Best android alternative to Lumia 950

[RaRa85]

If the camera is of importance to you and I'm assuming it is coming from such a capable shooter, I would suggest any Samsung's flagships or the LG V30. I would also suggest the Pixel 2 but Samsung and LG don't tie their phones down to point and shoot offering well built pro modes in their camera apps. Both also more flexibility as far expandable storage and headphone jacks if that matters to you. The V20 is also very capable still(that's what I'm using now) and offers the most hardware versatility being able to remove the battery and having an IR blaster which is almost all but extinct these days. And it's much cheaper than anything available today. If you don't care about extras and just want great photos with no effort, I'd recommend the Pixel 2.

 

[tonyblack1964]

A month ago I took the plunge and ditched my 950XL, after years of Windows Phone patronage, for a Galaxy S6 Edge+. I was staggered by how good it was. The plethora of Microsoft apps now available on Android made the change painless and I honestly don't miss the WP environment anywhere near as much as I thought I would. I loved the S6 Edge + but I wanted a bigger screen so picked up an S8+ cheap on ebay. What a phone! It's everything the 950 should have been. Microsoft never came close to producing a flagship phone as good as the S8+. The best part of it is that everything just works, all the time! No more phone reboots or app restarts. I love it.

 

[IEhrgeizI]

Ok... I give, the killing of groove music and forced migration to Spotify has broken my back on this. I've decided that rather than buying a new screen protector and battery (which has become seemingly hard to find anyway) It's time for me to consider migration to another phone I can't stand the iPhone gui, drives me nuts, I can't explain why.... Just ick. So I think after watching some Microsoft launcher demo videos, and the fact that I can make Cortana default voice assistant in android, it might be time to pull the trigger, although with great reluctance.

Which phone would be best for a Lumia convert? I love my camera, so I'd want a similar to camera, with physical camera button, or mapped accordingly when camera is open, and wireless qi charging. I'll be on ATT for what It's worth. I'll probably change the launcher to launcher 10 or arrow.

Anything else I should be considering?

I'm sure its been asked before, but of the quick sampling i got, a lot of the requests are from Europe, or looking for midrange devices. I'll probably finance through att next, so rather than limit choices, throw them at me.

It's there any hope for a Microsoft OS'ed phone in the near future, should I hold on to hope (only to likely be stabbed in the other leg by Microsoft ?)

I find this all just..... Very..... Frustrating. Microsoft is It's own worst enemy, I swear, and Nadella while he seems to be making the board very happy, doesn't even seem to have consumer relations in his view, which will likely prove disastrous. But none of that is something I can change. I can however change my phone.

I think it has to be the LG V30. Fantastic design, great camera and audio capabilities with good battery life. It's definitely the best all rounder. Otherwise I'd go for the Razer Phone but the camera won't be anywhere near as good and audio features aren't as good either. However with the Razer you're not going to have any screen issues, you'll have a massive battery and near to stock Android.

It's a really tough call but I think it's between the two. It just depends on your personal priorities.

 

[pallentx]

I went with the Galaxy S8 because it had the most Lumia features I could find

- Glance/Always On display
- OLED Screen
- Wireless Charging
- Good Camera

I also like Samsung Pay and the more extensive skinning abilities Samsung allows with their version of Android. I was able to get closest to the Windows Phone Dark Theme on Samsung with their themes.

If only it had a dedicated camera shutter button...

 

[identity-x]

Pallentx that about sums up how I feel perfectly. Why every phone doesn't have a dedicated button is beyond me. That should've been the case 5 years ago really.

Using SquareHome launcher, I've basically made my phone look like a Windows Phone (but with even more features.

I haven't crossed an email app that I like 100% yet. Outlook is close, but I hate the widgets and have my home screen set up in just a way that it doesn't work for me. It doesn't play nice with my hotmail account either, but there are workarounds. I wish Groove worked better (it doesn't play nice with my car's bluetooth).

Otherwise...more than satisfied. The bigges selling point for me is that the unlocked version was on sale on Amazon for $625 a couple weeks ago.

 

[SteggyDad]

My Essential One Phone should be here this week

 

[Vivio vrvly]

Would say Note8 but note series recently got some 1/2year old hw. Sony Xperias are the only ones with hw camera button, also top is resolution/colors/speed/time-endurance for recording stills or video. Shame their mics are just 2 and not the best, but sony offers earphones with mics for binaural recordings. 4K screen, fingerprint not on the back... Only thing I miss is raw image capture, better camera UI. Next gen comes soon, within 5 months. If anything just that brand, everyone else abandoned hi res, like 12mp is limit.

 

[buffalosolja]

Samsung pay has it hooks in me really. if not for that and wireless charging would have went One Plus route. but I got the S8+ for less than One plus as well.

 

[Awhispersecho]

I went to a Note 8 and it's an amazing phone. Screen is great, camera is great. I bought it unlocked and yes it has some bloat but you can download an app to disable whatever you want without rooting the phone. It's funny, I thought that my 950XL ran really nice, and it did. But man, after using the Note, my 950XL seems really slow.

