For me its quite simple, I refuse to walk around with £300+ worth of hardware so its budget only.

From there the only budget phones I have found to be decent are windows phones (Currently rocking a lumia 520) as even the lower spec models run nice and slick.

For an exact model I am not due one for another 6 months+ so I will just see at the time what phones the operators are willing to give me for free on an £8 a month contract.

Coming from an ATIV S, I'd change for a HTC One (M8) for Windows, when it gets available in my country.

Reason, I want a real high-end smartphone for once, and the Lumia ones don't have a micro-SD port, which I use heavily.

The allure of Cortana/Windows… but would have to try it out to see how handy the AI is :)

Nexus 6 / X for me, if that's a flop then Note 4 + Gear VR

I'll be buying the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact next week, because reasons.

To put the reasons as simply as possible: size (~130x65x12mm is where my sweet spot is), battery life (~12 hours of video playback, best metric I've found to gauge battery life), waterproof (IP55 + IP58).

For me, Sony got the small phone size done the best I've seen; their latest offering is annoying because it sacrifices battery life in talk time and video playback to have a bigger screen, prefer a smaller screen anyway. Z1c ticks the most boxes for me, something I won't like for example is its thinkness; I'm fixing that with a cover though.

I I'll start by saying that I Very nearly ordered a iPhone 6 today.. Stopped myself because I want to hold the plus in my hand before discounting it…

So you assume I am a Fruit fan.. well you are wrong, what I want is a Win 8 phone! I used one for a few months last year (and a very low spec one at that) and I loved it… allot.

So what's the issue I hear you say?

1. Compatibility with things like internet banking, google Auth etc.
2. Lack of enterprise support, VPN clients, OTP password generators etc
3. Sonos! I guess you could say this is the same as 1 but it's a biggie for me
4. Accessory compatibility. eg hotel rooms with iPhone dock to play music..

you get the idea, I am stuck here until Windows gets some support, Apple have created the digital pencil, I know I can use it anywhere so I continue to use it.

Tried Droid, and while I liked it for a while it never really grew on me, just felt like the cheep knockoff in most cases even if that was not actually the case.

Having been very impressed with the lumia 925 I got for my step daughter…I am seriously considering getting one myself but it's that lack of SD slot that has me hovering. Got the missus a Moto G 4G and that is an excellent device for the money if lacking the lumia's spec. Won't be getting an iPhone, have checked out the daughter's 5C and I am completely underwhelmed at the spec to cost ratio even if the interface if smooth and easy to use.

Percy1983
For me its quite simple, I refuse to walk around with £300+ worth of hardware so its budget only.

Same here. Still rocking a Galaxy S2, the GF got it free with her contract but didn't like touchscreen so I got it for free.

Free is good, otherwise value for money rather than the latest bling bling, partly as I don't want to fret about treating it with kid gloves all the time.

Simple, value for money and does everything the expensive phones do. A Motorola Moto G. No better phone than that for the price.Anyone paying more for a phone than for a 46" LED TV should be mentally assessed LOL

Agree with zsde
Moto G seems to offer the best value for money among the current crop.

Note 4 or S6 if its out in time for my upgrade. Maybe a Xperia Z3 though too. But I do like the Samsung phones.

HTC M8 for Windows appeals as i currently have a HTC Windows 8X. Like the Windows OS but have a few niggles with the current hardware.
Nokia 1520 also appeals but are a tad expensive.
Maybe back to Android though as i like the Sony Ultra Z which can be had for around £250.

Myss_tree
HTC M8 for Windows appeals as i currently have a HTC Windows 8X. Like the Windows OS but have a few niggles with the current hardware.
Nokia 1520 also appeals but are a tad expensive.
Maybe back to Android though as i like the Sony Ultra Z which can be had for around £250.

Try the 930? I got mine a few days ago to replace a phone that suffered from *ahem* misadventure…. Not bad for £300 at all.

Nothing on the current market.

Bought a oneplus one literally a week ago to replace a nexus 4 with dismal battery life. Rumour had it the nexus 6 was going to have a snapdragon 805 (no improvement except GPU bandwidth over an 801), and a 2560x1440 screen which on an 801 actually significantly reduces screen-on time (find 7 vs 7a, 7 hours video became 5 hours video). Just decided that I was gonna go for battery life this time around.

Having used a HTC on X+ for 12 months I am considering a HTC again, probably the M8 model

Probably the best Samsung when my current contract allows me to leave (I hate Vodafone!!!)

MDK
Reason, I want a real high-end smartphone for once, and the Lumia ones don't have a micro-SD port, which I use heavily.

Might wanna do some research. The top line Lumia do have micro SD support.

For me , I will be changing my Note 2 to a Lumia 1520. Want to try windows mobile and whole tablet/mobile/PC eco system.

For all Google's efforts, Android, Chrome, Chrome OS never seems that slick or capable - like iOS.

Nothing costing more than £200, and nothing for another year as my Moto G is still going strong.

I really want to get a one plus one, but unable to get an invite thus far

Similar to what people have said before i'd love to own a Windows phone especially if they had the M8 running Windows OS in the UK but as it is i'm torn between the M8 on android and the Xperia Z3.

I think my time with Apple has come to an end

Bought a moto g a short while ago, not planning on changing it at the moment but I'm kind of edging towards windows phone next, purely because google/android is becoming a bit of a pita to keep sync'd with outlook (business use) etc. If I was to stick with android it would be a moto x 2014.

The current cloud ecosystem ‘war’ is starting to get annoying because it actually prevents me from using things how I want to use them, and I don't like being told how to use MY things, that's why I haven't ever had an iPhone. I seem to use more MS stuff than google so that's my direction at the moment even though I prefer the look/features of android on a phone.

Aiming to get a Surface Pro 3/4 when/if it gets a broadwell upgrade because I prefer that direction for tablets :)

Happy with my Note 3 but if I was it would be a Note 4 I think ;)

Ordered a OnePlus One the beginning of the week, I've got family living in N.I. to act as a proxy since they're not delivering to Ireland yet.

aidanjt
Ordered a OnePlus One the beginning of the week, I've got family living in N.I. to act as a proxy since they're not delivering to Ireland yet.

Have you been able to have any hands on time? Or was this a in the blind order?

I liked the device because again it's about low price competition. People seem to be OK with the idea of a phone only getting 3 years of support and updates at best, to me, if the device costs £600 that is outrageous, but then again, I'm special I guess.

The thing that really stopped me with the OnePlus was the camera. It looks bad from their sample pics, but not just bad, horrifically over processed in a manner which attempts to hide badness whilst only drawing more attention. However the proof is in the pudding, will be interesting to see how it gets on.

If the Nexus 5 2014 doesn't do much over my Nexus 5 it will either be the 2015 Nexus or possibly the next in the HTC One series if they actually manage to make a well-rounded phone - everything is there, it's just not quite managed to hammer it home yet.

I might have considered the Moto X+1 but they've managed to wreck that brand after one phone (what an awful sequel), Samsung phones are getting bloated to the point of frustration (and KNOX) and Sony's phones on paper look great, they're far too square to sit comfortably in the pocket and they're superseded after a few months and I refuse to buy into that.

