We all love Android, in all the different sizes, shapes, and skins it comes in. With the freedom that accompanies Android’s software though, its not impossible to level the playing field when it comes to what’s on the phone. The phone itself though, that’s an Android of a different color! Since it’s open source, anyone can use the software for free, and as a result we have a lot of phone’s to choose from. When it comes time to choose your new phone, that little computer that’s gonna sit in your pocket for the next two years, do you look for the best phone or do you look for your favorite manufacturer?

Most people may not give it much thought, being unbiased, but some have strong feelings one way or the other. I for one am pretty neutral, but the issue is starting to come up more and more as I look at replacing my old phone. Whether its build quality, battery life, or simply a love of the company, I want to hear what it is that make people love one companies’ phones over another.

OEMs fight hard to differentiate their phones day in and day out. Whether its with a recognizable marketing campaign like HTC’s or a UI skin like Motorola’s Motoblur, manufacturers fight for you to buy, not just an Android phone, but THEIR Android phone. I think one of the most important aspects, and undervalued as well, about a phone is the phone itself. Not just “the specs,” but the physical device, how it feels, what it’s made of, the battery life, the camera, etc. This is, in my mind, the biggest stage for customization.

Now there are way too many Android phone makers for me to talk about them all, and if you have one you love please tell me all about it in the comments, but I’m gonna talk quickly about my opinions of three of the biggest. HTC was the first company to make an Android phone, and have been a major player since then. HTC has, in my opinion, some of the prettiest, and best feeling phones I’ve ever seen or held. From the Sensation down to the tiny Aria, they’re soft-touch plastic feels good in the hand and looks downright good. On the other hand this ends up in the phones being a bit thicker and heavier.

On the other end of the spectrum is Samsung, unarguably one of, if not the top Android OEM at the moment. Their phones and tablets like the Galaxy S II, are mind blowingly thin and light, but at the cost of being made of what just feels like cheaper plastic. I’m not familiar with the battery life on many of their phones, but the Galaxy Tab 10.1 has an awesome battery life, especially considering I usually go several days before charging it.

Motorola is another big name, specifically the one who brought us the OG Droid. While I’m not a fan of Moto’s locked bootloaders, they make some damn sexy phones. Legends abound of the endurance of the original Droid, and the slide-out keyboards on the Droid line are some of the best around. I also love how Motorola experiments with different form factors like the Atrix’s laptop dock, and even the less successful Flipout. This originality is something that doesn’t seem as high a priority for Samsung and HTC who seem to have the “if it ain’t broke” mentality as of late.

But enough of my thoughts. I want to hear from you AndroidCommunity! Let our your inner fanboy or girl and drop a comment on what you love most about your favorite OEM’s phones.

28 COMMENTS

  3. Personally I think Motorola makes some ugly stuff (with exception to the X), There software, ie motoblur, is ok but not very customizable. HTC on the other hand has Nice looking hardware (Though they tend to all look the same) however Sense UI is about the most hideous looking thing i’ve ever had the misfortune of looking at. Samsung has really stepped up there game and I like how thin and light they are pushing there handsets, and tablets Too.

  5. I’m a little split. Just a few months ago, I would’ve easily said HTC. However, lately I’ve been really liking Samsung. But it’s tough. I really like HTC’s build quality, and the general the design with the unibody aluminum frames and soft touch plastic. Whereas. I really dont like Samsung’s rather cheap plastic bodies. But, Samsung really is dominating with their processors and SAMOLED screens. So it’s a toss up between the two for me.

    • The one thing I have found about phones is that I always, always get a full body case for it anyway to protect my $199+ asset.  So whether it’s the fine, brushed metal of iPhone or the cheap plastic of Samsung doesn’t matter in the end.

  8. i agree, love HTC designs they build beautiful artistic phones, but where SAMSUNG lacks in design, they are catching up and even surpassing the competition in speed light free of baggage performance 

  9. i agree, love HTC designs they build beautiful artistic phones, but where SAMSUNG lacks in design, they are catching up and even surpassing the competition in speed light free of baggage performance 

  11. I favor HTC because of build quality. It feels like you’re holding an expensive device because of the solid feel and heft. I like unlocked bootloaders too, which is important to me because If I pay almost $600 for a device, I am going to do what I damn well please with it. I’m a true American I like freedom. HTC gives me that freedom. The others are all locked down or feel cheap and easy to break. If HTC could get their hands on a screen that could match Samoled, I wouldn’t even entertain the thought of buying from anyone else.

  13. Of course Samsung, due to the Galaxy series.
    Galaxy S II is the BEST mobile I have used uptodate. And I have had a fair amount of smartphones passed down my hands.

  14. HTC’s speakers suck! But I guess you can say they get the job done. Samsung put the best Android device out, as of now – the GS II. And LG did a great job with the Optimus 2X even though everybody is hating on LG, right now. Other than that, Motorola.

