I know what you’re thinking — no, this isn’t another rant about how smartphones are boring. Well, except, maybe it is. While there are far fewer players in the game than there used to be (at least in North America), the ones still around offer some fantastic devices. Amazingly, you’re able to get anexcellent budget Android phonefor well under $500 and not be stuck with a glorified paperweight.
Budget devices obviously have more room to grow and offer users within their prospective price ranges higher gains when upgrading than top-tier flagship phones. As the cost for the hardware and internals that were once reserved for expensive devices comes down, the budget phones get the benefit. So, this means those $1000 devices need something to entice users to fork over cash to upgrade. Recently, that’s been in the form of AI features, and right now, that won’t cut it.
Not all new smartphones are boring
But they aren’t particularly exciting, either
Don’t worry. I’m not forgetting the growing number of alternative form factor devices, likeexciting foldable phonesor the rollable display devices we’ve seen in real-world concepts like theMoto Rizr. Truly, there is a veritable smorgasbord of Android smartphones to pick from. But for as great as smartphones have gotten over the past few years, the next iteration of your favorite brand likely isn’t giving you enough of a reason to upgrade.
Many of thebest Android smartphonesin the last few years have been making incremental hardware upgrades that increase the performance headroom and maybe offer improved imaging capabilities. This isn’t accounting for the even more incremental refreshes in product design. So, whether it is the lack of courage to attempt a new design language or being out of fresh ideas, many OEMs are leaning toward offering “exciting” new software features in the form of AI.
AI software has as much potential to be great as it does to be bad. Right now, it’s simply a mess.
Yes, I know. AI — specifically, machine learning — has been built in smartphones for far longer than just the last few years. But the new flavor that’s beginning to be touted as a pillar of new devices is those with dedicated names like Galaxy AI, Gemini, and the like. Don’t get me wrong. I like it when machine learning and AI deliver real benefits to users, and that was a driving reason behind my purchase of theGoogle Pixel 8 Pro.
Aside from owning nearly every Pixel device released, the Pixel 8 Pro specifically drew my attention because of the AI features for photo, video, and audio editing. The cameras and clean interface, along with some of the Pixel-exclusive features, have kept a Google phone in my pocket since the Really Blue variant of the original Pixel. Taking those things into account, along with thecreepyorimpressive, depending on your perspective, new AI imaging tools, the Pixel 8 Pro seemed like a big win for me.
However, in the months since the phone launched, it has become my least used phone. I chalk most of this up to the fact that, despite the photo prowess that Google once lorded over its competition, much of that pre-existing gap has closed significantly. Now, when using the phone as a daily device, I find it boring and sterile.
I can’t quite put my finger on what it is that specifically makes me want to doze off when I use the Pixel these days, but it’s there. I get similar statements from colleagues and users on social media about many of the key players in the Android smartphone market. I don’t think it’s the AI features causing the lack of excitement, so it must be the dreary upgrades from generation to generation.
If we look at the lastSamsung Unpacked event, the bulk of the presentation was about the newGalaxy AI. There was some discussion about the camera hardware and improved performance, but it was how this new software would make using the new Galaxy S24 series so much better. Unfortunately, the resulting phones haven’t received the same positive response as the previous models.
We need some variety in our mobile lives
Right now, there’s just too much of the same
The idea of a better smartphone user experience is always welcomed, regardless of how it is obtained. Whether that is via properly tuned hardware or software, it’s a good thing. But when the hardware is only marginally different from the previous variant and sometimes offers less-than-impressive results, the propped-up AI advancements are no more than a gimmick and can ruin future acceptance.
While many consumers may be willing to flatly accept and attempt to utilize something purely based on the marketing of the company offering it, the vast majority won’t accept a poorly executed “benefit” that doesn’t provide a genuinely better service than what was previously available or any meaningful new benefit. I’m not saying that’s exactly what is happening now, but at the same time, the average user isn’t clamoring for Galaxy AI, ChatGPT, Gemini, or any other similar service on their smartphone.
Until OEMs can provide those obvious benefits and ways these AI services can replace what is currently available, the devices that are offered should start giving users a reason to be excited about something new, rather than seemingly tricking them into thinking that the newly released phone is a revolution in handheld technology and the software on the device will provide some life-altering benefit.
Google Pixel 8 Pro
The Google Pixel 8 Pro is still a good deal in 2025, with plenty of software support and a premium flagship experience. The Tensor G3 is powerful enough for most tasks, and you’ll enjoy plenty of Pixel extras on Android 15. If you’re in the market for a Pixel but don’t want to pay flagship prices, the Pixel 8 Pro is worth a look.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
It’s not an overhaul by any means, but even small changes like (finally) swapping back to a flat touchscreen and seven years of system updates help the Galaxy S24 Ultra stand apart from its predecessors. Galaxy AI’s suite of features are front and center, as well as Google’s latest utilities like Circle to Search, and this AI craze even brings its magic to the Ultra’s cameras for after-the-fact super slo-mo.
OnePlus Open
OnePlus' first foldable packs an impressive specs sheet and boasts some equally remarkable features. The lightweight design, the super-bright cover and folding screens, the high-end internals, and the triple-camera setup make the OnePlus Open a great alternative to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold lineup.
