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I had the bootloop problem and was given a replacement phone with ZVC installed. I've waited with varying degrees of patience for someone to release a method for getting root, operating on the assumption that taking any further updates would just exacerbate the problem. After six months, it doesn't seem like there's any progress forthcoming, and apparently there have been more OS updates (it looks like at least ZVE).
So here's my question. Is there a point to updating to the newer release? Does it do anything better than ZVC? Alternately, is it unlikely that there's going to be a way to root this phone again, so there's no reason to stay with ZVC?
I should point out that I'm frustrated with not having root on a daily basis, to the point that I've seriously considered finding an older phone on eBay, or finding a new phone altogether (but making sure it's rootable first). So I'm basically trying to ask how optimistic I should be.
What do you think?
FireflyII said:
I had the bootloop problem and was given a replacement phone with ZVC installed. I've waited with varying degrees of patience for someone to release a method for getting root, operating on the assumption that taking any further updates would just exacerbate the problem. After six months, it doesn't seem like there's any progress forthcoming, and apparently there have been more OS updates (it looks like at least ZVE).
So here's my question. Is there a point to updating to the newer release? Does it do anything better than ZVC? Alternately, is it unlikely that there's going to be a way to root this phone again, so there's no reason to stay with ZVC?
I should point out that I'm frustrated with not having root on a daily basis, to the point that I've seriously considered finding an older phone on eBay, or finding a new phone altogether (but making sure it's rootable first). So I'm basically trying to ask how optimistic I should be.
What do you think?
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At the rate im going im never vonna figure it out.
At this point in time it doesnt really matter suposedly nougats coming and i have it on my note 5 and if its any where near how it is on there itll be great.
Hoping the bootloader will get unlocked along the way.
And if lg and sprint have there way everytime it bootloops theyre just gonna update it anyways.
Now u being on zvc u can flash the mellowmallow zvb rom on ures but still no root
Honestly, Sprint and LG are being super stubborn with it. 1) It's ZVF now and will probably only just keep going with the inability to downgrade. 2) We are really lucky to have convinced LG to give us Nougat in Q3. This might come with a bootloader unlock for both the G4 and V10 and if it doesn't then that'll probably be it for these devices. Due to their hardware issues and the inability to distinguish between good and bad ones on LG's side, they're likely not going to give us bootloader unlock or root. Unfortunately, and of course this isn't official, it just makes sense, they probably don't want to face the problems that they might come across with people who have the bootloop ridden devices getting upset if they root or unlock and then try to claim warranty. I'm looking forward to Nougat because it's better than nothing, but honestly, as soon as I can get my upgrade in January of 2018, I'm going to ditch this device in favour of the V20, (hopefully) the V30, or I might wait for the G7. Anyway I go, I suggest that you do the same. I've been hopeful for this device so long and it sucks that LG has practically given up on it, but at this point the optimism isn't worth it. So I hope I helped. Either way, I got to rant so I'm good! Hopefully nothing like this happens in the future with LG. The G6 looks really cool and I definitely favour it over the S8. I think they should keep the 16x9 resolution and the removable battery with expandable storage and the ticker screen with the V series and have the G series keep the 18x9. What do you think?
RubyUltima said:
Honestly, Sprint and LG are being super stubborn with it. 1) It's ZVF now and will probably only just keep going with the inability to downgrade. 2) We are really lucky to have convinced LG to give us Nougat in Q3. This might come with a bootloader unlock for both the G4 and V10 and if it doesn't then that'll probably be it for these devices. Due to their hardware issues and the inability to distinguish between good and bad ones on LG's side, they're likely not going to give us bootloader unlock or root. Unfortunately, and of course this isn't official, it just makes sense, they probably don't want to face the problems that they might come across with people who have the bootloop ridden devices getting upset if they root or unlock and then try to claim warranty. I'm looking forward to Nougat because it's better than nothing, but honestly, as soon as I can get my upgrade in January of 2018, I'm going to ditch this device in favour of the V20, (hopefully) the V30, or I might wait for the G7. Anyway I go, I suggest that you do the same. I've been hopeful for this device so long and it sucks that LG has practically given up on it, but at this point the optimism isn't worth it. So I hope I helped. Either way, I got to rant so I'm good! Hopefully nothing like this happens in the future with LG. The G6 looks really cool and I definitely favour it over the S8. I think they should keep the 16x9 resolution and the removable battery with expandable storage and the ticker screen with the V series and have the G series keep the 18x9. What do you think?
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100% agree wish lg would start using amoled screens though. other than well said....
RubyUltima said:
Honestly, Sprint and LG are being super stubborn with it... I'm looking forward to Nougat because it's better than nothing, but honestly, as soon as I can get my upgrade in January of 2018, I'm going to ditch this device in favour of the V20, (hopefully) the V30, or I might wait for the G7. Anyway I go, I suggest that you do the same. I've been hopeful for this device so long and it sucks that LG has practically given up on it, but at this point the optimism isn't worth it.
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TheMadScientist420 said:
At this point in time it doesnt really matter suposedly nougats coming and i have it on my note 5 and if its any where near how it is on there itll be great.
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Thanks for the responses, it's gratifying to at least hear it from others rather than just perseverating over it myself.
