Like selling bathing suits in the middle of the Arctic winter.
Parents, I'm in solidarity with you all as we find the internal capacity to continue meeting our obligations to make the holidays go off without a hitch. I get why people are more prone to snapping at this time of year. It's because of all the pressure from every external influence!
It's also hard to be an Android smartphone that's trying to be a "good deal" after everyone has already done their Christmas shopping. OnePlus officially launched the OnePlus 15R this week. On paper, it's a convincingly good sell: Snapdragon processor, a larger battery than its flagship counterpart, and an approachable $700 price point. But it's kind of late! The iPhone 17 and Google Pixel smartphones are probably already in Santa's bag, waiting to be doled out to deserving children everywhere. Not to mention, the OnePlus 15 has barely gone on sale in the U.S. after a minor FCC holdup. Launching a "value flagship" in the final weeks of December is like selling bathing suits in the dead of winter. No one's really asking for that!
Who is this phone for? Gamers? The budget-conscious? The cameras aren't even interesting. There's no wireless charging either, and the 60-165Hz display makes it a major power draw for scrolling social media and web browsing. Reviews online have their own caveats about the OnePlus 15R. It has shorter software support than the other major Android flagships, and the poor thing doesn't even have an Alert Slider, which would have been a major nod to the fans. It's also boring looking! That's why I included a photo of it with the case.
Jason has the OnePlus 15R in hand and will be sharing his full thoughts on the device next month. I also have the OnePlus Pad Go 2 in hand, though I'm having a more positive experience with its existence. Again, look for our full-blown reviews sometime next month!
Do you remember the "Vote or Die" campaign introduced on South Park WAY back in the day? Do you think of it a little differently now that Diddy has been tried? Thankfully, the Android Faithful APKs have nothing to do with any of that!
Ignore your family this weekend at the holiday gatherings and instead cast your vote for the best Android device of the year. We'll announce the winners on next week's show.
Vote here! Or die! Just kidding! I'm making a South Park joke!
An Android tablet? On wheels? Jason, Mishaal, and Huyen lead this week's show.
