Is this phone still worth getting in 2015? - LG Optimus G Pro

Like thte title says, is this phone still good? How does it run with lollipop?

I think so, it's a pretty fast phone and still has active rom support (if you're into flashing roms). The camera is great, speakers are pretty good, screen looks really nice so yeah i think it is still worth getting and it's cheaper than most phones with the same specs.

I bought it a month ago..It's great.

To be completely honest, if I could go back to when I bought this phone, I would buy a Nexus 5 instead. Lollipop support is so-so really, NFC doesn't work, getting it working with T-Mobile can be tricky some times, and battery life on Lollipop is not so great since getting it to deep sleep is kind of a crap shoot. Nexus 5 is faster, has much more support so you don't need to flash roms, battery is great, camera in my experience is pretty close to as good as the G Pro. When I bought this phone I was hoping Nexus 4 or 5 roms would easily port over since their all made by LG, but man was I wrong there... This weekend I restored it back to stock AT&T 4.4 because I was getting so pissed off every time something wasn't working properly (and I want to use Google Wallet/Android Pay again), and I'm now just playing the waiting game until Christmas when I'll get the new Nexus 5. I'm just so sick of playing tech support for my phone every week when something goes wrong, and having to choose between having stability with a two year old version of Android or having the latest and greatest, but it's unstable. Sorry for the rant, but that last part is the entire reason why the ONLY Android device I will every buy again is a Nexus, and if the new Nexus 5 somehow disappoints and I'm jumping ship to the iPhone. Maybe I'm wrong, but I really don't feel like I should have to choose between getting timely updates and stability, and only the iPhones and Nexus (and motorola to a point) offer this.

This phone is now a poor man's nexus. A phone still with decent spec for under $200. So instead of asking if it's still worth to get it, ask how much money can you spend.

Related

The bad(!) about having the best

Yes, I mean, it was sort of a fun entertainment to be on a market for a new phone... looking for a better this, upgrading that...
But, with the GNex?
I feel like there's nothing better worth looking for... maybe I'm just easy to please, but I have the feeling that changing the phone would most likely bring me something worse.
I mean, not only for the current phones, but even for the ones to come!!
A faster processor? FASTER??
A better screen? BETTER????
Maybe a better camera, but, come on, is that really noticeable the difference with others phone's camera?
A larger display? Yes, but It's going to loose portability...
A better battery life... but for that you need a better battery, not a better phone!
OMG, will I have to stick whit the GNex forever?
Is there anybody out there feeling the same way?
I thought that about my Xperia Play too. I'll give it the fact it's the only phone I didn't sell when I got a new one, but the GNex was too tempting. I'm sure the new Nexus will be tempting as well.
As a side note I still use my XPlay for games. I just can't stand playing most of them on my Nexus.
lazol said:
Yes, I mean, it was sort of a fun entertainment to be on a market for a new phone... looking for a better this, upgrading that...
But, with the GNex?
I feel like there's nothing better worth looking for... maybe I'm just easy to please, but I have the feeling that changing the phone would most likely bring me something worse.
I mean, not only for the current phones, but even for the ones to come!!
A faster processor? FASTER??
A better screen? BETTER????
Maybe a better camera, but, come on, is that really noticeable the difference with others phone's camera?
A larger display? Yes, but It's going to loose portability...
A better battery life... but for that you need a better battery, not a better phone!
OMG, will I have to stick whit the GNex forever?
Is there anybody out there feeling the same way?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I want a Nexus with a smaller screen, so shoot me. There are still tons of UI elements that are at the top of the screen and even my large hands (thumb) has trouble reaching the top without shifting the phone in my hand.
Now if they abandon clickables at the top of the screen (and even mandate it in dev guidelines), I'd switch my stance.
Im contemplating on buying the original nexus one LOL. You can still purchase them brand spanking new and there are Jelly Bean builds for them.
At the moment I agree that there's nothing out there I'd rather want than a GNex. I just can't leave the pure Google experience now that I'm used to it, and I also really like the physical design of the phone with its completely featureless front. But that doesn't mean the GNex is perfect.
The screen, while nice, could definitely be better. It's a pentile matrix display which, while not all that noticeable at 720p, is clearly worse than a true RGB display. Solid red colors (such as the battery indicator when the battery is low) look pretty damn fuzzy and bad. Beyond that, the screen is also pretty "grainy" (especially noticable at low brightness), not perfectly uniform (faint vertical lines, etc), and is also pretty prone to burn-in.
The camera is bad. Ok, it takes perfectly acceptable pictures with good lighting (outdoors during daytime), but as soon as it's a little too dark the pictures come out rather terrible.
The GPU is pretty weak, especially compared to what's out there now, but even compared to something like the SGS2.
The touch screen loses sensitivity in certain situations (usually after the recent apps menu has been used). Very common issue (although it might be entirely software-related).
Rather weak signal reception compared to many other phones, both when it comes to the cell radio and Wi-Fi.
The speaker is not loud enough, and many (if not most) also have an issue with it "popping" quietly every time a sound has played.
Battery life is ok, but certainly not exceptional.
The battery door is really flimsy, and brings the phone's feeling of build quality and sturdyness down quite a bit.