Other than the Nexus/HTC route I'll only consider an LG G4 (the G2 was brilliant, the G3 very good but a bit premature hardware wise) or a OnePlus One-style out of the box if it looks polished and ticks all of my boxes. In all likelihood it will be the Nexus 5 2014 though (hope to God it doesn't follow the X+1 “styling” though).

It's got to be an Android phone at the moment for my uses though. I'm not buying an Apple device and Microsoft's phone direction is somewhat up in the air at the moment and wouldn't be open enough for my want either - though I do think the Windows Phone OS is the best overall, if lacking somewhat in apps (still).

TheAnimus
Have you been able to have any hands on time? Or was this a in the blind order?

It was a blind order, the aggregate of the reviews seemed very positive (and just about all the notable complaints were software bugs that have since been patched, or like the off-screen gestures, wouldn't apply to me since I'll disable them), and for the money it hits way above its belt. I had the €€€ and someone offered an invite, so I went for it.

TheAnimus
I liked the device because again it's about low price competition. People seem to be OK with the idea of a phone only getting 3 years of support and updates at best, to me, if the device costs £600 that is outrageous, but then again, I'm special I guess.

Yeah I'm fine with 3 years official support (and wouldn't receive any better from any other android phone manufacturer), and of course, it's a cyanogenmod phone out of the box, so the community will certainly maintain it for newer releases after that.

TheAnimus
The thing that really stopped me with the OnePlus was the camera. It looks bad from their sample pics, but not just bad, horrifically over processed in a manner which attempts to hide badness whilst only drawing more attention. However the proof is in the pudding, will be interesting to see how it gets on.

Yeah, I'll have to see when I get it. Although the CMOS sensor is suppose to be a decent Sony jobbie, so newer releases of the camera software might address quality concerns, if, indeed, that hasn't already been done since the early reviews. Not that I'm expecting dSLR performance from a phone camera, anyway. Even if colours come out a bit loud I can live with it. It'll still be a big improvement over my old Galaxy Nexus' camera, which is just terrible in low and soft lighting conditions.

I'll be sticking with my trust HTC One X. Mainly because its the same hardware in mt Nexus tablet which I have installed in my car dash.
Had an HTC One free with my last contract but ended up selling it after a week, just something about it that I couldn't get to grips with.

Windows Phone most likely for me.. Still rockin' the Lumia 620 plus blue and yellow shells!

Currently using a Note 3 but am on a 2 year contract which doesn't renew for another year. At the moment I will probably get a Note 5 but whatever happens I will be getting an Android phone. Can't live without my customisations and the benefits of rooting. Plus the Samsung Note battery life is awesome.

Likely the next Nexus when it's available, depends if it's still a high end phone for mid range price. I did have a Lumia, I loved the look and feel of Windows phone but it felt lacking in terms of app support/features etc. Since getting the Nexus 5 I'll probably stick with Android.

If I can pick up a bargain on eBay from the Lumia 730/735/830 range, or a refurb/returned model from the other shops, I might get one of those.

I'll be honest, I'm really tempted to get an iPhone 6 Plus if my budget would permit. Or if I start saving heavily, then maybe I'll be able to get one before the end of the 2nd quarter next year. Haha.

I can see the attraction of the iPhone as it seamlessly integrates with other Apple hardware and OS updates are available for all products unless Apple specifically says a product is no longer supported.
For Android devices your pretty much in the lap of the gods as to whether the hardware manufacturer wishes to issue an update. I suspect that pretty often its not a case of the hardware is incapable of running the latest OS version but more that they hope you will buy their latest hardware.
With less Windows hardware around its less noticeable but there is still no 8.1 update for the HTC Windows 8X though its rumoured for October on Verizon.
Consistant regular updates and on time would make my buying decision easier and who i would more likely stick with though its not enough to make me switch to Apple … yet.

This is why Google play editions and nexus devices are popular. I wish we could get Google play editions here in the UK

Got an iPhone 6+ on order.

If I do ever buy another one (and for privacy reasons I probably won't) it will be that one that fits different modules together for a customized mobile.

Happy with my first gen Moto G for the moment but when I eventually replace it, it will be for something of similar price/value.

I could obviously go into more detail and I'm sure there are some exceptions but my opinion goes something like:

Sony- Always break.
Apple- Overpriced garbage for technically retarded American housewives.
Htc- Generally too expensive.
Samsung- Everyone has one already and the panels colours are ridiculously saturated & inaccurate.
Nokia- Windows has a distinct lack of apps and too many you shouldn't have to pay for.
Nexus- Good price for top hardware without too many sacrifices, first in line for the latest raw android, pretty simple and durable, abundance of free apps, and my personal favorite.

CampGareth
Bought a oneplus one literally a week ago to replace a nexus 4 with dismal battery life. Rumour had it the nexus 6 was going to have a snapdragon 805 (no improvement except GPU bandwidth over an 801), and a 2560x1440 screen which on an 801 actually significantly reduces screen-on time (find 7 vs 7a, 7 hours video became 5 hours video). Just decided that I was gonna go for battery life this time around.

Just got my 64GB sandstone black OnePlus One on Thurday. I've made a couple of compromises in choosing this phone: no SD slot, no removable battery and Limited 4G options (basically you're stuck with EE for decent 4G coverage) but for the price of £275, it's a steal. Ideally I would have preferred to hang on a little longer to see how much the next Nexus phone retails at. However, the time I've invested in the OnePlus forums, in order to obtain an invite to actually purchase the phone, stoked my desire for it's possession, to forgo my usual, cautious nature.

Brewster0101

MDK
Reason, I want a real high-end smartphone for once, and the Lumia ones don't have a micro-SD port, which I use heavily.

Might wanna do some research. The top line Lumia do have micro SD support.

For me , I will be changing my Note 2 to a Lumia 1520. Want to try windows mobile and whole tablet/mobile/PC eco system.

For all Google's efforts, Android, Chrome, Chrome OS never seems that slick or capable - like iOS.

Lumia 1320/1520 are phablets, not a smartphone anymore. That 1“ difference is a big difference.
5” is what I am looking for. :)
Take the Lumia 930/Icon, concurring model to the M8 for Windows, and you'll notice the lack of SD port.
So, my stance stands.
With Lumias, only phablets or mid-/low-end phones have the SD port, high-end doesn't. Go wonder why.

None - the phone hasn't been designed yet let alone manufactured. I'll stick with my google play HTC One (M7) for another year or two.

I've preordered an iPhone 6 Plus 64GB in space grey. I do love Apple products but am very much a UNIX user so love most Unix based products and that includes android. However I like the fact everything syncs between my Mac, iPhone and iPad and they automatically back themselves up both locally and into the cloud.

Apple has a few huge advantages over Android and some Microsoft products. The first is it has total control over both hardware and software. Google has always partnered with a hardware manufacture resulting in a compromised product. (Microsoft will no longer have this issue). The second is Android has to run on tons of different hardware configurations where as iOS does not. This often results in crashes/lockups more frequently on the Android devices and at the moment (this will change in the future) it is far less secure. Working in the realm of cyber war fare I moved away from Windows and Android products as after spending my working day dealing with their security vulnerabilities its nice to come home to products that have far fewer and just work. This is only down to the closed eco system that Apple has and I can understand why many people hate it. You are limited when you can do with your iOS devices without jailbraking them compared to even non rooted Android devices.

