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PURPOSE
So 1st and foremost, the plan here is to give you my first 24-Hours experience with the Nokia 9 PureView compared to some other recent flagship phones I have tried. Granted, I have only used the Nokia 9 for about 24-Hours now and can say I have yet to fully break it in to find everything that may or may not be right / wrong with it. However, this will be a unbiased look and comparison. I'm neither a fanboy or sheep. No brand affiliation. Not a programmer either, just a pro-sumer Senior Member of XDA willing to get trolled, flamed, etc. for sharing a look at this phone. Hopefully, I can give "the everyday guy / gal look" without getting bogged down in stats, variables or benchmarks. Here goes...
MY BACKGROUND
No one special. Just a guy that likes the latest tech... phones being at the top of the list. I am a nerd. No doubt about that. I think anyone that knows about XDA probably is to some extent. No brand loyalty. I have had the privilege to try out the following phones:
1. Samsung S10 128GB / 8GB
2. Google Pixel 3 XL
3. Xiaomi Mi 9 Global Version 64GB / 6GB
4. iPhone XS Max
5. Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro Transparent Global
And probably some more, but these are the most recent. Does that make me qualified to make a review... Maybe. It does make me an idiot that likes new phones, though. I am always looking for something that meets my needs but also is a good phone. Currently with TMobile but have been with ATT, Verizon & Sprint at some point 20 years of using cell phones.
MY NEEDS
I drive about 45 miles each way everyday to work (yes, my work week is currently 7 days a week with a few occasional days off). So, with this in mind and where I drive. I need the minimum requirements:
1. Can Stream Music
2. Android Auto / Apple CarPlay Compatible w/ My 2018 Honda
3. An equalizer of some sort since I have only switch out my new cars speakers for better ones and don't plan on changing or adding a better sound system.
4. Decent pictures when needed
5. Relatively not laggy - will sometimes do some ROM-ing or some customization but since I tend to get rid of the phones quickly I try not to void warranties or make it too non-stock
THE COMPARISON
I am looking at my experience with the Nokia 9 and the other flagships under/around these requirements and some normal stuff like battery, screen, snappiness, camera & software. Here goes:
BATTERY
This has been a hot topic as of late as the larger phones continue to dominate this field (duh... larger phone mean more room for larger battery), however 3340 - 3800 mAh batteries seemed to be the "standard" for phones the size of the Nokia 9. During setup, from 100%, I tortured it setting up all my apps from scratch while on AC-wireless connection... then after all the app downloading, logging apps in and setting up further. I would say a good 5 to 6 hours of heavy use on Wifi drained it to 56% battery... decent performance given the amount of hammering on it I was doing. If normal day away from home is 12 hours with normal use, I feel it goes the distance... Is it a battery champ like the iPhone XS Max, no. Is it one of the better phones in its group like the S10 and Xiaomi Mi 9... you bet. I feel Android One has everything to do with it... More on Android One later.
SCREEN
At a 5.99" OLED at 18:9 aspect, I do feel that the forehead and chin on the phone is a little circa 2017 - 2018. With that said, I do feel it is more pleasant than "Mein Fuhrer" mustache going on with the Pixel XL 3... so much so I had to toggle no notchiness in the developer settings. The "Little Mac" swing and a miss punch out on the Samsung S10 is definitely not my cup of tea ... I found it annoying for one and the fact that they have graphics to swirl around it to make that much more noticeable is even more unsettling. As for the actual screen itself, the colors, brightness and clarity is awesome albeit small especially if you toggle down the screen size in settings... with that, it is a little difficult to manage photos properly with the size of screen. Not impossible but it can try your patience... but the screen itself is definitely better than the Xiaomi Phones and the Pixel 3 XL... the S10 still has the nicest screen but Samsung is getting me annoyed with the continue elongation of the phone... soon it will have a 76:5 aspect ratio... and will look like a Hershey Bar... btw Samsung, don't take design cues from a candy bar company... just sayin'
THE FINGERPRINT SCANNER
Probably the most controversial item on the Nokia 9. Yes it is not great.... I would place it below the scanner in the S10 & Xiaomi Mi 9 but better than the Mi 8.... Pixel 3 XL , you don't count with your don't rock the boat rear sensor... which of course is super fast. Honestly, this tech is not ready for prime time on any of these phones. The S10 comes with a plastic screen protector that makes it hard at first to register the scanner. I felt like I pressing my finger through the display. It did start working decently at about a 90% success rate, after programming fingers a few different time. The Nokia 9 is definitely 75% at best with just one scan of each of my thumbs... as mentioned in different threads, going to add a second scan of each thumb to see of that improves... I feel though that Nokia HMD will patch it to make it slightly better. With facial recognition available, although not as secure, helps for getting into the phone and really the finger print is only needed for the different apps requiring. There's a learning curve for sure to get it to work well but the same goes for the S10... Definitely, not the "deal breaker" everyone's trying to paint... it's the price of new technology
SOFTWARE
Android One to me, besides the Pixel 3 XL and the iPhone XS Max, is in a class of android that Samsung and Xiaomi can't touch. Vanilla Stock Android (for the most part) is a breath of fresh air. Everyone is creaming in their pants that One UI is so much better TouchWiz for Samsung. When your yardstick is the garbage that was TouchJizz, saying One UI is better without qualifying it further is not a great state of affairs. I personally did not find it "that much better" and was immediately looking to replace the launcher with the pixel launcher or similar iteration immediately. I feel as soon as they take away the google assistant screen to the left on the homepage, its a failure... that's of course is a personal preference. Bixby blows... kill him/her off Samsung... and have Bixby take Siri with them... Google Assistant, the swipe left news screen should NEVER be removed... if it happens, then google and android lose a customer for life... just saying... can't wait for timely security updates that will never come to Samsung. Xiaomi on their own do a great job to update. not much to say about their interface other than like most Xiaomi phones... notifications can sometimes be a pain to get to work right due to aggressive battery savings. Xiaomi also does not have the assistant screen to the left :crying: replaced easily with pixel launcher... the S10 was not as easy... could not just use pixel launcher from apkmirror and had to buy action launcher to mimic. The experience of as close to vanilla android on the pixel 3 xl and the nokia 9 just can't be touched. The 6GB phone rocking the 845 performs IMO better than the 855 8GB S10. Even the Xiaomi Mi 9 feels faster than the S10, 845 or 855.