I have a history of being disappointed by losing features when upgrading to new devices or OSes. Here's a small sample:
I loved having a physical keyboard on Epic, but was annoyed that it didn't do video-out on Sprint (the other carriers' versions did). When I moved to a Galaxy Note II, I lost the keyboard, but gained a useable stylus and HDMI output, as well as split-screen apps, though it also lacked the extended battery I had for the Epic, and the newer Android system disabled installing apps on the SD card. I was able to circumvent that with root access, and mounting folders from the card to internal memory slots. I next moved to the LG G4, which gained an IR port (something I missed from pre-smartphone days) and restored the use of the SD card, but lost the stylus and the HDMI output again. I was at least comfortable with the G4 (having again taken advantage of root to help restore various features, like multi-window anything ala the Note II), but had to swap phones when the bootloop crippled the device.
Now I have a phone that continuously annoys me due to lack of features I used to have, and arbitrarily restricted permissions (Sorry, you can't save this phone number to your contacts because the phone needs access to your calendar, which you can't give it because you have a screen overlay running, which you can't turn off, because you have a screen overlay....Sorry, you can't unzip a file to the SD card because this program doesn't have access to the SD card...) which has left me waiting and hoping for a solution. From the sounds of it, though, it might be worth updating the OS, but it's not exactly compelling either way, and root seems unlikely.
I guess it's time to start looking around for upcoming root-friendly phones....
So as of this morning, Lenovo officially listed the Moto E4 and E4 Plus on their site. Here's the E4 specs:
-Almost the same as G4 Play
-Snapdragon 425 or 427
-NanoSIM
-Added e-compass (which SHOULD have been on the G4 Play, seriously)
-Fingerprint Scanner in select markets
-Nougat out of the box
And all for $20 cheaper than what most of us paid. Anyone else as pissed as I am?
mkollersms said:
So as of this morning, Lenovo officially listed the Moto E4 and E4 Plus on their site. Here's the E4 specs:
-Almost the same as G4 Play
-Snapdragon 425 or 427
-NanoSIM
-Added e-compass (which SHOULD have been on the G4 Play, seriously)
-Fingerprint Scanner in select markets
-Nougat out of the box
And all for $20 cheaper than what most of us paid. Anyone else as pissed as I am?
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Click to collapse
Not a all. The G5 series is replacing the G4 although the latter will likely remain available for some time. The E4 has a different demographic/geographic focus but will supposedly be available in Europe and North America, likely positioned as a budget phone.
The evolution you are seeing with the G4->E4 series regularly plays out in the consumer electronics, automotive and other industries. Fingerprint scanners were once exclusive to "flagship" devices; now some varients of the lowly E4 gets one. Amazing!
Davey126 said:
Not a all. The G5 series is replacing the G4 although the latter will likely remain available for some time. The E4 has a different demographic/geographic focus but will supposedly be available in Europe and North America, likely positioned as a budget phone.
The evolution you are seeing with the G4->E4 series regularly plays out in the consumer electronics, automotive and other industries. Fingerprint scanners were once exclusive to "flagship" devices; now some varients of the lowly E4 gets one. Amazing!
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That would be fine and dandy except 1) magnetometers are far from a new technology, 2) lenovo NEVER addressed the GPS faults and I got *****ed out by a rep over it, and 3) the OTA delay which should not have happened (though apparently part of the problem is the Bluetooth issue is affecting a huge amount of devices including the Pixel models themselves).
I did have the Moto E1 back in the day, and the fact it had the capacity to run CM14.0 was damned impressive. Of course, it wasn't without its faults either. A magnetometer should be in every phone and I don't understand why so many devices omit it. There's companies I won't so much as look at *coughSamsungcough* because it's such a powerful tool. You can't say that only flagships have it, since a lot of sub-$150 LG phones did (the Leon/Tribute2/Sunset for example). And I mean, the E1 didn't even have an LED flash. I was lucky to snag a cheap US Cellular model and do a Day-One Unlock.
But I would say I got far more use out of that phone than my G4P. I loved that phone, and this model has been a serious letdown. So it's like, do I want to give this company another $130 and risk being let down again? I personally won't. I plan to get a Sony Xperia L1 and let a family member have this one. It'll still have Lineage, so at least I'll be able to update the damned thing.
mkollersms said:
That would be fine and dandy except 1) magnetometers are far from a new technology, 2) lenovo NEVER addressed the GPS faults and I got *****ed out by a rep over it, and 3) the OTA delay which should not have happened (though apparently part of the problem is the Bluetooth issue is affecting a huge amount of devices including the Pixel models themselves).
I did have the Moto E1 back in the day, and the fact it had the capacity to run CM14.0 was damned impressive. Of course, it wasn't without its faults either. A magnetometer should be in every phone and I don't understand why so many devices omit it. There's companies I won't so much as look at *coughSamsungcough* because it's such a powerful tool. You can't say that only flagships have it, since a lot of sub-$150 LG phones did (the Leon/Tribute2/Sunset for example). And I mean, the E1 didn't even have an LED flash. I was lucky to snag a cheap US Cellular model and do a Day-One Unlock.
But I would say I got far more use out of that phone than my G4P. I loved that phone, and this model has been a serious letdown. So it's like, do I want to give this company another $130 and risk being let down again? I personally won't. I plan to get a Sony Xperia L1 and let a family member have this one. It'll still have Lineage, so at least I'll be able to update the damned thing.