Lets also not forget that Apple designs and manufactures most parts of its phones/ipads which is why that A8 processor is the fastest thing out there in the wild at least for a few months and works so well with comparatively little RAM (hasn't that always been the unix/linux way?).

Now - the only Android phone I have ever been interested in is the OnePlus One. its a great design (not the best) and has a very good hardware spec but at the price its being dished out Samsung should be very worried indeed. I will get one to play around with as I still enjoy playing with Android products but they won't become my day to day devices that I rely on.

Many have wondered have if Apple will ever enter the budget end of the market, I seriously doubt it. Why would it want to dish out tends of millions of devices for little profit when it can sell millions for a large profit? If its one thing Apple hasn't lacked in recent years, its good business sense.

I imagine it will be a OnePlus One, but right now I'm not that anxious to move from my Nexus 4.

The only thing that would tempt me to move would be 4G I think, as the 3G reception is so poor most of the time that I might as well not bother. As for everything else? I'll manage.

Apple don't make manufacturer anything in their phones as far as I'm aware. Processors are ARM, screens most likely LG or Sharp. Not too sure on the camera, but unlikely.

The reason Android is ‘insecure’ is because of the nature of the product. It's open source! Apple devices can use less ram because they don't multitask. My mother has an iPad, and say I have safari open, if I go to the home screen and then open safari again, even though the picture of what I was on is there it's unresponsive for a second+. This is because they don't multi task like android does. The reason there are more crashes is because there are numerous hardware configurations and thus it takes longer for manufacturers to bring out a stable release of their skin. Having said that, Apple have had a few software bugs, including the signal on either 4 or 4S, Bluetooth and WiFi stops working on the 4S, 3/4G doesn't connect when leaving a wifi signal (example, driving away from home) and requires a reboot of the phone. The Nexus range of phones offer great performance (on par with and recently better than iOS) and software is great. OS X is one of the most insecure operating systems due to Apple telling people previously they didn't need anti virus. This isn't the case and won't be with iOS shortly. I don't have any security issues with my phone because I don't root it and I use it as it's intended to be used - as a phone. Apple are soon to start losing money - their business model is terrible now that jobs has gone. How can they be an innovative company like they once were when they spend their entire time playing catchup?

This is all I'll say because I hate apple, I have a tag in Evernote for things people say are good about Apple which aren't, these are some stats for OS crashes. iOS hasn't been better since 2012.

2012: http://www.technologizer.com/2012/02/06/which-phone-os-crashes-more-its-not-android/#more-54594
2014: http://www.informationweek.com/mobile/mobile-business/android-kitkat-most-stable-mobile-os/d/d-id/1141568

So yeah… iOS is not more stable and doesn't crash less. Experience will tell me that iOS handles crashes differently by telling you everything is OK, just restart, where as Android says a problem occured. Simple psychology makes Android users remember their crashes more often than iOS users because we remember negative things more easily than positive things due to it being evolutionarily beneficial.

December 2007 I worked as an “Apple Technician” fixing Macs, iPhones and iPods… Won't ever touch Apple software because I find it to be the completely wrong way to do things, and the negatives are cleverly hidden by their software engineers. Needless to say I refused to go back for a full time job after helping them with the Christmas rush, second hand stuff sells quite well due to the name.

As an old fogey, the answer is none… I use a cell phone as a phone, and nothing more, so feel no need to invest large amounts of money in something better spent for, oh, my computer :)

Noxvayl
I'll be buying the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact next week, because reasons.

To put the reasons as simply as possible: size (~130x65x12mm is where my sweet spot is), battery life (~12 hours of video playback, best metric I've found to gauge battery life), waterproof (IP55 + IP58).

For me, Sony got the small phone size done the best I've seen; their latest offering is annoying because it sacrifices battery life in talk time and video playback to have a bigger screen, prefer a smaller screen anyway. Z1c ticks the most boxes for me, something I won't like for example is its thinkness; I'm fixing that with a cover though.

You know the Xperia Z3 Compact will be released in 2 weeks right?

If I find a small and light phone with better hardware than my THL A3 (in particular, most RAM), or equivalent hardware but Android 4.4 and up (so it might behave better with the small amount of RAM), then I'll buy it. Otherwise I might go back to a feature phone at one point. I don't like big phones, I just want something for basic communication (only reason I have a smartphone is that this includes Whatsapp these days) that's as easy to ignore as possible.

Happy with current Lumia 920. If there is a good successor to the 1020 then I may be tempted.

My S3 still works so I am not really looking for a new phone at the moment. That said, is there anything out that that provides:

1. MicroSD
2. Removable battery with a market of 3rd party extended battr (Zero Lemon etc.) OR stupidly long battery life out of the box (10+ days standby, 2-3 days of moderate use) OR decent battery life PLUS waterproof?

For me, MicroSD is almost a must, as I never want to worry about storage. Having a very long battery life very handy for short trip outside civilisations.. or longer regular trips where I do not have much time to charge my devices. I might be willing to trade it off some battery life for water resistance however (not that the need to be mutually exclusive) again, because I have been subjects to sudden heavy rain during mountain hikes enough. And by heavy rain, I mean that I was fully soaked before I could even put on my rain shell (that experience damaged two electronic devices I had in my pocket including the phone I had at the time).

I'm thinking about grabbing the Amazon Fire.


But no, in all seriousness, I might actually invest in the iPhone 6 (non Plus). My S3 is getting tired and I don't fancy another Android handset.

Muwatallis
You know the Xperia Z3 Compact will be released in 2 weeks right?

Yes.

My last paragraph directly addresses that by saying: “their latest offering is annoying because it sacrifices battery life in talk time and video playback to have a bigger screen, prefer a smaller screen anyway.” Check the specs, the Z3 Compact has less talk time and video playback which makes a big difference to the battery life you will experience during normal use.

The Z1c has a better package for me. Nothing the Z3c brings to the table can persuade me from spending money on it; what it offers, in addition to the Z1c, is not of value to me.

The Z3 compact has a bigger battery and more efficient SoC so I'm not sure why that'd be - maybe brighter panel? I'd wait until it comes out and for GSM Arena to review it. I find their battery life chart quite accurate from experience.

With Sony's reputation of dropping software support quickly, it'd be worth spending the extra to ensure you get bug fixes for longer - there are often a lot of them with Sony phones.

Plus, project Volta soon to be released which will increase battery life. Im not sure if the Z1c is definitely getting it yet?

iPhone, which one… i haven't decided.

QOTW: Which smartphone will you buy next?

No idea, I'm going to be contrary to the One+/Apple/Samsung crowd and say I bought a LG G3 this year. Assuming LG keep up the software upgrades, then I don't see me changing before 2016-2017 at the earliest, and with the pace of change who can tell what the market will look like then?

I'm probably going to stick with Android, although I could perhaps be persuaded if Microsoft have some spectacular Lumia available. iPhone is a definite no-no because I don't like the restricted choice I'd have (especially the lack of uSD expansion). So as to manufacturers, probably stay with LG or Sony, with HTC a possible third choice, assuming Project Ara goes no-where. I've got a lot of Samsung gear at the moment, but I really don't like Samsung's increasing closed setup - and especially the amount of god-awful bloatware that they see fit to slap on their devices.

