Database Develop

Development shouldn't factor in smartphone decision making, should it?

So trying to choose between the Moto X and the Nexus 5, I came across the biggest difference between these phones, their development. Moto X has little to none and Nexus 5 has more than any phone out there. This was an easy win for Nexus 5 I thought. Until I read Moto X users saying that flashing ROMs and kernels are normally to fix issues that the stock versions have and that they don't need Custom ROMs and kernels because what they get is stable, smooth, and lasts long enough (battery wise).
I thought back to why I flash ROMs on Note II and my previous phone SII, and fair enough, I used to do it because I wanted to fix issues that came with stock versions. Now, I hate flashing ROMs, I just want to use my phone. Anyways, looking at the development on the Nexus 5, it seems much of it is to fix the speakers, camera, battery life, etc.
Then I thought that Custom ROMs are important to stay up to date with Google's updates but then Motorola released their update faster than Google did with their Nexus 4. They are also updating their 1.5 year old phones (Not the Razr HD or the Razr HD Maxx probably because of their TI chipset). So it looks like Moto X users are in good hands as far as updates are concerned.
What do you guys think? Would you rather have a fully functional stable stock ROM on a phone that has no development otherwise or would you rather get a phone with tons of development to fix issues that the stock ROM has?
I am asking because there may be an angle to development that I haven't considered. Many customizable things included in ROMs on Nexus 5 are available via Xposed on Moto X.

Until I read Moto X users saying that flashing ROMs and kernels are normally to fix issues that the stock versions have and that they don't need Custom ROMs and kernels because what they get is stable, smooth, and lasts long enough (battery wise).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a very narrow perspective. There are lots of reasons one might want to flash a ROM or kernel; the "one size fits all" mentality of other vendors such as Apple and Microsoft need not apply here. Custom ROMs open the door to different features that the OEM might not have considered or wanted to spend time on, and allow the creativity of the general public to enhance the phone in ways that are unique to them or only fits a certain niche that wouldn't be profitable for a big company to try and cater to. It certainly isn't just about "fixing issues".
Though custom ROMs certainly aren't the only feature I would look for in a phone, I might hesitate before buying a phone that little support or, even worse, a locked bootloader with no current workaround or hack for the simple reason that even if there's nothing I'm interested in today, there might be something cool that I want to try out tomorrow.

MaxCarnage said:
there might be something cool that I want to try out tomorrow.
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Click to collapse
If you had bought something like the Moto X one year ago, what feature made by the ROM developers on the Nexus 4 would you really want to try out?

