Best Smartphone Companion for Surface Devices

I'm pretty sold on the GN9 at this point. With a 3k(?)-res screen, rumored front-screen fingerprint sensor, dual-stereo speakers, IP68 waterproofiness in both the phone AND the S-pen, a beefy processor (I'm opting for the Exynos variant) and at least 6gbs of RAM, there's a LOT to like for me as an artist about this phone.

I believe this will be the phone to cure my Samsung Note withdrawal syndrome ever since my GN4 went kaputz last summer (thanks official Samsung update!! smh...).

 

I'd like to chime in with total agreement. I recently decided to give the Pixel XL2 a try, tempted by their extended 2 yr wtty due to initial problems plus of course 3 yr guarantee of immediate OS upgrades. But using the device has been a major disappointment. I don't use my phone for important photography - an area the model surely excels at - and otherwise I'm quite turned off by "stock Android." I had an s8+ for a while and it has so many useful features, plus the phenomenal screen, that the Pixel is just plain vanilla and inferior in every way. Even if I was just considering an s9+ I would take it over the Pixel hands-down. Since owning a smartphone is a 2-year proposition I think the benefit of the fast OS updates may not be very important. There's nothing impressive about Oreo vs. Nougat. Samsung makes truly magnificent hardware. I'm tired of boring phones with few features or customizing adjustments, much less the S-Pen.

 

Fast security updates are pretty useful though. It doesn't take two years to exploit a vulnerability once it gets out.

 

I hear you, but I've always found Samung/AT&T security updates to stay current, usually monthly, for at least 2 years - or am I "misremembering?"

 

You're probably right, I don't have any experience with Samsung phones or Pixels for that matter. I was just noting that consumers should care about fast security updates. They don't, but they should.

 

Verizon updates for my Galaxy Note 8 have lagged about a month behind. I think Samsung keeps up with the security updates for 3 years? Didn't they just cease support for the Galaxy Note 4?

Just got Android Oreo last week and there doesn't appear to be a whole lot of difference except the iris scanner seems to work better and faster, and Firefox now crashes frequently, both the regular and beta versions. I'm using the Samsung internet beta browser in their place and it's noticeably faster so I might stick with it. Unfortunately, the Reader option doesn't work on as many pages as Firefox's does.

I'm still happy with my GN8 and don't at all miss the iPhone SE/iPad mini 4 combo that it replaced.

 

Do you believe it, I just buy a Tab A 9.7 P555, demo item, for like 250$. Wow my daughter loves it, how ever....

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Congrats! Sounds like you got a good deal.

 

My Note 5 is still getting security updates two and a half years in. It's in great shape. Can't imagine getting rid of it.

 

Then what's with the tire marks on the back of the phone...