Which Android phone do I want?

[PrincessMommy]

I need to get a new phone.  Ugh. I've been putting it off but maps just won't work anymore and dh says that means I need to upgrade.

I'm normally a Samsung person but I am oh so tired of their bloatware and prices.  I can't bring myself to spend that kind of money on a phone that I mostly use for calls and texting.  Plus, did I mention I hate their bloatware.  Ugh.

I use my phone for:

calls

texts

photos - semi important for decent photos (grandkids)

Maps

Calender

Alarm

mindless gaming like Spider or Bricks Balls Crusher.

I don't use it for the internet.  

I've looked around and Google Pixel (3 or 4??) or one of the Nokias (6 or 7) seems like it might be okay.   I'm still shocked at the prices for them.  I was hoping to get something in the mid $200s - especially since they dont seem to last more than 2yrs.   Is that unrealistic or not?

What says the hive.  

[Laura Corin]

We were very happy with our Moto Gs (various generations).  We had to move to Samsung for very particular technical reasons when we moved house.  We would not otherwise have jumped ship.

[Bambam]

We've had Moto phones in our house for years. I was very happy with my last Moto Z Play - except the screen started separating from the body after 3 3/4 years of heavy use. I would have purchased a new Moto, but all the current Moto reasonably priced options have cameras that are less than what I had. So, I switched to a Samsung (purchased a North American Factory Unlocked one on Amazon for less $$ than other places). And I'll use it for several years, but it is annoying the way they push and push their apps (which I don't want to use their calendar or their ....). But the phone (S10) does have some nice features.

I surely hope Moto improves their cameras by the next time I need a phone! 

Both of my dds have the Moto G7 (one regular, one power) and they are happy with their choices. I think either is less than $200? 

The only problem I have with Moto is that you have to use their chargers. No wireless charging. 

[Corraleno]

Another vote for the Moto G series.

[PrincessMommy]

Are you happy with the camera?  That seems to be a consistent complaint about it.

 

[JennyD]

Agree about the Moto phones, especially the Moto G line.  

[Tree Frog]

Our family has had the Moto G, Moto G7, and Moto Play. For the most part, they've been good phones. I also wish they had better cameras. It's the one reason I may not stay with the Moto G series.

[Lanny]

We switched from Samsung to Motorola Moto G series some years ago.  Motos have more "Bang for the buck" and are easier to use.  DD had a Moto G4 for Latin America, and before she went to the USA I investigated the GSM/LTE bands it has and those in use by AT&T and T-Mobile in the USA.  I bought her a Red Pocket Mobile SIM, for use on AT&T and she has been using that old phone in NC for 13 months now. When it goes, I will suggest to her that she buy a new Unlocked/Unbranded phone, from the Motorola USA web site,   Probably a Moto G with a BIG battery.  (I have a low end Moto phone that isn't sold in the USA. It has a BIG battery)

We have a neighbor who is an Electronic  Engineer for one of the 3 network providers here. I asked him, several years ago, of the lower cost Android phones, which ones he thought connected best to their cells and have a lot of bang for the buck. He told me he usually buys Motorola, but occasionally will spend more and buy a Samsung.

[gardenmom5]

I have a note - because it has the biggest screen.  2ds and I also like that there's a stylus.

[Tree Frog]

I came back to comment on the one really big pet peeve I have about my Moto phone. When I update the addresses in my contacts, it shows that I've saved them. But when I look at the contact, the old address still shows. The new address may or may not be visible. It's incredibly frustrating. My kids have each moved every year they were in college. That's a lot of updating I need to do. But for whatever reason, often only the old addresses will show up, not the new ones. When I go in to edit the contact again, it only shows the new address, but not the old deleted address. It drives me crazy!

[Bambam]

4 minutes ago, wilrunner2 said:

I came back to comment on the one really big pet peeve I have about my Moto phone. When I update the addresses in my contacts, it shows that I've saved them. But when I look at the contact, the old address still shows. The new address may or may not be visible. It's incredibly frustrating. My kids have each moved every year they were in college. That's a lot of updating I need to do. But for whatever reason, often only the old addresses will show up, not the new ones. When I go in to edit the contact again, it only shows the new address, but not the old deleted address. It drives me crazy!

What are you using for your contacts? I use Google Contacts, and I've never had a problem with this. 

[Sk8ermaiden]

I've had 2 pixel 3s (dropped one in the ocean) and I really just am a google phone fan. I've been using them since the first ones. I feel like you should be able to find one used or refurbed for somewhere in the $200s. 

I've had a moto 3, 5, and my DD currently uses the 7. It's great for a backup phone, and it's perfect for my kid, but it drives me insane. I always feel they're laggy and the camera isn't great. But for a budget android that's as close to a google phone as you can get without bloatware, I'm not sure you can beat it.

[Arcadia]

My kids have Motorola phones while my husband has a Nokia phone.
 

My husband picked the Nokia because the OS updates come out faster for Nokia than for Motorola or Samsung. He is using Nokia as his work phone and it needs to have the latest updates to be compliant with company policy. He is actually thinking of switching back to an iPhone when android updates end for his Nokia or use back his old iPhone 7 Plus that I am currently using mainly as a YouTube player. 

[Tree Frog]

On 9/22/2020 at 9:28 PM, Bambam said:

What are you using for your contacts? I use Google Contacts, and I've never had a problem with this. 

It's the one that came on the phone. Sometimes when I want to update a contact, I'm asked which email account I want to save the contact under. I thought that may have been my problem and tried to merge duplicate contacts under my Gmail account.

I had a problem with my previous Moto not allowing me to delete or edit any contacts, but I think it was due to saving the contacts under different email addresses. That particular problem stopped when I got the G7 and could see which contacts were saved under which email.

I'll look up Google contacts and see if I can import my contacts into it. I would love to have something that's seamless to use and accurate.

Looking further, it looks like I have Google contacts.

Edited September 24, 2020 by wilrunner

[Lizzie in Ma]

The Pixel 4A is finally out for $350.

I had the 3A and adored it and when dh needed a new phone I gave it to him and now have the Pixel 4 which I splurged on.