CAMERA
Ok, camera... or as you all know cameras when speaking about any of these phones except you, you "one-eyed monster" pixel 3 xl. Although I haven't put it through the regiment of use cases, The Pentacular camera explosion that is the Nokia 9 is something I'm digging. If your looking for a point and shoot and send master class phone, get the iPhone 8 XS Max, Google Pixel 3 XL or the Xiaomi Mi 9 in that order. For me, Samsung always supposedly has good cameras in their phones but being a person that went to photography school, shot professionally and still cares about the pictures they take... the software non-sense that the S10 does with pixel smoothing, HDR, etc., etc. makes everything no genuine. The other phones too suffer from this at times as well. Don't get me wrong... Night Shot on the Pixel 3 XL is a feet of software magic... quite frankly, google needs to share this tech with other OEMs to make the sustainability of Android that much better. But if your looking for a genuine picture with great image detail and the ability to adjust in-box, the Nokia 9 excels. Yes, you pay for it in processing time. Are you going to want to take this phone to Monaco to caught a F1 car in motion... hell no, but if you want on par caliber shots with a DSLR with RAW Images on outdoor, standard to semi-low light situations... I don't believe there's a camera that compares... for the price... and that leads to...
VALUE FOR YOUR DOLLAR
Although not the cheapest phone, at $600 USD (pre-sale pricing, $700 now), you get a lot of phone for the dollar. The only better value is you just want to go the point, shoot and send route is the Xiaomi Mi 9 at about $530 USD. As always, Samsung at over $800 is not worth it. Not worth it for camera, not worth it for software, design, etc. Samsung Pay to me is the only thing Samsung uniquely has that I wish every phone did. The Pixel 3 XL which I was able to get around $550 was a good value too, but is barely worth it north of $600 buying new. Yes it has the best single shooting camera of practically any phone in its class, but I feel it doesn't run as smoothly as the Nokia 9 with the extra 2GB RAM increase. Of course, Apple cost to value is in a different class... yes the phone is $1100... but you'll also be able to probably sell it in 2 years for $600 as well. Try that with an android phone and you'll get laughed at that it retains 60% value after 2 years. The Nokia 9 packs the right amount of stuff to make it a great value IMO. It would be a slam dunk of course if it had a SD 855 as opposed to 845 but it would be probably $100 more expensive without adding much value. Android One is wonderful and a great choice. Wireless charging (OnePlus, you can't add wireless charging, are you just dumb or what at this point?) The 5 cameras is a great gimmick and works as advertised. Everyone expecting the world out of a $600 phone... it has a better camera then phones $200 - $500 more than what it costs. Can you shoot in a pitch black room... no? Why are you? You creep... you spying on me... it is a little weird
OVERALL
The Nokia 9 is not the phone for everyone. It's the phone for a person that want great value in a phone capable of taking amazingly detailed photos in its price category. Can you point, shoot, send... sometimes. Does the fingerprint reader work ok? Sometimes. Is it a phone pushing some new hardware envelopes in a cost affordable package? Always! The fingerprint reader hate is just that... hate without a 100% justification. Is it an annoyance, it can be... does it overshadow the value of this phone for those of us wanting more from their phone cameras, absolutely not. It is also by no means cutting edge on design... but it doesn't have to be sporting 5 cameras... chins and foreheads are nice when done tastefully (look at Angelina Jolie... maybe not 2019 Angelina maybe circa 2005 Angelina :highfive: ) It not an ugly phone is all I'm saying. Can the big boys in the cell phone game learn something from the once dominate Nokia (actually HMD) is that innovation is needed to remain relevant... think if Apple put 5 cameras on its next phone (would never happen) but what if it did. They'd be like "The Job-biness is Back at Apple" "Apple, the innovators again" and a multitude of other stupid headlines. Lets face it, this phone has a gimmick, a fairly great one but gimmick nonetheless. Will it catch on? Is it years ahead of its time? It just maybe. As always, this is just Some Guys 24-hour Opinion....... :good:
Great first 24 hour impressions
Camera question
Thanks for the review, mine arrives March 18 and looking forward to the camera. The processing time has been mentioned all over the place but I am still unclear as to whether the processing time prevents you from taking the next shot. For example, I would most likely always shoot raw with the full depth turned on. I am more interested in being able to take the next exposure quickly than looking at the last shot on the phone's screen. So, wondering how quickly one can take the next shot.
Thanks!
jhw61032 said:
Thanks for the review, mine arrives March 18 and looking forward to the camera. The processing time has been mentioned all over the place but I am still unclear as to whether the processing time prevents you from taking the next shot. For example, I would most likely always shoot raw with the full depth turned on. I am more interested in being able to take the next exposure quickly than looking at the last shot on the phone's screen. So, wondering how quickly one can take the next shot.
Thanks!
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From experience it doesn't keep you from taking the next shot... I haven't done it with say more than 2 or 3 shots though... don't know how far it will let you go and tell you it can't process anymore. The processing is not unbearable either.... its just kids nowadays, if it isn't ready in 1.5 seconds, time to troll Nokia on a phone that is at least trying to change things up.... :victory:
This is just my personal opinion, but I feel like OnePlus is just now testing the waters with their consumers now that they're out in the open. The 7T pro's extreme similarities and marginal upgrades as compared to the other models released this year just doesn't make logical sense for the price points. I think it's simply a consumer experiment made intentionally by OnePlus just to "feel out" where they're at with their customers. If a lot of people pay for "something new" with minimal changes, OnePlus knows how to tweak their sales scheme to target the flagship industry. My advice to everyone would be to hold off, don't spend money on the 7T pro and just go with the 7T. If you want to keep OnePlus 8 sales prices down I would highly suggest this.
