Sunday debate: Ecosystem vs Hardware

11 February 2018
This time on Sunday Debate we discuss what's more important, hardware or ecosystem.

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  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • 0BG
  • 12 Feb 2018

Alien , 12 Feb 2018In the end it's all about software experience, cos that's t... moreYep. Even if iPhones were for free i's still chose even a $250 phone over it. It even sucks in terms of hardware and i would't buy it even if it had Android. Too crippled in both departments.

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    • Alien
    • 3RM
    • 12 Feb 2018

    In the end it's all about software experience, cos that's the environment you work with, that's the reason you buy the smartphone for.
    You can have the best hardware, but if the software sux or the environment is so restricted it makes you feel stupid (ios), all that hardware goes to waste and you'll end up dumber than you started.

    #SayNO2RestrictedOS
    #SayNO2BadSoftware

      If you don't swap your phone every few months, hardware is generally more important. Simply because you can't update it with monthly fixes and new features, you have to go out and get new hardware. Which is expensive. Swapping software is both easy and cheap (compared to price of a phone).

        Now hardware performance and feature of premium class smartphone is more than enough for most people. What dictates user experience and satisfaction is ecosystem of apps and services, software support and security. In this regards, iPhone/iOS has edge over Android. Most Google services like Google map, mail, Youtube, search, cloud, music streaming, etc are also available on iOS. Some hardware deficiencies of iPhone hardware like no SD card, no dual SIM or NFC (except Apple service like Apple pay) are acceptable. In raw hardware performance for heavyweight games, iPhone is better and smooth. Only real down side of iPhone/iOS is its expensive price and lack of call voice recording.

          • D
          • AnonD-121521
          • 3Jn
          • 12 Feb 2018

          Hardware wins everytime,as long as a device is rootable,then "ecosystem" is meaningless,as you can put anything you like on it,where as if you realy hate an ecosytem,there is nothing you can do to alter it,unless your a developer yourself and can work some magic to get results you want without infringeing others legal rights..
          And as google keep showing,your favoured ecosystem can be hardware specific,at least for a while.

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • 6XU
            • 12 Feb 2018

            Make a Sony phone with 8GB ram and it will destroy all craps out there. Don't forget about Sony's smooth user interface.

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • k7d
              • 12 Feb 2018

              My ecosystem is onedrive and Google photos. Everything else I want top hardware.

                *Hardware in android. I don't really care about ecosystem, cuz i'll morph it to my liking anyways, as long as the hardware is capable.

                  My ecosystem is Cloud and it's neutral towards all platforms. There minor variations like SamsungPay, Touch ID integration, File transfer issues(iOS) etc...I keep switching mobile iOS to mitigate any possible lock down problem enforced by any of the ecosystem.

                  OTOH, Dual SIM, Big RAM, Big Screens, AMOLED, expandable memory options, excellent camera are mandatory. Note 8 is the easiest choice and I keep iPhone 7 Plus as well.

                    • I
                    • Iskander
                    • iE7
                    • 12 Feb 2018

                    Neither is any good without the other. You need hardware that's good enough to run the ecosystem running on it, but you need as much the ecosystem being capable of using all the gadgets your device comes with.

                    What's your project Tango hardware on the Lenovo Phab2 Pro worth, if project Tango in the software is all but dead and buried? Great, you have all those camera's, but pretty much can't use them for anything.

                    Point is, they will need to be in balance.

                      • D
                      • AnonD-391304
                      • fsx
                      • 12 Feb 2018

                      Ecosystem all the way. You can have the best, latest and fastest hardware but if the software isn't optimized it's useless. Sort of like racing a 2,000hp dragster on an F1 track, it won't even make it around the first corner.

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                        • Orsted
                        • UD{
                        • 12 Feb 2018

                        Simon, 12 Feb 2018Just as I couldn't use a Symbian with a super-efficient Ryz... moreWell said. No matter how good the ecosystem is if you take forever to even open up an app and take potato photos then it is crap.

                          • S
                          • Simon
                          • 0xI
                          • 12 Feb 2018

                          Just as I couldn't use a Symbian with a super-efficient Ryzen processor and an amazing DSLR-quality camera, I couldn't also use a phone that has all apps in the world that is too slow, dies on me mid-day and takes potato photos. Out of the two I would rather have the former.

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • 0BG
                            • 12 Feb 2018

                            For me there is no dilemma because Android phones are superior in both software and hardware. iPhones, besides the crippled OS, also have small batteries, the X has a notch, no 3.5mm jack, no dual sim, so sd slots. They are crippled in every aspect, so i can't really answer the poll, because i don't have to chose - it's more like hardware&software VS compromises with both in the name of...well, nothing.

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • 0BG
                              • 12 Feb 2018

                              Kangal, 12 Feb 2018The best way to know which you prefer Ecosystem or Hardware... moreLOL between these two, i'd rather not have a smartphone. Both iOS and the notch are unbearable abominations.

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • tDP
                                • 12 Feb 2018

                                When I saw "ecosystem" in the title and before reading the article, I thought it as a real "ecosystem" as in natural ecosystem... haha.
                                If it's possible, I'll go for both. Unfortunately there is no such option. Ecosystem is important, especially an open one. Hardware is even more important, since in phones you can't tinker your hardware like you can do in a desktop PC.

                                  • K
                                  • Kangal
                                  • uCX
                                  • 12 Feb 2018

                                  The best way to know which you prefer Ecosystem or Hardware, just take the top two ecosystem phones and swap their hardware. And lo, what would you prefer?

                                  A) An iPhone X with TouchWizz?
                                  B) A Samsung Galaxy Note8 with iOS 11 ?

                                    • A
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • xIq
                                    • 12 Feb 2018

                                    Anonymous, 12 Feb 2018"Hardware is king"..!??? S. Sony's X.series/XZ.series O.... moreTrue. It is what you called refinement or perfecting what you have.

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • UD{
                                      • 12 Feb 2018

                                      it should be hardware that is capable of running any software from any platform.

                                        Anonymous, 11 Feb 2018Samsung phones are underpowered. Slower than other flagsh... more Do you have proof to back your claim? If so, please share it.

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