Android Phones

[Lala81]

Seems like Samsung stepped up their game in the camera dept. This is a generational leap overall to keep up with the iPhone.

The video improvements is impressive. Very seldom do u see such a big improvement in one generation. 

Hopefully it filters down to the cheaper phones over the next few years so we can all benefit. S23u is just too chonky a phone for me. 

 

Edited February 6, 2023 by Lala81

[Tkseah]

30 minutes ago, Lala81 said:

Seems like Samsung stepped up their game in the camera dept. This is a generational leap overall to keep up with the iPhone.

The video improvements is impressive. Very seldom do u see such a big improvement in one generation. 

Hopefully it filters down to the cheaper phones over the next few years so we can all benefit. S23u is just too chonky a phone for me. 

My wife ordered s23u to replace her Huawei mate 20... 😓

[bsswan]

The backs of phones are just getting fuglier and fuglier.

[zipping]

https://www.techspot.com/news/97518-samsung-galaxy-s23-android-os-consumes-60gb-storage.html

 

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Android OS consumes 60GB of storage

Bloated to the size of two Windows 11 installs

By Rob Thubron Today 5:17 AM

TechSpot is about to celebrate its 25th anniversary. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust.

WTF?! While phones are advertised as having a specific amount of storage, many new buyers are shocked to find that a significant chunk is already taken up. This is especially true of the Galaxy S23, which, thanks to Samsung's version of Android, comes with 60GB of storage already filled. That's four times what the stock version of Android consumes on the Pixel 7 phones and around double what Windows 11 takes up on a PC.

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S23 series last week. Storage capacities vary from 128GB to 1TB, but Ars Technica reports that 60GB is used for the system partition straight out of the box. That's a hefty chunk, especially for those who purchase the handset with the least amount of storage.

For comparison, the stock version of Android 13 used in the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro takes up just 15GB of internal space. But the Galaxy S23, which runs on Samsung's One UI 5.1 custom skin on top of Android 13, is packed with bloatware. Owners of the company's handsets will be familiar with how it duplicates many Google apps—browser, app store, messaging app, keyboard, etc.—adding its own versions to a device and taking up space. What's even more annoying is that these apps usually can't be removed.

Additionally, Samsung has a reputation for creating low-quality code, and it sells space on its devices to companies who want their apps to come pre-installed. Facebook, Netflix, LinkedIn, Microsoft Office, and others are often found already installed on Samsung handsets, and there's usually more bloatware if you buy a phone from a carrier. Again, many of these apps can't be uninstalled.

That 60GB figure is especially surprising because Samsung is the only major Android phone company that doesn't take advantage of Android's A/B Seamless Updates feature. This uses two copies of the operating system, one offline in the background and an online one that's being used. When an OTA update is pushed out, the offline copy can be updated while the online OS keeps running. When the update is complete and the phone reboots, the device switches to the updated OS. This drastically reduces update times, which can take up to 30 minutes on devices with a single operating system, but it does consume some storage space.

The bad news for consumers is that the Galaxy S23 series doesn't come with expandable storage. Though for Samsung, it means people are more likely to opt for the more expensive models with larger capacities.

Edited February 7, 2023 by zipping

[Tohto]

3 minutes ago, zipping said:

https://www.techspot.com/news/97518-samsung-galaxy-s23-android-os-consumes-60gb-storage.html

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Android OS consumes 60GB of storage

Now buying a high end phone must buy at least with min 512GB.

[Lala81]

My wife's mi 8 running out of space (128gb). Lol asked her to install a bank app but she had to install on my old phone. 

Was originally considering pixel 7 256gb 1.1k+ vs an oppo x5 pro at 1k+. 

But while looking through the phone shop website, think I found something which is pretty good value. Export sets OnePlus 10 pro 256gb which is last years flagship. Its not the best flagship for sure but for 700+ dollars and 1 month warranty, can take the chance. 

Its very similar to the x5pro but with a slightly lousier camera setup. 

Edited February 11, 2023 by Lala81

[Lala81]

On 2/7/2023 at 10:33 PM, Tohto said:

Now buying a high end phone must buy at least with min 512GB.

I didn't bring over my old photos. Using a 256gb one. Not that I wasn't willing to pay for 512gb. But usually only Samsung and apple flagships have them commonly in stock. 

[Kb27]

About OS android 12, particularly, OnePlus and Oppo :

I setup a locked screen, so my toddler won't be able to mess with it. He don't understand, but he like to push buttons.

The problem with this locked screen, is that there's a "EMERGENCY CALL" button right below the keypad where you'll press your PIN.

So he push that button, and the next screen, he push another deadly button, call 995

I wasn't aware until my phone starts ringing, then I realize it was a call-back to me from 995. Somehow I disconnected the call, and hopefully everything went silent.