So again, while there's no phone out there I'd rather have right now, the GNex is far from perfect.
Only thing I could care about improving is the battery life and GPU.
It could use a much better screen.
A much better speaker.
A faster soc built on a smaller process and next gen GPU.
Above point helps battery life. And any phone could use always use more battery life.
A much better DAC ( audio chip)
And so on. Phone internals can always be improved. Doesn't mean what's in it is junk but this industry moves at a crazy pace.
Well personally I would not trade my nexus for any other current handset.
When I sold my note recently, I had a choice and could have gotten any other current handset. But the nexus was the only one I wanted. And in white!
Stock 4.1 is awesome. The screen and size is very good. Battery life is also very handy I'm finding.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
i think i will maintain my maguro for at least 2 more major versions, if hardware keeps functioning 100%.
sent from my i9250
Until yesterday I used my S3 with CM10 as a daily device. After the CM10 debacle that unfolded a couple of days ago and me not really liking TouchWiz I decided to get me a GNex. I'm a real happy camper now and I'm staying with this device until the next nexus comes out.
markdudier said:
Until yesterday I used my S3 with CM10 as a daily device. After the CM10 debacle that unfolded a couple of days ago and me not really liking TouchWiz I decided to get me a GNex. I'm a real happy camper now and I'm staying with this device until the next nexus comes out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Next month
kong said:
Next month
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So be it
I learned my lesson. I will stick to Nexus devices from now on.
markdudier said:
Until yesterday I used my S3 with CM10 as a daily device. After the CM10 debacle that unfolded a couple of days ago and me not really liking TouchWiz I decided to get me a GNex. I'm a real happy camper now and I'm staying with this device until the next nexus comes out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
May i ask what debacle your talking about? Sounds interesting
Gesendet von meinem Galaxy Nexus mit Tapatalk 2
maisi said:
May i ask what debacle your talking about? Sounds interesting
Gesendet von meinem Galaxy Nexus mit Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as I understood the debacle that caused codeworx to leave the CM10 development for S3 was due to Samsung denying them access to documents and source code to make crucial components work correctly. This includes: bluetooth/wifi tethering not working, GPU hardware drivers for project butter, battery drain etc.
The Wifi tethering is important to me, so I didn't want to wait any longer.
I'm sure you have seen this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTRKL5E9Iak
And this: http://www.androidnext.de/schwerpunkt/codeworkx-cyanogenmod-interview-english/
markdudier said:
So be it
I learned my lesson. I will stick to Nexus devices from now on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, same for me.
markdudier said:
So be it
I learned my lesson. I will stick to Nexus devices from now on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Couldn't have said it better
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
I did say to myself that I wouldn't get anything that wasn't a Nexus after getting my GNex last November but my contract for my HTC Desire is up and I can move to a better plan with a new phone, something like the Galaxy S III 4G... I think I might still stick to the GNex but damn is the S III tempting, especially when 4G is becoming more prominent in Australia.
Tell me not to cave in! Make it so! I don't need anything other than my GNex! Haha... it is away for repairs at the moment, mind you. Had the 'headset always plugged in' issue and makes using the phone frustrating. Can't wait to have it back... my Desire feels so freaking slow in comparison to it!
I fully agree with first post !
the GNexus is my third android phone and it is the best i've ever have. Nice hardware, design and full of nice roms ^^. I'm planning to buy one for my girlfriend (currently running an old Galaxy i9000) and with his low price, that's a great deal ! His hardware may handle a lot of new android version without any problems, so why change ?
After almost one year of release, there are few phones on 720p, and it's the only to run JB natively (i think).
AND at last i hate the idea of a nexus by LG. i've got some of their featurephones (lg viewty and renoir) but they totally missed the android turn. Samsung does good job with nexus device atm.
So here's the deal with me, I have been boggled by the same question since a very long time. But apparently the nexus's price helped me make the decision.
But then came the rumors of a new Nexus in the mill, coming up in a month's time and I am back to where i was 2 months back. I am supposed to order the phone from the states, which is to be sent to me around the end of november. Now the problem i face is just the same, wait for the new one or just get Gnex. Sure i am getting the phone in november so it seems i can wait, but seemingly the problem is much more complicated.
Gnex is sold online only. And same would be the case with the new one i suppose. So if i wait for the new one and it gets released by the end of oct. I can be happy that it will be delivered long before end of november. However, if the phone is released in oct and sold somewhere in nov., with so many orders that come in for the new phone, wouldn't that delay the shipment and surpass the november end deadline i have in mind?
And even if i still take the chances of waiting till the last moment before ordering the GNEX, till what time can i wait considering i should i have some buffer time between ordering and shipment so that i dont miss novemeber end deadline?
And one more thing, since this will be a new nexus, it may have issues as well. Ofcourse we cant be sure of those but what is the probability of those issues to be deal breaker?
I agree. There's no Android phone that even comes close to the latest Nexus, so I stopped looking at other Android handsets a while ago.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