OnePlus will likely keep coming with future pro models, but I feel like it's a bit early in the game and highly unlikely that they will continue to manufacture 4 models a year. So what you don't want to do is go buy the 7T Pro, show them that you're willing to pay that much more for marginal improvements and then give them the green light to go full blown with the ridiculous priced flagship OEMs. What you want to happen is for the Pro variants to be just as good as the 7 generation were. What you don't want to happen is for OnePlus to realize how impulsive people can be and then they skimp on the regular (8) and T (8T) models so that they can wait to pack all major upgrades into one 1100 dollar phone. Ideally you want 3 releases, the regular model (#), the T model (#T) and the Pro model and you want the price points pretty much where they fall with the current 7 generation with the exception of the 7T pro. I think it would be very smart to not buy the 7T pro.
I bought the 7T Pro at the pop-up event and I'm truely loving it. I was already in love with the 7 Pro because of it's display, but did not get it because I had just bought the 6T few months earlier in January. I decided I'd rather wait 6 months and see what the 7T Pro would end up like. I'm a big OnePlus fan since the very beginning, being one of the first few to get a OnePlus One. So I already knew that waiting for the upgraded T-model was most often worth it.
Off course while watching the launch event live I got really disappointed to finally find out I waited 6 months for no noticable changes. (Something I'm not used to from OnePlus, knowing them since, and owning one of the first, OnePlus One.) And that compared to the 7T, the only NOTICABLE difference that's ''Pro'' is an edge-to-edge display wich will cost you €160 extra.
But coming from a 6T, as soon as I finally got the 7T Pro and used it for some time, that disappointment was quickly forgotten.
I think the only people who will buy the 7T Pro are either: -really loving the edge-to-edge display
-smartphone/Android enthusiasts
-power users
-not informed about the minor differences with the 7T, thinking ''the more it costs, the better it is''.
-Well aware of the differences and still want to pay extra for whatever personal reason I couldn't think off.
But the average consumer finds that €599 for the 7T is already expensive enough for a phone and won't even think about paying €160 extra for the Pro model.
But.. I want a 1100 dollar device with EVERYTHING.. I picked a OnePlus phone because of software, not price.
Enjoy your new toy!
I don't know if it's different in other countries, but here in Germany the 7T is only available with 128GB and not with 256GB like the 7T Pro. For me these additional 128GB ARE another NOTICIBLE difference between 7T and 7T Pro. And when I look at other brands like for example Apple, they charge 100€ extra for REALLY just additional 128GB in the iPhone 11. So compared to this offer the 160€ for 256GB instead of 128GB, notch-less design, higher resolution screen, bigger battery etc. are not a really bad offer.
Yes, the 7T is a great phone with a nice price, but in my opinion the 7T Pro is too!
TarkoonXDA said:
... notch-less design...!
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This is my primary reason. Never will own a phone with a notch. Maybe US will get the Pro. OP is playing games with network exclusivity.
Yep, I left Pixels because of their big ridiculous notches & bezels!
I'm waiting for McLaren edition and already pre-ordered, and 7T Pro is first phone which i'd like to buy since my Nexus 6 in 2014, so that theory with sales, i'll pass it, OP 8 on leaked photos have punch hole, that's a big nono for me, and i has OP7 Pro hands-on for couple hours and really like it, so i think you must listen to your heart and if you found your eyecandy, go with it!
TAGTRAUM said:
I'm waiting for McLaren edition and already pre-ordered, and 7T Pro is first phone which i'd like to buy since my Nexus 6 in 2014, so that theory with sales, i'll pass it, OP 8 on leaked photos have punch hole, that's a big nono for me, and i has OP7 Pro hands-on for couple hours and really like it, so i think you must listen to your heart and if you found your eyecandy, go with it!
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Well keep in mind another potential future candidate will be (being that OnePlus continues to buy displays from Samsung) the under display camera that is now being marketed to come possibly with the Galaxy S11. Of course that probably means two more generations away for OnePlus, but that's the candy.
Causical said:
Well keep in mind another potential future candidate will be (being that OnePlus continues to buy displays from Samsung) the under display camera that is now being marketed to come possibly with the Galaxy S11. Of course that probably means two more generations away for OnePlus, but that's the candy.
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I can be wrong, but read somewhere that S11 will still have punch hole, and nextgen in 2021-2022 will be totally without bezels. And to be honest, i'm not excited about phones nowadays, back in time i was absolutely crazy about any bleeding edge feature in every phone/electronics, in 2019/2020 phone is utility, but mclaren is at least beautiful with this accents and carbon/alcantara instead psychodelic samsung back (b!#ch please), and apple unisex "must like everyone" boring design not for me
galaxys said:
Yep, I left Pixels because of their big ridiculous notches & bezels!
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I think Google is 1.5 years behind the market and I still do not understand why people still buy Pixels. They are like a left behind iPhone basically.
I would just fire Pixel's design team and start anew.
ramrstf4 said:
I think Google is 1.5 years behind the market and I still do not understand why people still buy Pixels. They are like a left behind iPhone basically.
I would just fire Pixel's design team and start anew.
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True, they only have one release a year, so always behind. They have a different one making the phone every year, so always 1st generation!
The real issue is people buying phones every year / 6 months.
I've bought the 7T Pro on Tuesday and is my fourth android phone since 2010, upgraded from a Moto X Style from 2015 running Lineage 16.
The borderless and notchless display is great although I'm not really a fan of curved edges but hey, it was either this or the Mi 9T Pro / Redmi K20 Pro.
I didn't go for the 7T because of the notch (I hate notches) and the back camera module is not pleasant to see.
I've seen the leaks of OP8 and punch hole cameras are not my thing.
I think launching devices twice a year just makes the early buyers frustrated and they add nothing new, actually It's getting quite difficult to add new hardware features to these devices and some of them are niche things that most people will use for 5 minutes and that it.
In the end people just tend to want the latest thing even if it brings nothing new, unfortunately, just look at the iPhone, good performance but the "new" features are things android had for years, yet people still buy them like bread.