I've been debating this myself. I have a Nexus 5 now that I'm testing with TMO prepaid for a month. So far, the phone is really nice and as you said, the level of development is astounding. BUT, I have to leave VZW in order to keep the phone. That's very hard to do when I get a hefty discount on the service and still have unlimited data. I can get LTE pretty much everywhere I go. With TMO, I'm lucky to get Edge data in some places or even a signal at all inside buildings.
I love the look and feel of the X. It's is a great piece of hardware and with the Dev edition, I could stay on VZW. I also like the fact that it runs basically stock Android along with additions that are actually useful and well done. The dev community is very limited though and will most likely stay that way. Moto was quick to get the 4.4 update out but it remains to be seen if that pace will continue. You would hope so but nothing is guaranteed. The X2 may be out next year putting the update schedule for the current model on the back burner.
I had the original Nexus One and the Galaxy Nexus. I've always been a diehard AOSP guy. Every phone I've owned in between has always been on a custom AOSP based ROM in order to get close to that Nexus experience. I'm attracted to custom ROMs not because they fix bugs, but because they allow me to always stay on a current version of Android (no waiting for carrier updates) and add some nice features to the basic AOSP design. Custom kernels can also improve overall performance and battery life even if you decide to stay stock otherwise. The Nexus line will always have the edge in this regard.
I wanted to be blown away with the N5 and content with TMO but I'm second guessing my decision each day.....
darkgoon3r96 said:
So trying to choose between the Moto X and the Nexus 5, I came across the biggest difference between these phones, their development. Moto X has little to none and Nexus 5 has more than any phone out there. This was an easy win for Nexus 5 I thought. Until I read Moto X users saying that flashing ROMs and kernels are normally to fix issues that the stock versions have and that they don't need Custom ROMs and kernels because what they get is stable, smooth, and lasts long enough (battery wise).
I thought back to why I flash ROMs on Note II and my previous phone SII, and fair enough, I used to do it because I wanted to fix issues that came with stock versions. Now, I hate flashing ROMs, I just want to use my phone. Anyways, looking at the development on the Nexus 5, it seems much of it is to fix the speakers, camera, battery life, etc.
Then I thought that Custom ROMs are important to stay up to date with Google's updates but then Motorola released their update faster than Google did with their Nexus 4. They are also updating their 1.5 year old phones (Not the Razr HD or the Razr HD Maxx probably because of their TI chipset). So it looks like Moto X users are in good hands as far as updates are concerned.
What do you guys think? Would you rather have a fully functional stable stock ROM on a phone that has no development otherwise or would you rather get a phone with tons of development to fix issues that the stock ROM has?
I am asking because there may be an angle to development that I haven't considered. Many customizable things included in ROMs on Nexus 5 are available via Xposed on Moto X.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I am running the N5 stock and have no reason to root or flash a custom Rom. Never thought I would say that about my phone but I am actually content with the N5 the way it is. There are some cool features that devs add in but then you get sucked into this never ending flashing frenzy which I have been in for years.
It is good to actually enjoy the phone now and keep the software on it for more then a few days. lol
Anyway, the screen alone on the N5 is enough for what I consider a big step up from the Moto X. I have friends with Moto X's which I actually recommended to them since they are on Verizon and it was being offered for free on contract. I do think it is a great phone with some great features. Not enough there to sway my decision to get one over a N5 though.
I do applaud Motorola for their unbelievable quick update and I bet we start to see some other maunfacturers start stepping up their game as well. We have seen this recently with HTC also.
The question to ask yourself is what is important to you. Another good thing with the Moto X is it generally stocks with the stock Android feel so it almost resembles Nexus software.
Bottom line, when I turn on my N5 after playing with the Moto X, the Moto X does not in any way make me want to buy one for myself.
---------- Post added at 11:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:32 AM ----------
fallingd0wn said:
I've been debating this myself. I have a Nexus 5 now that I'm testing with TMO prepaid for a month. So far, the phone is really nice and as you said, the level of development is astounding. BUT, I have to leave VZW in order to keep the phone. That's very hard to do when I get a hefty discount on the service and still have unlimited data. I can get LTE pretty much everywhere I go. With TMO, I'm lucky to get Edge data in some places or even a signal at all inside buildings.
I love the look and feel of the X. It's is a great piece of hardware and with the Dev edition, I could stay on VZW. I also like the fact that it runs basically stock Android along with additions that are actually useful and well done. The dev community is very limited though and will most likely stay that way. Moto was quick to get the 4.4 update out but it remains to be seen if that pace will continue. You would hope so but nothing is guaranteed. The X2 may be out next year putting the update schedule for the current model on the back burner.
I had the original Nexus One and the Galaxy Nexus. I've always been a diehard AOSP guy. Every phone I've owned in between has always been on a custom AOSP based ROM in order to get close to that Nexus experience. I'm attracted to custom ROMs not because they fix bugs, but because they allow me to always stay on a current version of Android (no waiting for carrier updates) and add some nice features to the basic AOSP design. Custom kernels can also improve overall performance and battery life even if you decide to stay stock otherwise. The Nexus line will always have the edge in this regard.
I wanted to be blown away with the N5 and content with TMO but I'm second guessing my decision each day.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why not go to a MVNO that uses AT&T towers? Would still be much chepaer then Verizon and they offer much better coverage then T-Mo.

[email protected] said:
I am running the N5 stock and have no reason to root or flash a custom Rom. Never thought I would say that about my phone but I am actually content with the N5 the way it is. There are some cool features that devs add in but then you get sucked into this never ending flashing frenzy which I have been in for years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't you want to improve the Audio and the battery life by trying out the kernels and the mods made here?
Anyway, the screen alone on the N5 is enough for what I consider a big step up from the Moto X.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assume you mean resolution? I was under the impression that 1080p and 720p are not that different under daily usage?

