Where next for high end mobiles?

[wiggy001]

Otispunkmeyer said:

BlackLabel said:

Where do folks think the screen size of phones will settle down at? They're getting bigger and bigger - at one point 5.5 inch devices used to be known as 'phablets' however now that size is the norm for a lot of phones.

I do think we'll see them stop getting bigger, at least in the 16:9 set up. The newer phones seem to be going for screens that much taller, so the width stays nice for the hand but they achieve more screen by making it longer. LG G6 and S8 are doing this and it makes reaching across the screen a bit nicer.

Agreed, especially as Apple are supposedly dropping to iPad Mini so the gap between phone and tablet will be bigger again (in the Apple device lineup at least).

I think a lot are missing the obvious when talking about the next big thing. In the short the medium term phones will simply evolve rather than make massive leaps. Batteries will get better, processors faster, identification technology will evolve from PINs and Fingerprint to facial/iris/voice recognition becoming more commonplace.

The big change is that we will start to notice are the integrations between our phones and the rest of our lives. It's mainly the geeks that use their phone to control their Sky box, lights, alarm etc but the Internet of Things is growing at a rapid rate and these things are becoming more and more the norm. I remember seeing a few years ago how someone wrote a proxy server for Siri so they could use Siri for home automation using their own commands. Siri et al now do home automation without the geekery. Internet connected devices are becoming more and more common (Nest/Hive etc) so as the usage increases, the technology improves and the price comes down, buying internet connected stuff will become the norm. And they of course will be connected to and controlled by your phone.

For a few years now we've seen a move away from phone calls and text messages to VOIP/Video Calling/Instant Messengers and I think this move will continue. I wonder how long it will be before mobile phones stop being capable of traditional calls and sms? We are some way off but it will happen when always-on high-speed internet is viable for all.

I've been hearing about VR being the next big thing since I used to watch tomorrow's world. I just don't see it becoming mainstream because I can't see a use for it except for gaming. I see AR going the way of 3DTV to be honest.

AR has a lot of practical uses but not enough for it to be considered "mainstream" imho.

[clonmult]

leglessAlex said:

V8covin said:

GrizzlyBear said:

Decent battery life - With you 100%.
Not smashing when you drop it. - Awesome, definitely needed
Lower prices. - That is just pie in the sky, you may as well ask for built in light sabre! Now there is an idea, a phone with a light sabre…

A budget,mid range phone can already deliver all you ask ,if you choose wisely, so why pay the extra for a high end phone ?
Or are you saying high end phones actually aren't as good as budget ones lol

Camera.

At least, that's why I spent what's probably too much money on a Pixel XL. Camera performance is something you just don't get with the mid range phones.

Ah, so you bought into the marketing. In reality, the Pixel XL is no better than a Lumia 950, or even the Lumia 930 (and probably worse than both). The only place where the Pixel XL did good is in the DXO reviews - and as DXO are able to give good reviews to crappy phone cameras (ie. Sony Z5) and give average reviews to good phone cameras (Nokia 808 & 1020).

Overall thee days "high end" is generally a waste of time. There is little substantial to differentiate between a high end and mid-range phone. And quite often some entry level phones at around the £100-150 mark can make you question spending more.

[leglessAlex]

clonmult said:

Ah, so you bought into the marketing. In reality, the Pixel XL is no better than a Lumia 950, or even the Lumia 930 (and probably worse than both). The only place where the Pixel XL did good is in the DXO reviews - and as DXO are able to give good reviews to crappy phone cameras (ie. Sony Z5) and give average reviews to good phone cameras (Nokia 808 & 1020).

Overall thee days "high end" is generally a waste of time. There is little substantial to differentiate between a high end and mid-range phone. And quite often some entry level phones at around the £100-150 mark can make you question spending more.

The Lumia phones are indeed excellent, but they're Windows and I'm not willing to put up with the compromises I'd have to make to use Windows Phone instead of Android, so I don't see it as a like for like comparison.

I haven't come across a mid range Android phone that can compare to the likes of the Pixel or S7/S8 in picture quality, and while it's true a high DXO score doesn't necessarily translate into a good everyday result, in the Pixel I think it does.

[GrizzlyBear]

Digger said:

I have a mint 6310i if anyone wants one?!

Ahh 6310i you say..

They have a blue lit screen if I remember correctly? not as awesomely fantastic as the green lit screen 6210, but nice bit of retro.

Is it still locked to Orange?

[alock]

Holographic displays.

[alorotom]

leglessAlex said:

clonmult said:

Ah, so you bought into the marketing. In reality, the Pixel XL is no better than a Lumia 950, or even the Lumia 930 (and probably worse than both). The only place where the Pixel XL did good is in the DXO reviews - and as DXO are able to give good reviews to crappy phone cameras (ie. Sony Z5) and give average reviews to good phone cameras (Nokia 808 & 1020).

Overall thee days "high end" is generally a waste of time. There is little substantial to differentiate between a high end and mid-range phone. And quite often some entry level phones at around the £100-150 mark can make you question spending more.

The Lumia phones are indeed excellent, but they're Windows and I'm not willing to put up with the compromises I'd have to make to use Windows Phone instead of Android, so I don't see it as a like for like comparison.

I haven't come across a mid range Android phone that can compare to the likes of the Pixel or S7/S8 in picture quality, and while it's true a high DXO score doesn't necessarily translate into a good everyday result, in the Pixel I think it does.

I've bought tested and sold quite a number of low-mid range android handsets over recent months and none compare even mildly to the camera experience on either the Pixel or iPhone (SE, not even the 7)

Shutter speed and light/colour balance are the main areas of let down and for me worth the price differential alone ... every other aspect I could live with but not the poor camera - the other option of course is to buy a stand alone point and shoot but that's no where near as convenient as having it built into your phone

Plus I wouldn't even rate any windows handset as competitors to android or iOS, their handsets are dead in the water if you want comparative compatibility