Apple Proprietary

[afv011]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

And there is a real problem getting updates for any of these versions of the Android OS.

That's what Nexus devices are for. I don't understand the complaints, a Nexus is akin to an iDevice in that it gets an update as soon as it's out the door. No, scratch that, a Nexus is better than an iDevice because it gets an update as soon as it's out the door, costs a fraction of an iDevice while offering additional features and is unlocked and unwalled. The "updates are delayed" excuse is just that, an excuse.

[Jessica Lares]

People want to buy $0-99 contract phones more than buying a phone outright I guess.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

People want to buy $0-99 contract phones more than buying a phone outright I guess.

It's a known fact that you pay way more when you buy a subsidized phone than when you pay the phone upfront. The obscene prices you have to pay on contract to get the phone for cheaper far outweigh the cost of the phone. And a nexus phone is only $100 more expensive than subsidized phones, $150 if you go for the higher capacity model (compared against similar spec'ed phones, not against 2 years old phones which are "free" on contract).

[Jessica Lares]

Originally Posted by afv011

It's a known fact that you pay way more when you buy a subsidized phone than when you pay the phone upfront. The obscene prices you have to pay on contract to get the phone for cheaper far outweigh the cost of the phone. And a nexus phone is only $100 more expensive than subsidized phones, $150 if you go for the higher capacity model (compared against similar spec'ed phones, not against 2 years old phones which are "free" on contract).

My plan is $70 a month. You don't save money either way due to them forcing you on certain minutes and data on a smartphone. I'm pretty much stuck on AT&T because everything else is subpar when it comes to reliability. I could be paying less on other places, but I wouldn't be able to make a call from my own front porch.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by afv011

That's what Nexus devices are for.

Yes, I really hope the Nexus models are successful, and become the dominant style, rather than the overloaded devices from other manufacturers.
A member of my family got a Samsung Android phone recently, and it had three different email apps installed (none clearly labelled), one from Google, one from Samsung and one from the phone company. That isn't a good user experience. An iPhone/Nexus model, where everything is supplied by the OS manufacturer, is much cleaner.

I don't understand the complaints

The complaints are for all the devices which aren't Nexuses.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

My plan is $70 a month. You don't save money either way due to them forcing you on certain minutes and data on a smartphone. I'm pretty much stuck on AT&T because everything else is subpar when it comes to reliability. I could be paying less on other places, but I wouldn't be able to make a call from my own front porch.

There may indeed be locations where you don't get much choice of carrier due to coverage, but if that's not the case, T-Mobile (Go Smart) is certainly making things easier for those who want to buy a phone upfront, you get plans starting at $35, which include data, albeit not at high speeds, or $45 for high speed data.