It all comes down to your habits. I love flashing new ROM's, I sometimes try multiple ROM's per week. So for me, development means a lot. It's why I switched from the S4 to the N5. The S4 just received 4.3 and was locked down by Knox. Plus, with the N5 being an unlocked phone, you can flash any ROM on any carrier, so you won't ever have to drool over another carrier's ROM.

mjs2011 said:
It all comes down to your habits. I love flashing new ROM's, I sometimes try multiple ROM's per week. So for me, development means a lot. It's why I switched from the S4 to the N5. The S4 just received 4.3 and was locked down by Knox. Plus, with the N5 being an unlocked phone, you can flash any ROM on any carrier, so you won't ever have to drool over another carrier's ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also flash a ton of ROMs every week and also used to enjoy it, but I am getting tired of it now... I want to live life more than flash ROMs (if that makes sense)

darkgoon3r96 said:
If you had bought something like the Moto X one year ago, what feature made by the ROM developers on the Nexus 4 would you really want to try out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anything and everything. The top reason I don't even consider not getting a Nexus device anymore is the development scene. Look, you're viewing the huge development community on the Nexus line as people who are "fixing" a "broken" stock image. That's not really true. The stock image is perfectly fine. The developers are merely making things that they deem better than how stock handled it. For instance, a developer might think that the on-screen buttons are too large on stock, taking up way too much screen real-estate. They would then develop a way to remove it, but still be able to navigate. They might make something like PIE controls. Now, I may agree that the buttons really are too large, but I like the nav bar. So I might just resize it, instead of working around it.
I guess the point I'm making is, all of those modifications you see to "improve" the stock image are there to "improve" it, but what counts as an "improvement" is completely subjective. There are different people in the world with vastly differentiating opinions about things, so they will make something to improve something else as they see fit. The development sections here on XDA are merely huge repositories of any modification that anyone who was willing to make, made. Looking at them all as collectively-required flashable improvements isn't how it should be viewed. That's the beauty of having a large development community. You can pick and choose, depending on your personal opinions, which modifications are improvements and flash them. Another way to think of it is cookie-cutter vs modular. Do you want a phone that appeals the masses,;a one-size fits all, or a phone that is completely customizable?

darkgoon3r96 said:
Don't you want to improve the Audio and the battery life by trying out the kernels and the mods made here?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Battery life has been great on stock for me. Absolutley no complaints here. I have ran so many custom kernels on prior phones and never saw a large boost in battery from them. Lots of times it would actually be worse.
The speaker volume can definitley use a boost and the camera needs some fixing. I know there is some dev work for both of these issues but I am going to hang a little and see if Google fixes it. If not, I might think about rooting solely for those 2 things. If Google fixes it, absolutley no reason for me to root this time around.
Anyway, as a prior flashoholic there is no better phone then a Nexus for people who like to flash Roms and like every feature on the sun. No other phones custom Roms work as good as they do on a Nexus.

Development is like the first determining factor for me when buying phones.

darkgoon3r96 said:
I assume you mean resolution? I was under the impression that 1080p and 720p are not that different under daily usage?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Screen size. A 5" screen starts the sweet spot for a device that uses on-screen buttons. I always felt shorted on prior 4.7" screens with on screen buttons. Like there wasn't enough viewing real estate. Sure you can remove the on-screen buttons but then you would need something that always to longer to activate then the actual buttons being present.
I also think the quality and colors of the N5 screen are just gorgous.

darkgoon3r96 said:
So trying to choose between the Moto X and the Nexus 5, I came across the biggest difference between these phones, their development. Moto X has little to none and Nexus 5 has more than any phone out there. This was an easy win for Nexus 5 I thought. Until I read Moto X users saying that flashing ROMs and kernels are normally to fix issues that the stock versions have and that they don't need Custom ROMs and kernels because what they get is stable, smooth, and lasts long enough (battery wise).
I thought back to why I flash ROMs on Note II and my previous phone SII, and fair enough, I used to do it because I wanted to fix issues that came with stock versions. Now, I hate flashing ROMs, I just want to use my phone. Anyways, looking at the development on the Nexus 5, it seems much of it is to fix the speakers, camera, battery life, etc.
Then I thought that Custom ROMs are important to stay up to date with Google's updates but then Motorola released their update faster than Google did with their Nexus 4. They are also updating their 1.5 year old phones (Not the Razr HD or the Razr HD Maxx probably because of their TI chipset). So it looks like Moto X users are in good hands as far as updates are concerned.
What do you guys think? Would you rather have a fully functional stable stock ROM on a phone that has no development otherwise or would you rather get a phone with tons of development to fix issues that the stock ROM has?
I am asking because there may be an angle to development that I haven't considered. Many customizable things included in ROMs on Nexus 5 are available via Xposed on Moto X.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just got rid of my moto x for the N5 for this very reason. The moto x is a great device and probably the best carrier controlled device to date.
That being said, it drove me nuts to be locked down with a locked bootloader and no development. Knowing the n5 is open and has all the Dev support means I have control over MY phone, not AT&T and not Motorola.
After dealing with the locked down s4, I promised myself I would never get another device without an unlockable bootloader. I caved when the moto x came out and as I said it's one amazing device but at the end of the day, I'll be sticking with nexus devices from here on out.
To me it's not worth giving up that freedom but for you it may not matter.
Sent from my Nexus 5

