This week we welcome another guest to the podcast, writer Nirave Gondhia as we take on a topic that was picked by you, our fans. A poll posted on Google+ yielded our topic for this week – the question of whether flagship devices still make sense with a growing midrange market. Phones coming in a lower price point are gradually bringing high-end experiences, with perhaps just a few holes left in their evolution. So, we ponder the question of how midrange devices fare against the current crop of flagships from the likes of Samsung, HTC, and future phones from the likes of LG and Sony. We run the gamut and veer off course a few times, but that’s just how it goes on the FDP.
Follow our poll on Google+ once again this week and let us know which topic you want us to talk about next! Thank you for your participation and we look forward to seeing your responses!
The Friday Debate Podcast by Android Authority – discussing topics in Android every week.
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Old flags ships vs new mid range phones?
Going on their topic about htc cutting corners they did as the m9 has a 1080p resolution and a 2840mAh battery if they added a QHD screen it would have eaten battery but you make up for it like Samsung did (quick charge/removable battery). This year's S6 has a 2550mAh battery with a super amoled QHD screen BUT they have quick charge which makes up for the battery life. Imo all htc have to do is have as much mAh in a slim phone as possible, add quick charge and/or a removable back so batteries can be swapped. The M9 is going to fail and is failing right now. FIX IT !!!
The Samsung galaxy alpha is the perfect mid range phone. 720p screen resolution,
Battery sucks but in the UK I can buy another one from ebay for 5 pounds, 12MP camera is good, finger print scanner, heart rate sensor and a premium feeling phone for roughly 250 pounds (i got mine for 232). Great buy !!!
Please do a review of HTC M9+ and E9+. They are both awesome phones.
I know this is a podcast and just for fun, but at least Joe articulates his thoughts. Every time he explains himself everyone laughs but no one is really articulate their opinions. I wish these podcast were a little more in depth. Maybe Joe should be the one who makes pone review videos. haha
Guys… z3c screen is very capable, 720p on a 4.6 inch is more than enough.
lol z3compact a midrange??? thats definitely a flagship based on price and specs..
Smart people like me never buy Flagships , because we know they're ridiculously overpriced . Fanboys and people who have money to waste will keep buy those flagships
Just wondering if you guys seen spighens website. they already have g4 cases , and it shows the g4 with a plastic back , so maybe they are doing the "moto maker"
Awesme
Keep it up guys. Joe was great
And nw i realy think why htc didnt change design
Everything mving so fast
That even the greatest design loses wow factor in 8 month
And when u make a great design it has to give profit enough back to u also
And m9 is still the best gorgeous looking phone period in my view
Good to see joe supporting htc
When all is just after them
Strangely
Nobody in review mention call quality
Its still a phone
I had moto turbo and call quality wasnt great
nobody said
My friend used m9 and blown away by call quality in meeting
But that doesnt a wow factor
But making phone sit in a wearless charger is a wow factor
Thats how things go these days
rough on the S5. while its exterior didn't lend itself to be a flagship, the specs were. Then Samsung threw in things like IP67 and the ultra power saving mode. They added good functionality and people are riding it because of its looks. sheesh
I love this post… You guys are hilarious… I look forward to listening to your podcasts every week…
Ideas? Where can you see phones moving towards or how they can improve? Better battery? Where can you see phones be applied to? I never thought they would apply it to cars like starting your car or getting it warm before you set foot in it etc. Is there too much going on in phones right now, things like the heart rate sensor in the Galaxy range and finger print scanner? Would it be better to keep phones more simpler or having some of these traits removed and increase the battery size? Is it really that big of a deal of making/having the slimmest/lightest phone. Having a bigger battery can't be a bad thing right?
Moto G is still able to do everything other high-end smart phones can do and I don't hold my life's worth on having a high spec phone so there just over kill in my OP
yes, i'm a bit let down with sony's z4. let's hope the international version is beter or we're not gonna see sony selling mobile devise anymore. Even the midrange spec is sometimes the same with z series like water resistant in m4 aqua.
This was golden
I think 300-400$ for a mid range is absolutely way to much, but then again I work in a local phone store that buys and sells used phones and we buy second hand flagships for way less then they are actually worth. Just recently we bought an iPhone 6 Plus for 250$, and someone sold us their Nexus 6 for 50$ because they had financed it from T-Mobile and didn't want to pay it off, it was blocked by T-Mobile but apparently T-Mobile Nexus 6's are factory unlocked because my ATT SIM card works great in it. However whenever I stop working here I doubt I'll ever buy a flagship for full price, 700$ is just way to much for a phone, unless I get a used one on eBay for half price.
Joe: "…you know?"
rofling about toilets on my now mid-range G2
Bwahaha, they beat the cow with a corn.
Am I the only disgusted by the thought of spending flagship prices on what's essentially a toy. Even midrange is expensive. We need a Nextel type Android market for people that need dependable business phones. Phones that can handle social media some basic coding, nice cameras and a nice aesthetic without all the unnecessary gimmicks. Rolexes are nice but my Elgin suits my needs just fine.
Your thoughts on mid range, and flagships
This year is flagships
Next year mid-range
And so forth
I had a Galaxy Ace before.
why isnt jayce is on the podcast???
I enjoyed the show, but I think you should briefly discuss some of the week's key topics before getting in to the debate portion. Otherwise there is no format and it's just one long section. Kinda like Android Central, they're good. There are lots of podcasts I don't like, such as Engadget, because they waffle and have a laugh (in-jokes that we don't care about) off topic too much. It is a show so a host is needed to at least have some sort of discipline and make it more enjoyable to listeners – we don't want to hear what happened to you after breakfast for 3 minutes!
I like your podcast better then pocketnow podcast. good topics.
Z4 is official. Same screen, camera but new frame. Metal and glass. Sd 810. 32gb internal. Micro SD upto 128gb. 2930 mAh battery. 6.9mm slim. Ip68 certified.
The spec sheet is good.
Some of the price of flagship phones is advertising, the money for those Samsung adverts has to be made back somewhere.
or get a $199(2gb) or $299(4gb) Zenfone 2. Both of these devices already outperform the S5
The reason why kitkat is really good is pretty simple~ it is the last iteration of 4.x android, a matured upgrade that sits on top of the first three versions of jelly bean. Compare to 5.0 lollipop, 4.4 proves itself to be better except the visual appeal of its ui design. If people want to have stable lollipop we might have to wait for 5.3 or 5.4.
Lets admit it the bigger companies always target the bigger and richer demographics which patronize their flagships.
BUT where im from the chinese phones and local brands take the mobile industry by the balls, flooded with mediatek processors and 1gb ram units, brands like huawei,xiaomi,honor,alcatel and several others are king here. and i honestly dont see myself buying a samsung/apple flagship even if i suddenly have the money to do so.
Our latest podcast. I was in rare form this week with @***** @Jonathan Feist @Nirave Gondhia and @Andrew Grush
Don't forget we're on iTunes and stitcher.
Note: for some reason I shared the video and it starts at like 44 minutes for some odd reason. Don't forget to restart!
Depends on the price. Lg g3 costs 315 dollara ans 30 and its the best 2014 phone flagships shpuld coat 500 or 600 dollars 800and 900 are crazy prices i pau for what for the damn chip or the clockspeed or the mats that are cheap most of the phones are plaatic and glass then what. Everything else its the same for every phone
"Whats going on everybody? " catshfarases are fun and cute for a while. Now we heard it one million times. Now its just sounds sad and anoying.
#teamandroid
Flagships will always be the best.