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Hum...sounds like the G4P did not meet your expectations. I was fully aware of the GPS issues and sensor limitations (which were widely published) prior to purchase. I don't share your opinions on the base feature set for all phones but do believe proper advance research leads to a happier experience.
Davey126 said:
Hum...sounds like the G4P did not meet your expectations. I was fully aware of the GPS issues and sensor limitations (which were widely published) prior to purchase. I don't share your opinions on the base feature set for all phones but do believe proper advance research leads to a happier experience.
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Please tell me where you got this "advance research," because beyond Amazon user reviews (which I normally take with a grain of salt), I found no press coverage about any faults with this phone. Not even 6 months after its release.
EDIT: Actually, I'm going to double down on this, because Lenovo THEMSELVES insisted there was no coverage of anything being wrong with this phone either.
Not at all. I picked up this Moto 4 Play for 35 dollars on Black Friday which I only use as a "play" phone. It does my social media checkup, remote for my Android TV, eBay selling management, etc.
I have a Moto Z Play as my main phone so not at all do I feel a slap in my face. However, you do need to realize though is that each year parts become cheaper which is the reason why they are able to offer such a package with the Moto E4 this year. If this was last year, expect it to have been more expensive.
mkollersms said:
Please tell me where you got this "advance research," because beyond Amazon user reviews (which I normally take with a grain of salt), I found no press coverage about any faults with this phone. Not even 6 months after its release.
EDIT: Actually, I'm going to double down on this, because Lenovo THEMSELVES insisted there was no coverage of anything being wrong with this phone either.
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Lol - of course Lenovo is going to deny there is an issue.
Bottom line: I was aware of the issues prior to purchase (actually bought two); the info was not difficult to find and came from multiple sources. The device meets my lowered expectations especially given the price point. My better half is passively seeking a replacement due to GPS issue. Sorry it didn't work out for you.
How superior is SD425/427 to our SD410?
anonymous2211 said:
How superior is SD425/427 to our SD410?
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http://bfy.tw/CLWb
I tried, and I found nothing, so I asked here. Next time, when you don't know something, don't hide yourself behind sarcasm, it's a waste of such a good rhetorical device.
anonymous2211 said:
I tried, and I found nothing, so I asked here. Next time, when you don't know something, don't hide yourself behind sarcasm, it's a waste of such a good rhetorical device.
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Not a tough find as evidenced by the search query.
Ok, I'm a moron, can you please tell me is sd 425/427 noticeably better than 410 for everyday use?
anonymous2211 said:
Ok, I'm a moron, can you please tell me is sd 425/427 noticeably better than 410 for everyday use?
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I seriously doubt you are a "moron" but do feel you haven't extended much effort to find the answer. Following link references an article 3rd/4th in the search results. Short (spoon feed) answer is 'no'.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/201...ips-bring-high-end-features-to-midrange-socs/
Of course I used Google first, but I really haven't found this, thanks, now I'm feeling a little less stupid for buying g4 play a month ago.
Literally, the first result it brought me to was a side-by-side comparison with graphics, charts and beautiful illustrations detailing differences between the two chip sets.
https://versus.com/en/qualcomm-snapdragon-410-vs-qualcomm-snapdragon-425
425 is so close to 410, I wouldn't even call it an upgrade. The only thing not 100% identical is 64-bit processing and a .2ghz nudge in top (factory defined) speed.
mkollersms said:
So as of this morning, Lenovo officially listed the Moto E4 and E4 Plus on their site. Here's the E4 specs:
...
And all for $20 cheaper than what most of us paid. Anyone else as pissed as I am?
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Click to collapse
Year old model replaced by something better a year later as technology allows. Get used to it. I'm not going to be pissed over something I bought in the past being eclipsed by something released in the future.
I am honestly shocked by some of the replies I'm seeing. For ALL of the complaints I've seen on this forum (faulty GPS, problems with CDMA carriers, lack of OTA support after nearly a year, etc.), seeing you guys blindly justify the successor just... it boggles my mind. I would be more understanding if the price point for the E4 was the same as the G4P ($150). At least that would make sense from a marketing standpoint. But for them to slash the price to below the G4P, as if to imply that they're phasing out the G4P entirely, just screams that they have no intention of supporting it further. I think that's BS.
Yes, the media is claiming that June will have the drop date for 7.1.1. That's still far from definitive, and there's no guarantee Lenovo won't pull the same thing with Android 8.0 down the road. They just aren't that trustworthy. All I'm going to say is if I hadn't rooted mine, I could think of few equal/better phones for the price (Samsung Galaxy J3, ZTE ZMax 2, LG X Style).
Lenovo does not have a solid strategy with the Moto line. Until they admit to that fact, I'm not going to put my trust in them. It's your call whether you choose to do otherwise.
mkollersms said:
I am honestly shocked by some of the replies I'm seeing. For ALL of the complaints I've seen on this forum (faulty GPS, problems with CDMA carriers, lack of OTA support after nearly a year, etc.), seeing you guys blindly justify the successor just... it boggles my mind. I would be more understanding if the price point for the E4 was the same as the G4P ($150). At least that would make sense from a marketing standpoint. But for them to slash the price to below the G4P, as if to imply that they're phasing out the G4P entirely, just screams that they have no intention of supporting it further. I think that's BS.