Development totally cones into it for me. One of the biggest considerations.
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brooksyx said:
Development is like the first determining factor for me when buying phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
rootSU said:
Development totally cones into it for me. One of the biggest considerations.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please elaborate. I want to know which features exactly do Custom ROMs provide that you won't be able to get from the xposed mod that you would want that much.
capathy21 said:
That being said, it drove me nuts to be locked down with a locked bootloader and no development. Knowing the n5 is open and has all the Dev support means I have control over MY phone, not AT&T and not Motorola.
Sent from my Nexus 5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I do get the Moto X, then I will get the Developer Unlocked model.

brooksyx said:
Development is like the first determining factor for me when buying phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, after my first Nexus phone, I could never go back to a phone that didn't have a strong dev. community behind it. For me; tablets and phones are as much about the journey of playing with ROM/kernel/mods as they are a communication device.

darkgoon3r96 said:
Please elaborate. I want to know which features exactly do Custom ROMs provide that you won't be able to get from the xposed mod that you would want that much.
If I do get the Moto X, then I will get the Developer Unlocked model.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No stock rom mod can touch the stability and features of cyanogenmod. It is the only way to do anroid. In fact I prefer iOS over stock android. But CM is awesome.

brooksyx said:
No stock rom mod can touch the stability and features of cyanogenmod. It is the only way to do anroid. In fact I prefer iOS over stock android. But CM is awesome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be honest, CM's future plans SERIOUSLY excite me.. Like that recent conversation feature

CyanogenMod, AOKP, AOSPA support, along with great kernel devs. The Nexus 5 is essentially guaranteed support for these things, and these are things I like.

darkgoon3r96 said:
Please elaborate. I want to know which features exactly do Custom ROMs provide that you won't be able to get from the xposed mod that you would want that much.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Who said anything about roms or features? Its all about kernels.
But if you look at ROMS like PAC, you'll see what features true roms can offer over xposed
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[Q] Roms & Developers Waiting Room

I'm new to Nexus forums. I've been a Samsung phone owner for some time now so I'm not familiar with the developers on the Nexus side.
Just starting this thread to see of at least rumors of Rom Developers that will be here in the Nexus 6 forum.
Has anyone heard of developers coming to this Nexus 6 forum? Hoping Rom development starts soon :good:

As its a Nexus device a lot of developers will be developing ROMs for it.. Just have patience..
Sent from another Nexus..
6...

They'll come. I know franciscofranco will be bringing Franco Kernel to the Nexus 6, his device will be coming in next month and I'll be helping him out testing blind builds. No promises about public releases but you won't be disappointed with development on Nexus devices when it comes to custom ROMs and kernels.
Faux on Twitter confirmed that he'll be getting the N6 as well.
Euphoria (formerly known as Mahdi ROM) will be getting N6 treatment as well (as confirmed on Google+) https://plus.google.com/communities/116795582851167273031
CM12 will obviously be on the N6.

maconsultant said:
As its a Nexus device a lot of developers will be developing ROMs for it.. Just have patience..
Sent from another Nexus..
6...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I appreciate what you're saying. My patience has never been one of my better attributes. But in the mean time it's ok to have a little discussion on the matter

Well you've come to the right place as this is XDA..
Sent from another Nexus..
6...

zephiK said:
They'll come. I know franciscofranco will be bringing Franco Kernel to the Nexus 6, his device will be coming in next month and I'll be helping him out testing blind builds. No promises about public releases but you won't be disappointed with development on Nexus devices when it comes to custom ROMs and kernels.
Faux on Twitter confirmed that he'll be getting the N6 as well.
Euphoria (formerly known as Mahdi ROM) will be getting N6 treatment as well (as confirmed on Google+) https://plus.google.com/communities/116795582851167273031
CM12 will obviously be on the N6.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sweet. Thanks for the heads up. Feels good being here already. I traded up my Note 4 for the N6 so good things coming sounds like :good:

Yes i still have my nexus 5, and iPhone 6, and decided to get a Nexus 6.. I play both sides of the fence... But the techie in me loves android as you have more control over your device. Ill be picking up a Nexus 9 as well once the LTE model comes out. Then i may start to unload my various devices....