I want sure I could permanently make the switch but this phone and the fact that all the apps actually work have convinced me there is no reason to hang on to Windows Mobile and my 950XL. So, as much as I hate Google, I'm here to stay for now. I got my MS apps, I widgets for outlook, Cortana, Windows Central and a few other apps. Things are good.

 

[Podster16]

I went for the mate 9 and it's great, fast super long battery life and I can turn my Xbox and TV's on as a bonus. so mate 10 has my vote

 

[neilbey]

Ok... I give, the killing of groove music and forced migration to Spotify has broken my back on this. I've decided that rather than buying a new screen protector and battery (which has become seemingly hard to find anyway) It's time for me to consider migration to another phone I can't stand the iPhone gui, drives me nuts, I can't explain why.... Just ick. So I think after watching some Microsoft launcher demo videos, and the fact that I can make Cortana default voice assistant in android, it might be time to pull the trigger, although with great reluctance.

Which phone would be best for a Lumia convert? I love my camera, so I'd want a similar to camera, with physical camera button, or mapped accordingly when camera is open, and wireless qi charging. I'll be on ATT for what It's worth. I'll probably change the launcher to launcher 10 or arrow.

Anything else I should be considering?

I'm sure its been asked before, but of the quick sampling i got, a lot of the requests are from Europe, or looking for midrange devices. I'll probably finance through att next, so rather than limit choices, throw them at me.

It's there any hope for a Microsoft OS'ed phone in the near future, should I hold on to hope (only to likely be stabbed in the other leg by Microsoft ?)

I find this all just..... Very..... Frustrating. Microsoft is It's own worst enemy, I swear, and Nadella while he seems to be making the board very happy, doesn't even seem to have consumer relations in his view, which will likely prove disastrous. But none of that is something I can change. I can however change my phone.

If you are looking for an equitable camera (with something of a camera button), I'd say the S8 is your best bet (remap the Bixby button to a camera application). I was in the same boat after Groove being killed off and got the LG G6. It's a good phone that can be had for comparatively cheap (if $$$ is an issue), but runs perfectly fine despite the SnapDragon 821. The camera leaves ALOT to be desired though, and I find myself not taking nearly the amount of photos I used to take on my lumia 950xl. The Lumia 950/XL really was in a league of it's own with regards to camera quality.

That being said, I've got Microsoft Launcher (Arrow launcher), and all my MS services running great (for the most part, I wish Cortana had "hey Cortana" availability without having to be in the application, or the ability to map my Bluetooth voice control button to "Hey Cortana"). The LG UI reminds me a lot of the system wide dark mode and simplicity that I got with W10mobile.


You are absolutely right in wanting to switch to Android over iPhone as a w10m convert. IOS is poo for anybody that does not use Apple services, whereas Android is so much more customizable for app defaults and personalization options.

 

[Bursting Hydra]

Ok... I give, the killing of groove music and forced migration to Spotify has broken my back on this. I've decided that rather than buying a new screen protector and battery (which has become seemingly hard to find anyway) It's time for me to consider migration to another phone I can't stand the iPhone gui, drives me nuts, I can't explain why.... Just ick. So I think after watching some Microsoft launcher demo videos, and the fact that I can make Cortana default voice assistant in android, it might be time to pull the trigger, although with great reluctance.
Up
Which phone would be best for a Lumia convert? I love my camera, so I'd want a similar to camera, with physical camera button, or mapped accordingly when camera is open, and wireless qi charging. I'll be on ATT for what It's worth. I'll probably change the launcher to launcher 10 or arrow.

Anything else I should be considering?

I'm sure its been asked before, but of the quick sampling i got, a lot of the requests are from Europe, or looking for midrange devices. I'll probably finance through att next, so rather than limit choices, throw them at me.

It's there any hope for a Microsoft OS'ed phone in the near future, should I hold on to hope (only to likely be stabbed in the other leg by Microsoft ?)

I find this all just..... Very..... Frustrating. Microsoft is It's own worst enemy, I swear, and Nadella while he seems to be making the board very happy, doesn't even seem to have consumer relations in his view, which will likely prove disastrous. But none of that is something I can change. I can however change my phone.

Buy a Nokia 8

 

[Bursting Hydra]

Buy a Nokia 8

 

[afkaboogieman]

I made the jump to Android earlier this year. Got myself an LG G6 to replace my 950XL. It's my first ever Android phone, so I don't really have a basis of comparison for it.

Here's what I like about it:

• It has a "glance-like" feature which displays the time, date, and notification icons while the phone is locked.
• USB-type C with wireless charging. Nuff said
• Fingerprint scanner
• MicroSD
• A dang headphone jack
• Specs that are comparable to the 950 (processor, memory)
• An 18:9 screen ratio. The phone looks a little long and thin compared to most phones. A little bit of extra screen real estate, and a slightly different look. Very comfortable in the hand.
• Excellent camera, especially for outdoor scenery
• Supports Android Pay. Comes in handy once in a while.
• It's not a damn iPhone or Galaxy. Should have put that on the top of the list.