[Discussion] Looking for a device upgrade

I've had my trusty Verizon Galaxy Nexus for 2 years and my contract is up. I'm been looking at phones and eyeballing the LG G2. I'd love a Nexus 5 but it isn't coming out for Verizon. Plus the G2 seems to have all the features I want in a phone like Wireless Charging, Good specs, etc.
BUT I'm iffy going away from the Nexus line cause last time I did that with the LG G2x, it was a complete disaster and I see the G2 basically starting off the exact same way. The G2x was released with an older Android rom with the promise of a timely update, which never happened and fixed a few problems and introduced several more. The plagued device still has issues and doesn't work right.
The G2 is doing the same thing with 4.2.2. It doesn't even have 4.3 yet and we're about to roll into 4.4. I have a feeling that by the time it gets 4.3, 4.4 will old and 5.0 will be out... if the G2 even gets any additional love. I'm hoping the N5 will help pull some of the weight with the G2 and some stuff gets moved back and forth. But this isn't really a given. I don't want to be in the same boat as the Galaxy Nexus where Verizon or LG doesn't provide updates for stuff like new radios and kernels.
It is a work phone so I have to go with Verizon. The Note 3 sounds great but too big and I have a N7... The G2 just seems like the perfect phone hardware wise and the software has some neat features... but I'll probably jump on AOKP if it ever gets supported. I was actually calling a few Verizon stores in my area and I can pick one up for less than $100 to renew my contract.
What is everyone's thoughts on LG? Have they gotten better at updating their phones? Hopefully with a huge rollout of the G2 they would try to support it a little better. Anyone know when the Samsung S5 is due out?
I'm actually having the same thought about upgrading from my Galaxy Nexus, and the LG G2 is one of my top choices, along with the Note 3. What is keeping me from making the jump is the horrible UI on the G2, at least that's my though being used to clean stock Android. Apart from that, the G2 is definitely an amazing device, a great option for an upgrade.
From what I hear s5 drops mid 2014
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
I am holding off until the announcement of n5 just to be sure its not coming to verizon. I am weary to upgrade to another device though as support for them seems to die in about a year unless its a nexus.
Yea I have next week before I leave for Detroit for work. G2 dev looks good now but in 6 months it might be dead. I almost bought a G2 yesterday but I'm going to wait for the N5 and 4.4, then see how fast they port it to the G2. Hopefully its fully compatible with AOSP.
[Update]
I went to the Verizon store today and looked at the G2 and the Note 3. Some concerns. The G2 has a curved edge similar to the G2x, which makes putting a screen protector on it painful. Basically you'd have to use a wet apply Screen protector so it sticks to the curves. I run a SP on ALL my devices and really hate wet applies. You probably could use a smaller SP to not reach edge to edge and be ok, but then it looks like crap.
The G2 is very close in size to the Galaxy Nexus which is cool.
The G2 has some pretty good development going on, but I also started looking at the Note 3. It is a little more pricey but basically the same phone in a larger shell with an S-Pen. My phone is a business/pleasure device where I work with customers face to face. I've always thought it would be handy to be able to take written notes on the fly. The size is concerning though. It didn't feel too bad in hand, I could probably manage. The "leather" backing really helped with grip.
I also learned that the Verizon Galaxy Note 3 Developer Edition is coming out "rumored" November 1st (same as Nexus 5). So perhaps we'll get a new launch of "Developer Editions". If the Galaxy Note 3 (Verizon Edition) can use the roms and mods from the Developer Edition, that would be awesome. Although I don't know how the S-Pen would function on AOSP (like a standard stylus?).
So basically, like I said before, I'm really anxious to pick up a new phone. I actually had the guy grab a G2 from the back, along with a blue feather case, waiting to check out. Being a corporate line, I require permission from an authorized person before they can process it.
At this point I really am excited to wait for the Google Announcement to see what comes out. I'd have to do my homework to see how development moves from a "Developer Edition" to a standard carrier edition.
Any thoughts?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I want to upgrade as well. G2 prices is great. Note 3 is way too expensive.
But I'll wait for Nexus 5.
I'm really crazy about getting updates.
At some points, I really want to use other OEM's ROM, as they looks way more stable than custom ROMs like PA or CM.
But... I don't like waiting for updates. and their updates doesn't feel like an update because the UI almost not changed...
---------- Post added at 01:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:36 PM ----------
I want to upgrade as well. G2 prices is great. Note 3 is way too expensive.
But I'll wait for Nexus 5.
I'm really crazy about getting updates.
At some points, I really want to use other OEM's ROM, as they looks way more stable than custom ROMs like PA or CM.
But... I don't like waiting for updates. and their updates doesn't feel like an update because the UI almost not changed...
Ge note 3 would be awesome. But IMHO snote is what makes the spen bad ass. Been hoping For Google keep to support wacam spen. Don't see why it would hurt seeing that those who don't have spen won't notice the difference. Or since my understanding is Google edition is basically an OEM ROM with OEM framework maybe snote could be downloaded in the play store...
I am partial to the note is say get the note. Chances are their will be ROMs for the latest and greatest. TW has some neat features you may end up liking them. Or you can hate them. For me the G2 seems too awkward with the volume And power button on the back. Made the phone feel bigger than it actually is. Maybe you could adjust to it.
I am running kit kat 4.4. on my note 2000
I'm not 100% sure. After doing some research, I think I misspoke here and there is supposed to be a "Developer edition" which is basically stock TouchWiz but comes pre-unlocked.