Yes, the media is claiming that June will have the drop date for 7.1.1. That's still far from definitive, and there's no guarantee Lenovo won't pull the same thing with Android 8.0 down the road. They just aren't that trustworthy. All I'm going to say is if I hadn't rooted mine, I could think of few equal/better phones for the price (Samsung Galaxy J3, ZTE ZMax 2, LG X Style).
Lenovo does not have a solid strategy with the Moto line. Until they admit to that fact, I'm not going to put my trust in them. It's your call whether you choose to do otherwise.
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Not certain I follow this post. I purchased the G4P for three reasons: form factor (size), modest price point and ability to easily unlock the bootloader. OTA to stock Android 7.x (if it happens) is nice but not an entitlement on a budget handset. Zero expectation of going to Android 8. I have no problem with a nearly identical variant being rebranded and sold at a lower price as newer models are introduced. Common practice w/consumer electronics (consider your television, personal computer, etc). Trust? LOL!!
So what would you have Leveno do?
mkollersms said:
I am honestly shocked by some of the replies I'm seeing. For ALL of the complaints I've seen on this forum (faulty GPS, problems with CDMA carriers, lack of OTA support after nearly a year, etc.), seeing you guys blindly justify the successor just... it boggles my mind. I would be more understanding if the price point for the E4 was the same as the G4P ($150). At least that would make sense from a marketing standpoint. But for them to slash the price to below the G4P, as if to imply that they're phasing out the G4P entirely, just screams that they have no intention of supporting it further. I think that's BS.
Yes, the media is claiming that June will have the drop date for 7.1.1. That's still far from definitive, and there's no guarantee Lenovo won't pull the same thing with Android 8.0 down the road. They just aren't that trustworthy. All I'm going to say is if I hadn't rooted mine, I could think of few equal/better phones for the price (Samsung Galaxy J3, ZTE ZMax 2, LG X Style).
Lenovo does not have a solid strategy with the Moto line. Until they admit to that fact, I'm not going to put my trust in them. It's your call whether you choose to do otherwise.
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That last paragraph I agree with you on. But everything else sounds like too much assumption and too little research. Although I didn't see the G4 play listed on Lenovo's support page, I see no reason why they wouldn't continue to support a device released in 2016.
I am very disappointed in their strategy with phones. I bought the G5 Plus because of its fantastic specs for $260 (price matched @ BB with Amazon). I wish they introduced a G5 play, but considering the strange (re)introduction of numerous Moto lines (E, X, and introduction of C) I can see why. But they're really confused. I really wish Google kept Motorola.. we'd have 7.1 already and 8.0 ASAP. A real shame that a great American brand got bought up by some Chinese PC manufacturers that should've refrained from entering the mobile arena on the first place.
anonymous2211 said:
I tried, and I found nothing, so I asked here. Next time, when you don't know something, don't hide yourself behind sarcasm, it's a waste of such a good rhetorical device.
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Sd410 gives you around 28000 on antutu and sd425 around 35000.
First off, yes, I know both are old phones, and probably not the best choice for 2017/2018 use, but I like them anyways, don't judge.
Right now, I have an LG G2(from 2013), I would like to replace it with a G4. I have heard about rampant bootloops from the G4 via Reddit, and to some extent, this forum.
Reddit will have you believe that all G4's will eventually bootloop, no people should ever buy them, they are terrible, get a V20, things like that. Is it true or is the issue just blown out of proportion?
So basically, is it safe to buy a G4?
It's a decent phone but you can do better nowadays. It's my daily phone and it bootlooped and was replaced by LG a year ago.
betatest3 said:
First off, yes, I know both are old phones, and probably not the best choice for 2017/2018 use, but I like them anyways, don't judge.
Right now, I have an LG G2(from 2013), I would like to replace it with a G4. I have heard about rampant bootloops from the G4 via Reddit, and to some extent, this forum.
Reddit will have you believe that all G4's will eventually bootloop, no people should ever buy them, they are terrible, get a V20, things like that. Is it true or is the issue just blown out of proportion?
So basically, is it safe to buy a G4?
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its unknown if it will bootloop or not.. seems that after 510 batches are better and chances are very very low. last phone i heard it bootlooped was a 603 but like 2-3 reports unlike the old one.. i myself have a 601 wich i flash weekly or every 3-4 days.
so id say if you get a 601 or onwards go ahead. nice camera we have nougat . its night and day difference then MM.
Joe USer said:
It's a decent phone but you can do better nowadays. It's my daily phone and it bootlooped and was replaced by LG a year ago.
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Well, I know I can do better nowadays, it is just that I am not a fan of the changes that have been done to modern phones.
Like the LG UX from G5 onwards, the volume/power buttons placement, 18:9 aspect ratio, headphone jacks being removed, etc...
Thats why I have kept my G2 for so long, but it is starting to overheat, battery is craptastic, and it is in general not able to handle modern functions like WiFi calling, VoLTE, LTE Band 12, Qi charge, among others.
If LG had kept the same button layout, kept the removable battery from the G4(I know G2 doesn't have it, but I expect any upgrade to have it), kept LG UX 4.0(maybe it could use some fixes and refinement, but it is better than the crap they have now), and kept the standard 16:9 screen ratio, I would be perfectly happy to use a V30 or a G6.