Galaxy Note 4 or 5, after the Galaxy Note 1 and 3 there's no other choice of interest…

iPhone 7 maybe. I'm content keeping my 5S for a while.

nothing for a very long time

An iPhone 6 will hopefully be here for me on Friday. I vastly prefer iOS over Android and I'm looking forward to having a slightly bigger screen over my current iPhone 5.

MrRockliffe
The Z3 compact has a bigger battery and more efficient SoC so I'm not sure why that'd be - maybe brighter panel? I'd wait until it comes out and for GSM Arena to review it. I find their battery life chart quite accurate from experience.

With Sony's reputation of dropping software support quickly, it'd be worth spending the extra to ensure you get bug fixes for longer - there are often a lot of them with Sony phones.

Plus, project Volta soon to be released which will increase battery life. Im not sure if the Z1c is definitely getting it yet?

Cyanogenmod… not interested in Sony software, it is generally locked down more than I would like and more vulnerable to bugs due to their approach to development. Their hardware on the other hand is often brilliant so am happy to pay for that.

Battery life figures come directly from Sony (Z1c, Z3c), I can get all day talking out of the Z1c, but not the Z3c, and an extra 2 hours of video playback.

Speaking of depending on my phone; I literally can't wait until after the 20th of September for a phone, I have to have it in my hands before that date otherwise I am functioning with far less capability due to the lack of my essential apps like Google Authenticator, Evernote and LastPass. I have been without my Moto G for over a month now, waiting and searching for the perfect fit to my needs. Nothing on the horizon, or currently in existence, meets my needs better than the Z1c…

My phone before the Moto G was the 808 PureView (currently using that until I buy the Z1c) because it has a removable battery that I replaced with a Mugen Power one; it gives me 8-10 days of normal use on that 3000mAh battery which was very hard to give up and go to a Moto G. I got a cheap phone to test the Android waters and see how the features could improve my life, and since using it for less than a year I now can't do without the apps I have downloaded.

I'm not interested in why or how the Z3c is worse with regards to battery life… The most important thing about a phone is its battery life during use, the second is its size and how it feels in your hands and the last is durability. Everything else can be found in competing products and operating systems so not worth basing my decision on. Those are my preferences, I suspect yours are different…

Phones are not a status symbol to me, they are strictly a tool to get the job done. If no-one knows what phone I have I am not bothered, I spend zero time building or tinkering with my phone and 100% of my time using it. Therefore 100% of my decision is based on usefulness, nothing about aesthetics, technology or bragging rights comes into it; function is king for me and the things that facilitate function are only tangentially important if they manage to improve function which they often don't.

Noxvayl
Cyanogenmod… not interested in Sony software, it is generally locked down more than I would like and more vulnerable to bugs due to their approach to development. Their hardware on the other hand is often brilliant so am happy to pay for that.

Battery life figures come directly from Sony (Z1c, Z3c), I can get all day talking out of the Z1c, but not the Z3c, and an extra 2 hours of video playback.

Speaking of depending on my phone; I literally can't wait until after the 20th of September for a phone, I have to have it in my hands before that date otherwise I am functioning with far less capability due to the lack of my essential apps like Google Authenticator, Evernote and LastPass. I have been without my Moto G for over a month now, waiting and searching for the perfect fit to my needs. Nothing on the horizon, or currently in existence, meets my needs better than the Z1c…

My phone before the Moto G was the 808 PureView (currently using that until I buy the Z1c) because it has a removable battery that I replaced with a Mugen Power one; it gives me 8-10 days of normal use on that 3000mAh battery which was very hard to give up and go to a Moto G. I got a cheap phone to test the Android waters and see how the features could improve my life, and since using it for less than a year I now can't do without the apps I have downloaded.

I'm not interested in why or how the Z3c is worse with regards to battery life… The most important thing about a phone is its battery life during use, the second is its size and how it feels in your hands and the last is durability. Everything else can be found in competing products and operating systems so not worth basing my decision on. Those are my preferences, I suspect yours are different…

Phones are not a status symbol to me, they are strictly a tool to get the job done. If no-one knows what phone I have I am not bothered, I spend zero time building or tinkering with my phone and 100% of my time using it. Therefore 100% of my decision is based on usefulness, nothing about aesthetics, technology or bragging rights comes into it; function is king for me and the things that facilitate function are only tangentially important if they manage to improve function which they often don't.

Cyanogenmod is fine, but there's been no stable release for the phone yet and from experience (Z1 owner - same hardware really) it's really buggy. Things are often crashing and Sony offer, again from experience, the worst customer service I've come across. I don't know your situation so I can't really comment further, all I'm suggesting is that you make sure it's definitely the phone you want. The Z3 compact will more likely be a more refined phone, due to the fact that they've had more phones before it to fix their errors and problems (something which, fair play to them, they seem to have been doing in the last few iterations of the Z line up).

If you want to get the phone, there's a site that offer the Z1c for 270 GBP which is a very good price. I'll PM you it if you wish to buy the phone

There is a lot stuff that cough my eye lately, but in general:

Something x86 based would be nice. If i dont find anything worth buying with x86 then Windows phone(Lumia) seams to be reasonable choice.
The best deal for me would be Windows phone based on x86 chip :D

The Windows prize to the actual “feel” of the phone performance is much better than for Android ones. The iPhones are just too damn expensive, the screen is smaller and some of the features drive me crazy.

The Samsung is a big no-no currently as they forcing to much of their stuff into the phones.

I was happy with the specifications of the Nexus 5 offered on my last upgrade, £22 a month for unlimited data, 100 minutes phone call (which I will almost certainly never use!), unlimited texts and no up front cost. If the phone is still going strong come the end of my contract (something my HTC One X failed to achieve), then I'm inclined to keep it going forwards too.

I got almost a year left on my contract. Cannot wait to see what's out end of next year

Z3 Compact, when the initial high price drops

MrRockliffe
Cyanogenmod is fine, but there's been no stable release for the phone yet and from experience (Z1 owner - same hardware really) it's really buggy. Things are often crashing and Sony offer, again from experience, the worst customer service I've come across. I don't know your situation so I can't really comment further, all I'm suggesting is that you make sure it's definitely the phone you want. The Z3 compact will more likely be a more refined phone, due to the fact that they've had more phones before it to fix their errors and problems (something which, fair play to them, they seem to have been doing in the last few iterations of the Z line up).

If you want to get the phone, there's a site that offer the Z1c for 270 GBP which is a very good price. I'll PM you it if you wish to buy the phone

Cheers, got one for £260 including delivery. It is a good price indeed. To be fair £310-£350 is about worth it for the hardware.

I won't be installing cyanogenmod now, not enough time to fiddle with it. Maybe over Christmas or next summer.

Another Windows Phone. I'm happy with my Lumia 920, but I am looking at replacing it with a phablet, if Microsoft/Nokia release an updated version of the 1520 here in Australia (Telstra only has the 1320 available now, and the 1520 has better specs).