Although if they were going to announce it at the Nexus keynote, why wouldn't it have stock Android?
Anyway, the Verizon Note 3 is locked down tight right now. No Root. No bootloader. No custom recovery. No roms. The other carriers are having fun though. We'll see. I played with the G2 and the Note3 in depth at the store and while I was leaning on the Note3, I'll probably get the G2. It all really depends. My company typically buys them, so if he says "Hook him up", then I'll take the Note 3 for a trial run to see how I like it.
The G2 on Verizon is getting blown up with mods and roms but don't expect LG to come through with updates after a year. For me, it is a really tough call. Going AOSP on these phones pretty much ruins the experience with all the extras that make them unique. I do plan on using the stock roms for a while. I just hate how LG released on 4.2.2. In 9 months they'll update to 4.3 and call it a day. Note 3 is already 4.3, and probably see 4.4 here soon. And you know you'll get 5.0 (or whatever the next update is).
The Note 3 also felt better in hand.
player911 said:
I've had my trusty Verizon Galaxy Nexus for 2 years and my contract is up. I'm been looking at phones and eyeballing the LG G2. I'd love a Nexus 5 but it isn't coming out for Verizon. Plus the G2 seems to have all the features I want in a phone like Wireless Charging, Good specs, etc.
BUT I'm iffy going away from the Nexus line cause last time I did that with the LG G2x, it was a complete disaster and I see the G2 basically starting off the exact same way. The G2x was released with an older Android rom with the promise of a timely update, which never happened and fixed a few problems and introduced several more. The plagued device still has issues and doesn't work right.
The G2 is doing the same thing with 4.2.2. It doesn't even have 4.3 yet and we're about to roll into 4.4. I have a feeling that by the time it gets 4.3, 4.4 will old and 5.0 will be out... if the G2 even gets any additional love. I'm hoping the N5 will help pull some of the weight with the G2 and some stuff gets moved back and forth. But this isn't really a given. I don't want to be in the same boat as the Galaxy Nexus where Verizon or LG doesn't provide updates for stuff like new radios and kernels.
It is a work phone so I have to go with Verizon. The Note 3 sounds great but too big and I have a N7... The G2 just seems like the perfect phone hardware wise and the software has some neat features... but I'll probably jump on AOKP if it ever gets supported. I was actually calling a few Verizon stores in my area and I can pick one up for less than $100 to renew my contract.
What is everyone's thoughts on LG? Have they gotten better at updating their phones? Hopefully with a huge rollout of the G2 they would try to support it a little better. Anyone know when the Samsung S5 is due out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am hearing great reports on the LG phone, especially that it might be the only ofew getting the Kit Kat update on verizon. these are from some dev's and long time Samsung owners. i think a LG thread was created and development started in XDA. i havent used it yet, i have a few months left on my contract. here is the xda link http://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-g2
maybe i will upgrade my wifes phone to LG and secretly swap phones:laugh:
Things that bother me on the G2 is:
Curved sides of the screen = problems with screen protectors
LG's horrible history supporting phones for very long.
4.4 is just a stepping stone so upgrading to 4.4 shouldn't be much of a hassle for any 4.x+ phone. However Android 5.0 will probably require a kernel update which must be supplied from LG.
This is exactly the same problem the Galaxy Nexus is having. Verizon isn't updating the kernel for 4.3+ builds and thus are having radio issues. It works but if you travel, you'll notice your data will never come back once it disappears... until you do a hard reset of course.
So who knows. I've heard nothing but wonderful things about the LG too and they've included lots of functionality into customizing the phone. Pretty much everything can be disabled and changed. It even has built in system-wide theme support.
player911 said:
Things that bother me on the G2 is:
Curved sides of the screen = problems with screen protectors
LG's horrible history supporting phones for very long.
4.4 is just a stepping stone so upgrading to 4.4 shouldn't be much of a hassle for any 4.x+ phone. However Android 5.0 will probably require a kernel update which must be supplied from LG.
This is exactly the same problem the Galaxy Nexus is having. Verizon isn't updating the kernel for 4.3+ builds and thus are having radio issues. It works but if you travel, you'll notice your data will never come back once it disappears... until you do a hard reset of course.
So who knows. I've heard nothing but wonderful things about the LG too and they've included lots of functionality into customizing the phone. Pretty much everything can be disabled and changed. It even has built in system-wide theme support.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea you are rite, LG does have a history of not supporting their phones in the long run..maybe you can get a good 2 years out of the LG, just in time for the next release.
player911 said:
Things that bother me on the G2 is:
Curved sides of the screen = problems with screen protectors
LG's horrible history supporting phones for very long.
4.4 is just a stepping stone so upgrading to 4.4 shouldn't be much of a hassle for any 4.x+ phone. However Android 5.0 will probably require a kernel update which must be supplied from LG.
This is exactly the same problem the Galaxy Nexus is having. Verizon isn't updating the kernel for 4.3+ builds and thus are having radio issues. It works but if you travel, you'll notice your data will never come back once it disappears... until you do a hard reset of course.
So who knows. I've heard nothing but wonderful things about the LG too and they've included lots of functionality into customizing the phone. Pretty much everything can be disabled and changed. It even has built in system-wide theme support.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What bothers me about the G2 is the software. Being used to stock Android, and after reading a bunch of reviews from trusted sources about how the UI that LG put into this new device is quite bloated and ugly. My idea is to buy one of these devices now, and sell it once the Nexus 5 is out and in stock in Europe.
