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(Sorry if the following text is unorganized. I am plugging my brain into the text box, because this is a very fresh thought. Please also share your thoughts on it in the comments.)

When browsing YouTube comments (archive.org), I have noticed a pattern similarly to political discussions:

There is a spectrum of preferences on mobile phones that is compareable to the political spectrum. And each side considers the other side insane, (youtu.be) as much as in the Laurel Yanny debate. (Side note: I can hear both Laurel and Yanny.)

(Unfinished graphic.) (pic8.co)

The phonelitical left

  • The phonelitical left are those who see their mobile phone as a fashion statement.
  • The phonelitical left uses the buzzword “bloatware” like the buzzword “hate speech”
  • Apple iSheep tend to be on the phonelitical left.
  • Many people on the phonelitical left would purchase the newest iPhone, even if it didn't have 4K video recording in 2020, but because of the Apple logo.
  • The phonelitical left cares about design trends such as the notch.
  • Samsung took a step towards the phonelitical left in 2015 with their Galaxy S6.
  • The phonelitical left considers a plastic back or pseudo-leather (Note 3, Note 4), or pattern polycabornate baxckback (S5, Nexus 7 2012) “cheap and ugly”, and prefers “premium design”, even if it means a more fragile design.
  • The phonelitical left tends to label features they don't use bloatware.
  • The phonelitical left (especially iPhone users) tend to trivialize features such as 4K video recording, fast charging and water resistance, until their brand of preference (i.e. Apple) releases a phone with that feature.
    • The phonelitical extreme leftists tend to stay in a queue to get their iPhone from Apple on release date.
  • The phonelitical left is more prone to get convinced by marketing instead of reason. (e.g. False advertising “Our deisgn philosophy: Design with purpose” by Hyun Yeul Lee on Samsung Unpacked 2015 (Galaxy S6 release).)

The phonelitical right

  • The phonelitical right sees value/purpose in their mobile phone as a functional tool.
  • The phonelitical right really wants replaceable batteries back and tends to despise the design trend of non-replaceable batteries.
  • The phonelitical right cares more about functionality than slim design and design trends.
  • The phonelitical right tends to dislike the notched screen or similar (youtu.be).
  • The phonelitical right considers a plastic back perfectly acceptable. It even has benefits: Durability, no wireless charging interference like metal backs and no tendency to break like a glass back.
  • The phonelitical right does not care whether their phone is a few millimeters thicker.
  • The phonelitical right is not bothered by features on their phone that they don't use. (Compared to the phonelitical left that tends to scream the buzzword “bloatware” on online forums such as XDA-Developers).

I have not quite defined up and down in the phonelitical compass yet. Feel free to comment suggestions. Also, comment any point I might have missed.

The phonelitical sides tends to argue: Right:

Phones need more storage!

Left:

No, they do not! Who on earth needs 128 GB of internal storage?

Left:

MicroSD? Who needs that? I have the cloud for that purpose!

Left:

Who needs [insert power user feature here]?

Left:

Who on earth uses their phone as a barometer / infrared remote control / etc.?

Right:

The original purpose of a smart phone is combining the functionality of many tools into one portable device.

Right:

Removed software features should be retrofittable.

Right:

Extra functionality should be there for those who need it. Those who don't need it should just not care.

Right:

Software can't compensate for lost hardware features (duh!), and many users might consider features such as the barometer, hygrometer, thermometer useful.

Right:

Non-replaceable batteries are a form of planned obsolescence.

Left:

I upgrade to a new iPhone each year anyway! [because of the fashion statement, not because of functionality]

Right:

Phones with non-replaceable batteries and replaceable batteries should co-exist in the market so everyone has access to their option of preference.

These discussions sparked especially when Samsung released the Galaxy S6: a phone with non-replaceable battery, no MicroSD, no water resistance, no MHL-to-HDMI and USB 3.0 port. It had useful improvements, especially regarding camera speed and quality, but Samsung sadly succumbed to Apple's shitty design trend.

Feel free to share your thoughts or anything I might have missed in the comment.

