Android

What phone are you using? Galaxy S23 Ultra 512GB

Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities? Really happy with it. Got it recently. I love the battery, the screen quality, the camera quality, the speed.

I don't like that the image editing sometimes grabs a different image than the one captured, but it's only when zoomed.

Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot? I had the S5, S7, S10+, I tried out the iPhone 11 and went back to the S23U.

I liked the S10+ best, and S5 least because it heated and died overnight lol.

How often do you upgrade to a new phone? Not that often. Usually 3-4 years?

What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc. None. The ecosystem is pretty garbage honestly. I have Airpods, and an Amazefit watch with notify firmware.

Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.) I use Windows for gaming, MacOS for laptop, Airpods for headphones. The right tool for the job makes all the difference. :)

What phone are you using? Pixel 7 Pro Hazel

Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities? Happy so far but I've only had it for two days! Best qualities are definitely battery life, camera and control I get with an Android phone.

Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot? iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro Max, S21 Ultra, iPhone 11, iPhone XR, Pixel 3XL Pixel 2XL, Pixel.

Best: iPhone 12 Pro Max and Pixel 3XL Worst: iPhone 12 Mini and S21 Ultra

How often do you upgrade to a new phone? I used to upgrade very 6mo - 1yr because I had a connection. The iPhone 12 mini was the first time in a long time that I went a complete two years before upgrading.

What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc. None

Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.) I'm using Airpod Pros simply because I don't want to pay for another pair of buds but wouldn't mind if I got the Pixel Bud Pros as a gift or something.

Edit: Added the best and worst phone experiences

OnePlus 6T

It's been around for a while now but it's still got decently strong specs for a phone even by today's standards. Normally replace phones every 3 years but I've had my 6T for 4 so far and it's still a brilliant phone, easily the best I've owned. Only thing I dislike about it is the lack of a micro SD slot

Not really a fan of iPhones tbh I think they're very overpriced for what they offer in comparison to Android. I do use an iPad pro, but that's about it for my iOS usage. I run Windows on PC plus Windows and Ubuntu on my work laptop

What phone are you using? Motorola Edge

Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities? I love it! None of the Motorala apps are aggressively integrated and launching by themselves, and they are actually useful.

I am not sold on curved screen. I use a case so I don't really benefit from it. Some apps extend inro the curve and get awkward to use.

Just a clean Android experience.

Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot? Before I was using Samsungs. The earlier ones were solid but they eventually become unusably bloated and hostile with their own apps. It advertised to me the way Microsoft Windows does, which I hate.

Had some iPhones. Nothing to complain about. It used to feel limited compared to the tweakability of Android, but I am not much of a power user. Plus, I actually buy stuff from the iOS App store, the quality is better, and I trust Apple infinitely more than Google.

Best phone I ever had was a Blackberry. I adored that thing. I miss physical Qwerty keyboards. I would give up my large high rese screen to get that back.

Blackberries were as tweakable as Androids too!

How often do you upgrade to a new phone? I try to keep my phone as long as possible. Phone technology is not progressing like it used to, it is all slabs of metal, glass, and plastic. I don't take a lot of pictures, so the camera is not a concern.

What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite. Felt it was the most economical option for a good Android tablet at the time. I like it. It has Dex which I only used once... gonna try it out again.

Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.) Got a few Apple iPads, the best being the iPad Pro. The big screen is gorgeous and nothing beats reading PDFs on it, especially text books. I also bought like every synth on the App Store, which is still a FRACTION of the price for a single analog synth, even a cheapo Behringer clone.

Pixel 7. For the most part, it works great. Just a few minor issues, which may just be Nova Launcher, and not the phone. I've used Android, iPhone and even Windows phone over the past 14 years - but always come back to Android. I have a Macbook Air, Apple Watch, and iPad mini but haven't used any of them for months. Currently running Debian on a ThinkPad, and sporting a Pixel watch.

I am using a Samsung s21. Have had mostly Motorola and Sony phones. Always regretted my Samsung phones everytime I bought it. I regret this one too... But I will use it till it die and then see what's in the market. Why I dislike Samsung is because they have always forced me to use one or more apps like bixby... I can't uninstall that thing had to map the usual shortcut for screen shot to turn off (it was Bixby) and use a toolbar to take screenshots... I have had it for over 2 years now so I am used to it. But still dislikes it, because it is a workaround/compromise. But I am curious person so that is why I will most likely in the far future buy one again. Motorola has always been great but big and/or heavy.

I have never owned any apple products. Phone, tablet and watch is Android only

I'm using a Poco F3, running MIUI 14 (Android 13) debloated but I might install crDroid on it someday.

I previously used a Honor 6X with LineageOS 14.1 for 4½ years, before that I used a Lumia 735.