Nexus 6P vs Note 5 for Development

Hi everyone!
I'm currently using a LG G3, and it's time to upgrade.
I've narrowed my choices down to either the Nexus 6P or the Note 5. I'm in the UK, so it would defo be easier to source a 6P but I kinda like the idea of the Note 5.
My question is though, since I do like rooting and ROMing, is the Note 5 locked down and a lot harder to ROM/mess with than the 6P. I do seem to get 'bored' of mobile phones after around 6 months and the ability to ROM and change the phone is pretty important.
So, should I think twice about the Note 5, or is it pretty open and can be ROMed pretty easily?
Cheers!

Nexus p has more development compared to note device.
Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk

Ahhhh, maybe best leaning towards a 6P then.
Cheers!
Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk

Its one thing having plenty of rom choices however
Im just coming from a nexus 6, plenty of roms but to be honest very little difference between them, tried chroma, aosip and pure nexus, but i will tell you what i always experienced, random reboots. Now first off i appreciate the time and effort all devs put in, been their done that, but to be honest i just want a device that works now and samsung has a good range of options and features. Im not sure what all the fuss was with pure stock android, Yes MM was on my device from day one but then i felt like a google beta tester for the first 6 months.
The 6p is a sweet device but i chose the note 5 as an all round package its hard to beat, however as you mention you have OCFD then yes the Nexus 6p would be a better device for your needs, if you do get the 6p, then AOSIP was the most stable for me out of the 3 main ones, either way you will be happy with the device you choose

thering1975 said:
Its one thing having plenty of rom choices however
Im just coming from a nexus 6, plenty of roms but to be honest very little difference between them, tried chroma, aosip and pure nexus, but i will tell you what i always experienced, random reboots. Now first off i appreciate the time and effort all devs put in, been their done that, but to be honest i just want a device that works now and samsung has a good range of options and features. Im not sure what all the fuss was with pure stock android, Yes MM was on my device from day one but then i felt like a google beta tester for the first 6 months.
The 6p is a sweet device but i chose the note 5 as an all round package its hard to beat, however as you mention you have OCFD then yes the Nexus 6p would be a better device for your needs, if you do get the 6p, then AOSIP was the most stable for me out of the 3 main ones, either way you will be happy with the device you choose
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with this statement...all the nexus 6 roms are practically the same. One thing that had me doing the jazz hand for (i forgot the name) was in the original development thread that basically baked all the features I love into the STOCK rom that came with the file....otherwise, from one rom to the next was the same, just different bugs lol. I too just want a stable rom, been running the same on my note 5 for the past 4 weeks lol.
But to answer the OP, go with the 6p if you want to get your flashing on. So many things to flash, so little time lol.

hey I would like to add that the note roms are all the same
there isnt even aosp project
the best device I had in roms was The one m8 gpe .aosp and sense it was incredible I dream of the day the m10 would have a gpe version I would seel my note and get in without thinking.

I lived under the impression that Note 5 was made for productivity not for fun ) But maybe I'm wrong.
Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk

Hey op. I have to agree with he general outlook of the folks here that if it's about flashing ROMs then there really isn't a device to hold a candle to the nexus 6p.
That being said I had a oneplus one and a nexus before I got the note 5 for the same reason. Once I got over the compulsive need to flash roms kernels and the like though I have been really happy with the stable experience I've had with the note so far. Hope this helps.
Sent from my SM-N920G using Tapatalk

Community development strength

You're a power user. Can the Moto G4 Plus keep up? Rate this thread to express how "healthy" the development scene is for the Moto G4 Plus. A higher rating indicates available root methods, kernels, and custom ROMs.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!

Four stars for: root, twrp, xposed, cm. Lacks a dark theme.

2 stars : no more official Roms like other model phones

6 ROMs | 3 Kernels | Root | Xposed
That's quiet okay.
3.5/5

Very bad

2 stars for twrp and some custom Roms
Lack no more Roms
No nougat roms
No multirom.