Here's what I don't like about it:

• Battery life is poop (but the same can be said for the 950)
• Widgets vs live tiles is a big adjustment
• Can't screen share via wired connection. You can only use wireless, and it isn't very reliable. If you did this on the 950 at all, you will miss it.
• Ads... big, loud, fullscreen ads that know your browsing history. Fun stuff.

The transition to Android from WP is jarring. Took a couple months to really adjust. You'll have to re-think your approach to setting up your phone and what services you use. It also frankly was a bit overwhelming for me to discover how many apps there are, and how functional they are compared to what I was used to.

Good luck making the jump. Never look back.

 

[giffis]

Decided to go with Essential phone. Best buy $450

 

[m1thrand1r]

I'm in the same boat. I test mobile software for Android and iOS; Android it's going to be my pick as well. Based on support, price and features I would consider the following:
- Razor Phone
- Pixel XL
- Pixel 2 XL
- OnePlus 5 (hold of to see the 5T first)
- Samsung Note 8 (last resort)

Here's why. Android releases updates directly to nexus devices, now Pixel. You won't get these updates immediately if you go with another device, Samsung and LG could be up to a year through a carrier.
The Razor is a great device and though it's the first so we don't know, it will likely get updates quickly being outside of the carrier ring.
OnePlus gets updates when oxygen OS gets them. This had been before and after other devices in the past, but the price is better, there's no bloatware and oxygen adds customization on top of Android so it can be worth the cons.
If you want to finance your phone with your carrier and the above options just aren't, go with the Note 8. Samsung's camera will be comparable, water resistance is a plus, DEX is Android continuum, Cortana can be default but you gain Bixby as well and last but not least, the feature set that comes with a note vs a standard galaxy it's well worth it. I wouldn't consider a Samsung device personally if it weren't for that.

 

[Moaske]

Ok... I give, the killing of groove music and forced migration to Spotify has broken my back on this. I've decided that rather than buying a new screen protector and battery (which has become seemingly hard to find anyway) It's time for me to consider migration to another phone I can't stand the iPhone gui, drives me nuts, I can't explain why.... Just ick. So I think after watching some Microsoft launcher demo videos, and the fact that I can make Cortana default voice assistant in android, it might be time to pull the trigger, although with great reluctance.

Which phone would be best for a Lumia convert? I love my camera, so I'd want a similar to camera, with physical camera button, or mapped accordingly when camera is open, and wireless qi charging. I'll be on ATT for what It's worth. I'll probably change the launcher to launcher 10 or arrow.

Anything else I should be considering?

I'm sure its been asked before, but of the quick sampling i got, a lot of the requests are from Europe, or looking for midrange devices. I'll probably finance through att next, so rather than limit choices, throw them at me.

It's there any hope for a Microsoft OS'ed phone in the near future, should I hold on to hope (only to likely be stabbed in the other leg by Microsoft ?)

I find this all just..... Very..... Frustrating. Microsoft is It's own worst enemy, I swear, and Nadella while he seems to be making the board very happy, doesn't even seem to have consumer relations in his view, which will likely prove disastrous. But none of that is something I can change. I can however change my phone.

Mostly due do Zac's story half a year ago, I got myself a OnePlus 3T. Been using it for half a year now and haven't regretted it so far. Although I must say that the camera-tech is still way behind the unparalleled Lumia quality. It's not bad, but it just can't match the Lumia's.


Maybe I should have held out til the release of the Nokia range. The Nokia 8 seems to have a pretty solid camera and I've heard they will port over the Lumia UI to their Android range in the near future...

About the Qi charging: you won't miss that as you get Dash charging on a OnePlus which is so insanely fast compared to... trust me: you won't miss it

What you WILL miss is the clean an intuitive interface of Win10M. Even after so many months I find myself swiping to the right for the applist (only to get another desktop) :winktongue:

The interface ain't beautifull, but at least a beast like the 3T just works! It's blazing fast compared to the 950 so you'll get accustomed to it quite fast
For launcher I can definitely recommend the Microsoft Launcher (the Arrow name has been dropped by now)

 

[ManofGod1000]

Well, I bought a Sony Xperia XA1 and am quite content with it and dare I say, happy. I prefer the 5 inch screen size and physical dimensions of the phone. It is quite fast, bluetooth is reliable and the camera is good. The fact it is a 720p screen is not really noticeable, at least from my experience.

 

[enoughced]

ZTE Axon is what I have. Not happy for this reason;
The Lumia 950 connects to my bluetooth stereo and lets me know I have and incoming text from whoever. Cortana ask if I want to hear the message or not or to call the person. I'm able to respond in my own words in real time to the message. It is truly hands free and app free.
I need this functionality moving forward outside of Microsoft. Who has this capability?

 

[evillama]

Is the anticipated OnePlus 5T supposed to have wireless charging and be waterproof? If so, I think that would put it on par with the S8, no?