Interested in Hardware Features we want to see
Interested in Hardware Features we want to see
My first Android phone was the HTC One M8. I got it because at the time it made my iPhone 5 look like a chump. Bigger screen, unrivaled stereo front speakers, much more internal storage you name it.
I also got the LG G series after that because I loved that the battery was removable (I ended up with an enormous aftermarket battery pack that lasted 3.5 days of constant use) and the buttons were all on the back of the phone.
I got the Essential PH1 because the ceramic body was nice and the promise of the 2 pin magnetic accessory port was really neat (only a 360 camera was released for it but still).
I got a Pixel 4a because every Android phone at that point was a 6 inch rectangle with side buttons and a fingerprint reader but at least it was cheap and still had a headphone jack.
I'm glad to see flip phones returning because I think it is giving Android back what has always been its biggest advantage to me which is unique hardware features.
Personally, the HTC M8 speakers with the button layout of the LG G4 would be an intsa-buy for me to this day.
What kind of hardware features have you guys fallen in love with over the years and what do you value or would like to see return?
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More telephoto cameras on midrange phones. It seems like they're returning on some Chinese flagship killers. Would be great if Samsung and Google followed suit. Would be especially nice if we got periscope lenses.
I'd like to see LTPO on more phones, seems like it's limited only to the highest end flagship now. Would be nice to save battery when the screen is not being touched.
Something I don't like on a lot of Chinese midrangers - those rubbish 1/4" 8 MP ultrawides, don't think it would cost much more to have a 12 MP ultrawide and the difference in quality would be big enough to justify using it. Samsung do it on the A2x and A3x too.
I think the 8MP ultrawide is probably a deliberate attempt to ensure they don't cannibalize their higher end phones. The poco x3 that was released 3 years ago had a 13mp ultrawide. Similarly priced phones released later downgraded the ultrawide cam.
They were using the telephoto as a point of differentiation too. I'm not sure why they even bother with that awful 8 MP ultrawide since it's unusable. The images have no detail at all. Might as well just have one good camera instead of one useable and two unusable cameras.
Telephoto seems like something Google could do to really set the next Pixel Xa series apart from the competition. If they care to that is.
I doubt they'll do it since it's not on the regular Pixel 8. I think that's a feature they'll keep for the higher end. Pixel Xa series already has a faster processor and better cameras compared to their competition in North America, Australia and Western Europe.