TECH

The biggest mobile phone failures of 2021

We all enter the year 2021 with hope, you can't dispute that. Almost everything had to be better than in 2020, right? However, it didn't get any easier. The pandemic continues its victorious march despite the variety of vaccines, but we're not talking about that right now. In the field of technology, several companies have managed to spoil epic with hardware, software and other components of their business. So let's take a look at the biggest losers in 2021.

LG...The more companies sell smartphones, the more pleasant it is for us users. And that's why it's very offensive when some of the companies declare, "We're tired, let's go." But that's exactly what LG, a true industry veteran, did. Citing years of the mobile division's financial losses ($4.5 billion!), LG announced on April 5, 2021 that it would finally exit the smartphone business on July 31st. The solution has been asking for a long time, but LG has been taking advantage of it for a long time. The company clarified that it will focus on its remaining businesses, including home appliances, televisions, smart home appliances and other industries. LG's mobile ambitions date back to the 1990s. The company gained attention with popular phone models like the ENv and Chocolate, and then captured its share of the smartphone market with devices like the G-series and Nexus 4 models. If there's one thing worth remembering by the company, it's a risk. LG has always struggled to go its own way, despite fierce competition from fellow countryman Samsung. Just look at the modular LG G5, dual-screen V20 or the LG Wing's swiveling screen to see the company's ambition.

Despite their best efforts, unfortunately we are saying goodbye to LG and this is one of the biggest failures of 2021.

MICROSOFT...Microsoft's first folding dual-screen Duo phone failed. The hardware lacked basic functionality and the software was even worse. In fact, as of December 2021, the device still hadn't received Android 11, despite the phone and software being on the market for over a year! The company has tried to fix its bugs in Microsoft Duo 2, but it still hasn't succeeded. Microsoft was able to successfully update the hardware, with notable improvements in all areas. No serious complaints here. But what determines the uniqueness of the device is the implementation of two screens. Two 5.3” panels combine to create a larger 8.3” screen for an extended workspace. The problem is that this workspace is crumbling due to the large gap between the two halves of the phone. Few apps have received updates with real support for larger screen sizes. Also, if you are working with separate screens, you will be uncomfortable with their smaller size. In other words, Duo 2 still doesn't have a convincing use case.

The downsides add up to the high price of $1,499 and the extra $129 you have to spend to get a compatible stylus from Microsoft. The Duo 2, despite its improvements, simply cannot be considered a competitor to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3.

SAMSUNG...The Galaxy Note series has become one of Samsung's most popular creations year after year. Hordes of stylus-obsessed owners are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to update their tablets every iteration. And then in 2021 it all ends. As a matter of fact, Samsung prepared us. The company hinted for nearly a year that it might abandon the Galaxy Note series. The device, which is usually announced in August or September, didn't arrive this year, and we know exactly why: Samsung shifted its investment to its folding device line. Last summer, Samsung announced with great fanfare the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3. With the third generation, the Fold and Flip smartphones have visibly matured. Even more important than the updated specs and performance of the 2021 models, however, is the S Pen stylus support and the standard feature set of the Note line in the Z Fold 3. For example, Samsung brought in the Air Command from the Note. , note templates and drawing tools. This makes the Z Fold 3, with its large internal screen, a natural replacement for the Note – though it doesn't have room for the built-in S Pen.

It is unknown how Samsung sees the future of the Fold and Note lines. Will the Note appear again? Or was he completely right, making Fold his rightful heir? Anyway, the absence of the Note 21 in 2021 is one of our biggest disappointments.

NOKIA...HMD Global, maker of Nokia-branded phones, recently harassed fans with bad news and also joined our list of smartphone losers. The company said it could not upgrade its early 2019 flagship, the Nokia 9 PureView, to Android 11 as promised. As a result, the device gets stuck on Android 10, but even worse, buyer confidence in HMD Global has been severely eroded. What happened? HMD Global has generally maintained the loyalty of fans of the Nokia brand since 2016. The company has offered a variety of low-end, mid-range and high-end Android devices that have gained widespread acclaim around the world. Additionally, HMD Global was able to meet the challenge of timely software updates. However, it seems that everything has changed now, and not for the better.

Android 11 appears to have knocked out HMD Global. The company was in no rush to release an update to its flagship Nokia 8.3 5G and was even slower to roll out new software for its cheaper phones, which lowered them even further in user confidence ratings. In particular, on the Nokia 9 PureView, HMD Global stated that “incompatibility between the camera and the software can result in a degradation of perception that does not meet our high standards.” The company angered PureView owners by claiming they could get a 50% discount on the new XR20 smartphone if they wanted. The XR20 is an excellent rugged machine, but it doesn't belong in the same premium category as the 9 PureView.

Overall, HMD Global made a big mistake. Now it needs to think about what to do in 2022 to fix it.

GOOGLE...It's frustrating to see Google on the 2021 disapproval list, but that's exactly what happened. What diverted the almighty search giant? Including the loading speed of top Pixel 6 phones. Let's see what happened.

When Google announced the Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 6, it was eager to announce the adoption of the USB Power Delivery PPS charging standard. Additionally, the company encouraged consumers to use its latest 30W USB-C adapter (sold separately, of course) to achieve maximum charging speeds. Based on what Google said, it was logical to assume that the Pixel 6 family charges at 30W. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. Tests have shown that the maximum power is 22W and the average power is only 13W. Technically, Google wasn't lying, because in fact, no one said smartphones would charge at 30W, although it has been claimed that higher speeds are supported. The company later admitted that no, the Pixel 6 series does not charge at 30W, even using a 30W charger.

It doesn't matter if Google's representatives lied from a formal point of view. As the saying goes, the sediment remains, and the company is sent to its proper place on the bankruptcy list in 2021.

ONEPLUS...OnePlus is an ever-changing brand. The metamorphoses are built into the company's own DNA, but not the fact that a beautiful butterfly will eventually come out of the caterpillar. Instead, the company will likely end up with a pale moth. Not that moths are horrible, but OnePlus has the potential to do something interesting and instead seems to have to settle for a mediocre result.

OnePlus started out as an enthusiastic brand. She had a smart marketing department she could trust whenever a new phone came out. The result was a company that built a solid fan base and was seen as separated from its owner, Oppo, under the BBK umbrella. By the end of 2021, however, it was clear that the time for OnePlus's success was drawing to a close.

In July, for example, the company announced that OnePlus and Oppo will merge their hardware development teams. The end result will be OnePlus and Oppo smartphones that look more alike. In addition, the company combined its software development efforts. While the OnePlus Oxygen OS will continue to appear on OnePlus phones sold outside of China, OnePlus phones sold in China will run the Oppo Color OS. The codebase will be the same for both platforms, leaving less room for OnePlus to stand out in the software. Also, OnePlus' hardware strategy has changed. Previously, the company released a flagship each year. However, in 2020 and 2021, it diluted its portfolio with more affordable BBK devices from a different brand. This further undermined OnePlus' reputation among longtime fans.

The flagship OnePlus 2022 is due to arrive relatively soon. And then we'll find out who the recent caterpillar has become, a butterfly or, after all, a moth.

A.A.