TAGTRAUM said:
I can be wrong, but read somewhere that S11 will still have punch hole, and nextgen in 2021-2022 will be totally without bezels. And to be honest, i'm not excited about phones nowadays, back in time i was absolutely crazy about any bleeding edge feature in every phone/electronics, in 2019/2020 phone is utility, but mclaren is at least beautiful with this accents and carbon/alcantara instead psychodelic samsung back (b!#ch please), and apple unisex "must like everyone" boring design not for me
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true, its only the aesthetics for the mclaren and i waited for black friday to catch it, else for the price tag i would have got any of the high end OEMs in the market
OP used to have decent price range which is not the case anymore, its a shame.
kadopt said:
The real issue is people buying phones every year / 6 months.
I've bought the 7T Pro on Tuesday and is my fourth android phone since 2010, upgraded from a Moto X Style from 2015 running Lineage 16.
The borderless and notchless display is great although I'm not really a fan of curved edges but hey, it was either this or the Mi 9T Pro / Redmi K20 Pro.
I didn't go for the 7T because of the notch (I hate notches) and the back camera module is not pleasant to see.
I've seen the leaks of OP8 and punch hole cameras are not my thing.
I think launching devices twice a year just makes the early buyers frustrated and they add nothing new, actually It's getting quite difficult to add new hardware features to these devices and some of them are niche things that most people will use for 5 minutes and that it.
In the end people just tend to want the latest thing even if it brings nothing new, unfortunately, just look at the iPhone, good performance but the "new" features are things android had for years, yet people still buy them like bread.
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Click to collapse
I ordered a Oneplus 7T Pro when I saw the first pictures of the coming OP8 with punch-hole. I don´t like it either. I was coming from a Oneplus 5T, so I don´t change the phone every year. I think the big camera module on the 7T will make the phone less durable.
subarctic2123 said:
I ordered a Oneplus 7T Pro when I saw the first pictures of the coming OP8 with punch-hole. I don´t like it either. I was coming from a Oneplus 5T, so I don´t change the phone every year. I think the big camera module on the 7T will make the phone less durable.
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@kadopt
I just got the 7T pro too when I saw the 8. I'm upgrading from a 3T. Everything is great, but the curved screen is bothering me so much I'm considering returning it and sticking to my op3t even though it's 4 years old. The glare I can work around, but it distorts the image at edges, how do you live with that? Most display reviews barely mention it. I'm really on the fence about this, not sure what to do. Can't find a phone exactly like the 7T Pro but with a flat display. Does anyone have any alternatives they could recommend?
@anupritaisno1 and @Nezorflame you both went from a 3 to a 7 pro too right? Any thoughts?
All these gimmicks, punch hole, notch, curved.. sigh just give me a flat normal display. @nvertigo67 @BillGoss any thoughts on newer phones or curved edges? I read your post from a while ago on keeping your op3 billgoss. I've been on NLOS 16 and LOS 17 for too long to settle with OOS (although it's usable), but luckily there seem to be fastboot flashable ROMs even though a working TWRP isn't available yet for all the Android 10 changes like dynamic partitions.
The only other thing about the hardware that bothered me was no headphone jack, but I got the bullets wireless v2 for free with the phone. As for software, by far the most annoying issue is the back gesture which interferes with pulling out the sidebar. Not to mention most videos don't even use the full display.
As for the durability of the camera module, I think moving parts (pop up camera on the 7T pro) over the size seems more likely to fail sooner, in theory. Although apparently OP tested it and rates it for 300,000 cycles.
@knpk13 hello there.
To be honest with you, I'm really OK with the curved edges (I've owned Samsung Galaxy S6 edge before, so it's not my first curved display) and don't mind the slight distortion (which I actually don't notice much when looking at the display).
Since I own the 7 Pro, I have 100% of the screen for myself, combined with the fullscreen gestures it's an absolute beauty. I like the motorized camera solution as well, and since I absolutely despise the cutouts, it's my only option. I barely use the front-facing camera at all, would actually prefer to have a phone without a front-facing camera at all, but alas
So in terms of the display I can't complain.
Nezorflame said:
To be honest with you, I'm really OK with the curved edges (I've owned Samsung Galaxy S6 edge before, so it's not my first curved display) and don't mind the slight distortion (which I actually don't notice much when looking at the display).
I like the motorized camera solution as well, and since I absolutely despise the cutouts, it's my only option. I barely use the front-facing camera at all, would actually prefer to have a phone without a front-facing camera at all, but alas
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Hm, I guess it's my first curved display and it the distortion really stood out. I'll give it a few more days. As for the camera module, I'm actually happy with this solution, I was replying to the person I quoted. I don't use the front camera much either, so as long as it lasts a few years I'm ok with it.
knpk13 said:
...
All these gimmicks, punch hole, notch, curved.. sigh just give me a flat normal display. @[email protected] any thoughts on newer phones or curved edges? I read your post from a while ago on keeping your op3 billgoss. I've been on NLOS 16 and LOS 17 for too long to settle with OOS (although it's usable), but luckily there seem to be fastboot flashable ROMs even though a working TWRP isn't available yet for all the Android 10 changes like dynamic partitions.
...
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My views on new phones are:
- flagships are way too expensive. My 3T is about half the price on the 7T Pro. So I'm expecting to go with a mid-range phone for my next one (hopefully still a few years away)
- I don't have any issues with bezels. Esthetically a bezel-less screen is appealing, but functionally it's not significant (remember, these are my personal views)
- I don't like the size of the newer phones - too tall and too narrow. My sweet spot is between 5" and 6" and I like 16:9. I read a lot and prefer a format that is book-like.
- I don't see the point of curved screens. After all, I hold the phone by its sides and I don't want that to register as a screen touch. Go flat screens!
- And my key requirement is that I must be able to run a custom rom (I prefer LineageOS) because that significantly increases the life of security patching and Android updates. Vendors rarely go past 2 years support.
At this point I have no idea what phone I'd buy if my 3T died.
Sent from my OnePlus 3T using XDA Labs
BillGoss said:
At this point I have no idea what phone I'd buy if my 3T died.