Ok, seeing as the bootloop issue is not as bad as it seems from Reddit, I have decided, I will probably get a V10.
Thanks everyone!
betatest3 said:
Ok, seeing as the bootloop issue is not as bad as it seems from Reddit, I have decided, I will probably get a V10.
Thanks everyone!
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Click to collapse
No problem
Get 6 series g4
v10 bootloops as well
Hi all, ready to move on from my Nexus 6. Would love some pro's/con's from this community on how happy I'd be to make this switch. I've ready G5S plus give great bang for buck and has a good modding community which is a must have for me.
Any thoughts on making the G5S + my primary phone??
All I can say is I love mine and I came from a Nexus 4.
You calling it "moving on" rather than an upgrade is pretty accurate. It's an upgrade overall, but not as much as you might think for a 3-year newer model. You need to realize that the Nexus 6 was a $700 phone (when first released) and the G5S Plus is a $300 phone. The improvements with the G5S Plus is that it's 64-bit hardware, even though the stock ROM is 32-bit and most people highly suspect the Oreo update (if it ever comes) will also be 32-bit. Because it's not a Nexus, the G5S Plus has a microSD slot so you have the potential to have a lot more storage, but the camera hardware is not great (despite the fancy dual lens). The camera works out if flash a 3rd-party 64-bit ROM and use the Google Camera, but I can't do that (see below). On the US model there is no NFC, so no AndroidPay (I didn't care, but some might).
My personal experience with unlocking/rooting/ROMing the two phones has been very different when I thought it would be far more similar (since they're both Motorola). The best way to describe the process with the G5S Plus is kludgy, and it's not all that easy to go back to stock since there are no official, signed stock images for the G5S Plus. Stock updates (even security updates) are few and far between. This just isn't a Nexus. The Nexus 6 had a lot more 3rd-party development options and support, and the G5S Plus has now been out long enough that what you see here now is probably all we're going to get. I haven't had much luck with the existing 3rd-party ROMs working well with my carrier (Sprint). The ROM features seem to mostly work fine, but the carrier settings don't work at all on Sprint, and when I try to change them I completely lose my mobile signal and don't get it back until I reset network settings. This makes it highly questionable how successful I'll be with these 3rd-party ROMs when roaming, even just locally in the USA. I have no faith in these ROMs working when roaming internationally. The reason why I'm encountering the same problem with all of these 3rd-party ROMs is I'm pretty sure all of them are using the same base from the same developer. So if you're like me and have a problem with any of these ROMs, you'll likely have the same problem with all of them.
Overall? I wish I'd gotten the Pixel 2 XL. But although I can afford to pay $1000 for a phone, I'm not going to because that's just ridiculous. I've looked around...thoroughly. There just isn't really anything out there any better featured that doesn't at least cost $700, so I'm still using the G5S Plus. I may be a little more limited than you because I'm Sprint (CDMA) whereas people on GSM networks might have more options. I've had to go back to stock rooted 7.1.1, which isn't horrible but not really ideal (and not what I'm used to with the Nexus 6). But I can't successfully get the G5S Plus back to stock unrooted to even take security updates, so I'm on the October security patch. When the stock Oreo update is released, I don't see me being able to take that either. I'm hoping that development community here will put out a flashable stock Oreo ROM then, but then I'll still be in the same boat with OTA Oreo security patches. This is a very capable phone with some nice features, but if you liked being a flashaholic on the Nexus 6, I wouldn't necessarily expect the same experience on the G5S Plus.
FYI, I'm not a developer, but far from being a noob. I've been rooting/ROMing/modifying Android devices (HTC, Samsung, Motorola) since the Froyo days. I would have to rank this phone as the most difficult Android device I've owned to do all that.
I can tell a slightly more upbeat story.
Migrated from a Nexus 6P which I loved dearly, but after spending a small fortune on battery replacements realised it was time to call it a day.
I am very pleased with the Moto. Honestly? I see very little functional difference between this and the 6P in my use case. The screen is slightly smaller. From a Nexus 6 it would be more noticeable I suspect. I recovered the real estate by turning off the nav bar and using fingerprint swipe gestures (which are nice once you get used to them). It is fast and fluid in use and I genuinely don't see anything different in use from the 6P from the end user's perspective. I use my phone mainly for work and the intertubes so not fussed about the camera. When I point it at things what ends up on the phone looks vaguely like what I pointed the phone at. That fulfils my criteria although I have recently started tinkering with some of the hacked GCam apps from the Pixel just for the "because I can" factor.
Internetpilot is right, the development scene is a fraction of what you'd see on a Nexus or Pixel. However, as a long standing flashaholic from the very early days of Android (HTC Magic anyone?) I found myself more than happy with rooted stock for a long time. Moto's stock rom is bloat free and works extremely well. I did try a couple of custom roms early on and found them not as smooth or stable as the stock one, so reverted and ran stock for about six months until very recently.