I've been looking up comparisons between the G2, the Galaxy S4, and the HTC One. The latter two are older devices, and if I want to be able to sell it in less than a year, I think the smartest choice would be to get the newer one.
The Note 3 looks incredible, but I'm already having trouble fitting the Galaxy Nexus into my pockets sometimes, and I'm not the kind of person who is constantly carrying a backpack. Maybe I could change that, I've always liked the idea of the S-pen.
In conclusion, I'm undecided between the HTC One and the LG G2.
The HTC One is amazingly built, with it's irresistible alluminum unibody and the speaker/audio quality, and has a plethora of ROMs and customizations to it, but it's already been out for a while, which makes it less profitable if I want to resell it in 6 months.
The LG G2 is brand new, has a better screen, more powerful in terms of processor, but at the same time I'm hearing about lots of issues with the camera, sound and lag. I hope the ROMs and mods from the Verizon G2 will be ported to the international variant, as there are many more available.
Today I'll go look at them in person, and hopefully make my decision aswell.
I hate those decisions, all are good phones, but just have to pick which one feels better. I think to resell down the line, the Samsung phones may hold better value, maybe due to the watch launch.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
I went to the store to buy the Note 3, but I just couldn't use it at all one handed. Because of the huge size, I couldn't even barely get it stable enough in my grip to even remotely reach half of the screen. Plus the lack of Wireless Charging is a pity. I like feather cases and the additional thickness of the Qi backplate would make it not sit well. Plus I have a make-shift Qi Note2 charger pad in my Galaxy Nexus that is crafty. I don't want to have to worry about if the contacts are clean, connecting, working. I just want it to work.
I took home a G2. They had the Blue Incipio Feather case I wanted. Being used to Nexus and AOSP for so long, some of the apps do feel bloated. Email Exchange has a new SMS Sync that was syncing all of my drunk texts to my corporate exchange! I had to quickly disable that feature and delete all my sexy text messages off the email server. I've disabled like 20 different apps. There are TONS of bloat on there. Default ringtone (Boy Choir?) was god awful. You can have up to 7 apps in the Launcher Tray. Making the Font size to smallest gives you that roomy feeling. I don't understand why you would get a big screen when everything is just bigger. I buy a bigger screen to give me more room to move around.
BUT once you sit down with it, adjust the Notification toggles, lockscreen, homescreen, freeze unwanted apps, find a good theme combo (keyboard, SMS, homescreen, lockscreen), some new wallpapers, etc... it really starts to feel like a decent phone.
I DO really like the Memo app, where you can make notes over top any app. At the bar last night we were taking pictures of friends in my group and drawing stupid stuff on them. I can see how it would really be handy.
I also don't know why there are a bizillion icons in the status bar. There is a Signal bar... then a separate 3G/4G icon... then what appears to be some sort of GPS icon that I can't get rid of, AM/PM Clock, battery, alarm, etc. It takes up like half my status bar. I just need 3; Signal, Battery, Clock. Boom.
Most of the floating apps I can't really see myself ever using. I couldn't get the IR Blaster to turn off the Bar TV last night.
Most of the G2 is fluff. Fluffy fluff. Outside from that overlay note app, I'm already thinking about going to a custom rom. The IR Blaster doesn't work on AOSP though which is something I do want to utilize.
It has a pretty bad out of box experience but it is a super nice phone. Once you get rid of all the junk, it starts to come together nicely.
Not giving the G2 a bad review, I'm just used to Nexus Devices and stock Android... I'm used to that and I like that. The Stock UI has a nice feel to it. Very quick and snappy. I'm impressed with the level of customization you have with the device. I would like to see a single general theme app with all of the options. Right now, the theme settings are in there respective places so finding them is a little intense, especially for someone who isn't strong on Android skills. I know my gf probably wouldn't have found the SMS or Keyboard theme settings.
I was a little skeptical last night but it is growing on me now its setup and I'm getting familiar to the different app layouts. I just pray LG doesn't screw me again with Software updates. At least Qualcomm is better at opensourcing their stuff. I know the G2x had lots of problems because of NVidia Tegra 2.
I'm in the same boat. Running my nexus for about 1.5 yrs and looking to upgrade. I have unl. Data w Verizon but as all know vzw sucks w how they bloat and lock their phones. So gar I'm looking/ interested in the note 3, g2 or maybe the HTC one or moto x. Some of the things I want are a bigger chassis...not huge but bigger than the gnex, customizable w ROMs and kernels, timely updates, ect. My cousin has the one but it didn't wow me, but it was a stock unit no customization. The g2 looks great...good size, batt, ect but afraid like others slow w updates. As far as I read on the note 3 it is looked tight. Not a lot of ROM for customization due to Knox I guess..
I think I would love the note 3, bigger, big batt, fast but the lack of development saddens me haha. I was so waiting for the nexus 5 but that small batt honestly is making me sway away from it and the styling isn't to different from the rest of the nex. If new reviews come out saying batt life is much improved I may sway back but for now ...egh. Carrier wise I want a cheaper plan, good coverage ect and really only do maybe on a heavy month 3 gig as I use mostly wifi so I was looking at art. Gonna take a ride today and check them out and see which phone excites me. Any batt life better than my next is an improvement .
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Nexus 6 and Android 5.0 Lollipop finally revealed. Will be available on Sprint.

