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submitted 2 years ago by Rdan33l@lemmy.world to c/android@lemmy.world

I went through my late teens as the initial smart phone boom was happening. I had a Motorola q that could get TV channels and had a keyboard. I had the enV that flipped open. And many androids/blackberries that I loved for their unique form factor and functionality.

I have never balked at spending money on a phone and for a long time i felt locked into generic flagship devices. With the debut of folding screens I feel like my appetite for unique devices rekindled. I think the power of android lies in its diversity of implementation.

So what features and functionalities would you choose over the next flagship release?

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[-] dan_the_accountant@lemmy.world 23 points 2 years ago
[-] croobat@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

How did we end up in a world where this is a niche feature. 😭😭

[-] MargotRobbie@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

I feel like I wouldn't mind the lack of headphone jack so much if they just gave us another USB-C port on the bottom instead so you can charge and listen to music without a dongle.

[-] saladfork@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago

I've really tried hard with these usb-c headphones / adapters and they just don't work very well for me. They function mostly, but much more often come unplugged or slightly ajar.

[-] MargotRobbie@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

Because the audio jack is the perfect connector for its purpose: It's omnidirectional, the connection is as wide as it comes, and it locks the plug. The point for using a USB-C connector would be that it's more versatile as you can use it for data transfer and power as well.

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[-] gears@lemmy.world 14 points 2 years ago

I miss having a notification LED. It used to be super common to have a "breathing" effect with a given color when an app had sent a notification.

So a Snapchat for example would show the breathing as yellow, etc. Super convenient to check for messages without going and grabbing the phone.

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[-] polaroid@kbin.social 13 points 2 years ago

HEADPHONE JACK.

GIVE ME THE GOD DAMN HEADPHONE JACK BACK

[-] zephyr@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

Hit the road, bc Jack won't come back home no more

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[-] Zebov@lemmy.world 13 points 2 years ago

Apparently most of my requirements/desires fit this. I require an unlocked bootloader, because I need root to not throw my phone through a window. An amazing camera would be needed as well.

I REALLY, REALLY would like a removable battery, IR blaster, small form function, a headphone jack, and a rear fingerprint reader.

[-] SpraynardKruger@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

I miss the IR blaster on my Galaxy S4. I remember when I finally upgraded to the S8, I was using it for several months before realizing it was gone. I tried to change the channel on the TV at work only to find out that they removed that feature from their Galaxy line pretty much right after the S4. Needless to say, I was disappointed, but it makes sense to remove a super niche feature from their mass-marketed device line.

[-] Nytelock@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago

Headset jack and let me replace my damn battery. Also default option to uninstall non-OEM apps

[-] phx@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

You're in luck for the battery thing. It's basically going to be mandatory in the EU which should hopefully help push change everywhere

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[-] j4k3@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago

I'd like a phone with no camera facing me, and physical hardware switches to completely disable the mic, camera, battery, and entire modem. Not some software interrupt and lock. I mean, the switch is circuit ground for these circuit blocks. When I select OFF, it means real world "this thing does not exist any more ever" until I turn it back on.

It would be interesting to have a modular rear camera with a removable lens, removable IR filter, along with public documentation and the full API for the sensor. This would open up an enormous range of applications. I would mostly mess with astrophotography more.

[-] WaDef7@kbin.social 3 points 2 years ago

The modular rear camera idea makes a lot of sense when you consider that camera bumps have become an industry standard.

[-] independantiste@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago

sideloading is a requirement for me and unlockable bootloader, otherwise, some things like an IR blaster, headphone jack, removable battery (thx EU), RGB notification LED, front facing speakers would make a "good" phone become "great"

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[-] CoderKat@kbin.social 8 points 2 years ago

I know some phones had already did this, but I always liked the idea of support for using your phone as a TV remote. The phone has replaced so many pieces of hardware that it feels silly that TV remotes haven't been replaced yet.