Internetpilot is right in that it is very difficult to get the thing back to a stock state once you start tinkering. I was in a similar boat whidh meant I couldn't accept OTAs. This was what finally prompted me to try the custom ROM scene again. It has improved in leaps and bounds since last year. Currently running Pixel Experience Oreo and it is rock solid. It's been a keeper for me. But it is worth bearing in mind that if you root then you will be on your own and probably end up forced down the custom ROM boat as I have. It would be a lot easier if Moto had flashable stock images, but it's not a show stopper if your plan was basically to go custom from the get go.
I can't agree with Internetpilot hat it's any major difficulty to unlock, root and flash. You go to Moto's website, you get an unlock code, you unlock your bootloader, you flash TWRP and away you go. Not significantly different from the process I've done on most phones I've had since the HTC Magic days. I've had Sonys that were more grief than this.
I can't speak for any of this CDMA stuff as I am not transatlantically challenged . I've had no problems with my own network provider (Vodafone UK) or roaming on any rom. But if you're stateside clearly that's something you'd need to consider. It's worth also noting that most of the community are in developing countries eg India where this phone has quite a bit of a foothold.
But generally this is a lot of phone for the money. It's a good time for the low-mid range Android phone market. I chose this phone because I didn't want to pay stupid money for a top end device and I really didn't like the 18:9 form factor. The Moto is generally the same form factor as my beloved 6P and the price is right. Now if you have a bit more to spend, the Oneplus 5T looks interesting and perhaps might have a more Nexus-like community. Other options in the Moto's price range include the Honor 7X which I might well have bought instead if it'd been available when I bought the Moto. I am also intrigued by some of the Xiaomi devices. But the tl;dr version? The Moto is highly commended. Would buy again.
Wow, thank you both for your elaborate remarks, really helpful and exactly what I was looking for. So yes I've been rotting for awhile as well (since HTC Eris) and have had some pleasant and less than pleasant experiences. Some earlier Moto droids were obv torture to get unlocked, while the Nexus 6 was certainly quite the opposite.
I'm disappointed to hear dev is so sparse, as the usual spots (Android Police, Auth, 9to5Google, etc) all said this was the best phone to look at for modding after Pixel 2 & OnePlus given it's ease of unlock and robust community. Honestly I find such great value in the ability to unlock, root etc that I do plan on doing so right away and it heavily influences my purchase decision. I suppose if I wanted just one locked in phone experience I would just go to an IPhone, but I want to be able to customize.
From a hardware perspective, I appreciate both viewpoints. Yes don't like the thought of losing screen real estate but not sure what the alternative is as other options I've looked at are 18:9. Played with the 2 XL today and was shocked at the lack of screen space in landscape. Web browsing already is limited given ads in landscape and it seems even worse in the 18:9 ratio. As to software, Internetpilot certainly makes me wary as I'm on VZW, another CDMA. Personally I've generally had a good experience with my network relative to friends of mine on Sprint, but persisting network issues concern me as I also want a smooth experience when on a different rom.
As to the financial point, agreed on both sides. Certainly bang for the buck kind of phone. There are better out there but I too can't stomach the thought of dropping a grand on these, just seems a bridge too far given where the prices were just a few years ago. But at the same time I really don't want to have a phone that is nothing but hassle and constant re-flashes. I'd like to find a rom that is stable, supported and simply support it and continue on.
Well, I thank you both for the time and opinions, really helpful to be sure. Internetpilot I'll certainly dig for other posts with similar concerns but if you care to share some you've come across I'll def have a look.
Thanks again to the both of you.
To clarify a bit -- the phone is no more difficult to unlock, root, and ROM than the Nexus 6. However, the reason I gave it my "most difficult" award (haha) out of all the phones I've owned, is that gaining root on a device that isn't very well supported in the 3rd-party development arena doesn't really do you much good if you can't unroot just as easily. I can't get SuperSU working on this device, so I had to resort to Magisk (which is new to me -- I've always used SuperSU) and when I perform the unroot option via the Magisk Manager app, I end up with a "bad key" error on the bootloader screen and the ROM won't boot. The same thing happens if you try to restore all the original stock partitions via TWRP. Restoring any one of the boot, recovery, and one other partition that I can't remember results in the same "bad key" error. It's gotten to the point that even though I want to get it back to stock unrooted so I can grab the latest OTA security update (and eventually get the stock Oreo update when it's released), I really hate to mess with it. It's not because I think I'm going to brick it -- it's just I know I'll end up spending hours without a phone while trying to get passed that stupid "bad key" error, and then when I finally do that, my data partition will re-encrypt so I'll lose everything and have to set the phone up all over again. Since I'm trying to get it back to stock unrooted, I can't just easily restore my apps/data with Titanium Backup (because I don't have root), so everything is either gone or all messed up, so it's a huge pain in the posterior. Both versions of TWRP we have available for this phone don't reliably backup/restore the data partition either, so you can't rely on TWRP to backup everything if you want to mess around with flashing other ROMs, etc. That's what I mean by most difficult out of all the devices I've owned. When a new ROM is released, you really have to think twice before just backing everything up and flashing it to try it. You just might end up without a working phone for 3 or 4 hours before you get everything restored back to a working state.