I will prob go for Nokia 930, the little extra screen size will fit my stubby fingers . I had a Lumia 800 then went to Moto G. Nothing on Android out shone the simple but useful UI of WP for me. It is easy for me though I only use about 4 apps alongside the core min,text and data.

Nexus 6 I imagine. My nexus 5 has been the best phone I have owned by a significant advantage so I see no reason to change (although I'd love an SD slot…). I did love my note 1 that it replaced but the nexus just has better software support (Why Samsung still haven't sorted out decent software engineering I don't know).

I'll be going for the Nexus 5 - 2014/6 depending on what they call it, unless they make it massive so you have to have spade-hands to use it, in which case I'll probably pick up a Nexus 5 2013 and run that for a year.

I'm sticking with my S3 until I can see some 64bit android handset reviews. I was recently offered an upgrade due to my contract expiring and the problem is that I really cannot decide what current phone is ideal for me. I'd like one with a metal case, removable battery, micro SD card and slightly waterresistant, but this does not currently exist. Likewise with my existing phone still doing everything I need it to, I decided to not upgrade and to just get a bargain contract and to purchase any new phone outright when it has come down to a reasonable price, thus saving myself a fair amount.

I received my new OnePlus One today! Absolutely fantastic beast of a phone, the display is epic, the speakers are loud and clear, it feels great in the hand, the sandstone black texture is grippy as hell, and I'm happy enough with the capacitive buttons over on-screen (this is selectable btw, I just wanted the extra pixel space), although not as happy with the samsungesque stock function mappings. Hopefully they'll be more configurable soon.

I want a small one, similar to my Galaxy Mini from work. The compact Z1 looks good, because all the ‘flagship’ phones look too big. It will probably be an S5 mini.

Noxvayl
Cheers, got one for £260 including delivery. It is a good price indeed. To be fair £310-£350 is about worth it for the hardware.

I won't be installing cyanogenmod now, not enough time to fiddle with it. Maybe over Christmas or next summer.

Z3c has really good battery life - better than the Z1c by miles http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_z3_compact-review-1135p3.php

Am I the only one who doesn't have a smart phone??

I carry a basic blackberry for work, and also carry a book or a kindle.

I spend up to 16 hours a day in front of a larger screen. I'd rather not look at a smaller one in the momens between big screens thank you very much!

aidanjt
I received my new OnePlus One today! Absolutely fantastic beast of a phone, the display is epic, the speakers are loud and clear, it feels great in the hand, the sandstone black texture is grippy as hell, and I'm happy enough with the capacitive buttons over on-screen (this is selectable btw, I just wanted the extra pixel space), although not as happy with the samsungesque stock function mappings. Hopefully they'll be more configurable soon.

Sounds like an impressive start. If you get chance after a couple of weeks, I'd appreciate you posting up your thoughts on what it's like to live with.

I'm really tempted, but somehow can't help feeling there will be a huge drawback somewhere down the line!

jim
Sounds like an impressive start. If you get chance after a couple of weeks, I'd appreciate you posting up your thoughts on what it's like to live with.

I'm really tempted, but somehow can't help feeling there will be a huge drawback somewhere down the line!

My biggest worry is the software support. Cyanogenmod isn't exactly quick at releasing stable builds for phones..

MrRockliffe
Z3c has really good battery life - better than the Z1c by miles http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_z3_compact-review-1135p3.php

With 4 hours less talk time… Web browsing and video playback seem very good, but I suspect those improvements are software based because the Z1c shouldn't get 4 hours more talk time with the hardware doing the heavy lifting.

For £200 less than the Z3c I am happy with the Z1c, the Z3c posting good battery life results is not unexpected. I suspect the cyanogenmod support to be better for the phone going forward than what Sony usually supply so that should help with Android improvements. I am secretly hoping Ubuntu Phone gets sorted as more than just an app in the near future, because I really like the look of it, would need my apps though…

And can anyone find the Z3c in green? All the reviews suggest it's a colour option, but I can't see it in any of the shops, only other colours.

kalniel
And can anyone find the Z3c in green? All the reviews suggest it's a colour option, but I can't see it in any of the shops, only other colours.

It's mint blue I think they're calling it? Mint something anyway.

Apparently just green on the Sony website http://www.sonymobile.com/gb/products/phones/xperia-z3-compact/#green

Plus, I think talk time might be reduced due to use of plastic over metal.

MrRockliffe
It's mint blue I think they're calling it? Mint something anyway.

I'll call it Cambridge Blue ;)

I'm gonna go with Sony and call it green! Stupid naming schemes like ‘space grey’ - really? It's grey and black!!

Seeing a lot of repeating trends here. Apparently along with a lot of other people, I'm holding out for something with:

The ability to fit into a pocket and be operated one-handed
MicroSD support (although I'd be willing to compromise for >=64GB internal storage)
Android / Windows 8.1; dual-boot would be ideal
Camera (for work). Needs: flash, functioning exposure setting, about half the resolution as it's bound to have.

More or less in order. In the meantime, I'm struggling to refrain from smashing my iPhone 4 against a brick wall; it'd be a fitting end, given that that's more or less been my experience of dealing with it. Similarly, iTunes ought to be eradicated with nuclear fire… or patched (for functionality for once, rather than appearance).

ITunes on Windows needs an overhaul. It's slow buggy and performance is damn terrible, but on Mac I've yet to find a better audio player. Funny that…

D-T
The ability to fit into a pocket and be operated one-handed
MicroSD support (although I'd be willing to compromise for >=64GB internal storage)
Android / Windows 8.1; dual-boot would be ideal
Camera (for work). Needs: flash, functioning exposure setting, about half the resolution as it's bound to have.
.

We're there now aren't we?
Moto G 4G
Sony Z1c/Z3c
Samsung S5 mini
etc

Parents brought me a Turquoise shirt and wondered why I refused to accept the gift, it is a horrible colour they thought was a “nice blue”… How about normal blue, like you see on maps to denote oceans (call it ocean blue). I think my parents are either going colour blind, trying to get me to where colours I dislike or have gone the way of fashionista's in thinking that different is cool… bugger off. Marketing departments have the same level of disdain from me, I've had enough of these “creative” names for things we've named long ago. Every shade of every colour does not need a name…

/rant on colours :)

MrRockliffe
Plus, I think talk time might be reduced due to use of plastic over metal.

How so, not familiar with how the cover will affect battery life with respect to making calls.

Got the Z1c today, apparently Royal Mail have multiple delivery vans coming out to me because I expected my cover to arrive in the same van… oh well. Very happy with the Black phone though, there is some grey on it but it is not from space…

D-T
The ability to fit into a pocket and be operated one-handed
MicroSD support (although I'd be willing to compromise for >=64GB internal storage)
Android / Windows 8.1; dual-boot would be ideal
Camera (for work). Needs: flash, functioning exposure setting, about half the resolution as it's bound to have.

Lumia 830.

kalniel
We're there now aren't we?
Moto G 4G
Sony Z1c/Z3c
Samsung S5 mini
etc

True enough! Apparently I'm a bit behind the game.

I'd seen the new Moto G but the only thing holding me back was the slight disappointment with the disparity between its hardware & features and those of the X, although I suppose the price more than makes up for it. Can't say I'm a huge fan of the design but I'm sure I'd get over it. Dual-sim is a nice touch too.