I also specifically wish Chrome supported extensions on mobile. Firefox does it. Why can't the biggest browser do it?

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[-] tooting_lemmy@lemm.ee 7 points 2 years ago

An open bootloader and a removable battery.

[-] Lalop@toast.ooo 6 points 2 years ago

Headphone socket. They are taking away what was a universal feature and replacing it with inconvenient crap.

[-] notapantsday@feddit.de 6 points 2 years ago

There are some niche phones with a thermal camera, would love to see more of that. Thermal modules are getting smaller, cheaper and better all the time and the main producers like infiray or guide are offering modules that seem to be clearly targeted at the smartphone market.

I'm still discovering new uses for my thermal camera and I wish I could have it in my pocket all the time. The obvious uses are finding gaps in your house's thermal insulation or finding devices that draw a lot of standby energy. But you can also use it to find studs in your walls, find things that have recently been used, like cars in a parking lot or chairs in an office.

[-] a1studmuffin@aussie.zone 3 points 2 years ago

Thermal cameras are also really handy for electronics repair and spotting invisible water leaks in ceilings.

[-] T156@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago

E-Ink would be nice, whether integrated as part of an OLED/LCD screen, or a separate module that goes over the top.

Most of the things that I use my phone for don't generally need the full colour display (text isn't that expensive to display), and I wouldn't mind trading that for vastly better battery life that you can get from e-ink, but having the option to use both is probably the best way to go.

An IR transceiver wouldn't go poorly either. It's not something I use much, but it was handy to have when I did, whether to send things around, or to just use my phone as a remote for televisions and things.

[-] ElectroVagrant@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I was looking into smaller form factor phones awhile back, and an interesting feature I noticed some of them had was a programmable button.

I don't know that programmable buttons on phones are that niche, but it's certainly not common either so far as I'm aware, so this super simple feature would be wicked imo. I'd also really like if more phones just stole Motorola's gesture interactions (e.g. quick twist for camera, firm double-shake for flashlight, etc.).

Also, uh...Speaking of small form factor phones, I don't know if that counts as a feature, but it's one detail I'd like to see come back, or flip phones with separate screens (clunky, sure, but better than the screen eventually creasing imo).

[-] AbsurdityAccelerator@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

I want a Galaxy Fold style phone, but the external screen is eInk. Have it set to always show the book I am reading. This will let me read in bite sized pieces.

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[-] bigbox@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 years ago

A microsd card slot and a headphone jack

[-] RoxasTheNobody@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

Niche or not, I want an SD card slot that actually fucking works. Like, yes, I can move files to it, but I can't actually install apps to it. There's the "move to SD, but that doesn't matter when the app files are still stored on the internal storage.

[-] riskable@kbin.social 4 points 2 years ago

OMG great question! I want:

  • Laser range finder/"tape" measure
  • Thermal camera
  • Air quality sensor
  • Radiation detector/Geiger counter
  • Multimeter capabilities
  • IR LED (so I can use it as a remote)
  • Ultrasound capabilities
  • Peltier so I can put a drink on my phone to chill it down 👍
[-] Weezard@feddit.uk 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Slide out physical keyboard, notification LEDs or some form of cool lights, a dedicated camera shutter button, and a scroll wheel / touch pad like what used to be on the blackberry or like the LG KE970 I really liked that.

I really miss notification LED's though, always on display is good, but a little light is going to use far less battery and be immediately apparent from across the room by the colour what app the notification came from is.

edit : formatting

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[-] Jean_Lurk_Picard@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

Whenever I buy a phone there's two function I look for that is getting phased out: LED indicator and a 3.5mm audio jack. It's why I have a Sony Xperia. The thing is there's no user configuration for the LED indicator. You either need to pay for a third party app or unlock the bootloader and install a custom firmware. I would love if a flagship phone had an LED Indicstor that was customizable. i.e. Blue for a text, Red for an email, Green for battery at 80%+, etc.