I dunno about other phone OS, but this is a big problem. If anyone finds your locked phone, he can do the same. Seems like android requirement to have EMGY call is mandatory. I check some videos, and there were people, in other countries, complaining about being "fined" for calling EMGY number, with the phone bouncing around in their pocket, and they tried to disable that EMGY button.

 

[Lala81]

1 hour ago, Kb27 said:

About OS android 12, particularly, OnePlus and Oppo :

I setup a locked screen, so my toddler won't be able to mess with it. He don't understand, but he like to push buttons.

The problem with this locked screen, is that there's a "EMERGENCY CALL" button right below the keypad where you'll press your PIN.

So he push that button, and the next screen, he push another deadly button, call 995

I wasn't aware until my phone starts ringing, then I realize it was a call-back to me from 995. Somehow I disconnected the call, and hopefully everything went silent.

I dunno about other phone OS, but this is a big problem. If anyone finds your locked phone, he can do the same. Seems like android requirement to have EMGY call is mandatory. I check some videos, and there were people, in other countries, complaining about being "fined" for calling EMGY number, with the phone bouncing around in their pocket, and they tried to disable that EMGY button.

 

Happened to me before when I was distracted and holding my phone in my hand. 

[Blueray]

seems like some phone makers are now using more AI instead of increasing megapixels for the cameras.

[Lala81]

10 minutes ago, Blueray said:

seems like some phone makers are now using more AI instead of increasing megapixels for the cameras.

Hmm Samsung just increased their main cam in the 23u to a 200mp camera. But it's just for pixel binning. 

Impressions is that no difference from the s22u pict quality for now. Lol. 

The other parts of the camera were improved. Video quality, stabilization, low light. Algorithm detection of portraits edge detection etc are more important. 

Given what pixel series squeezed out from an old sensor shows that computational photography is the key difference. 

[Blueray]

26 minutes ago, Lala81 said:

Hmm Samsung just increased their main cam in the 23u to a 200mp camera. But it's just for pixel binning. 

Impressions is that no difference from the s22u pict quality for now. Lol. 

The other parts of the camera were improved. Video quality, stabilization, low light. Algorithm detection of portraits edge detection etc are more important. 

Given what pixel series squeezed out from an old sensor shows that computational photography is the key difference. 

google pixel 6 and pixel 7 still essentially the same camera, no megapixel increase.

waiting for pixel 7a to come out later this year. 

[Lala81]

1 hour ago, Blueray said:

google pixel 6 and pixel 7 still essentially the same camera, no megapixel increase.

waiting for pixel 7a to come out later this year. 

It will be a 128gb phone with no expandable storage. 

I mean even if u use Google photos as storage. And the videos get compressed. The sheer number of apps u need on your phone nowadays is multiples what u needed 5 years ago.

Edited February 11, 2023 by Lala81

[Ghgan]

5 hours ago, Lala81 said:

My wife's mi 8 running out of space (128gb). Lol asked her to install a bank app but she had to install on my old phone. 

Was originally considering pixel 7 256gb 1.1k+ vs an oppo x5 pro at 1k+. 

But while looking through the phone shop website, think I found something which is pretty good value. Export sets OnePlus 10 pro 256gb which is last years flagship. Its not the best flagship for sure but for 700+ dollars and 1 month warranty, can take the chance. 

Its very similar to the x5pro but with a slightly lousier camera setup. 

thought oppo x3 pro now having promo with 2yrs warranty, but need to pay $200 more.

https://shopee.sg/OPPO-Find-X3-Pro-1-Billion-Colour-Dual-Primary-Cameras-Qualcomm-Snapdragon-888-120-Hz-Refresh-Rate-12-256GB-i.92956201.3006684799

[Stratovarius]

2 hours ago, Blueray said:

google pixel 6 and pixel 7 still essentially the same camera, no megapixel increase.

waiting for pixel 7a to come out later this year. 

Honestly, how many megapixels does one need? Megapixels does not equate to image quality. 

[Blueray]

12 minutes ago, Stratovarius said:

Honestly, how many megapixels does one need? Megapixels does not equate to image quality. 

yup, but its a marketing thing lor. 

my layman view is that need a bit of all; megapixels, AI, cmos sensor. and my gut feel is for hp camera, 50mp is more than enough lor. am not shooting for National Geographic anyways. 

[Lala81]

1 hour ago, Ghgan said:

thought oppo x3 pro now having promo with 2yrs warranty, but need to pay $200 more.

https://shopee.sg/OPPO-Find-X3-Pro-1-Billion-Colour-Dual-Primary-Cameras-Qualcomm-Snapdragon-888-120-Hz-Refresh-Rate-12-256GB-i.92956201.3006684799

I have the x3 pro for about 5 months. Don't find it good value at this current price. Bought it for 860+. 

X5pro has better batt life cos using SD8 gen 1.

[Opel17]

Recently discovered that some of the Samsung phones have "RAM Plus" in the settings. This allow a bit of the inbuilt memory to be converted into virtual RAM.

*OPPO phones have a similar settings "RAM Expand".