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I know right? I like the 3T a lot. Didn't even want a new phone; wanted a tablet (very helpful for my sheet music and multimedia consumption and reading; I barely use any actual "phone" features) but couldn't really find any good ones other than apple or Samsung which are both really locked down. So I went for the biggest phone screen I could find. The 7T pro is somewhat usable for sheet music so I'm glad about that.
I was considering the Redmi K20 Pro (its called the Mi 9T Pro globally), Asus ROG 2, and the regular OP7T, all of which are around 40% cheaper than the OP7T Pro in my current region. The funny thing is in my region the 7T pro is still half the price of any Samsung or apple flagship lol. Was a nightmare to choose. As of right now, I think those are the devices that are closest to what you want. (The Asus should have custom ROMs soon as I heard Android 10 source just came out and devices just got sent to devs heard)
You could consider the Asus Zenfone 6 too I think. I do hope a nice flat screen device (no notch, hole, curves or anything) comes out soon; Sony might be the only hope. About accidental palm touches on the curved edges, I've actually never had any issue with that at all (it's not an extreme waterfall display unlike some other devices). No touch issues, just mostly miffed by the image distortion, and a little by the glare.
Edit: after using some of my heavier applications on the 7T Pro, I noticed that it uses around 6 of the 8gb of ram and keeps apps in memory and everything runs smoothly. My 3T barely uses 2 of 6gb and doesn't keep apps in memory, weird.
Had the pixel 7 for 4 days now and not that impressed with it
Actually thinking about going back to my OnePlus 7 Pro
The charging is poor on it and generally scrolling on webpages menu etc its no better than my oneplus
Dont know maybe I will persevere with it and it will get better
Got the pixel 7 on a killer deal with 5g coming from 4g with EE - I literally got the phone for free but not feeling it
Anyone else not buying into the hype?
So I've had the phone for the better part of a month and my takeaway from owning the device is that whilst is not the best or does it have any killer features that stand out above any other phone I've used. It does everything that it does really very well
The auto brightness is basically perfect.
The camera is reliable, it's not the best. The video is a bit lacking, but everything else about it is very good.
Is probably not the fastest at navigating between apps and multitasking but when I use the device it's reliably smooth in operation.
The battery isn't as good as my previous device, Poco F3, however, it gets me through the day and it's reliable in battery drain.
Notifications work unlike MIUI
Signal is much better compared to my 7T Pro
I can use speaker phone in my car and the other side can hear me clearly, couldn't do this on the 7T or F3
The screen is accurate and well balanced
I could go on
The phone doesn't have anything amazing that will make you want to go out and buy it or talk about how amazing it is, but once you just use it day in day out as the tool phones are now, it becomes the best phone I've used as a package.
roughavoc said:
So I've had the phone for the better part of a month and my takeaway from owning the device is that whilst is not the best or does it have any killer features that stand out above any other phone I've used. It does everything that it does really very well
The auto brightness is basically perfect.
The camera is reliable, it's not the best. The video is a bit lacking, but everything else about it is very good.
Is probably not the fastest at navigating between apps and multitasking but when I use the device it's reliably smooth in operation.
The battery isn't as good as my previous device, Poco F3, however, it gets me through the day and it's reliable in battery drain.
Notifications work unlike MIUI
Signal is much better compared to my 7T Pro
I can use speaker phone in my car and the other side can hear me clearly, couldn't do this on the 7T or F3
The screen is accurate and well balanced
I could go on
The phone doesn't have anything amazing that will make you want to go out and buy it or talk about how amazing it is, but once you just use it day in day out as the tool phones are now, it becomes the best phone I've used as a package.
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Thing is my oneplus is a better phone than the pixel
I am not trying to downplay the pixel its just for a new phone/upgrade its not what I thought it would be
If it works for you great and I genuinely mean that
Going to give it a few more days but I can honestly see myself switching back I miss the fluidity and charging speed of my oneplus
I only got the P7 because the carrier I'm with would only give me a better deal if I got a new phone. It's been nearly 3 months and still haven't used it other than to take pictures and see how it runs lol. It's a quirky thing.
I do have plans for it down the road, once it's rooted with a custom ROM, but won't be using it as a primary device. 128 GB without an SD card slot was what killed it for me. I know most phones don't have the slot these days, but with specs similar enough to my S10 with 512 GB and the card slot, I've just stuck with using that. I know the P7 has a better battery and charges faster, but the extra storage is more important for what I need. Not bad as a back-up device though.
I have a pixel 7 after almost 3 years with the OnePlus 7pro and I was the same... OxigenOS have a lot more stuff than pixel except for the exclusive stuff. I was missing my OnePlus a lot and hold this P7 for a month or more... After that I went back to the OnePlus and noticed the quality of the phone. OnePlus felt so cheap in my hand and idk, it was not the same. So yes I understand your feeling about OP7pro it was a hell of a phone but , I think pixel 7 is just more premium feeling and a "mature OS" nut fun but mature.
Oneplus have a great deal on the 11 at the moment I can get £180.00 trade in on the 7 pro plus - free buds plus if I link my device and a 5% student beans I have got the price down £400 very tempting
I went from the OnePlus 6t to the pixel 6 and I kinda felt the same way. I knew it was a better phone in theory with higher specs and all, but the 6t had a better screen to me and seemed faster in charging and smoothness at first. However, the camera on the pixel was waaaay better and I was happy with that trade off. Fast forward a year and I got a good trade in deal from the pixel 6 to the 7 and it is a way better screen than my 6. Not much else other than slightly lighter in the hand with better weight distribution (6 was top heavy). It is a much better overall experience though and I love a couple of features I've only found on pixels like the ability to copy text from your recent apps slider, amazing speech to text, and I will say the scrolling speed/smoothness has gotten way better with time. I think the software needs a bit of time to smooth out.
I came from the OP8. I did like the phone, but got really tired of the hit or mostly miss camera. I know there are better camera phones than the P7, but I'm not buying a phone I can't root plus I really like the smaller size. The OP11, IDK, like another said, my P7 does everything I want and does it really well. Also there's the whole Chinese and Spyware thing.
I get what everyone is saying!! I came from a Pixel 3XL. The 7 didn't blow me away, but works very efficiently. At least I can unlock my bootloader now.
roughavoc said:
or does it have any killer features that stand out above any other phone I've used.