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[-] MargotRobbie@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

Something interesting. Like 2 USB-C ports, also a nice hard plastic back, since they are so hard to find now.

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[-] Drewelite@sopuli.xyz 3 points 2 years ago

A phone without the actual phone part. Just SMS/MMS. Maybe a notification that someone tried to call

[-] janus2@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 years ago

that's called having a Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact and living in the US where they shut down all the 3g towers and all the carriers, including MVNOs, blacklisted its VoLTE capability >:[

—passive aggressively typed on the dinner plate of a phone that i had to replace my nice tiny XZ2c with

[-] breakerfall@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

Modular everything. I really wanted Project Ara to come to market.

[-] Astigma@feddit.uk 3 points 2 years ago

I miss the IR blaster. Being able to control my TV and other set-top boxes was amazing. Now that functionality has been replaced by each manufacturer having their own control app that needs an internet connection and all your information. Bring back the IR blaster!

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[-] bitwolf@lemmy.one 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)
  • Removable battery
  • Ambidextrous button placement
  • Screws instead of glue where possible
  • USB4 + desktop mode
[-] FrankTheHealer@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 years ago

Honestly, headphone jacks are number 1.

Then also, FM radios. Most Android phones had them up until a few years ago, when Apple stopped shipping iphones with the feature, to push more people onto iTunes. I'm not a huge radio listener. But having the functionality during an emergency is invaluable. There was a really bad storm in my country a few years ago. Me and my family had no power and no internet for nearly a week. I would listen to my battery powered radio to get weather updates and to find out what the situation was like elsewhere. I don't understand why that same functionality can't be implemented in phones.

Besides that, removable batteries, sim card and SD card slots.

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[-] RobotDaniel@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago

An ir blaster, great as a universal remote

[-] Apophis@social.fossware.space 3 points 2 years ago

Basically an Asus Zenfone 9 with a removable battery and an Sd card. Also, make the front like Sony phones - larger bezels on the top and the bottom of the display and house stereo speakers and front camera there instead of a cutout.

[-] nope@yiffit.net 3 points 2 years ago

What about an external, optical camera lens ? I would 100% pay for a phone that looks like a brick but that has an optical zoom

[-] Lasso1971@thelemmy.club 3 points 2 years ago

Larger, swappable battery. Squeeze for assistant

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[-] lemmy@lemmy.quad442.com 3 points 2 years ago
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[-] LightDelaBlue@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

IR emitter . Super handy wen you use old stuf like me like VHS dvd combo crt ect .

[-] geolaw@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 2 years ago

I want a phone small enough to fit in my pocket with the pocket flap buttoned shut

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[-] MR_GABARISE@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago
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[-] dutchkimble@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

Max 4 inch screen, IR blaster, physical keyboard with speed dial settings for buttons, form factor like the Xperia x10 mini pro, headphone jack, cameraless, LED with customisable lights for different notifications, bonus - built in projector, satellite phone capability,

[-] jacktherippah@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

I will never buy a phone that doesn't have GrapheneOS, so that limits me to Pixels.

[-] Xperr7@kbin.social 2 points 2 years ago

Slide out controller, like the Xperia Play. I've gotten super into (at least the idea of) SBC handheld gaming, and there's just nothing quite like the Xperia Play now. Sure, there's bluetooth controllers, but I'm not a big fan of bluetooth, and the majority of the bluetooth controllers make portability a pain rather than it being a sleek package.

[-] xbhaktapur@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

A full physical QWERTY keypad on my 3rd hand Blackberry Bold (in 2013) was the best thing I had seen on a cell phone. I wish full physical QWERTY keyboards would make a comeback.

[-] WhiteRaven22@midwest.social 2 points 2 years ago

Better system font/typeface selection and a way to install new ones. I know it's a petty gripe, but the default android options are few and terrible.

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this post was submitted on 19 Jun 2023
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