Can't say I'd seen the Z1c/Z3c before either but they do look great from what I've seen so far. Bit overkill on the camera (and price, accordingly) but certainly tempting; imagine I could probably look into getting one affordably on a similar contract to what I'm on now.

Thanks for pointing those out.

TheAnimus
Lumia 830.

Thanks for pointing that out too! Nice to have a Windows alternative to consider; I'd looked into the 930, seen there was no support for MicroSD and wrongly assumed the same was true of the other x30 models.

I really don't know to be honest. I'm tempted by the next Nexus release, but my current phone (Nexus 5) is doing quite well, and I'm happy with it's performance - so there is really isn't much point getting a new phone this year…unless it's something really special / I lose this one / I sell this one / give it away etc

And with the next version of Android arriving soon, which I'm sure the Nexus 5 will also get, that should give my phone further functionality and interest.

Are you buying the phone outright D-T?

I got my Z1c for £260 (one off business user sale) and MrRockliffe suggested a site he knew to get it for £270 which is a hell of a bargain for the hardware you are getting. The only comparable option with regards to price and performance that I can think of, outside of the Nokia Windows phone already suggested, would be the OnePlus1. I can get you an invite for that if you are interested in it.

We know you need the MicroSD slot, but what are your other preferences with regards to the phone specifications?

Looking at a new work phone right now. Nothing top end needed. Been toying with the idea of a Lumia 630 but the main issue is that at work we're all Googled out with gmail, google drive, etc. Not sure if that would end up feeling like a major battle.

Noxvayl
Parents brought me a Turquoise shirt and wondered why I refused to accept the gift, it is a horrible colour they thought was a “nice blue”… How about normal blue, like you see on maps to denote oceans (call it ocean blue). I think my parents are either going colour blind, trying to get me to where colours I dislike or have gone the way of fashionista's in thinking that different is cool… bugger off. Marketing departments have the same level of disdain from me, I've had enough of these “creative” names for things we've named long ago. Every shade of every colour does not need a name…

/rant on colours :)



How so, not familiar with how the cover will affect battery life with respect to making calls.

Got the Z1c today, apparently Royal Mail have multiple delivery vans coming out to me because I expected my cover to arrive in the same van… oh well. Very happy with the Black phone though, there is some grey on it but it is not from space…

I believe metal has better conductivity than plastic. I've had cases in phones and have seen a slight battery change but it's not dramatic. I imagine the actual housing of the device makes more of a difference. I could be wrong, however. I'm sure I read this somewhere..

MrRockliffe
Apple don't make manufacturer anything in their phones as far as I'm aware. Processors are ARM, screens most likely LG or Sharp. Not too sure on the camera, but unlikely.

The reason Android is ‘insecure’ is because of the nature of the product. It's open source! Apple devices can use less ram because they don't multitask. My mother has an iPad, and say I have safari open, if I go to the home screen and then open safari again, even though the picture of what I was on is there it's unresponsive for a second+. This is because they don't multi task like android does. The reason there are more crashes is because there are numerous hardware configurations and thus it takes longer for manufacturers to bring out a stable release of their skin. Having said that, Apple have had a few software bugs, including the signal on either 4 or 4S, Bluetooth and WiFi stops working on the 4S, 3/4G doesn't connect when leaving a wifi signal (example, driving away from home) and requires a reboot of the phone. The Nexus range of phones offer great performance (on par with and recently better than iOS) and software is great. OS X is one of the most insecure operating systems due to Apple telling people previously they didn't need anti virus. This isn't the case and won't be with iOS shortly. I don't have any security issues with my phone because I don't root it and I use it as it's intended to be used - as a phone. Apple are soon to start losing money - their business model is terrible now that jobs has gone. How can they be an innovative company like they once were when they spend their entire time playing catchup?

Processors although ARM based the SOC is very much an in house design. I work in cyber defence and can tell you osx is one of the most secure os out there and yes whilst android is open source the attitude to security and fixing bugs has been poor. The sheer number of android exploits available is staggering.

I also stated that the reason it crashes so often is the number of configurations it runs on. Now Microsoft has its own phone Manufacturing arm so thus can control the user experience in its entirety googles approach has very much become the old Microsoft Windows method.

The next big threat is China. If any of the huge phone manufacturing companies develop and push their own OS it would game over for Android which has a very small loyalty base anywhere.

Noxvayl
This is all I'll say because I hate apple, I have a tag in Evernote for things people say are good about Apple which aren't, these are some stats for OS crashes. iOS hasn't been better since 2012.

2012: http://www.technologizer.com/2012/02/06/which-phone-os-crashes-more-its-not-android/#more-54594
2014: http://www.informationweek.com/mobile/mobile-business/android-kitkat-most-stable-mobile-os/d/d-id/1141568

So yeah… iOS is not more stable and doesn't crash less. Experience will tell me that iOS handles crashes differently by telling you everything is OK, just restart, where as Android says a problem occured. Simple psychology makes Android users remember their crashes more often than iOS users because we remember negative things more easily than positive things due to it being evolutionarily beneficial.

December 2007 I worked as an “Apple Technician” fixing Macs, iPhones and iPods… Won't ever touch Apple software because I find it to be the completely wrong way to do things, and the negatives are cleverly hidden by their software engineers. Needless to say I refused to go back for a full time job after helping them with the Christmas rush, second hand stuff sells quite well due to the name.

Androids biggest problem is updates. Android users don't update as often or often the updates aren't released to them. Over 80% of Ios users will be on the latest version.

I wouldn't boast about being an Apple “technician”… There's about as much technical knowledge there as that possessed by my labrador. Glad you didn't decide to stay on. :)

You underestimate the general public. People have been forced to switch to Android due to the cost of Apple iPhone - people won't want to switch again to another OS. People have become accustomed to using android and/or ios (still many people that don't know windows phone exists) - they won't want to switch to something they've never heard of. My father is a good example. He went with a Panasonic TV even though there are other brands that offer as capable (or better) TVs than them, such as finlux however since he's never heard of them, refused to buy one. The same reason people don't use Linux. It may be better, but people don't like trying new technology, yet.*

*I'm not saying Linux is new, just a general point.

The iphone 6 was very disappointing. Small battery, small screen to body ratio, camera bump and 16GB starter version with no microsd. Need I say more?

The Xperia Z3 compact stands out from the recent crop of phones.

walibe
Androids biggest problem is updates. Android users don't update as often or often the updates aren't released to them. Over 80% of Ios users will be on the latest version.

I wouldn't boast about being an Apple “technician”… There's about as much technical knowledge there as that possessed by my labrador. Glad you didn't decide to stay on. :)

Not boasting… it was an experience that informs my opinion of Apple software so it was included as background information. Same as your security background informs your opinion of mobile OS security.

Looking at the last 3 versions of iOS and Android tells a different story to what you have painted with regards to software crashes; "Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, and KitKat, which have crash rates of 0.7%“ is an extremely low number of crashes for an OS that crashes more often than iOS… iOS on the other hand has more than double that crash rate, ”The best-performing version of iOS is the most recent, iOS 7.1, which has a crash rate of 1.6%. It offers improved performance over iOS 7.0 (2.1%)". So while I accept your point about security, that has little to do with the experience a user has with the phone in terms of it failing to do what they want it to when apps crash. Older OS releases from 2012 and before show the same stats, iOS is just as bad, sometimes worse, than Android when it comes to users experiencing downtime with their apps.