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That depends on if you use your phone as a phone, once you get used to not receiving spam calls and having call screening there is no going back.
Also the speech recognition is faster and more accurate than any device on the market.
Thing is phone's have been fast enough for years and you won't notice a huge difference between modern devices.
gap30 said:
Had the pixel 7 for 4 days now and not that impressed with it
Actually thinking about going back to my OnePlus 7 Pro
The charging is poor on it and generally scrolling on webpages menu etc its no better than my oneplus
Dont know maybe I will persevere with it and it will get better
Got the pixel 7 on a killer deal with 5g coming from 4g with EE - I literally got the phone for free but not feeling it
Anyone else not buying into the hype?
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I was in the same situation, upgraded from my oneplus 7 pro. I agree that the screen was better on the oneplus and looking at a spec sheet it is obvious that it is the better screen. Other than that and charging speed everything is better on the pixel 7. The NFC is more reliable, better sound quality, better networking, camera and so on. I think it is worth the upgrade if you do not mind the screen. I rarely ever used the dash charge and mostly stuck to slower charging for over night so I do not have issues with the charging and the battery lasts me the whole day anywaay.
gap30 said:
Had the pixel 7 for 4 days now and not that impressed with it
Actually thinking about going back to my OnePlus 7 Pro
The charging is poor on it and generally scrolling on webpages menu etc its no better than my oneplus
Dont know maybe I will persevere with it and it will get better
Got the pixel 7 on a killer deal with 5g coming from 4g with EE - I literally got the phone for free but not feeling it
Anyone else not buying into the hype?
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I've had my pixel 7 since late November, and I'll never buy another. I regret trading in my Galaxy S20fe for this turd of a phone. Google has locked down so much of the stock OS it's ridiculous. Very Apple -like. If I want that garbage I'll just buy an iphone.
But by far the most miserable part is the awful--and I mean TRULY, epically horrifically bad--fingerprint sensor. It's hands down the worst I have ever seen on any phone.
jasongw said:
I've had my pixel 7 since late November, and I'll never buy another. I regret trading in my Galaxy S20fe for this turd of a phone. Google has locked down so much of the stock OS it's ridiculous. Very Apple -like. If I want that garbage I'll just buy an iphone.
But by far the most miserable part is the awful--and I mean TRULY, epically horrifically bad--fingerprint sensor. It's hands down the worst I have ever seen on any phone.
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I can't comment on the OS because I just got the phone and rooted it right out of the box, but Samsung phones are fairly limited themselves IMO not to mention with tons of bloat. I went from an Honor View 10 to an S10(because ATT blocked my V10 from service last year) and the s10 is crap in comparison and has very restrictive OS.
Do you have a screen protector? Did you rescan your fingerprints after? Lots of issues have been reported for those who haven't rescanned after a screen protector install, even changing brands I would recommend it.
GL
I bought this in December after accidentally destroying the screen of my OnePlus 7 Pro. It's everything I loved about that phone, with the bonus of NOT having a curved screen. Best phone ever? Nah. But a damn good and reliable phone? Absolutely.
You need to give Pixels some time, as the software is supposed to be intuitive and adapt to your usage. Also, I think some people coming from a different OEM don't realize Pixels are pure android with no frills, so they don't always "wow" you right out of the box. Pixels aren't for everybody, but those of us who love our Pixels tend to be happy with them and enjoy special features that others may not get due to carrier software manipulation, etc.
At the end of the day, all devices are subjective and it just depends on what you're looking for. Don't like the Pixel? Cool. There are thousands of other options out there. Go find your happy place.
Pixels can run grapheOS, others phones can't. That's me reason to keep pixel phones.
I regret trading in my P3 for this phone
The OS is cleaner and it has some nice functionality, but even my Xiaomi mi 10 that I traded from feels like a better phone. And the battery life, which was the only reason I gave up the mi 10 (which had dropped to 60% battery), is **** on the pixel 7.
cannot talk about the OS, i immediately switched to LineageOS as i'm used to that.
i tend to agree to the general feeling, underwhelming it's a good summary for this device.
in my overall experience, it's a barely good device which could've been great if they wanted to.
Screen: 5/10
mediocre screen... it only looks good on darker colors, lighter ones look terrible with visible rainbow effects at very little movement.
minor, almost imperceptible, flickering on static images.
i completely fail to understand why pixel 7 has so many positive reviews about the screen.
thankfully xda and other reviewers made interesting insights about this issue, sadly we as the customers got a indecent panel.
Battery life: 8/10
usually allows me to do 5h of screen usage with ~50%, which is more than enough for me, just in time to put in charge for the next day.
Camera: 7/10
i expected more, considering the reviews.
i've tried it a few days on stock and gcam but i really don't see why all the praises.
anyway it delivers more than i actually need and care.
front camera is actual ****, really bad for video calls.
About the rest:
fingerprint sensors, odd enough, works ok for me: it always recognize my fingerprint. it's just a tad slow which isn't great.
stereo audio balance is weird.
i'll always complain about 3.5" mm audio jack lack.
57op said:
i'll always complain about 3.5" mm audio jack lack.
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It also doesn't have digital to analog conversion, soost USB-C to 3.5mm converters won't work.
I currently have a Pixel 3 that's in excellent physical shape and operates just fine. My concern is that I'm I'm no longer getting android upgrades, not getting feature upgrades and not getting security patches because my phones no longer supported. My main concern with a cell phone is one that's trouble free, has a battery that will hold up throughout the day and is supported.
If I upgrade today with an unlocked Pixel 7 Google will give me $150 on a trade in of my Pixel 3. Part of me says pull the trigger while part of me questions whether any problems with the Pixel 7 will be resolved by waiting for the 7A or the 8. If I wait the price might be higher and/or the trade-in value less so I'm looking for some opinions from existing Pixel 7 owners.
So, is the Pixel 7 stable and reasonably problem free or are there sufficient concerns with the Pixel 7 that would cause me to hold off?