Google Nexus 6 Reveal Page
Android 5.0 Lollipop
According to the nexus 6 page on the very bottom it seems that it will be available on all 4 big carriers, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-mobile. Ofc; you can still get it from the Play store. The release date given by google is late october; no specification as to if it applies to just the play store or the carriers as well. I'm hoping it releases late this October because I get my upgrade late November. If I have to I will probably wait, I'm sure many of our dev's here will successfully port Android 5.0 to our devices. I'm more interested in the full release of the OS; the multitasking features and the uniform material design looks so nice.
So, thoughts? Is android 5.0 everything you have hoped for? Will you be upgrading to a Nexus 6 soon?
I somehow managed to delete my opinion on the the device, I'm loving the specs; the 6" screen is pushing me away though.
When I say I plan on upgrading to the Nexus 6 I'm not 100% set on it yet. I was planning on going with the HTC One M8 simply because of the screen size, but I have used a LG G3 in stores before and I love how amazing the screen is so I'm very torn. The LG OG was such a great device for it's time, shame it never got an official update past 4.1 but it's hard to complain with all the dev support we get with it.
I might go for it but I'm still hating Google's propensity to think that cloud storage can replace the function of a microsd slot. Also a 6-inch screen, why? The phone still has to fit in my pocket. At this rate the number of people on these forums with manbags is going to blow up. Also $649 unlocked... ouch. I honestly don't know what Google was thinking here. They might be pushing their luck a little too hard here but I won't really know until I can hold it in my hand. On paper the size of the LG G3 used to sound like an atrocity so we'll see. Regardless the price isn't much of an issue if you pay it out over the length of a contract anyways but honestly, I'm disappointed.
gentlemenace said:
I might go for it but I'm still hating Google's propensity to think that cloud storage can replace the function of a microsd slot. Also a 6-inch screen, why? The phone still has to fit in my pocket. At this rate the number of people on these forums with manbags is going to blow up. Also $649 unlocked... ouch. I honestly don't know what Google was thinking here. They might be pushing their luck a little too hard here but I won't really know until I can hold it in my hand. On paper the size of the LG G3 used to sound like an atrocity so we'll see. Regardless the price isn't much of an issue if you pay it out over the length of a contract anyways but honestly, I'm disappointed.
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Click to collapse
I mean, when you look at the specs, that's when you realize what all that money is really going to.
I just want the finished Android L roms to get ported to the LGOG. As long as i'm up to date and the roms arent too buggy, I can stick with my LGOG for another year if I have to.
We'll definitely get some L ROMs sooner or later. We have some amazing developers here for our phone, so be sure that once the major ROM devs update their sources, we'll get updated as well.
I think since the 6 is WAY too big for my personal use, I'm gonna jump to the Nexus 5 next.
Sent from my LG-LS970 using XDA Free mobile app
zomgalama said:
When I say I plan on upgrading to the Nexus 6 I'm not 100% set on it yet. I was planning on going with the HTC One M8 simply because of the screen size, but I have used a LG G3 in stores before and I love how amazing the screen is so I'm very torn. The LG OG was such a great device for it's time, shame it never got an official update past 4.1 but it's hard to complain with all the dev support we get with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the G3 now and I love it. Battery life has been better for me than on the lgog, even with that amazing screen. The major downside to the G3 is development but we finally received twrp so the roms will be coming. But having root, freezing/deleting bloat(and there is a lot of it) and making mods have helped my g3 be lag free, last over 40 hours on a full charge and just be generally awesome. If you want something that is also awesome but has a ton of development - go with the m8. A lot of devs and themers who had lgogs grabbed the m8 so you will be in good company. Only a few of us from here have the G3 but Im happy with my choice. It's big but not unruly, the new nexus looks good but too big and still no sd card. And if 3000mah battery isnt big enough for you, zerolemon is selling a 9000mah battery you can swap right in. Just my two cents.
---------- Post added at 12:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:04 AM ----------
iamterence said:
I mean, when you look at the specs, that's when you realize what all that money is really going to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First off, how ya been buddy? Secondly - the nexus 6 looks great but I'm a little disappointed in a few things, size being one of em, still no sdcard and still not 64bit. The rumors made me have higher hopes - its still gonna be a great phone with an insane amount of support. I have no use for it but I am really impressed by the nexus 9(my nexus 7 is collecting dust). That processor, even being a dual core and only having 2 gb of ram is crazy fast, and it's 64bit!
HPTesla said:
I have the G3 now and I love it. Battery life has been better for me than on the lgog, even with that amazing screen. The major downside to the G3 is development but we finally received twrp so the roms will be coming. But having root, freezing/deleting bloat(and there is a lot of it) and making mods have helped my g3 be lag free, last over 40 hours on a full charge and just be generally awesome. If you want something that is also awesome but has a ton of development - go with the m8. A lot of devs and themers who had lgogs grabbed the m8 so you will be in good company. Only a few of us from here have the G3 but Im happy with my choice. It's big but not unruly, the new nexus looks good but too big and still no sd card. And if 3000mah battery isnt big enough for you, zerolemon is selling a 9000mah battery you can swap right in. Just my two cents.
---------- Post added at 12:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:04 AM ----------
First off, how ya been buddy? Secondly - the nexus 6 looks great but I'm a little disappointed in a few things, size being one of em, still no sdcard and still not 64bit. The rumors made me have higher hopes - its still gonna be a great phone with an insane amount of support. I have no use for it but I am really impressed by the nexus 9(my nexus 7 is collecting dust). That processor, even being a dual core and only having 2 gb of ram is crazy fast, and it's 64bit!
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Click to collapse
I've been good man, how have you been? Glad to see you around these parts one more time
For me, I'm drawn to the N6 because I know it'll drop down to a decent price by time my upgrade is due (which would be summer of 2015), and, assuming I even get it, it'd be the most high-end phone I've ever owned, plus it's a Nexus, so development is guaranteed. I'm just modest If I were to get a G2, I'd be pretty happy with that.
iamterence said:
I've been good man, how have you been? Glad to see you around these parts one more time
For me, I'm drawn to the N6 because I know it'll drop down to a decent price by time my upgrade is due (which would be summer of 2015), and, assuming I even get it, it'd be the most high-end phone I've ever owned, plus it's a Nexus, so development is guaranteed. I'm just modest If I were to get a G2, I'd be pretty happy with that.
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Click to collapse
Ha ha yeah I was checking on one of my bootanimations and saw this thread. Im good, biked more than I ever have so Im really sore but other than that Im good.
Nexus devices definitely have the best support but HTC is pretty solid(as is Sony, sadly we can't get xperia on sprint) and they come with other perks(removable storage, etc). I know HTC will be releasing another flagship(from some rumors, 2) before you're due for your upgrade and I have a feeling it will be better(and smaller) than the nexus 6. Biggest drawback to the HTC flagships seems to be the camera but that's also been an issue on Nexus devices. Nexus devices are still a great way to go. Their biggest selling point is having official updates before anyone else. My nexus 7 is solid, but between my phone and laptop I just dont have a need for a tablet. I wanted to hold out for the nexus 6 myself but now Im glad I didn't. Just too big for me and LG fixed my biggest issue with the lgog - sdcard support.
They're all great phones with pros and cons tho - really does depend on the user.