I accept that your experience in security may well give you some inside knowledge of security holes in software we use, but that has little to do with software crashes from what I have learnt about software development and the information I have read on the respective OSes crash rates. Sure, updates make a significant difference to software security but the stats don't give the same trend with regards to software crashes. Sometimes a new OS release will crash more because apps have not found all the incompatibilities in their code yet, or the OS itself has some issues from new features.

Having the newest OS does help with security, on the whole, so I agree with you there. I completely disagree that iOS is a more stable OS compared to Android though, that comes from experience and studies done that I have found.

I agree with MrRockliffe about the general public and their unwillingness to change. I don't know many people above the age of forty that are still willing to learn and adapt to new things, especially when it comes to technology. It is rare to find people from that generation who are willing to have a flexible point of view, of course this forum is an exception (just incase Saracen appears in a puff of smoke). Fixed mindsets are more likely the older you become, humans are creatures of habit; as habits show themselves to be useful we tend to guard those habits and resist change, that is true of using technology as well.

I have a cousin in law that has yet to use a smartphone because he sees no point in doing so, his computer does everything he needs it to. He hasn't gotten to 40 yet and is already in a fixed mindset with regards to mobile technology. I am set in my ways as well, I have routines I like to keep. No-one is immune from it, but I think your mobile phone is a case where people are most likely to want to keep things familiar; once you have gotten used to one way of doing things the loss of your familiarity becomes a significant negative point against trying something else.

Noxvayl
Are you buying the phone outright D-T?

I got my Z1c for £260 (one off business user sale) and MrRockliffe suggested a site he knew to get it for £270 which is a hell of a bargain for the hardware you are getting. The only comparable option with regards to price and performance that I can think of, outside of the Nokia Windows phone already suggested, would be the OnePlus1. I can get you an invite for that if you are interested in it.

We know you need the MicroSD slot, but what are your other preferences with regards to the phone specifications?

It's possible but more likely as part of a contract deal, to be honest. The company policy at work is due to be renewed soon and (I'm hoping) there could be an upgrade on the cards.

Thanks for the offer but I think the OnePlus1 is a bit big for what I need; I quite often find myself precariously balanced at work trying to take photos over a ledge of some sort and prefer something small I can get a good grip on with one hand (whilst still being able to take the photo).

If the hopes for an upgrade fall through I might have to look into that deal, cheers for the suggestion!

Other than MicroSD, I'd like:

Decent performance/hardware (particularly SoC & RAM)
Good flash & exposure setting on the camera
High resolution display
Dual-Sim
Nice design

Any other features as a bonus. Motorola's Active Display is a nice touch. I like that the Xperias are waterproof too.

Noxvayl
I have a cousin in law that has yet to use a smartphone because he sees no point in doing so, his computer does everything he needs it to. He hasn't gotten to 40 yet and is already in a fixed mindset with regards to mobile technology. I am set in my ways as well, I have routines I like to keep. No-one is immune from it, but I think your mobile phone is a case where people are most likely to want to keep things familiar; once you have gotten used to one way of doing things the loss of your familiarity becomes a significant negative point against trying something else.

*shrugs* I still don't have a smart phone - I'm not against considering one obviously, and have my eye on the Z3c. But I have managed until now without one so there is always the question of whether it's worth it. I do have an old ipod touch which was far cheaper than a phone and I've found wifi to be prevalent enough for my current needs. So I guess I'm not actually coming at it from a ‘used to X’ stand point (unless you consider iOS, which I'd be quite happy to move away from). I quite like the windows phone OS to be honest, probably my favourite. Just need the hardware to match.

ooh yes, a Z3c with windows please. Not that Sony & MS would ever get in bed, but I can dream.

Noxvayl
I don't know many people above the age of forty that are still willing to learn and adapt to new things

It's not that we don't adapt it's that we're not immediately removed of our money as soon as the next shiny, shiny comes along like you young whippersnappers. :)

Some of it isn't down to adpating to new things, it can be down to not adapting when there is no need. The whole upgrading things every year or two is wasteful of both resources, money and sense if what you currently have serves the purpose you need.

D-T
It's possible but more likely as part of a contract deal, to be honest. The company policy at work is due to be renewed soon and (I'm hoping) there could be an upgrade on the cards.

Thanks for the offer but I think the OnePlus1 is a bit big for what I need; I quite often find myself precariously balanced at work trying to take photos over a ledge of some sort and prefer something small I can get a good grip on with one hand (whilst still being able to take the photo).

If the hopes for an upgrade fall through I might have to look into that deal, cheers for the suggestion!

Other than MicroSD, I'd like:

Decent performance/hardware (particularly SoC & RAM)
Good flash & exposure setting on the camera
High resolution display
Dual-Sim
Nice design

Any other features as a bonus. Motorola's Active Display is a nice touch. I like that the Xperias are waterproof too.

HTC one e8 is an interesting phone, not sure if it's too big, however. It's a lighter version of the One M8 with a better camera and dual sim capability (at least the Chinese version, I believe). It's not often you can find frankenstein phone such as this on contract. For that reason you'll most likely have to buy one from the Internet.

MrRockliffe
You underestimate the general public. People have been forced to switch to Android due to the cost of Apple iPhone - people won't want to switch again to another OS. People have become accustomed to using android and/or ios (still many people that don't know windows phone exists) - they won't want to switch to something they've never heard of. My father is a good example. He went with a Panasonic TV even though there are other brands that offer as capable (or better) TVs than them, such as finlux however since he's never heard of them, refused to buy one. The same reason people don't use Linux. It may be better, but people don't like trying new technology, yet.*

*I'm not saying Linux is new, just a general point.

Linux was never a main stream product and it's has never been advertised or sold as such. It's close cousins in the form of ios and android show that it is possible to draw users away from windows based products.

Brand loyalty - users in the older age group will not necessarily realise they are using an ios or android product. Their brand loyalty will be to the hardware manufacture such as samsung or apple with non apple products the brand loyalty is low,the users are looking for different things and as pointed out, cost is probably one of the bigger ones.

As said I said, the phone other than the recent 6 plus I'm I tested in is the oneplusone. Samsung has been desperate to go after apple but in reality it's these low cost high value manufactures which will and have taken samungs market and as has already been seen, their profits.

For the price, right now there is no better phone than the oneplusone. It's also not crashing as often as some of the other android phones I've used, it's pretty damned reliable. For android users I'd recommend it. Windows phones however are really starting to improve and it will be really interesting to see what Microsofts first 100% microsoft produced phones yield. If the surface pro 3 is anything to go by, they could be very good indeed.

You can state whether a phone is best based on your opinion and facts alone. To many people on here, the screen is too big - this may mean that it's worthless to some, no matter the cost : performance.

Older people do know the difference - at least people I've come into contact with. They're aware it's android because of advertising and marketing, as well as the fact it says is many places (on the box for the phone, description on website etc). Once people become familiar with an OS they tend to stick with it. This causes a problem for Android due to the many skins manufacturers have.