  16. I’m loyal to HTC on this one. I’ve owned the first HTC Incredible, and now carry both the Incredible 2 and HTC Thunderbolt (One for personal, one for work). Their build quality is extremely good, Sense UI is a great GUI overlay, and their announcement on open bootloaders is pretty exciting. My only complaint is battery life on the Thunderbolt could be better. 

  18. I’ve always gone for htc my first was the htchd2 I loved that phone big screen slim great battery life and the os was good 6.5windows,I never liked I-phone until they brought out the I-phone 4 and I fell in love with the look of it and I got one I’d never tried an android phone so I got myself the htc desire hd and I love my iPhone but you don’t get the options you get with android and that’s what’s kept me with them I got the desire cos it looked good with a big screen like the htchd2,but it’s always looks I go for and it was the same with my new phone I’ve never owned a Sony Ericsson phone before but when I saw the experia arc it pre ordered it and I started hearing reviews all good and I love it got the gingerbread 2.3.3 update and it’s great but it looks brilliant and the screen is top draw but the bestthings are the camera and music player, the 8mp camera takes top pics it’s surprised me how good they come out and it’s Sony so they should now a thing or two about music systems and this one is the best I’ve had,and iv still got iphone4 and desire hd,so I suppose I go for looks, the dualcore phones have caught my eye but I think wait and see what the I-phone5 will have, and it’s still new tech there gonna get better and better,

  19. HTC or Samsung for me (I know, weird, I’m not a pure fanboy like most people are). But truly, I have had Samsung products (like my LCD TV and my current Gravity phone), and I totally dig their stuff. Always high quality. I don’t have any HTC products yet, but ever since my brother got a MT4G I have been into their build quality as well. I should be a full-blown HTC fan after I hopefully can pick up a Sensation tomorrow. In summary, I’m impressed by HTC’s ability to put together a full package, and Samsung’s ability to push technology forward (to be honest, I would be getting a SGSII if it was coming any time soon and to Tmobile).

    I think more people should be like me. I truly love both Samsung and HTC, and I think I benefit a great deal from being open to both companies vs. being a total fanboy (but honestly I’m not totally open-minded: it would take a heck of a lot for me to consider a Motorola; I can’t stand their designs or their UI).

    • im similiar to you… I got my first android phone which was the HTC Hero and loved it. I Consider it the first good android phone (software based) as Android <1.6 just wasn't a pretty interface and the sense fixed that.

      Loved it and had it for 16ish months. I then recently replaced it with the Nexus S. I didn't choose samsung… google choose them as i was sick of being a techie with only android 1.5 on my hero while the rest was on 2.0+ so i wanted the Pure android expierence.

      Ive had it 6-7months and love it even though their are some awesome devices and dual core phones I still very happy with this phone and i know it will be welll supported by google. While the build quality is awesome. It may not have the nice matte finish of my hero but the "Cheap" plastic everyone bangs on about regarding samsung phones is So incredibly durable.. (i drop my phone on concret all the time when drunk and its not got a dent or a scratch on it.. which isn't the case for my Hero)

      I love pure android but the big thing is keeping phones up to date with android. I wouldn't rule out getting a skinned phone again if companies do as they say and improve their upgrade speeds! 
      Because of that Htc and Samsung are the best I can go with as they do the most upgrades for phones compared to motorola and Sony(have their ever upgraded a phone to the latest version? or always couple versions behind?)

  21. Currently: Samsung Galaxy S II, Previously HTC Magic (MyTouch).
    I had an HTC Magic running CM6 which was a good little phone, thoroughly enjoyed it.  My family all have Desire’s, Wildfires etc.  However I feel that Sense UI has gotten too bloated, not to mention HTC cutting corners on hardware.
    I have had my Galaxy S II for ~1 month now and I am surprised daily by how great it is.  I assumed TouchWiz would annoy me, especially after the freedom of Cyanogen, however I thoroughly enjoy it.  

  22. I’m still besotted with the 5″ screen of my Dell Streak, got mine a whole year ago with an unlimited download contract. When the contract runs out next year I’ll be looking for another larger screen device, if Dell come up with the hardware then I’ll strongly consider buying their next offering.

  24. I had a Samsung Galaxy S (vibrant) and swtiched to a HTC Inspire 4G, i also had with me a motorola flipside for a couple of days.

    My opinion:

    Motorola: crap, crap, crap… the moto blur stuff is really annoying, i hate that you need a blur account to use your phone :s… and that flipside, it is not an old phone and they never updated the phone to android 2.2.

    Samsung: i loved the amoled screen of that phone, but the phone felt cheap and touchwiz was crap, but once you put a custom rom its ok :).

    HTC: I got it because it has a bigger screen and a “faster” procesor, i am not a fan of htc sense but it is way better than touchwiz and blur in my opinion, i love to have a 4.3″ screen but the colors and viewing angles in the amoled screen are better, what i really like about htc is the build quality. The big con of this phone is that it is really heavy.

    For what i have read the galaxy S II does not feel cheap + that super amoled 4.3″ screen the phone should be awesome :D.

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