I don't think you'll have a problem with Verizon. I know several people who are running 3rd-party Oreo ROMs on this phone on Verizon and they don't have the same issues I do with the carrier settings blowing everything up. It just seems to be Sprint. And to clarify my problems on Sprint, the stock rooted (and unrooted) ROM works flawlessly on Sprint. I can change the carrier settings, update my PRL, even use the "secret" dial codes to change APN settings, etc. But I can't do any of that on any of these 3rd-party Oreo ROMs. The carrier settings default to Global (which strangely works on Sprint's CDMA network), but I can't change Preferred Network Type to "LTE", can't turn on data roaming, can't change the CDMA roaming mode, and can't update the PRL or device config. Like Loccy said, all of the development on this phone is from India where the phone is very popular, so they probably don't know anything about Sprint. But even with these ROMs working fine on Verizon, how long will they be updated/supported? The Moto G6/G6 Plus is likely going to be released during the Summer, and that will probably fizzle the minimal development that the G5S/G5S Plus currently has. I think Moto is going to likely support this phone longer than the 3rd-party development community will.
Yeah, those are all great points. I agree with the heart of your contention in that I absolutely love tinkering with my phone, trying new ROMs, seeing what sort of added and better features I can apply to my device, making it mine instead of having some company tell me what to do with my device. But conversely I absolutely dread those lost days when something doesn't go right and you spend days and weeks scouring the forums and doing research just to get your phone to what you deem to be an operable state. Certainly that can be part of the fun of owning a device like this but with multiple kids, job, and other life stuff getting in the way and not being an engineer by trade or anything technology related it does become a bit of a hindrance at times. I suppose I just want my cake and to eat it too, but that's not the landscape that Android lives in right now.
I also take your point that this is a mid range device that has Hardware limitations and a development community that will only support it for so long. I'd like to make a choice that has a little more longevity built into it like the 4+ years I got out of my Nexus 6.
I think I may actually go for a verizon pixel to xl give it all these conversations, can get one on payment for less than 500 out the door. While I absolutely recognize that I will probably greatly miss having total control over my device, I really like the Android software landscape and it still offers a much richer customization experience than does an iPhone.
Look, really appreciate all your feedback and thoughts. Will let you know some months down the road if the decision was a good one. Cheers.
I'm going to buy the Moto G6 to replace a phone which recently stopped working.
Are there any major issues I should know about the phone before I commit?
Yes, absolutely. The phone comes with Android 8 Oreo, then is later updated to Android 9 Pie. That Pie update pretty much ruins the phone. It becomes very laggy and non-responsive. There is a 56-page thread on the Lenovo/Motorola forum on this problem. It appears Motorola is doing nothing to fix the problem, or even acknowledge it.
It's possible that doing a "Rescue" using the Lenovo Moto Smart Assistant will fix the problem, but there haven't been enough reports from those who've tried that to be sure about the result. I don't think anyone should buy the G6 at this point. If you have to have a Motorola phone, the G7 would probably be a safer option. But consider buying another brand.
ev1lchris said:
I'm going to buy the Moto G6 to replace a phone which recently stopped working.
Are there any major issues I should know about the phone before I commit?
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Got a new one a week or so a go and so far so good. No problems whatsoever. A clean flash of the LATEST full firmware fixes ANY lag issues
ev1lchris said:
I'm going to buy the Moto G6 to replace a phone which recently stopped working.
Are there any major issues I should know about the phone before I commit?
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Click to collapse
One month with mine, so far so good. Excellent battery and decent game performance with October 1st patch.
I decided to get the Moto X Force. It's like 32 GB more storage, 21 MP camera, and dual SIM for the same price point...
... and I'm getting a 2-year warranty just in case it's a lemon.
vibraniumdroid said:
Got a new one a week or so a go and so far so good. No problems whatsoever. A clean flash of the LATEST full firmware fixes ANY lag issues
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It's been everyone's hope that this would work. Did you use the LMSA app to do the flashing, or something else?
Peabody424 said:
It's been everyone's hope that this would work. Did you use the LMSA app to do the flashing, or something else?
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No... Just the full stock from lolinet using fastboot
The RETAIL one should work on all US variants I think
Haven't tried any others
vibraniumdroid said:
Got a new one a week or so a go and so far so good. No problems whatsoever. A clean flash of the LATEST full firmware fixes ANY lag issues
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Click to collapse
I have just unboxed two G6 to prepare them for family members. I've gone through all the available OTA-Updates without doing anything else with the phone before.
Now it's sitting with Android 8.0.0 and security patch level September 2018 and it is claiming that this is the latest SW available.
Is there anything special to do in order to get the further updates?
That's very interesting information. I believe all the US G6 phones have been provided updates to Android 9 Pie, but I don't know about the European models. I guess there is a chance that Motorola has stopped upgrading to Pie in view of all the problems many have had as a result. For the US phones, all the updates were provided automatically, one at a time, and I believe the latest one is the October, 2019, update.
OK, Motorola's support told me that I have to install a SIM card to see all the further updates.
I have throwed in my own SIM and then I was able to go to a whole bunch of further updates ending up with Android 9 and October 2019 patch level as expected.
Now I am curious whether or not I am able to reproduce the widely reported lagginess...
I ordered this phone for my gf's xmas present today, she's looking forward to it and overdue for an upgrade. I never had any complaints with motorola phones and previously owned a moto g4. IMO they are still the best budget smartphones today. I always update new phones out of box to the latest software and then factory reset to avoid any possible glitches. And if my OCD kicks in I'll do factory reset twice lol, never had any software issues/lags after that. Some dislike the logo at the bottom of the phone, I actually like it. Already saw like 4 or 5 reviews for this phone on youtube including the pie update, so far it's everything I expected until it arrives.
xrig said:
OK, Motorola's support told me that I have to install a SIM card to see all the further updates.
