How much difference could there really be between the 835 and 821? The spec complaint is something I don't understand. When phones came with 820, people were happy, latest and greatest. 821 is released and the 820 is a dog. Now the same occurs with the yet to be released 835. Any of these devices could easily last a few years. They're fast enough.
No one is happy with what they have. I mean, just a few months ago everyone is letting out a battle cry to get marshmallow on their phones. They have it and now the same people are asking where's Nouget? "I'm leaving (enter carrier here) if they don't release Nouget by next month" I couldn't tell you the difference I've experienced between lollipop, marshmallow and Nouget. It's honestly all the same for me. Don't get me wrong there are certain features super hardcore users will use that I don't, but jeez, can't we be content with what we have as far as specs?
Sorry. Rant over.
So innovation should stop because we should all just be content with what we have? If that was the case we wouldn't have these mini computers in our hands that we sometimes make phone calls on.
If the SoC was just the processor, then yeah, from a speed perspective it's probably fast enough. But the SoC is much more than that. It's also the GPU, modem, Wi-Fi module, Bluetooth module, NFC, GPS, etc, etc. All of those get improved and then implemented into the newest SoC.
Quick Charging 4.0 in the 835 is faster, more efficient and runs cooler than 3.0 in the 821. Charging speed matters to millions of people.
We may be talking about a phone but the advances are more like PC's.