What is your ideal next Android handset?

Posted by Gronnd on October 22, 2012 07:58 am 42

I have used three different Android handsets over the last two and a half years. And while I certainly have enjoyed all of them, each one has left me disappointed in some way. My first, a Nexus One, was an amazing phone in its day. But it quickly seemed underpowered with the advent of dual core phones. My next was an Atrix. I really loved that phone, but for only a very short period of time. It was too thick, too heavy, and just never felt like a top tier piece of hardware. My current phone, the Canadian only SII HD LTE, is a really enjoyable piece of tech. Basically an SII with a 720p screen and an LTE radio, plus a Snapdragon S3, it's a very nice unit, battery leaves a bit to be desired, and it being not very widely released, development on it is less than stellar.

Sadly, I look to the future, and I don't see many new Android handsets that really scream to me "This is your next phone!" The rumored Nexus 4 by LG has criminally small storage options, and no SD card slot. The HTC DLX and Note 2 are just flat out too big for my tastes. There seems to be a trend where non removable batteries are the way of the future.

I've put together a list of specs that would put me front and center on release day for a new Android handset, and I'm curious to see if there's anyone else out there with similar hopes.

So, would you buy this phone?

4.7" 1280x720 screen. (Non-Pentile)

Snapdragon S4 Pro at 1.5 GHz (Or similarly powered quad core CPU)

2GB RAM

32/64 GB Storage

Micro SD Card Slot

~2100 mAH battery

Unskinned, Nexus-level Android

No more than 8.5mm thick, with removable battery.

And lastly, one hardware iteration, worldwide. No more regional releases. One phone for International, one for AT&T, one for Verizon, one for Canada. What's the problem with releasing one phone for everyone? It helps immensely with the aftermarket Android development when everyone's on the same hardware.