2018 Q4 Handset releases: what are we looking forward to and will we get it in NZ?

Forums › Android › 2018 Q4 Handset releases: what are we looking forward to and will we get it in NZ?

Geektastic

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#240057 18-Aug-2018 09:02

I started this so we could discuss any hardware expected in the last Quarter of the year, following s comment by @NikT in the Note 9 thread that the much rumoured LG V40 may well not come to NZ. Not sure why, so here's an opportunity to elaborate...

Audio is a big thing in my phone use, more so than cameras for sure about which I care little as long as they produce adequate snaps. I have more than enough real cameras for serious photography.

The LG phones are big on audio. Other phones if be interested in might be the Pixel 3 XL assuming it has aptx-HD like the Pixel 2.

The Find X is intriguing too.

What's everyone else looking forward to? Do you expect it to be natively available here?

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#2075198 18-Aug-2018 10:15

Spark have interest free on any phone over 200. I'd like to see Pixel 3 on Spark I'd consider moving to Spark for that.

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#2075248 18-Aug-2018 11:31

I'd certainly like to see it somewhere.

I was considering jumping on the LG G7 in the PBTech sale today, but there's something amiss with the listing and you can't put it in the cart.

I'd like to see the Find X here too: not sure it's technically as good as it is aesthetically, but man is it beautifully designed.

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#2075255 18-Aug-2018 11:51

One of the problems with launching a handset in NZ is sales volumes. By the time a company submits a handset for approval and builds firmware for the operator (remembering that firmware operator is critical for the handset to work correctly including features such as carrier aggregation) they could well find themselves in the situation where they may only sell a couple of thousand handsets for the year which doesn't necessarily make them profitable.

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#2075285 18-Aug-2018 13:10

I actually think the new Nokia's could be one of the most significant launches of this Q

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#2075339 18-Aug-2018 15:34

sbiddle:

One of the problems with launching a handset in NZ is sales volumes. By the time a company submits a handset for approval and builds firmware for the operator (remembering that firmware operator is critical for the handset to work correctly including features such as carrier aggregation) they could well find themselves in the situation where they may only sell a couple of thousand handsets for the year which doesn't necessarily make them profitable.

It's a shame that there isn't more standardisation internationally in order to make that easier.

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#2075351 18-Aug-2018 16:29

This is likely more Q1 2019 but I am getting one of these: https://puri.sm/shop/librem-5/

it will definitely be fun trying to configure calling and SMS on. :)

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#2075353 18-Aug-2018 16:41

UHD:
This is likely more Q1 2019 but I am getting one of these: https://puri.sm/shop/librem-5/

it will definitely be fun trying to configure calling and SMS on. :)

Seriously cool. *May cause carrier panic.

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#2075354 18-Aug-2018 16:46

HTC Life Waterproof with Android One is something I'd seriously look at if NZ. Assuming they are doing an update release for Q4. I would still favor pixel 3 since I'm not getting out much lately but maybe..

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#2075582 19-Aug-2018 00:08

I think there will be a One Plus 6T coming as well?

Unfortunately, I did not manage to get the G7 issue on PB Tech's website resolved today so I'll see what I can do about that on Monday.

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#2075591 19-Aug-2018 01:27

I'm personally waiting for either the Pixel 3 or Nokia 9 although at this stage I am tempted with the improvement in the mid range phones to the point that it'll become increasingly difficult to justify buying a flag ship when the mid range is good enough such as the Nokia 7 Plus.

sbiddle:

One of the problems with launching a handset in NZ is sales volumes. By the time a company submits a handset for approval and builds firmware for the operator (remembering that firmware operator is critical for the handset to work correctly including features such as carrier aggregation) they could well find themselves in the situation where they may only sell a couple of thousand handsets for the year which doesn't necessarily make them profitable.

From what I understand Android has moved away from 'a new image for each carrier' since the carriers settings/optimisations can be added in later in much the same way that it is done on iOS. What ever the case maybe, it would be nice to have an alternative to Samsung other than Huawei that throw customers under the bus 6 months after purchasing their phones through their non-existent security updates and Android system upgrades. If there was ever something that had to be killed off in the product range at carriers it would be Huawei to make room for Pixel.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

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#2075592 19-Aug-2018 06:06

I'd love to see a replacement for the Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 model :)

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#2075690 19-Aug-2018 11:46

matisyahu:

I'm personally waiting for either the Pixel 3 or Nokia 9 although at this stage I am tempted with the improvement in the mid range phones to the point that it'll become increasingly difficult to justify buying a flag ship when the mid range is good enough such as the Nokia 7 Plus.

sbiddle:

One of the problems with launching a handset in NZ is sales volumes. By the time a company submits a handset for approval and builds firmware for the operator (remembering that firmware operator is critical for the handset to work correctly including features such as carrier aggregation) they could well find themselves in the situation where they may only sell a couple of thousand handsets for the year which doesn't necessarily make them profitable.

From what I understand Android has moved away from 'a new image for each carrier' since the carriers settings/optimisations can be added in later in much the same way that it is done on iOS. What ever the case maybe, it would be nice to have an alternative to Samsung other than Huawei that throw customers under the bus 6 months after purchasing their phones through their non-existent security updates and Android system upgrades. If there was ever something that had to be killed off in the product range at carriers it would be Huawei to make room for Pixel.

