expands far beyond AC. I've seen the same arguments and opinions here, but I feel that we all respect that there are still choices to suit our own perspective desires (even if they are missing that one thing that would make it perfect). On any other site that reviews smartphones, you will find the same argument over and over, with respect to hardware features. So, If anyone can find a comparison review from this year where an Android device that lacked a removable battery/SD slot and was declared the winner against another device that did, I'd like to read/see that review.

The point I'm trying to make with this reply is that there seems to be a form of common expectation of hardware capabilities, but it isn't consistent and borders contradiction. You can have two devices that lack the same features, but it would be viewed OK for one to be without it and bad for the other.

 

[NoYankees44]

I think the general lack of storage is the problem. Not the sd slots. Don't get me wrong, I love having a separate partition that should never be wiped because of a reset or anything, but the average user does not care much.

What they do care about is filling up an entire internal storage with apps and media and then having to choose what to keep and delete. In my mind, 32g should be the minimum internal no matter what, but the manufacturers obviously disagree.

If, however, there were 2 phones. One with 64g internal and one with 32g+32g card, I bet the vast majority would go for only internal(maybe even me).

Sent from my ADR6425LVW

 

[NoYankees44]

On batteries, it's like tires on a car. They wear out, plain and simple. If you are only going to drive a car 20k miles and get a new car. You don't care too much that the tires can't be replaced. If you drive it for 50k+ however, you are going to care a lot.

However just like with storage, if there is a huge amount of tread to begin with, you are much less likely to care.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW

 

[RigelX]

I think the problem is much more generalized than just iPhone vs. Android. I have noticed the same attitudes of "It ain't perfect for me , therefore it sucks; and anyone who disagrees is doing it wrong" on forums of every type from video games to movies and TV shows to what's the best brand of aspirin. It is getting increasingly rare to find intelligently argued topics.

Sent from my Inspire 4G using Tapatalk.

 

[Ry]

I think it's always going to be divided because with Android, consumers have choice.

 

[BigDinCA]

I don't know if the community is becoming divided in a negative sense. I think a natural division happens when people decide what features are important to them, then they gravitate towards the device that fits the bill. Battery indifference or spare required. SD card a must or internal storage fine. AMOLED or S-LCD, vanilla Android or skinned. All of these options are what make this platform great. I am sure if the iPhone were offered in various form-factors with other options (i.e batteries and SD cards) there would be a division, as it were, among their users as well. As it is they have learned that one size doesn't fit all when it comes to storage space.

What I find interesting is that people are becoming divided, and divisive, with themselves! Take this forum as a prime example: the most viewed and commented thread is about people receiving shipping confirmation back in May, before the Apple injunction debacle. 2000+ replies and 155,000+ views. All about people loving their decision to get the phone, a little whining about the look of the device, some slobbering over specs and the screen and how smooth every reviewer says Sense runs now. The 2nd most viewed/commented thread? The "I can't believe HTC and Sprint are still screwing me over with this device and not giving me JB so I will NEVER buy another HTC device because I had no clue it would take this long, even though it always has" thread. Nearly 1100 replies and almost 114,000 views. If you've never had a non-Nexus device then it may be understandable, but the rest of us were acutely aware that we wouldn't get updates that fast. When we do it will be a revision behind what's out now. We also won't get it the same time as our folks with the similar devices on other networks. It might be before or it might be after. We may get it before or after Sammy, LG, Moto... but we knew that going in. We also knew about the battery and lack of 2 GB of memory. We got the device anyway and loved it... for awhile. Then we saw the GS3 get JB then the new Nexus and we felt cheated with our "old" software. We decide that the ƎVO is a huge pile of burning feces and we'll never buy a non-Nexus device again. Except for the GS3, because it's perfect. My wife has the GS3. It has problems and issues. It's not a perfect device. For me. But for her it is. My ƎVO is perfect for me. I knew the shortcomings going in. I wish it had more internal storage and more memory would be great. I would love JB, but I know that it won't be 4.2. I made an informed decision and refuse to beat myself up over it. Nor will I beat on HTC or Sprint. Or start commenting in various threads about how surprised and upset I am that my device is... exactly what I always knew it was! I won't bag on it and proclaim the {insert greatest Android device name here} as the sum of all my desires and anyone who doesn't agree is a tool.

I realize that some people have legitimate issues with devices not related to specs and updates and those people are not who I'm talking about here. Specifically in this forum, those people having lag issues with contacts and messaging. But the people who complain about not getting the JB update, on the sole basis that it is taking too long, are part of the problem with the negative aspects of dividing this community.

Holy schnikes, that was long.

 

[gameaddict8]

I don't know if the community is becoming divided in a negative sense. I think a natural division happens when people decide what features are important to them, then they gravitate towards the device that fits the bill. Battery indifference or spare required. SD card a must or internal storage fine. AMOLED or S-LCD, vanilla Android or skinned. All of these options are what make this platform great. I am sure if the iPhone were offered in various form-factors with other options (i.e batteries and SD cards) there would be a division, as it were, among their users as well. As it is they have learned that one size doesn't fit all when it comes to storage space.

What I find interesting is that people are becoming divided, and divisive, with themselves! Take this forum as a prime example: the most viewed and commented thread is about people receiving shipping confirmation back in May, before the Apple injunction debacle. 2000+ replies and 155,000+ views. All about people loving their decision to get the phone, a little whining about the look of the device, some slobbering over specs and the screen and how smooth every reviewer says Sense runs now. The 2nd most viewed/commented thread? The "I can't believe HTC and Sprint are still screwing me over with this device and not giving me JB so I will NEVER buy another HTC device because I had no clue it would take this long, even though it always has" thread. Nearly 1100 replies and almost 114,000 views. If you've never had a non-Nexus device then it may be understandable, but the rest of us were acutely aware that we wouldn't get updates that fast. When we do it will be a revision behind what's out now. We also won't get it the same time as our folks with the similar devices on other networks. It might be before or it might be after. We may get it before or after Sammy, LG, Moto... but we knew that going in. We also knew about the battery and lack of 2 GB of memory. We got the device anyway and loved it... for awhile. Then we saw the GS3 get JB then the new Nexus and we felt cheated with our "old" software. We decide that the ƎVO is a huge pile of burning feces and we'll never buy a non-Nexus device again. Except for the GS3, because it's perfect. My wife has the GS3. It has problems and issues. It's not a perfect device. For me. But for her it is. My ƎVO is perfect for me. I knew the shortcomings going in. I wish it had more internal storage and more memory would be great. I would love JB, but I know that it won't be 4.2. I made an informed decision and refuse to beat myself up over it. Nor will I beat on HTC or Sprint. Or start commenting in various threads about how surprised and upset I am that my device is... exactly what I always knew it was! I won't bag on it and proclaim the {insert greatest Android device name here} as the sum of all my desires and anyone who doesn't agree is a tool.

I realize that some people have legitimate issues with devices not related to specs and updates and those people are not who I'm talking about here. Specifically in this forum, those people having lag issues with contacts and messaging. But the people who complain about not getting the JB update, on the sole basis that it is taking too long, are part of the problem with the negative aspects of dividing this community.

Holy schnikes, that was long.

I agree. It's not a thunderbolt or photon 4g situation. People are impatient. If you have serious issues, talking to Sprint to fix or switch devices would be the way to go.

Sent from my EVO LTE using Android Central Forums