(Sorry if the following text is unorganized. I am plugging my brain into the text box, because this is a very fresh thought. Please also share your thoughts on it in the comments.) ---- When browsing [YouTube comments](https://archive.org/download/comments-FL7yD-0pqZg/comments-FL7yD-0pqZg.json), I have noticed a pattern similarly to political discussions: There is a spectrum of preferences on mobile phones that is compareable to the political spectrum. And each side [considers the other side insane,](https://youtu.be/KjjME3oYbps) as much as in the *Laurel Yanny* debate. (Side note: I can hear both *Laurel* and *Yanny*.) [(Unfinished graphic.)](https://pic8.co/sh/wBBYJg.png) # The *phonelitical* left * The *phonelitical* left are those who see their mobile phone as a **fashion statement.** * The *phonelitical* left uses the buzzword *“bloatware”* like the buzzword *“hate speech”* * [Apple iSheep](/s/crApple) tend to be on the *phonelitical* left. * Many people on the *phonelitical* left would purchase the newest iPhone, even if it **didn't have 4K video recording in 2020,** but **because of the Apple logo.** * The *phonelitical* left cares about design trends such as the notch. * Samsung took a step towards the *phonelitical* left in 2015 with their Galaxy S6. * The *phonelitical* left considers a plastic back or pseudo-leather (Note 3, Note 4), or pattern polycabornate baxckback (S5, Nexus 7 2012) “cheap and ugly”, and prefers “premium design”, even if it means a more fragile design. * The *phonelitical* left tends to label features they don't use *bloatware*. * The *phonelitical* left (especially iPhone users) tend to trivialize features such as 4K video recording, fast charging and water resistance, until their brand of preference (i.e. Apple) releases a phone with that feature. * The *phonelitical* extreme leftists tend to stay in a queue to get their iPhone from Apple on release date. * The *phonelitical* left is more prone to get convinced by **marketing** instead of reason. (e.g. False advertising *“Our deisgn philosophy: Design with purpose”* by Hyun Yeul Lee on Samsung Unpacked 2015 (Galaxy S6 release).) # The *phonelitical* right * The *phonelitical* right sees value/purpose in their mobile phone as a **functional tool.** * The *phonelitical* right really wants **[replaceable batteries back](/p/117245)** and tends to despise the design trend of non-replaceable batteries. * The *phonelitical* right cares more about **functionality** than slim design and design trends. * The *phonelitical* right tends to dislike the notched screen [or similar](https://youtu.be/wm0_4O_XykI). * The *phonelitical* right considers a plastic back perfectly acceptable. It even has benefits: Durability, no wireless charging interference like metal backs and no tendency to break like a glass back. * The *phonelitical* right does not care whether their phone is a few millimeters thicker. * The *phonelitical* right is not bothered by features on their phone that they don't use. (Compared to the *phonelitical* left that tends to scream the buzzword *“bloatware”* on online forums such as XDA-Developers). I have not quite defined up and down in the *phonelitical* compass yet. Feel free to comment suggestions. Also, comment any point I might have missed. The *phonelitical* sides tends to argue: Right: > Phones need more storage! - Left: > No, they do not! Who on earth needs 128 GB of internal storage? - Left: > MicroSD? Who needs that? I have the cloud for that purpose! - Left: > Who needs [insert power user feature here]? - Left: > Who on earth uses their phone as a barometer / infrared remote control / etc.? - Right: > The original purpose of a smart phone is combining the functionality of many tools into one portable device. - Right: > Removed software features should be retrofittable. - Right: > Extra functionality should be there for those who need it. Those who don't need it should just not care. - Right: > Software can't compensate for lost hardware features (duh!), and many users might consider features such as the barometer, hygrometer, thermometer useful. - Right: > Non-replaceable batteries are a form of planned obsolescence. - Left: > I upgrade to a new iPhone each year anyway! [because of the fashion statement, not because of functionality] - Right: > Phones with non-replaceable batteries and replaceable batteries should **co-exist** in the market so everyone has access to their option of preference. - These discussions sparked especially when Samsung released the Galaxy S6: a phone with [non-replaceable battery](/p/117245), no MicroSD, no water resistance, no MHL-to-HDMI and USB 3.0 port. It had useful improvements, especially regarding camera speed and quality, but Samsung sadly succumbed to Apple's [shitty](#spoiler) design trend. ----- Feel free to share your thoughts or anything I might have missed in the comment.

(post is archived)

[–] • 1 pt

I guess I'm a radical since I want an updated non-Android Razr that doesn't cost a grand.

I need the following, and only the following features, - phone, text, a camera (for accident documentation), replaceable battery and max price of $250ish.

Also, are people really upset about a notched screen? I think it is more hideous than a bevel. To get rid of the bevel, they'll have to get rid of the selfie camera...which I don't recall anyone clamoring for.

[–] • 0 pt

That is still phonelitically right-wing, because you prefer a replaceable battery and primarily care about the functionality, not about the fashion statement.

[–] • 1 pt

Cell phones should be more like cars - base model and then add the options you want.

[–] • 0 pt

Isn't it already similar? (Different classes of mobile phones.)

And there should be an option for a good phone with replaceable battery!

[–] • 1 pt

I agree with what you've identified as right, except for the matter of bloatware. Apps that I don't use, like a cloud storage app for example, take up space on the home screen and, more importantly, drive space and even processing power and wireless data if they're running in the background. I want the phone to give me a selection screen of apps to install the first time I run it, and I want it to be able to install all the apps of my choosing without logging into a Jewgle or Crapple account.

I probably look like an extremist to a centrist like you.

[–] • 0 pt

Although bloatware does barely bother me (I'd rather have bloatware than missing functionality), I agree that lesser-essential features do not necessarily have to be precluded but can be made download-able for those who need it.

and even processing power and wireless data if they're running in the background.

Usually, such apps can be disabled or at least their process killed.

and I want it to be able to install all the apps of my choosing without logging into a Jewgle or Crapple account.

There are actually third-party app store apps for that purpose. Some I can think of:

  • F-Droid
  • 1Mobile Market
  • Aptoide
  • APKpure

There are more, but these are the current ones I can think of.

[–] • 0 pt

I know, I'm just saying in principle that should be the default way to do it. But big corps will never make products for rightist customers.

[–] • 0 pt

But big corps will never make products for rightist customers.

Samsung originally did that with the Galaxy Note flagships until Note 4. LG also did it with their V10 and V20.

But in 2015, although they still built powerful devices with good cameras, they switched to shitty non-replaceable batteries (linustechtips.com) and removed many more features such as MHL-HDMi, MicroSD (came back with S7), USB 3.0 (pre-USB-C times) and many more.

[–] • 1 pt

Interesting take, I've definitely noticed this trend as well. Thanks for the post

[–] • 0 pt (edited )

Another distinction:

  • The phonelitical left: “You don't have a 4K TV/monitor, so why record in 4K?”
  • The phonelitical right does understand that it is for future-proofing!
[–] • 1 pt

I don't care about 4K. Are you guys sure that is on the phonetical right? Or did Apple just recently lose the camera race or something?

[–] • 1 pt (edited )

4K is phonelitically right because it is functionality.

Apple has historically been functionally inferior, see here and here.

Also possibly interesting: /s/LostFeatures