Pixel 6 Pro. Got it at release to replace my Pixel 3a XL. I have pixel buds Pro to go with it and a garmin watch. Prior to my Pixels I had Honor View 10, LG G2, Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy S2, Taco Lite.

I do have an iPad Pro 10.5 (2017) which I primarily use for video calls.

I imagine my next phone will be a Pixel again because I've come to appreciate much of the features. I do have to use a 3rd party launcher (microsoft launcher) because I hate google search being forcibly baked in and the news page being much worse than Microsoft Launcher's news or 'at a glance' pages

Samsung S20 FE. Does everything I need, have owned it for two years and fully expect it to last at least two more. I have the less efficient Exynos model, but it's more than enough for me. I partly chose it because it was among the most accessible options with a 120Hz display back then and I don't regret it. Samsung software can be annoying, but I'm used to it.

I hear people recommend Pixels a lot, and I think I'd have one if they sold them where I live.

I've only had a handful of phones ever, I usually only switch when it becomes unusably slow, or dies, or gets stolen.

I also have an iPhone XS that I like a lot. I think it was pretty unpopular when it came out because of the price and for being too similar to the X, but I bought mine when it was already a few years old. Maining more than one device means I'm constantly missing something about the other platform, it helps keeping an open mind.

Long time BlackBerry user here, now on a Samsung Galaxy Fold Z3, skipping a gen or two, as I just got my Z3 refurbished and I like the thing. Only bad thing I could say about it is its battery life, which isn't spectacular.

I'm very happy with the Fold, because I'm a heavy reader, and really dislike the slab format. The BlackBerry Passport was my previous favourite phone ever, and I thought phones couldn't realistically be bigger and still comfortable to use.

My best phone was an unsung hero that I used between the Passport and the Fold, just because of how reliable it was (and is) -- the Pocophone F2 Pro. Great camera it had at the time, too. I used it while I was getting my Fold refurbished and it was still a pleasure to use.

I upgrade only when the phone starts to show its age, mostly because of reduced battery life, as in terms of performance it's hard to ascertain, taking into account my usage is mostly office-type, text and news consumption. My phones are notification and messaging machines, with email + calendar being very important parts of it.

I'm also carrying a Galaxy Wear 5 smartwatch, which I got on a huge discount (~160 EUR), and that's it. Rest of my stuff is all Linux (desktop, laptop), apart from a Kindle Scribe which replaced a reMarkable 1.

I also have a Pixelbook i5, which is a great little ChromeOS portable machine, but showing its age in terms of CPU power and battery life. No Apple products unless I'm forced to.

LG G8, brought it for cheap and it's being the perfect phone for me. It has a high output high fidelity headphone jack and external μSD slot which is something very valuable for me. Cameras are showing signs of age and the display is 60Hz only but it's running strong and is plenty fast for my usage. Next phone will probably be a Xperia, but they're still quite expensive on the second hand market.

It's the first time I write here on Lemmy, so I hope I'll do that right

What phone are you using? Are you happy with it? What are its best and worst qualities?

I'm currently on a Galaxy S21+ (Exynos version). I really like it. It's really fast, the battery until now has been great, the camera shots amazing photos (even if it's not the Ultra) and I love the integration with OneDrive, since I already have a subscription for Office. I had some issues a month ago where it randomly restarted, however they should have been fixed with the latest update. I would love if Samsung maybe spent some time optimizing and polishing their UI.

Which phones have you had previously? Which were the best and worst of the lot?

First of all, I had a Windows Phone. It was a really cheap Nokia Lumia, but I loved it. It was still fast for its price, the UI was beautiful, and it just worked. Unfortunately there weren't many apps, but I still managed to do whatever I needed. Then, with the decline of Windows 10 Mobile, I switched to Android. I firstly had an horrible Wiko phone (idk if they sell those anymore or if they ever sold them in the US, they were laggy and full of bloatware) and then an LG Q6 that worked just like I could expect from a Snapdragon 430. The camera was fine, nothing exceptional but I couldn't expect something incredible from a phone bought at 160 euros. Then I decided to switch to Samsung, with a Galaxy S10 Lite. I loved it. By buying it, Samsung gifted their Galaxy Buds+, that are really awesome and I still use them today. The camera was really great, the SoC was really great and I really liked the UI. Probably the One UI 2.5 was the best One UI imo. At the end of 2021 I switched to a Galaxy S21+. There wasn't a big difference, but it felt more polished in every aspect. The camera was better, the performances were better etc.

How often do you upgrade to a new phone?

I have upgraded my phone every two years. However, I would like to keep my current S21+ for more time. It's really great, and I don't feel the necessity to change it.