Hi,
I came in from Nexus 5 and i have to say that G4 is light years behind with development.
The worst thing is lack of custom stock roms so you need to flash through fastboot or you need to stick to CM based roms.
Overall 2/10
And hello to Moto community

Coming from the Moto G2, there are way too less custom ROM's even after half a year of launch.
2/5.

4/5

cop1976 said:
Hi,
I came in from Nexus 5 and i have to say that G4 is light years behind with development.
The worst thing is lack of custom stock roms so you need to flash through fastboot or you need to stick to CM based roms.
Overall 2/10
And hello to Moto community
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed x2

It's picking up speed
It has seen a gradual increase in Roms. 7/10

Yeah, right now dev work isn't bad at all. We have what, like 4 kernels, and ElementalX is super solid as well as LineageOS. We even have an AOSP CAF build. Coming from a Nexus 5 this is extremely solid for a budget Motorola phone.
I guess people got fed up with Lenovo and their ****ty updates lol.

Ghost Touch problem is irritating while using, Even i'm in warranty period but i can't solve the issue.

[email protected] said:
Ghost Touch problem is irritating while using, Even i'm in warranty period but i can't solve the issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OT here.

<long live athene>

I will rate 3 from 10. a few oreo roms with same bugs all and couple of stock nougat.

idinaxui said:
I will rate 3 from 10. a few oreo roms with same bugs all and couple of stock nougat.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
few? i on the contrary see many, around 16 just oreo based rom!! also bugs are being fixed. so be patient.

4/5 for good roms and
5/5 for better developer
4/5 for future updates working hard for device
love this device

According to me, the development is quite good as far as Oreo roms are considered given we don't have any official update for our device.

the moto g1 or the moto g2 have rom 8.1 and 9.0 with camera and everything working, the g4 continues with these camera bugs waiting for Motorola to launch official oreo to solve the bugs, I do not understand the g1 and the g2 never received even nougat and have oreo and standing almost without bugs

Is the OnePlus 3t sensible after the issuance of its death certificate?

Dear OnePlus 3t owners,
Is it sensible to buy a new OP3T after OP decided to kill updates post-O?
On this device, easy root, no updates but plenty of community support.
On others (S8, XZ Premium, other mainstream flagships), loss of features with root, somewhat more updates with less community support.
Please help me take my decision, and any and all help is greatly appreciated!

It depends if you want a phone to play around and mod or you want a phone to have longer updates although longer updates are not a guarantee in any brand even Google promises updates for 2 years only. 3t is still a pretty good device and I think we'll have good dev support for atleast a couple of years
Sent from my OnePlus3T using XDA Labs

No update ? Hmm, don't know where you see this, OpenBeta 13 has just been release today.
Personally, I bought the OnePlus 3T like one week ago for 350e on Ebay, very happy with with.
Before it, I bought a OnePlus 5 day one, and, well, if I'm here today, it's because I was very disappointed (*cough* Jelly Effect *cough* ), and I bought the OnePlus 3T because I need a new device right now: I prepare a trip in South Korea, and need a new device to replace the time bomb OnePlus 2 (sorry about my life topic).
I share the idea about the fact that the OnePlus 3T was the true Flagship Killer: low price for very good specs.
You can see that the device is still in top 3 devices on XDA (behind Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+ and LG G6), and for me, it's an indicator that the OnePlus 3T still has a bright future.
So yeah, OnePlus won't update the OnePlus 3T after Android O (but still security update tho), but he, we are on XDA, so plenty of custom ROMs available!
After all, I can't either ""force"" you to buy or not the OnePlus 3T. It depends on multiple points
-How many you want to put in your phone ?
-What is a good smartphone for you ?
-Do you care about officials updates of custom ROMs is ok for you ?

1. No updates: I actually meant "no major version updates".
2. So you have bought the 5 and saw that the 3T was better in comparison?
3. Are custom ROMs stable as stock on this device? (My 1st OP device, hope ROMs are as stable as stock to the contrary of Samsung)
4. Is the camera on custom ROMs any good (as in decent) without camera blobs from OnePlus?
Thanks for your advice! I'm actually biased towards buying the device but I have had my reservations

Well, I'm a tinkerer but I really prefer more updates as I do prefer longevity (3-4 years of college, not enough $$$ to spend on phones). Thank you a lot!