Linux isn't a main stream product because it couldn't be. It doesn't have app support for what people know.

walibe
Brand loyalty - users in the older age group will not necessarily realise they are using an ios or android product.

Ok I'll bite, what exactly is ‘older’ in this context?

Seriously, older people may not realise if they're using android or ios? What a load of crap, some of us know the difference between those more than some of the young whippersnappers know there's a difference between their arse and their elbow.

Now, where's my nurse, I need the toilet.

@ kalniel

Not everyone has that sort of mindset though, and of course I was generalising so would not be accurate on a person by person basis. The point of people having inflexible attitudes to certain things is still something I find with regards to people I know and it comes, mostly, from the culture people are brought up in (the 90s is a different culture to now for example) and how school helped develop people at an impressionable age.

The example of my cousin-in-law is something I brought up because in many other respects he would happily try something new, but with regards to phones his mind has already been made up and he will no longer reconsider that choice. It is set in stone so to speak, decision made, which is a way of thinking that I find is very common in past generations (growing up, 6+ years old, in the 80s or before); to me, the mindset is a key part of whether people will consider better things as beneficial or not because we can place too much importance on not changing the status quo.

@MrRockliffe & @walibe

You can only talk about phones as a subjective piece of equipment, despite a device having the same specifications people will value them differently and thus have different outcomes based on analysing the same information. A key example of the subjective nature of phones is how some people value bigger screens more than battery life, it baffles me because it doesn't matter how nice a screen is when it is off so battery life is more important than anything else on a phone for me. What isn't subjective though is how stable the respective OSes are or how secure they are because those are things we can remove the human subjective preference from, everyone prefers a phone that doesn't crash and one that is less likely to be hacked (screen size doesn't have the same level of agreement on what is better); with everyone in agreement over what is beneficial we can then use objective measures to find out if one OS is better than another through the stats of using the respective OSes.

Based on experience and studies I find walibe to be wrong in his assertion that iOS is more stable than Android. With regards to security I am reluctant to comment because I haven't read as much, it matters little to me in comparison to stability. I try to make sure that my idea of stability isn't influenced by security though, they aren't interdependent things; I like to point out the difference and also make sure people saying something about Apple products I find to be misleading are not left unchallenged, hence my post about iOS not being more stable.

The OnePlus1 is a good example of how a different approach to the market is yielding some interesting results. I don't like the different skins manufacturers put onto Android, I much prefer it as skin free as possible to help make the experience consistent. At the moment your experience on HTC is different from Samsung and different again on Sony. That is a major reason I am hoping Ubuntu Phone works out well and why I want to try cyanogenmod because both those options should be more consistent in their experiences regardless of phone manufacturer.

walibe
Samsung has been desperate to go after apple but in reality it's these low cost high value manufactures which will and have taken samungs market and as has already been seen, their profits.

As an ex-Samsung owner I'm going to disagree with this statement vehemently. Yes, sure, excellent devices like the Moto G have (rightly imho) sucked market share away from the sub-GalaxyS lines. But to say that a Moto G is taking chunks out of the GalaxyS' market share is something I'd need some convincing. More correct perhaps to say that other high end devices have hit Samsung, after they got complacent (copying Apple again). And maybe I'd even include the vapourware OnePlus1 in that group (vapourware as far as I'm concerned because of it's flip/flop attitude to sales).

Small point in closing. At the time when Samsung announced major fall in mobile profits, LG announced that they'd made a substantial profit increase for the first time in a while (previously done at a loss). I know of at least one case where someone's eschewed going to the latest GalaxyS and switched to an LG “G” phone instead.

adidan
Ok I'll bite, what exactly is ‘older’ in this context? Seriously, older people may not realise if they're using android or ios? What a load of crap, some of us know the difference between those more than some of the young whippersnappers know there's a difference between their arse and their elbow.
Now, where's my nurse, I need the toilet.

+1 on this. Actually I've heard, and had, conversations where a phone has been chosen purely because “can I snapchat* on this?” - so totally ignoring any “religious” considerations of iOS v's Android v's Windows. And I remember hearing one teener choosing her Samsung phone because there were “nicer” cases available for it rather than iPhone5.
:wallbash:

(* substitute app du jour as needed)

crossy
+1 on this. Actually I've heard, and had, conversations where a phone has been chosen purely because “can I snapchat* on this?” - so totally ignoring any “religious” considerations of iOS v's Android v's Windows. And I remember hearing one teener choosing her Samsung phone because there were “nicer” cases available for it rather than iPhone5.
:wallbash:

(* substitute app du jour as needed)

Well, we can't all make decisions with the same preferences, although I agree with your wallbash :)

The initial reason for buying something is often ignored when the next item doing the same thing is purchased, either because you have new preferences after using the phone or because loosing the functionality provided by that particular manufacturer becomes a hindrance to your use of the phone. Your examples sound like initial choices that would likely become more in depth (even if that is to add apps and case options together) when the next phone is purchased.

We can't ignore the “cool” factor when purchasing something. Lots of people think the things you own help you become cool, which I find crazy. It happens though and marketing makes a massive difference to sales, mainly due to product perception in my view. I'd be surprised if the majority of Android users understood the difference between it and iOS, other than the store and how they look which are obvious.

seems like since the death of Jobs Apple is just playing a catch up game. Only Apple fans would be waiting to purchase a year old tech today. yes they have good products but very restrictive especially connectivity with non Apple devices is little or none existence. iOS come on still mainly based with icon is so 2010 you need more widgets.

Im for one would never line up to purchase a gadget let alone days for a phone.

I hope I'll be able to afford the upcoming Nexus device otherwise I'll go with a mid ranged HTC Desire 820/EYE

Been looking into streaming options for my PC (for games), home NAS & server project (for films & music) and phone (for convenience) this last week; I've come away with Intel WiDi or, more likely, Miracast streaming support added onto the feature wishlist for my next phone. It staggers me how little we're seeing in the way of video output - physical or wireless - on today's smartphones, especially given that we're seeing native display resolutions of 1080p and the ability to take photos and video at up to 4K.

I thought I was pretty much settled on the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact at this point but now that I've seen reports that Miracast streaming prohibits any other simultaneous use of the WiFi, it looks like it's back to the drawing board.

Well, said I'd go from my ATIV S to the HTC One (M8) for Windows, but might actually leave the WP boat for Android.

Mostly due to a couple factors: lack of interesting apps, as well as lack of will from devs to keep their apps on par with their iOS and Android counterparts. Another factor is the lack of decent high-end apparatus, like LG G Pro 2, Galaxy Note 4, etc. Final factor is the complicated updating, which brings me to my biggest gripe: promised update to WP 8.1 on ATIV S, still nothing seen, whilst close to all Lumias capable to run it have gotten first iteration.

Now that Android Lollipop is out, I will wait for the LG G Pro 3, Note 5, etc. with 64–bit SoCs and jump boat.

I've just ordered my Moto X (2014)(2nd Gen), should be coming by 5th Nov. I hope the delay is because they're putting Lollipop on it, cos that seems a long time to wait, considering they e-mailed me to say they were assembling it about 4 hours after I ordered it…

It won't be an iPhone.

Will see what the new Blackberry is like first.