What other Android ecosystem devices do you have? Watches, headphones/earbuds, etc.

I have the Galaxy Buds+ for wireless earbuds, and I really like them. I also have an old Samsung Watch (still with the Tizen OS), but, since I use it to track some activity and to read notification, I'll keep it as long as the battery is great. It works just fine for me.

Do you also use any Apple products, or are you Android all the way? (And/or Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, etc.)

I have recently switched to a MacBook due to their ARM SoC. I think that the most difficult think was getting used to the Mac way of doing things, and especially the shortcuts. However, I didn't feel that I was getting trapped on using Apple products, just like I read on other ~~Subreddits~~ channels (idk how they're called). Maybe it's because in Europe we use WhatsApp for messages and we basically never use the default apps, but I just installed the third-party apps we used and they worked great both on my old Windows laptop and on my new MacBook

Galaxy S10e. I love the small size of it and the fact that it still has a microSD slot and headphone jack. Its starting to show its age when it comes to battery life and the USB C port not working as good.

I like the Samsung android software with the customization that you get with Good Lock so I will probably stick with Samsung flagship for my next phone. The biggest thing I dislike with Samsung is the amount of bloatware they ship, the out of box experience is terrible and I usually have to spend a day researching what apps to disable with adb to get the phone usable. I will probably upgrade to an S23 next year. I usually buy my phones used when the model has been out for about a year. At a year old its still new enough to have plenty of support left, but its no longer the current model so it sells for less. Its a better value IMO then buying a new mid range phone, especially as there isn't as much advancement year to year in hardware these days. A year old flagship will have better cameras than a new mid range phone typically.

Been using a pixel 5 for a couple of years now but damaged the screen under the glass a couple weeks ago.

Thinking of upgrading to a pixel 7. Other than the camera set up is there much difference between the 7 and 7 pro?

Currently using a Z Fold 4. Got it specifically for reading books and manga and I'm LOVING it. The big screen is amazing!

OnePlus 9 5G. Prior that, OnePlus 7T, OnePlus 3, and three BlackBerry OS phones.

Pixel 5a with CalyxOS. Battery life is absolutely insane, probably because it's de-googled. Solid 2-day phone. Plus, has a headphone jack.

Previously had a Nexus 5 and Oneplus 3 with LineageOS. I held onto that OP3 until Lineage dropped support, so nearly 6 years, and plan to do the same with my 5a+Calyx.

Have the earbuds that come with Samsung phones (plus Sennheiser HD598s for when I really want to listen to something), and own no apple devices. Have a linux gaming desktop (Pop!_OS) with KDE connect, which is awesome, and a Steam Deck. Used to have a smartwatch, but didn't get enough use out of it to justify buying a new one.

Asus ROG Phone 5. Damn powerful, perfectly shaped for movies, I can play Wii and PS2 games!

Nokia 6.1 from 2018

Very good built quality, battery life and software updates. Not so good camera.

I previously owned a Sony Xperia M7 Aqua.

Upgrading cycle is basically when is needed - that means when they break, battery dies and cannot be replaced, OS becomes deprecated, etc.

The phone is the only Android device I use.

Not an Apple fanboy here: too overpriced for what they are offering and I don't get any value from showing off some logo.

The rest of my universe is built around Windows , Linux and some embedded applications.

iPhone 14 Pro I’m happy with it. Best features (in my opinion) are the cameras and screen quality. Worst qualities are probably the locked down nature of iOS, the outdated lightning port, and it’s a little heavier than I would like. I always had Android phones before my first iPhone which was a Xr. They were usually budget phones and they always had issues from being slow, bad cameras, low res screens, etc. Since switching to the iPhone Xr I’ve been upgrading every two years, sometimes every year depending on if I really like the newest model. My only other Android devices are a few tablets. Other Apple devices I own include Apple Watch Series 5, AirPods Pro 2nd gen, and MacBook Pro M1 14”.

Huawei P20 Lite, stuck on Android 9 (yeah, I need to change that someday).

For.. idk.. 5 years maybe? Before that, I had an.. IPhone 3, I think?

No watches, headphones, earbuds.

I'm using a pixel 4a 5g, before that it was a pixel xl, before that a nexus 5x, before that IDK some dirt cheap Samsung smart phone running 4.0, but before that was an LG env3.

I usually update once the phone I'm using starts dying or is broken.

I dig my current phone but the camera is different in some noticeable ways around trees when the sky is really clear and blue. They get kind of like little halo thing going on.

Personally I'm thinking about upgrading to the newer Pixel 7A, but I really can't justify it when my current phone still works.

Basically all I go for is camera on a phone and a big enough screen to read ebooks comfortably.

Asus Zenfone 6 and xiaomi K20 pro premium because I don't use front camera.