What's improving in newer generation smartphones

[bgstcola]

Obviously screens are getting bigger and better. The relative size of the phones are getting smaller too. Cpu's are getting faster. Cameras are getting better.

But what performance? Do the increased CPU power translate to actual performance i.e. less lag and faster loading apps?

Do the new phones have better antennas for everything (3g,lte,wifi)? I think this is very important.

What about call quality?

 

[poofyhairguy]

But what performance? Do the increased CPU power translate to actual performance i.e. less lag and faster loading apps?

Yes.

Do the new phones have better antennas for everything (3g,lte,wifi)? I think this is very important.

They certainly have more sensors- IR, temperature, etc.

What about call quality?

That is up to the carriers to turn on LTE voice.

 

[bgstcola]

They certainly have more sensors- IR, temperature, etc.

But what about the antennas? Will a SGS4 have better 3g reception or wifi range than a SGS2?

That is up to the carriers to turn on LTE voice.

But it is also a question about mics and earpiece speakers. Are they improving as well?

 

[atpokey]

LTE voice is amazingly different, I went from people constantly telling me "I can barely hear you" to people having no idea I was on a cell phone. The speaker/mic afaik was not much superior, although the addition of "background mics" does help (they measure ambient sound and filter it from your voice).

Other than that, I think software is a big hold back to these devices, more than hardware.

 

[wirednuts]

cell phone quality has always been mainly determined by the cell carrier. the main carriers use the higher bitrates, and their subsidiaries get lower bitrates to make their service seem inferior to the main carrier.

when you go to voip, you might notice much better call quality because the bitrates can be a lot higher. a Skype-Skype call can sound like the person is in the same room with you, its that clear.

also, its not just bitrate but they can vary the bandwith too... most carriers limit the range to something like 800-2000khz I think... which is ok but when you open it up you can get dramatic results, especially when using external speakers.

 

[monkey333]

Cameras getting better?!? In my experience, that's not the case. I have a note 2, and unless my subject is stuck in carbonite, smear city.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Is LTE voice the same thing as HD voice?

 

[MD90]

Not necessarily. You can do HD voice (AMR-wideband) on non-LTE networks.

 

[wirednuts]

Is LTE voice the same thing as HD voice?

technically, i have no idea. but the idea is you need to increase bitrates and frequency ranges to get better sound. up until now, they used a combination that sounds pretty much the same as old analog telephone- which is why cell phones sound like old phone systems.

but they have been toying with bitrates for awhile, and thats part of the reason they can claim "better call quality".

now, since we have voip and other means to talk in full HD audio, cell phone carriers are feeling the pressure to deliver superior sound... so up the bitrates go bigtime, so much so they call it something like "HD voice"

 

[GTRagnarok]

Cameras getting better?!? In my experience, that's not the case. I have a note 2, and unless my subject is stuck in carbonite, smear city.

...what?

 

[monkey333]

...what?

that means, anything less than a still subject, things get blurry. excuse the empire reference.

 

[Hunt3rj2]

The One has some pretty great cell reception. Much better than the 8X/GS3. Clings on to marginal signal with much better quality of service. WiFi is the same as long as you don't detune the top antenna piece.

 

[Chocu1a]

Cameras getting better?!? In my experience, that's not the case. I have a note 2, and unless my subject is stuck in carbonite, smear city.

Burst mode, man. You are bound to get a few great usable shots.

 

[Pia]

I'd really like to see better camera functionality. Better low-light and moving subject performance, better stabilization, 60FPS or higher framerate video. I don't mind if my next phone is 50% thicker than my current one if that's what it takes to have a great camera as well as good battery life.