Hacker News Reader

Comment by intrasight | Hacker News Reader

I'll agree that shifting consumer preferences related to software is a major threat to Samsung. I have for several years taken the position that there are only two smartphone options - the latest iPhone or the latest Google Nexus/Pixel.

View on HN

Probably this is not true everywhere. If you happen to notice is this in India, people here apparently buy Iphone or any budget level Android phone. People used to buy Nexus (very few) and now with Pixel, I havent seen single one sold out. Take it or not, people with money goes for IPhone and budget friendly goes to Xioami Mi or Samsung lower end.

This is about one of the largest mobile phone users country. And apparently same holds for China

Oneplus is also a huge hit especially now that Nexus isn't there. Many people use 20-30k flagship phone of Xiaomi, Oneplus, Moto, lenovo, etc.

That's a ridiculously narrow assumption. There are millions of smartphone users who cannot afford either of these flagships, and people like me who could but refuse to spend the money on what I consider unnecessary features.

I was just stating my position. Certainly others are free to take a different position. I still also have and use a Sanyo Mil-spec flip-phone - because sometimes the only necessary feature is to be able to reliably make and receive phone calls.

Regarding smartphone features - the really don't differ very much. I buy Google phones because a) I want them unlocked, and b) I don't want malware and bloatware, and c) I want regular updates to OS.

And regarding buying phones from carriers, I guess the jury is still out:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/03/first-horseman-privacy...

I used to take a purist Android view like this. But AOSP 4+ with its mandatory lock-in to Google services and its "always watching you" policy is the definition of lock-in malware. Do you trust the incentive for Google (for whom you are no customer but a product) more than that for your phone manufacturer (with whom you have a regular customer relationship)?

Actually I do

Call me naive, but even as an outspoken critic of many things Google, I trust their phones far more than any other Android phone.

That said, I disagree I would trust even Google branded phones re: malware. Android will likely never have my trust there.

I live in Bangkok. Street sweepers and food cart vendors have either prehistoric iPhones or prehistoric Samsung phones.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com