I have throwed in my own SIM and then I was able to go to a whole bunch of further updates ending up with Android 9 and October 2019 patch level as expected.
Now I am curious whether or not I am able to reproduce the widely reported lagginess...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been watching threads on G6 lag for awhile. I'm looking forward to your update. Based on what you've heard from Motorola regarding the need to install a SIM to get the latest updates, I'm wondering if lag problems are related to the carrier you're using. I'm using Sprint, and I'm experiencing lag.
KryptonKal-El said:
I ordered this phone for my gf's xmas present today, she's looking forward to it and overdue for an upgrade. I never had any complaints with motorola phones and previously owned a moto g4. IMO they are still the best budget smartphones today. I always update new phones out of box to the latest software and then factory reset to avoid any possible glitches. And if my OCD kicks in I'll do factory reset twice lol, never had any software issues/lags after that. Some dislike the logo at the bottom of the phone, I actually like it. Already saw like 4 or 5 reviews for this phone on youtube including the pie update, so far it's everything I expected until it arrives.
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Multiple people have reported that factory resets -- there are evidently a couple different ways to do it -- have improved the lag problem but that it returns after a short time. I've yet to see a report that confirms a factory reset has "solved" the lag problem. I'm hoping I just missed it.
Also, just to counter your experience in case others are interested, I had a G4 too. It developed a hardware problem after less than 2 years and wouldn't play any audio. I discarded it for the G6 I have now and, after less than two years, it's been all but ruined by the Android 9 update.
I'm really hopeful to see confirmation here or elsewhere that there is a definitive "fix" for the lag issue on this phone.
FrogFan said:
I've been watching threads on G6 lag for awhile. I'm looking forward to your update. Based on what you've heard from Motorola regarding the need to install a SIM to get the latest updates, I'm wondering if lag problems are related to the carrier you're using. I'm using Sprint, and I'm experiencing lag.
Multiple people have reported that factory resets -- there are evidently a couple different ways to do it -- have improved the lag problem but that it returns after a short time. I've yet to see a report that confirms a factory reset has "solved" the lag problem. I'm hoping I just missed it.
Also, just to counter your experience in case others are interested, I had a G4 too. It developed a hardware problem after less than 2 years and wouldn't play any audio. I discarded it for the G6 I have now and, after less than two years, it's been all but ruined by the Android 9 update.
I'm really hopeful to see confirmation here or elsewhere that there is a definitive "fix" for the lag issue on this phone.
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I bought the G4 for my mom, kept it stock and updated for 2 years never had any lag or hardware issues, still runs like OOB experience and runs perfect today. Forgot to mention another Motorola that I still have in excellent/like new condition, my FAVORITE phone of all time and wish they can make a replica with today's specs....my Nexus 6. Damn I miss that phone, trying out different roms, painting my front facing speaker grills with glow in the dark neon colors lol, using it for VR, it was impossible to brick and now it just sits in a shoe box with my other spare phones. All my phones are kept in military grade cases with screen protectors can't speak for hardware issues. I'll let you know how it goes after getting the G6 and setting it up with the latest software update.
KryptonKal-El said:
I bought the G4 for my mom, kept it stock and updated for 2 years never had any lag or hardware issues, still runs like OOB experience and runs perfect today. Forgot to mention another Motorola that I still have in excellent/like new condition, my FAVORITE phone of all time and wish they can make a replica with today's specs....my Nexus 6. Damn I miss that phone, trying out different roms, painting my front facing speaker grills with glow in the dark neon colors lol, using it for VR, it was impossible to brick and now it just sits in a shoe box with my other spare phones. All my phones are kept in military grade cases with screen protectors can't speak for hardware issues. I'll let you know how it goes after getting the G6 and setting it up with the latest software update.
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I'm glad your experience has been better than mine. For the record, I re-flashed the firmware on my phone yesterday using LMSA. It's been less than a full day so far, but I can report that the phone is running like new. Of course, re-flashing does a factory reset and there are numerous settings that won't back up, so there is a fair bit of work to do to get the phone running the way it was. Also, I did a backup using LMSA, but after the re-flash, I couldn't find that backup with LMSA. Fortunately, I also backed up to the cloud and was able to restore everything that could be restored.
FrogFan said:
I've been watching threads on G6 lag for awhile. I'm looking forward to your update. Based on what you've heard from Motorola regarding the need to install a SIM to get the latest updates, I'm wondering if lag problems are related to the carrier you're using. I'm using Sprint, and I'm experiencing lag.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am in Germany and in order to get all the updates I have inserted a SIM from Deutsche Telekom. After the last update package (the whole process took a hell of a lot of individual updates and reboots) I have done a full factory reset as well. Now the phones are provisioned for my kids. I am sure they will complain if the devices should become slower with time and more and more games installed.
Got the phone, did OTA updates without sim card and after 2 hours later it's running the latest software version 9.0 (October 2019). Did a factory reset/clear cache through recovery mode, set the phone back up and I loaded back all the apps, everything is running smooth so far, no complaints yet.