Would you recommend the Nexus?

I'm thinking of buying one, it's in the price range I'm looking at ($80-$100 on swappa), and it seems like it still has good dev support.
The Nexus is almost 3 years old, those that still have it, are you keeping it because you like it, or just because (don't want to loose your data plan for example).
Thanks
Dan
It's a decent phone and there is still some Dev support. I bought mine about a year ago and have been satisfied. Battery life sucks compared to newer phones signal isn't to great compared to my RAZR. But all in all it having an unlocked BL on Verizon makes it all worth while. I thoroughly enjoy mine and will only move if nexus 6 is unlocked on Verizon.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
I can join my previous speakers. It has a very bad battery, it's lags often in apps and the screen is very worn because of this early AMOLED technologie, BUT if you have only 100€ its one of the better phones. I'm using it right now because my nexus 5 were broken and I really like it because it just works. However if you have $50 more to spend when you should buy the moto g. It has clearly more power and offical support by motorola.
no. this phone is terrible, and i'm currently looking into buying a replacement battery for my S3 since it's been sitting in my drawer and i have no idea where the battery went, plus it's broken
i can probably find some way to fix it on ADB, but if not, i'll just wait until i upgrade then i'll get the oneplus one
seriously this phone sucks, there is nothing to recommend about it
No man dont do it .. phone performance is pretty random, dont know why, sometimes it flies like an S4, sometimes it lagz and freezes like an S1..
I've been very satisfied with my phones performance. But I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like to mess around with kernels, ROMs and settings.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
Maximinus I said:
I've been very satisfied with my phones performance. But I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like to mess around with kernels, ROMs and settings.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Thanks for all the responses. I actually do like flashing roms. Should've given more info in OP. I currently have a verizon s4 but since a warranty replacement a few months ago i no longer have an unlocked (exploitable) bootloader and am stuck with touchwiz roms and no custom kernels.
Use my phone mostly for web browsing, xda app, Pandora, Google music - no gaming, coupled that with the fact that i can use the $100-$125 difference I'll make after selling the s4, thought this phone might work.
Will have to think about it a bit more.
rrrrrrredbelly said:
Thanks for all the responses. I actually do like flashing roms. Should've given more info in OP. I currently have a verizon s4 but since a warranty replacement a few months ago i no longer have an unlocked (exploitable) bootloader and am stuck with touchwiz roms and no custom kernels.
Use my phone mostly for web browsing, xda app, Pandora, Google music - no gaming, coupled that with the fact that i can use the $100-$125 difference I'll make after selling the s4, thought this phone might work.
Will have to think about it a bit more.
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Click to collapse
Well, web browsing has become hard since 4.4.x. To be honest, KitKat is a mess on this phone. I hope new GPU drivers and 3.4 kernel will help.
If I were you I would buy a Moto G.
I'm using Gnex for a half a year. I bought used. So not because of data plan.
For me Gnex can still give what i need for "normal" daily use - sms, browser, messenger, driving assist, news reading, some games ....
So it depends on your need
best regards
It's a beautiful device, but it's definitely not the best. I absolutely love the unobtrusive design of the front -- just plain black. The phone is the exact right size for me, and the volume and power buttons are in exactly the right place; however the bezels are quite large in comparison to newer phones. This makes the structural integrity of the phone better, but it isn't really nice to me. The back of the phone has a comfortable plastic "grippy" feeling that makes it easy to hold, especially with the curved extrusion at the bottom by the speaker grill.
The speaker is awful, as with all Samsung devices. It's a back-facing speaker that's tiny and easy to cover up. Not much of a problem if you use earphones like I do.
It easily lasts me through a school day, though it only lasts about 4 hours streaming video. Its dual core processor is definitely outdated and consumes far more powererformance than any modern phone.
The screen is on-par with the Galaxy S3 screen, which isn't a compliment. It's low-resolution in comparison to new phones (1280x720), it's hot (as in it actually feels hot) and consumes a heck of a lot of battery very quickly. The colour is amazing, vibrant and simply gorgeous... but, within a few months, you get screen burn-in which is especially noticeable in low light -- speaking of which, the screen in low light is far worse than any IPS with a slightly grainy image, though it does retain a good contrast. Its slightly curved display prevents it from scratching anything facing down and, in my opinion, makes it easier to touch things at the top of the screen.
The phone's radio is only GSM (unless you're going for Sprint or Verizon), so if you're wanting LTE, tough luck. It also doesn't have FM or AM radio if you're into that.
The camera's not the best, but it does the job. The flash is often over-bright, and lacks HDR, motion stabilisation and is only 5 Megapixels. Front camera is 720p.
So why buy this phone? If you can get it really cheap, go for it. If not, go for something newer like the Moto X, Moto G, Nexus 5 or the upcoming Nexus 6 for a similar, updated experience.
Just remember, it's truly an Android modder's dream. It's extremely mod-able with a decent sized community. In my opinion, it is still the best phone I have ever used. I find that just the pure feeling and look of the phone is enough to keep me with it. Also, with recent additions to the phone like F2FS, graphics drivers, new kernels, new ROMs etc., the phone is still very usable for just about everything -- even most gaming.
For $100 i would buy it. The moto g is comparable and faster but almost $100 more. But I think your question is already answered
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Free mobile app
bought mine for 70 dollars one month ago, definetily worth it.
I would much rather use an s4 with touchwiz than use a galaxy nexus. The gnex is the second worst android phone that I've ever owned.
You really can't compare a three year old phone to a phone that is just over a year old. Of course the s4 will be better but touchwizz yuck it would probably be just as slow as a galaxy nexus.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
Appreciate everyone's response, thanks
It's a good phone when it was released but the battery life is quite short even though I don't have a lot of apps on it. When the battery life is in the red, it usually last around 5 minutes then it shuts down. I think it was better than than iPhone 4 at its time since it was one of the first phone with a larger screen.
I agree with the other posts.
Honestly, I think CM10 runs amazing on the phone and the signal is actually quite good with that version. 4.4.4 doesn't do well on it for the signal...at least for me. I have been trying many ROMs / Kernels and I have the same luck with them all. I only have mine because I bought it for like $80 on ebay and still have the unlimited plan with Verizon so I don't want to upgrade to a new phone unless I pay the big dollars.
Battery life...is crap like everyone else states. I bought three batteries for this phone for that reason and always have it plugged in, which is why I actually have burn in from my apps.
I own GNex for almost 3 years now and here are few things coming into my mind right now:
Terrible camera
Terrible speaker (Very low volume)
Slow as hell
Worn screen
Incredibly short battery life
Also, with such limited memory multitasking is pretty much not existent if you like installing many apps
Honestly, there is not a single day that I don't want to throw my unit against the wall.
Do yourself a favor and stay away from this peace of junk.
N4 would be a much better option http://swappa.com/buy/nexus-4-unlocked/us
rrrrrrredbelly said:
I'm thinking of buying one, it's in the price range I'm looking at ($80-$100 on swappa), and it seems like it still has good dev support.
The Nexus is almost 3 years old, those that still have it, are you keeping it because you like it, or just because (don't want to loose your data plan for example).
Thanks
Dan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm keeping it because I don't have much money on a new phone and there isn't much on the market that really makes me want to spend anything.
The Galaxy Nexus is a really ****ty phone. If it wasn't a Nexus it would get zero respect from me.
I mean for an old and cheap phone, it's probably the best you can buy at this moment but I'd suggest saving a few more dollars and getting something better.
kobik77 said:
N4 would be a much better option http://swappa.com/buy/nexus-4-unlocked/us
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Click to collapse
Thanks but on verizon, looks like that gsm only.

