G+_Zach McDaniel Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Originally shared by Zach McDaniel Why You Shouldn't Upgrade Your Phone!!! A Different take on Tech... I've recently discovered that I have an an upgrade to use for the last 6 months or so. While this is a bit shocking, that I honestly had no idea. I have to say that when I found out I did not have an immediate urge to upgrade. As of right now I have a Samsung Galaxy S3, specifically the Verizon variant. I got it the day it became available and have been very pleased with it. Especially with my ability to put CM 11 on KT with the Google Experience Launcher. In essence allowing me to have the complete nexus experience. The hype for it was out of this world, and for the most part it lived up to it. In many ways I could say that it was the last great leap forward with smart phones. That ever since the progress has somewhat slowed. Unfortunately, I am but a typical man and found myself eventually feeling the urge to upgrade to the latest and greatest. Naturally, when considering specs my first thought went to the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. It has that ungodly large screen, the fastest processor in any phone available, and a fantastic camera. The only thing that I didn't like was touchwiz, which a little CM11 would easily fix. Eventually though I realized that I didn't really need a phone that was that powerful and had the screen real estate of a Note 3. After all that's what I have a tablet for! So, with the Note 3 out of the race, and being with Verizon, I found myself with only two possible phones worth an upgrade. First, there was the LG G2. It has great specs, the same processor as the Note 3, a 5.2 inch screen, and a 13 megapixel camera. I hate the LG UI even more than touch wiz, but once again its nothing a little CM11 couldn't fix. The second option was the Moto X. Unlike the previous two options its not a great phone in the spec department. Furthermore it's screen is 4.7 inches and stands out as the only among the bunch without a 1080p display. To top it off its widely considered to have a sub par camera experience. Howevwr , unlike the Note 3 or the G2, it comes with an interface that is as close to stock android as I could ever get on Verizon out of box. After a few weeks of thought, I eventually ordered the Moto X. In the end it's powerful enough for what I need, has a camera that won't wow anyone but gets the job done. And as we saw with 4.4 Kitkat, will probably be receiving future updates very quickly. So fast in fact that I may not have to worry about rooting and roming it. However I find myself having buyers remorse already, before its even arrived. My S3 still does everything I need it to do, and is by all accounts very snappy. I'm able to flash new ROMs and thus will always have the newest version of android. And had I not upgraded I wouldn't be stuck with Verizon for another two years. I can't help but feel that I haven't gained much from this upgrade other than s functioning camera (mines broke), better build quality, and erasing the need to flash any ROMs. Is that really worth two more years with Verizon? Should I have held out for something that would have been a more substantial improvement? Ultimately I'm realizing that, like most, I upgraded simply because I could. And not because I needed to. So I would encourage everyone to consider before you upgrade if its really worth it? http://images.gizmag.com/hero/lg-g2-vs-moto-x.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Timothy Phan Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 But if you don't upgrade, you're continuing to pay a monthly premium that you generally pay for a subsidized phone on Verizon. While yes it would be bad to stay with Verizon, it would be also bad to keep paying them the same monthly rate without using your phone subsidy. And hence you're stuck with either upgrading and renewing a contract, or being stuck with an old phone and to keep paying the monthly cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Zach McDaniel Posted December 2, 2013 Author Share Posted December 2, 2013 I know. I hate to say it but this is one of the reasons I opted to upgrade. Although, its not the beat reason to upgrade. And for most people (not on Verizon) this wouldn't apply. So I left that out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_S. LeBeau Kpadenou Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 The real problem, in my opinion, is phone subsidies. That's why I love my TMobile. You buy a phone from them, pay a down-payment, and they chop up the remaining cost in 20 pieces and add it to your monthly bill. Your total bill is similar to that of a two year contract with the other carriers. If you cancel your (no contract) service before your phone is paid off, you immediately owe the balance (like an early term. fee) But after twenty months, it is significantly reduced, as you now own the phone outright, and TMobile doesn't actually charge a 'subsidy tax' in their monthly bill. But if you're itching to pay that subsidy tax in perpetuity, you can join Edge, and get what others call an 'upgrade' every six months, effectively cancelling all remaining payments on your old phone (which you must turn in), paying a down-payment on the new phone and starting the cycle all over again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Mark Scholes Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Keep the s3, stop paying crazy amounts per month to a carrier, save money, work less Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_S. LeBeau Kpadenou Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Mark Scholes he can't really do that, as his Verizon phone won't work with any other carrier. I guess he could go prepaid, but I suspect Verizon would still rape him for it. They are serial rapists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Mark Scholes Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Move to a first world county with proper phones :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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