2022 is coming to an end and that always means it’s time to reflect on the past year. However, in this reflection, the Tom’s Guide team has begun to recall smartphone brands that no longer exist.
The market has weakened considerably, dominated by Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi, leaving the likes of Google, Motorola, and OnePlus to fight for scraps. The world of smartphones is getting a little less interesting, although some would say that foldable phones represent the next big step.
So we took a look at some of our favorite smartphone brands from years past. Here are our picks for the things we miss and would love to bring back if we could.
Basic
Essential has only produced one phone, but among the sea of smartphones released in the past decade or more, the PH-1 has always stood out to me. It was one of the first phones with an almost bezel-less look, despite the deep cut-out for the front camera. It is made of high quality materials and has a solid heft, while staying in the pocket.
The company had a lot of ambition that unfortunately came to nothing. I don’t think founder Andy Rubin was ready to run a smartphone company. We’ve never seen PH-2, but I always wish we did. – Jordan Palmer
LG
I miss LG every time I scroll through the rankings of the best foldable phones and just see the various Samsung models staring at me. devices like LG suite And LG G8X ThinQ They could more accurately be described as dual-screen phones rather than foldable devices, but they came from a company that was clearly looking for ways to offer expanded screen real estate using unconventional designs. Given LG’s experience with the offering, you had a feeling the company might have settled on a winning formula for dual-screen phones and foldable phones if it had just stuck with things.
Unfortunately, that didn’t happen LG got out of the phone business in 2021. The timing was unfortunate, given that both dual-screen devices and traditional phones like LG Velvet He confirmed LG’s ambitions to not only produce forgettable phones. The company was also on the cusp of unveiling a foldable LG phone before pulling the plug. The final products may be a mixed bag in terms of features and value, but you’d never accuse LG of being boring. – Philip Michaels
HTC
The Taiwanese HTC was a major player in the early days of Android, so much so that the HTC Dream/G1 was literally the first phone to use the now ubiquitous OS. But while it dominated in the early 2010s with the HTC One and Desire series, and later helped Google with the original Google Pixel and Google Pixel 2, it hasn’t been able to keep up with both Apple and Samsung, or many of its newer competitors. from China.
There are still HTC phones being made; It is not widely sold. So, with the brand still alive but effectively dormant, perhaps it’s time to get some engineers off the Vive virtual reality headset and take another step in redefining the smartphone market. As long as he doesn’t try to make another Cryptophone. – Richard Brady
Nexus
Unlike the other brands on this list, the Nexus was a series of smartphones developed as part of a collaboration between Google and several hardware partners. While the search giant introduced the latest version of Android, the phones themselves are made by HTC, Samsung, LG, Motorola, and even Huawei. However, what really sets the Nexus line apart is its price.
At a time when flagship phones have been slowly creeping towards the $1,000 mark, you can buy a Nexus for around $300, carrier unlocked. During the heyday of the Nexus line (2010-15), Android fragmentation was a bigger problem but with Google leading the charge (as is now the case with Pixel phones), you knew you’d always have the latest version of Android without pre-installed bloatware by device makers and carriers. .
While the flagship experience of the Pixel 7 Pro is great, I’d like Google to freshen up the Nexus so we can see what other device makers can do with mid-range Android phones. – Anthony Spadafora
Motorola
Sure, Motorola is still around and shipping smartphones, but they don’t make them like they used to. I carry an iPhone these days, but at the dawn of the smartphone era, I was an Android guy, and it was the Motorola Droid that pulled me in. It might sound weird now, but when Motorola launched the Droid in 2009, it felt like part of the future was here a little early.
All the power of a (then) modern smartphone, with the convenience of a keyboard and the accessibility of Android, made the Droid feel like a supercomputer in your pocket. More than a decade later, I’ve given up on Motorola’s new designs and phones, but while I think about what color iPhone to get next, part of me still wishes I had an upgraded version of the original Droid. – Alex and Oro
Bonus: OnePlus
Like Motorola, OnePlus is still around and kicking, but it’s a far cry from the company many of us loved when it hit the scene in 2014. The “flagship killer” OnePlus One remains one of the most popular phones ever, in part because of the OnePlus invite system. When I finally got my hands on it, I loved it. From software to Sandstone again, it was a good phone.
But as the years went by, OnePlus started to change. It has always denied any affiliation with sister company Oppo, which went right out the window. Starting with the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro, the company has made a radical shift from its old strategy of releasing few (two devices a year), but good ones, for great values.
OnePlus is not the same and I miss the good old days. From the terrible OxygenOS UX to a confusing portfolio, OnePlus has lost its old charm. I would like to see her back. – Jordan Palmer
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