Would you recommend buying this phone in 2016?

I'm looking for a new phone on a budget and I was wondering if you guys still recommend this phone.
I'm coming from a HTC One m7 and I'm looking for the sound. I'm enjoying the earphone DAC of my old m7 and I'm an audiophille.
But some drawbacks make me think about an iphone 6 or even an s6. Mainly, the camera. Is it really that bad? I was searching on flickr for shots and they don't look as bad as the reviews say it it. And also, it will continue development. I mean, with android 7.0 just released, it will get it officially, or even a bug-less cm build? Any good mods or anything at all that can attract me to buy this device? Leave your opinion here and thanks for helping my buying choice.
blurhns said:
I'm looking for a new phone on a budget and I was wondering if you guys still recommend this phone.
I'm coming from a HTC One m7 and I'm looking for the sound. I'm enjoying the earphone DAC of my old m7 and I'm an audiophille.
But some drawbacks make me think about an iphone 6 or even an s6. Mainly, the camera. Is it really that bad? I was searching on flickr for shots and they don't look as bad as the reviews say it it. And also, it will continue development. I mean, with android 7.0 just released, it will get it officially, or even a bug-less cm build? Any good mods or anything at all that can attract me to buy this device? Leave your opinion here and thanks for helping my buying choice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Short answer? Not a chance - purely from a development standpoint, the HTC M9 has been a staggering disappointment. We have some great folks working on AOSP-based and stock-based ROMs, but there simply isn't the breadth of development that exists for previous HTC One models. I'm not optimistic about the M10 either.
That said, the M9 is getting Android 7 (Nougat) from HTC, so we're not entirely behind the times with software updates, despite being slow (standard practice for non-Nexus devices). It is even possible that development of ROMs will continue to grow. Still, I would recommend waiting for the next Nexus phones (rumored to be released in October) and see how they compare to the current options on the market.
(As for the camera - I've never had any complaints, but I'm a pretty basic user on that front)
blurhns said:
I'm looking for a new phone on a budget and I was wondering if you guys still recommend this phone.
I'm coming from a HTC One m7 and I'm looking for the sound. I'm enjoying the earphone DAC of my old m7 and I'm an audiophille.
But some drawbacks make me think about an iphone 6 or even an s6. Mainly, the camera. Is it really that bad? I was searching on flickr for shots and they don't look as bad as the reviews say it it. And also, it will continue development. I mean, with android 7.0 just released, it will get it officially, or even a bug-less cm build? Any good mods or anything at all that can attract me to buy this device? Leave your opinion here and thanks for helping my buying choice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't really recommend this phone either. If you're looking for a budget phone... definitely go with the Nexus 5X/6P or One Plus 3 or any sub-$400 phone and put a skin over it (i.e. dBrand/Slickwraps). The sapphire screen on the back camera of my HTC One M9 has already cracked under not a whole lot of pressure applied to it some time ago and it would be silly of me to send it back to HTC to get it fixed as it'll crack again probably soon after. Camera is at best, 'meh' when it's in auto; I have the tendency to always grab photos in manual mode since I can make the photo more beautifiul. When this phone is in my hand with my pinky at the bottom holding it straight, my pinky starts to hurt because of its weight. Battery has been pretty good as I don't have a ton of apps running in the background only the ones I use daily (i.e. Snapchat, Hangouts, Maps, Messenger, etc.) but for other hardcore people who load apps onto their phone like mad... this would drain your battery pretty quick. Also YouTube videos drain the battery pretty quick from my experience LOL. If you have any questions about it, I'll try my best to give you an unbiased opinion. I still don't feel like I need to switch phones after having bought this phone on release day but quite honestly, I don't see how I could recommend anyone getting the M9 in 2016 even if it has gotten cheaper.
computerslayer said:
Short answer? Not a chance - purely from a development standpoint, the HTC M9 has been a staggering disappointment. We have some great folks working on AOSP-based and stock-based ROMs, but there simply isn't the breadth of development that exists for previous HTC One models. I'm not optimistic about the M10 either.
That said, the M9 is getting Android 7 (Nougat) from HTC, so we're not entirely behind the times with software updates, despite being slow (standard practice for non-Nexus devices). It is even possible that development of ROMs will continue to grow. Still, I would recommend waiting for the next Nexus phones (rumored to be released in October) and see how they compare to the current options on the market.
(As for the camera - I've never had any complaints, but I'm a pretty basic user on that front)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a lot for your reply. I can see why you can't recommend it, but I can't wait since I don't have a phone anymore. I was thinking about the Nexus 5x since i'm on a low budget but i heard it's not stereo speakers and the audio jack quality is pretty pour. i think i'll go with the iphone 6/se in the end.
Moomoomania said:
I don't really recommend this phone either. If you're looking for a budget phone... definitely go with the Nexus 5X/6P or One Plus 3 or any sub-$400 phone and put a skin over it (i.e. dBrand/Slickwraps). The sapphire screen on the back camera of my HTC One M9 has already cracked under not a whole lot of pressure applied to it some time ago and it would be silly of me to send it back to HTC to get it fixed as it'll crack again probably soon after. Camera is at best, 'meh' when it's in auto; I have the tendency to always grab photos in manual mode since I can make the photo more beautifiul. When this phone is in my hand with my pinky at the bottom holding it straight, my pinky starts to hurt because of its weight. Battery has been pretty good as I don't have a ton of apps running in the background only the ones I use daily (i.e. Snapchat, Hangouts, Maps, Messenger, etc.) but for other hardcore people who load apps onto their phone like mad... this would drain your battery pretty quick. Also YouTube videos drain the battery pretty quick from my experience LOL. If you have any questions about it, I'll try my best to give you an unbiased opinion. I still don't feel like I need to switch phones after having bought this phone on release day but quite honestly, I don't see how I could recommend anyone getting the M9 in 2016 even if it has gotten cheaper.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can relate to the weight issue. I hated to hold my m7 for more than 5 mins. Can't even watch youtube in bed because my hands would start hurting. And about the battery, my m7 drained it's battery in 1+1/2h of sot. that's so poor. and i changed the battery twice. I enjoy HTC only for the acoustics, but as I said earlier, i think i'm going with the 6/se for it's dac performance and mostly "just works" theory. I'm kind of sick of android and it's optimization.
blurhns said:
Thanks a lot for your reply. I can see why you can't recommend it, but I can't wait since I don't have a phone anymore. I was thinking about the Nexus 5x since i'm on a low budget but i heard it's not stereo speakers and the audio jack quality is pretty pour. i think i'll go with the iphone 6/se in the end.
I can relate to the weight issue. I hated to hold my m7 for more than 5 mins. Can't even watch youtube in bed because my hands would start hurting. And about the battery, my m7 drained it's battery in 1+1/2h of sot. that's so poor. and i changed the battery twice. I enjoy HTC only for the acoustics, but as I said earlier, i think i'm going with the 6/se for it's dac performance and mostly "just works" theory. I'm kind of sick of android and it's optimization.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The iPhone 7 & the new 'nexus' phones are right around the corner; I suggest you wait a bit before then. I have used an iPhone 6 for several months prior to getting the M9 and to be honest the fingerprint sensor on it is REALLY unreliable when you have the slightest amount of water or dirt on your finger (and quite slow and worked maybe 75% of the time with a super clean thumb). The SE model uses the old fingerprint sensor found in the iPhone 6 so it'll be as equally as bad. My ex had the iPhone 6 for a while and the battery literally crapped out less than a year so be sure that if you're planning to buy a used iPhone 6 off of Craigslist or another similar website, that it is still in 'decent' condition. Your option for the 6 is either a 16GB iPhone (~10GB of space) or a 64GB (~59GB of space) so if you need more than 10GB, a 64GB iPhone in good condition will still set you back ~$600-650.
Only reason why I ended up coming back to android was because I felt iOS was really basic at best and I truly did miss the customizing aspect of android. I recommend just buying a used phone to use for a month or two off of Craigslist that's ~$100 and purchase the newer phones (iPhone 7 or Nexus) after they have been released.
A compromise might be purchasing a used smartphone to tide you over until the new wave of Nexus phones and iPhones come out. A bit of purgatory, but it might work in your favor.

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