I don't think it'll matter. Android O will be a nice send off and I think said that they'll provide security updates also. The community will support this phone for many android revisions and groups/people like PA or Sultan got the same camera quality on their AOSP roms

Also, you said that you bought the 3T to replace your "time-bomb" OP2. How is the 2 a time bomb exactly? And could the 3T become one too?

I'm content with the device on O but as soon as P rolls out a problem arises. Community ROMs are not exactly stable (coming from Samsung, no idea w/ OP3T though) and I've read somewhere that PA and/or Sultan received the blobs from OP through bribery or something ... What do you think?

So you have bought the 5 and saw that the 3T was better in comparison?
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Jelly Effect is a deal breaker for me. Search for it on internet, you will see.
Are custom ROMs stable as stock on this device?
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For now, I don't know. I just flash a custom kernel on my device, but still under OxygenOS for now.
Is the camera on custom ROMs any good (as in decent) without camera blobs from OnePlus?
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As I said, I don't know. But some recognized devs build ROMs which camera which seems to be as good as stock one (such as SultanXDA's ROM or ParanoidAndroid)
Also, you said that you bought the 3T to replace your "time-bomb" OP2. How is the 2 a time bomb exactly? And could the 3T become one too?
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The OnePlus 2 was produced with the Snapdragon 810, which is, let's be honest, a sh*t. My user experience with it was pretty bad. Also, I don't know if you saw, but the Nexus 6P (which also has the Snapdragon 810) is victims of problems with this processor: actually, some users have a phone which can't even boot anymore. A user find a solution, but actually, the phone now uses 4 cores (the little cluster) instead of 8 (little + big cluster): I don't want the OnePlus 2 to ends like this, so I bought a new phone, just to be sure.
Aaaaand I f*cked up my answer. Of course, this posts contains answer to your questions @WaseemAlkurdi

Custom roms are far more stable on the 3t then on Samsung devices. Less hacking needed.
Updates are kinda over rated at this point. With the 3t you can just build it yourself. Though I would avoid Los based or PA based roms. Those tend to have the most issues with things like instability.

Think of it this way: would you buy this phone and use it as is, or would you out a custom ROM on it?
It might not get any updates from UP after O, but it's gonna get at least 3 more years of support from Lineage and others.

There are a plethora of "stable" custom built ROMs by several very talented developers.
To say that community ROMs are not stable is an EXTREMELY uninformed comment.
I've been running some form of a custom ROM for the past 7 years over a a multitude of phones following well known developers that in my opinion and experience put out better device software than the factory.
If you do choose the OP3T, you'll not be disappointed as it's a quality device with excellent community support.

Like could I build "OxygenOS P" myself?
And if LOS and PA ROMs aren't stable, is AOSP so? And that makes for a tradeoff for camera quality, as an earlier comment said that camera is the best on PA and Sultan (Sultan's being LOS based AFAIK)

@giant22000
Seems like it's going to be the OnePlus 3t after all, and what remains to be done is convincing my dad that an unknown China OEM (in local market's view - not our view) can make solid hardware.
"To say that community ROMs are not stable is an EXTREMELY uninformed comment."
This is relative. Coming from various Samsung devices, namely the Galaxy Grand 2 and the Galaxy Star (the crappiest device known to mankind) and servicing others including flagship models, it does happen that custom ROMs are, to say the best, variable in stability, ranging from crappiest (CM on the Galaxy S Duos and on the Star) to semi-stable (the stuff on high-end phones.

@ast00
I am a tinkerer by nature, no Android phone is mine unless the bootloader is unlocked, custom ROM, kernel, overclock, and later on, development.
I am only concerned about official updates as this may mean eventually being deserted by the community. Is this the case here?

@casual_kikoo
Thanks for your detailed answers!

Yes AOSP tend to be more stable then the other two. Just look at the thread and you will see issues with bootloops and other things. Yet AOSP based roms do not suffer from this.
The camera is good enough no matter the range. I tested both and to be honest it made little difference.
No you are not gonna build Oxygen OS as it is closed source but then again why would you want to?

Stability, mate. Heard that OOS is the most stable, then comes AOSP, then comes LOS.
And if it were possible to build OOS, the update issue would be fixed of course. But alas, it isn't possible, as you said.

No. Most ROMs run on the 3 and the 3T. I mean you flash the same zip for both phones.
This is good because our community is the size of 2 phone's communities. You will have plenty of support later on.

Take nexus 5 as example, its still getting regular rom updates such as PA or lineage, this device will be no different.. it will receive android updates from xda community for a long time