Like1
If you are happy with your phone but concerned about getting updates, then you can unlock the bootloader and give the Pixel Experience ROM a try. I did this with a Pixel 3a, so now I have Android 13 and additional features such as unlimited google photos storage. Check it out here: https://get.pixelexperience.org/blueline
I bought Pixel 7 about a week ago.
I clean flashed the february update and i have zero issues. The fingerprint thing people mention are from my experience due to very dry hands.
I'd say it's the best damn phone i ever had. (coming from OnePlus6 so i had quite high expectations for software) but dang unbelievable camera.
I was also thinking to wait and in the end. After 8 comes 9 and afrer 9 comes 10.
Personally after s21fe I'm not impressed by camera in Pixel 7. It does not have shutter lag but it's slightly better in good light (I'm not even sure) and I feel like it's worse at low light without night mode (and night mode kicks in relatively fast on Pixel).
Phone is good but fingerprint sensor is bad. Sometimes it's not working (if finger is too dry or too wet I guess) but I never had that problem with s21fe or Nord 2 (but they both sucked with update delivery time, Nord 2 insanely).
Good phone if you can get nice deal on it. I thibk if you're not crazy like me about fast delivery of updates they're better phones in its price.
Moondoggy51 said:
I currently have a Pixel 3 that's in excellent physical shape and operates just fine. My concern is that I'm I'm no longer getting android upgrades, not getting feature upgrades and not getting security patches because my phones no longer supported. My main concern with a cell phone is one that's trouble free, has a battery that will hold up throughout the day and is supported.
If I upgrade today with an unlocked Pixel 7 Google will give me $150 on a trade in of my Pixel 3. Part of me says pull the trigger while part of me questions whether any problems with the Pixel 7 will be resolved by waiting for the 7A or the 8. If I wait the price might be higher and/or the trade-in value less so I'm looking for some opinions from existing Pixel 7 owners.
So, is the Pixel 7 stable and reasonably problem free or are there sufficient concerns with the Pixel 7 that would cause me to hold off?
Like1
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Hi, I was also waiting for the 7a, then thought, na, I got a P7 for AU$500... it was a week old. I know the P7a will be a little smaller ( 6.1") I upgraded from a P5 and its roughly the same width but 10mm taller. Getting use it it fast. You will also miss out on Andoid 16, as the 7a is released in August and Android is released in October, normally. Something to consider.
I'm considering upgrading to a 10 Pro from my current 8 Pro but I'm curious if current 10 Pro owners would consider it worthwhile. I'm not having any huge issues with my phone but the back of the case is cracked pretty bad and I'm thinking about upgrading before I start to have problems.
I'm rooted but running the stock OS13 and would probably do the same on a new phone.
What's your opinion? Thanks in advance.
If your goal is just to root and run stock, then it'll be a great device for you in my honest opinion. It's really held back by a lack of true recovery tools, which has led to no true custom ROMs for the device anyways.
But the 10Pro can be rooted, unlocked, and updated just fine as long as you take the time to learn how to do it properly without flashing. It's been serving me this past year just fine, still working pretty much as brand new.
@Prant thanks for the reply. I would assume the update process would be similar, restore stock image in Magisk, update and then install Magisk again before rebooting but I could be wrong. I read that the MSM tool works for the 10 Pro now and I linked to the article below. I don't care about a custom rom as long as the stock rom doesn't get glitchy when rooted, which it hasn't so far, but a recovery tool adds a layer of comfort. Anyway, thanks again for your input.
MSM Download Tool for OnePlus 10 Pro: The Final Nail in the Coffin
In this guide, we will show you the steps to download the MSM Download Tool for OnePlus 10 Pro and then unbrick your device using this tool.
www.droidwin.com
PieceKeepr said:
@Prant thanks for the reply. I would assume the update process would be similar, restore stock image in Magisk, update and then install Magisk again before rebooting but I could be wrong. I read that the MSM tool works for the 10 Pro now and I linked to the article below. I don't care about a custom rom as long as the stock rom doesn't get glitchy when rooted, which it hasn't so far, but a recovery tool adds a layer of comfort. Anyway, thanks again for your input.
MSM Download Tool for OnePlus 10 Pro: The Final Nail in the Coffin
In this guide, we will show you the steps to download the MSM Download Tool for OnePlus 10 Pro and then unbrick your device using this tool.
www.droidwin.com
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Click to collapse
The MSM Tool for the 10 Pro requires an authorized OPPO account to be used and no bypass has been found yet (there is an entire thread about this on XDA).
DroidWin is just a copy paste website and should not be trusted.
TheNewHEROBRINE said:
The MSM Tool for the 10 Pro requires an authorized OPPO account to be used and no bypass has been found yet (there is an entire thread about this on XDA).
DroidWin is just a copy paste website and should not be trusted.
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Click to collapse
Good to know. Thanks again.
I notice no major difference from my OP8 pro to OP10 pro.
I upgraded because my OP8's battery wasn't lasting as long. And Im not going to "settle" for the OP11.
In the end I get the following benefits:
- slightly longer battery life
- updates will keep coming for a while
- Android auto works reliably in my car.
For the last one, ever since upgrading my OP8 to Android 12 and 13 it doesn't connect to my car reliably. OP10 with Android 13 works fine.
If money isn't an issue, it's probably worth it for updates. If it hurts to drop 700 or so, then stick to the OP8. It's still a great phone.
Oh.. in the US, the OP10 isn't dual sim. I used dual sim. This is a feature I lost.
The OnePlus 8 Pro is a great phone and unless you're having battery issues, I'd stick with it. Developer support and wireless charging are huge advantages.
I sold my 8 pro to my neighbour, I took a chance on OnePlus by not checking out the 10 pro beyond its specs...
Gone is the excellent macro camera, the photocrom camera, the superb XDA dev's and the plethora of mods for it.
It has the same ability to root, a great camera, zero development, very few mods besides the one I've brought myself like center clock..
I truly miss my 8 pro, it did everything I could ask. The 10 does have a better CPU/GPU and more battery but that really is the only upside.. in regards to the phone itself you'd be hard pushed to see a difference.