The Nokia phones are very nice looking units from a design POV. I generally prefer the aluminum idea to the glass one as far as the body goes. Wireless charging is really not a desperate need for me. In the US, my brother's truck has a wireless pad built in to the centre console, so I can see that being useful. I also went into a number of coffee shops there that had wireless pads built into the tables - again handy. However, given that wired charging is so fast (in some phones) now, I generally prefer that - so a glass back is of no great need to me. A CNC machined aluminium chassis would be better from a robustness pov. Or preferably CNC'd Titanium but I do not suppose we will get that.

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#2075812 19-Aug-2018 15:08

Geektastic:
matisyahu:

I'm personally waiting for either the Pixel 3 or Nokia 9 although at this stage I am tempted with the improvement in the mid range phones to the point that it'll become increasingly difficult to justify buying a flag ship when the mid range is good enough such as the Nokia 7 Plus.

sbiddle:

One of the problems with launching a handset in NZ is sales volumes. By the time a company submits a handset for approval and builds firmware for the operator (remembering that firmware operator is critical for the handset to work correctly including features such as carrier aggregation) they could well find themselves in the situation where they may only sell a couple of thousand handsets for the year which doesn't necessarily make them profitable.

From what I understand Android has moved away from 'a new image for each carrier' since the carriers settings/optimisations can be added in later in much the same way that it is done on iOS. What ever the case maybe, it would be nice to have an alternative to Samsung other than Huawei that throw customers under the bus 6 months after purchasing their phones through their non-existent security updates and Android system upgrades. If there was ever something that had to be killed off in the product range at carriers it would be Huawei to make room for Pixel.

The Nokia phones are very nice looking units from a design POV. I generally prefer the aluminum idea to the glass one as far as the body goes. Wireless charging is really not a desperate need for me. In the US, my brother's truck has a wireless pad built in to the centre console, so I can see that being useful. I also went into a number of coffee shops there that had wireless pads built into the tables - again handy. However, given that wired charging is so fast (in some phones) now, I generally prefer that - so a glass back is of no great need to me. A CNC machined aluminium chassis would be better from a robustness pov. Or preferably CNC'd Titanium but I do not suppose we will get that.

I quite liked the Lumia 920/1020 designs - it felt like a sturdy phone yet was made out of plastic and pretty robust. If Nokia started reusing the same Lumia designs running Android then I'd be there with bells on. God knows Samsung needs the competition - their hardware maybe great but holy heck their software is atrocious and they have this mistaken idea that people are interested in the Samsung Cloud even though you cannot access via a web browser or a desktop thus making it entirely useless for someone who has a desktop or a laptop (in my case, a Mac running macOS).

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

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#2075859 19-Aug-2018 16:46

matisyahu:

Geektastic:
matisyahu:

I'm personally waiting for either the Pixel 3 or Nokia 9 although at this stage I am tempted with the improvement in the mid range phones to the point that it'll become increasingly difficult to justify buying a flag ship when the mid range is good enough such as the Nokia 7 Plus.

sbiddle:

One of the problems with launching a handset in NZ is sales volumes. By the time a company submits a handset for approval and builds firmware for the operator (remembering that firmware operator is critical for the handset to work correctly including features such as carrier aggregation) they could well find themselves in the situation where they may only sell a couple of thousand handsets for the year which doesn't necessarily make them profitable.

From what I understand Android has moved away from 'a new image for each carrier' since the carriers settings/optimisations can be added in later in much the same way that it is done on iOS. What ever the case maybe, it would be nice to have an alternative to Samsung other than Huawei that throw customers under the bus 6 months after purchasing their phones through their non-existent security updates and Android system upgrades. If there was ever something that had to be killed off in the product range at carriers it would be Huawei to make room for Pixel.

The Nokia phones are very nice looking units from a design POV. I generally prefer the aluminum idea to the glass one as far as the body goes. Wireless charging is really not a desperate need for me. In the US, my brother's truck has a wireless pad built in to the centre console, so I can see that being useful. I also went into a number of coffee shops there that had wireless pads built into the tables - again handy. However, given that wired charging is so fast (in some phones) now, I generally prefer that - so a glass back is of no great need to me. A CNC machined aluminium chassis would be better from a robustness pov. Or preferably CNC'd Titanium but I do not suppose we will get that.

I quite liked the Lumia 920/1020 designs - it felt like a sturdy phone yet was made out of plastic and pretty robust. If Nokia started reusing the same Lumia designs running Android then I'd be there with bells on. God knows Samsung needs the competition - their hardware maybe great but holy heck their software is atrocious and they have this mistaken idea that people are interested in the Samsung Cloud even though you cannot access via a web browser or a desktop thus making it entirely useless for someone who has a desktop or a laptop (in my case, a Mac running macOS).

Agreed. I think the biggest thing that needs 'fixing' in Android is the software aspect. It seems to me to be about time for Google to say "You can't use our software anymore unless you comply with our update schedules on time, every time."

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#2075865 19-Aug-2018 17:03

Geektastic:

Agreed. I think the biggest thing that needs 'fixing' in Android is the software aspect. It seems to me to be about time for Google to say "You can't use our software anymore unless you comply with our update schedules on time, every time."

If only..

One of the aspects I still love about Sony is their updates. You know when you get a Sony phone (except if you buy an operator branded device in NZ where you may get updates if you're lucky) that you'll get two years worth of updates and monthly security fixes for it.

This in itself is great, except for the fact once two years comes around you're essentially forgotten about.

My Xperia XZ is now two years old and is still a great handset that is perfectly capable of running Pie except Sony aren't going to bother since the handset is now around 5 generations old since they release flagship handsets 2 x per year.

I don't want to upgrade and apart from a better camera there is absolutely nothing in the current XZ2 that makes me want to fork out money on a new handset except for the fact I'll need to do so simply to keep updates happening.

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