Galaxy S3 (T999 T-Mobile) to...?

[jyi786]

I bought a GS3 in March...and so far, I've regretted it. While it's had great support via custom ROMs and what not, there's no reason why a phone that's over a year old still has stability issues due to bugs, at least in my mind. When I had my Galaxy Nexus, I had it for a year, and had almost NO serious bugs.

With all these new phones out/coming out, I think I might be in the market again. S4 and HTC One has obviously caught my eye.

What I'm looking for:

1. BEST software support (custom modding). I know the Nexus 4 is the best choice for this, but honestly, how bad is it? I hear that there are tons of hardware issues with it.
2. MicroSD. Looks like Samsung is the only option for this.
3. Removable battery. Again, looks like Samsung only.

All these new G.E. phones are intriguing. While they all will have vanilla Android, none of them yet (at least from my research) has announced or confirmed support for AOSP (which is all-important when it comes to custom ROM support or support directly from Google). Can anyone tell me if any of the new G.E. phones will support AOSP?

Thanks for any suggestions/info!

 

[Medion]

Since you're on T-Mobile and references liking the Galaxy Nexus, any Nexus experience device would likely suit you. They are;

-Nexus 4 (available now)
-Galaxy S4 (June 26)
-HTC One (June 26)
-Xperia Z (unconfirmed, likely mid-July to early-August)

1. BEST software support (custom modding). I know the Nexus 4 is the best choice for this, but honestly, how bad is it? I hear that there are tons of hardware issues with it.

The main hardware issue is the rear glass. It is F-R-A-G-I-L-E! You also won't have official LTE support. It's an unbelievable bargain but lacks the latest tech. If you plan to upgrade annually, you can do worse than getting a Nexus 4. But, if you want your next device to last you at least 18 months, I'd either wait for the Nexus 5 in October/November, or get one of the other Nexus devices.

2. MicroSD. Looks like Samsung is the only option for this.

The Nexus Experience Galaxy S4 and Xperia Z will both officially support MicroSD up to 64GB. The HTC One has 32GB of internal storage, which may meet your needs.

3. Removable battery. Again, looks like Samsung only.

The S4's battery is removable. The Nexus 4's battery is beyond easy to remove. I hear that the Xperia Z's battery is relatively easy to replace as well. Don't even attempt to remove the battery on the HTC One.

While they all will have vanilla Android, none of them yet (at least from my research) has announced or confirmed support for AOSP (which is all-important when it comes to custom ROM support or support directly from Google). Can anyone tell me if any of the new G.E. phones will support AOSP?

Some conflicting information there. First, all of the GE phones will receive their updates directly from Google. That was confirmed on day one. However, the AOSP concern is valid. If Google makes the software EXACTLY as the Nexus 4 and supports none of the hardware additions of the other devices, then AOSP should be likely. However, if Samsung, for example, bundles some drivers to take advantage of their sensors and additional hardware, then it will not be AOSP, and therefore, will not end up on Google's repo. Also, this will likely mean delayed updates. I would not put it past Samsung to hold the drivers hostage, preventing the S4 GE from getting Android 4.3 far before the Touchwiz models. That's actually my fear, and why I'm not planning to buy the device day one.

From what I can tell of your preferences (expandable storage, removable battery, stock Android experience), you likely are better off getting the Galaxy S4 Google Edition. However, we can't alleviate your concerns over proper AOSP support at this time. That's something we're all waiting to find out.

 

[jyi786]

From what I can tell of your preferences (expandable storage, removable battery, stock Android experience), you likely are better off getting the Galaxy S4 Google Edition. However, we can't alleviate your concerns over proper AOSP support at this time. That's something we're all waiting to find out.

That sounds about right. If AOSP support is valid, I'll probably be in line to buy the S4.