My advice is this:
If you've treated your 8 pro well, you've not overcharged it and you've not dropped it then I would retain it... If you've treated it like a piece of crap then I'd say get the pixel 7 pro...it's quite cheap now and has some great development going on...
It's a sad time for OnePlus users, however we can learn from it and I hope OnePlus (oppo) learns some valuable lessons from this, they'll lose a valuable fan base who's influence goes way beyond its 1% purchase scope compared to the average users of OnePlus devices.
Time will tell I guess, but right now I would say avoid the 10 pro and the 11, they are of the same Ilk
I changed my phone from the OP 7 and I don't see any noticeable difference in speed (apps launch in the same time), and the default camera takes blurry photos when there is little light (where in the OP7 this was not the case). I wouldn't change if I were you (I would consider OP11, where there is faster memory).
For sure not i have both devices!
janekkk said:
I changed my phone from the OP 7 and I don't see any noticeable difference in speed (apps launch in the same time), and the default camera takes blurry photos when there is little light (where in the OP7 this was not the case). I wouldn't change if I were you (I would consider OP11, where there is faster memory).
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If custom ROMs are something that's needed then I'd avoid the 11 as they won't be there... Hope im wrong but I doubt it.
See some people in this thread recommending the OP11, and I can honestly say that's a terrible choice from what I've seen. The 10Pro is the last one with some semblance of recovery, from what I've been watching over at the 11Pro forums... things are even worse over there.
They even have went as far as to block calling from outside China after 30 days of use outside their home country, if you didn't activate the device in China with a china sim first. With refusal to help customers, stating things like just activiate it in china.
With the lost features, i.e. no wireless charging, less speed over USB, worse radio for USA.. I do not think we as a community should be supporting this company at all going forward, this will definitely be my last OPlus phone but I will continue to use it until it stops.
Prant said:
If your goal is just to root and run stock, then it'll be a great device for you in my honest opinion. It's really held back by a lack of true recovery tools, which has led to no true custom ROMs for the device anyways.
But the 10Pro can be rooted, unlocked, and updated just fine as long as you take the time to learn how to do it properly without flashing. It's been serving me this past year just fine, still working pretty much as brand new.
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@PieceKeepr I echo Prant's statement, it matches exactly my experience and sentiments. OP10 Pro has been the best OP phone I've used, going all the way back to the 3T.
Fast wireless charging
OnePlus lock screen gestures
alert slider
excellent screen
Most importantly, easily rootable.
Those are my top priorities in a phone, and no other brand has all of those.
Also:
I really enjoy the way the phone feels in the hand, especially with the carbon fiber case from OP.
Stereo speakers are great
Camera is good/sometimes great
Performance is great
Battery life is pretty good (hungry CPU, but large battery)
the new OS is not as bad as everyone complains about, IMHO. Much of the things I don't care for are Google's fault anyways.
I have both devices and I've put the 10 Pro up for sale.
You barely notice any difference, except that the OnePlus 10 Pro version of OxygenOS 13 is abominable.
I'm still hoping for official LineageOS support hopefully soon, but...
Well I would highly recommend not buying this rubbish of a phone.
OxygenOS 13 is now a buggy piece of chinese rom that tend to crash every now and then.
The cooling in this phone is non-existant - overheating very often resulting in prompt "Your phone is to hot, we had to shut down some servces".
You won't be able to use wireless android auto while wireless charing (too hot).
The list goes on and on.
After a year of struggle with this I will be selling it next month - what a relief.
OnePlus is dead for me and damn, I have OnePlus One, OnePlus 5 (the best phone ever existed) and OnePlus 8T, so I can say I experienced myself the fall of this brand.
What do you recommend, besides a OnePlus device for custom roms? I have been looking to buy a OP9P (for the MSM tool/roms) as an upgrade to my OP6, but with the overheating and bad battery life (888), its not looking good.
If the custom rom scene is dying, I don't mind getting a OP10Pro and doing what I can with de-bloating and rooting...
mxthocc said:
What do you recommend, besides a OnePlus device for custom roms? I have been looking to buy a OP9P (for the MSM tool/roms) as an upgrade to my OP6, but with the overheating and bad battery life (888), its not looking good.
If the custom rom scene is dying, I don't mind getting a OP10Pro and doing what I can with de-bloating and rooting...
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The last golden OPlus seems to be the OPlus 8 Pro if you can find one of those. Full recovery tools available and a plethora of custom ROMs. Being only 3 years old it won't fall off for the next 4 or so years comfortably.
That being said, I've never had heating issues with the OPlus 10 as other people have said. The device is really good for running stock + root imo, the battery life has also been about the same since I bought the device. Still runs PS2 games like a champ on lunch breaks. One full charge a day, and it only takes like 25 minutes to charge to full. Perhaps user device care has a play in this thread just as much as the silicon lottery.
Google Pixel is probably the best otherwise, but I'd personally be super weary using their phones as the exploits coming out of research departments are insane.
Prant said:
The last golden OPlus seems to be the OPlus 8 Pro if you can find one of those. Full recovery tools available and a plethora of custom ROMs. Being only 3 years old it won't fall off for the next 4 or so years comfortably.
Google Pixel is probably the best otherwise, but I'd personally be super weary using their phones as the exploits coming out of research departments are insane.
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Yeah, I've heard good things about the 8 Pro. I borrowed a Pixel 6a for a week, thought it would be the spiritual successor to my OP6. The vulnerabilities are definitely too much for a new device, so I gave it back.
Coming from the OnePlus One and then the 6T (what a phone!), I really had to get used to the 8 Pro's curved screen. I'm still not a huge fan of the screen, but otherwise I do love my 8 Pro! With LineageOS it's such a super clean and enjoyable experience!
I also shortly tried the OnePlus 3 and 3T, which I bought for my parents when I had the 6T, and I gifted my brother the 7T Pro later. Man, what a slick, gorgeous phone! The only slight screen curve is perfect!
I think I'll stay on the 8 Pro for a while then. Maybe Nothing releases a good phone in a couple years. Or maybe OnePlus somehow decide to return to their roots and release a really incredibly specced and priced phone someday again.