Android Complaints and How To Fix Them

“I have so many Android complaints, and I just got this phone!” This is what I heard from a friend yesterday after jumping on the Android bandwagon. So the Android(Google Android, Verizon Android, or Motorola Android whichever one you have or choose to call it) is a fairly new addition to the smartphone market. Blackberry, Wimo, and iPhone have all had a bit more time to work out the bugs in their respective phones, but the Android seems to be in catch up mode in regards to issues their users are having with their phones, and thus many Android complaints have begun to spring up. Below is list of some of the most common DROID complaints:

Most Common Android Complaints

Android Camera

– If their is one complaint that seems to come up over and over on Android forums, websites, and from people I know with the phone, it is the fact that the camera is pretty weak. Although almost every one of those same groups will agree that the video portion of the camera is fairly awesome and takes extremely good, high quality video. It’s the still camera that seems to be the big beef. Most people do not like the fact there are not enough options(effects/brightness/zoom) that allow you to take good pictures. In all honesty this is an issue with just about every smartphone. Most have apps you can download to add a “flash” or “zoom” but they aren’t really a flash or a zoom at all anyway, but rather do basic photoshop-like functions of zooming in on or brightening the actual picture/image you took, but not lighting an area before the picture or getting any closer to the object you are taking the picture of by virtue of a lens. Better phones, hopefully, will be something that ALL smartphones will add to future versions of their phones. For now though, Android users should be patient and realize that its not just their camera that takes poor quality pictures where you need full bright lighting in order to even see it, it’s everyone who has a smartphone.

Making and Answering calls on the Android

– Answering and or making calls on the Android can become a bit of a pain in the tail sometimes due to the same issue I have always had with smartphones, once they go black, you have to hit/slide the power button on them to turn them back on to make or answer a call. You get so used to either opening your phone to answer, or just pressing a button and talking, that having even one extra step in between there seems to be bothersome. On this point, there doesn’t seem to be much hope for change and seems to be just one of those things that may just take some getting used to, but really isn’t all that big of a deal once you are.

Android Battery Life

– You just charged your phone the night before, haven’t made all that many calls during the day and have only looked at a couple of web pages, a couple of emails, and a few videos on YouTube that you thought were funny. Now it isn’t even 6PM yet and already your DROID battery life is low and you need to charge it up again. Seriously it seems like it is some kind of conspiracy by smartphone makers to force you to buy a car charger for your phone. Or at least an extra wall charger so you can have one at work. Smartphone batteries are not the greatest no matter which phone you have. Ask anyone. However, you have to keep in mind that although you may not make it through any given day without needing to re-charge that old power sucker, it has allowed you to do things that you cannot do with other phones(surf the net, run apps, email, etc.). That battery, although it may not last forever, has in fact been powering a LOT of different things on your phone which do require it to work a littler harder than most. Some ideas for how to deal with it are keeping an extra wall charger or car charger at work or in your car as I said earlier seem to be the best options. Other people I know have actually gone to the trouble of keeping spare pre-charged extra cell phone batteries with them to be sure that they always have power when they need it. Bear with them on this one too, I am certain that the longer people keep complaining about constantly having to charge their phones, the makers behind this “smart” phone technology will eventually wise up, and get a battery that is still lightweight, but stays charged for a longer amount of time.

Android Market Doesn’t Have Enough Apps

– This is a time issue once again mostly, as Android has a lot of catching up to do with the iPhone in this area since it was released so much later. At last count the Android Market has around 35,000 available apps to download, while iPhone’s App Store has somewhere over 200,000 (see ouriPhone and DROID Apps comparison for more info). That is quite a big discrepancy, however, you have to keep in mind that quantity does not necessarily mean better quality! In fact, most Android users I know have said that they have found similar or even better apps on the Android than they had on there iPhone. It may take a little more refined searching, or a little extra review reading on the apps themselves, but if you look it’s probably there. There are not as many apps yet though, that is a fact, no way around it.

Android Keyboard

– Having problems with Android’s keyboard is one that really baffles me. The iPhone keyboard had the same hurdle to overcome when it introduced its touch screen format. People who were used to having a keyboard hated not having one. Now it seems like as people got used to the touchscreen keyboard, they do not like having a keypad keyboard. Android has a keypad keyboard because it does differentiate it from iPhone in that respect, and because there are apps that you can download to have a touchscreen keyboard, the DROID keyboard offers the best of both worlds. Another issue with the keyboard on DROID that I’ve come across is that at times there is a long delay between what you type and when it is displayed on your screen. This may be a sign of a more technical issue with your phone and in order to correct this, you may need to take it to where you bought your phone and have them service it.

Android is Awkward and Uncomfortable to Hold

– Many people do not like the box shape of the DROID, and tend to believe that is a bit heavy and clunky. It has also been said that having the power button on the top of the phone is not very intuitive either. Although the Android is a bit bulky, a lot of that is due to the keyboard. As is the extra weight as well. For smartphone users who prefer to have the external keyboard, these are both issues that you are sacrificing for that option. As for the power button on top, if it really bothers you too much, when you choose your next phone, do a little more hands on reviewing of it before purchasing so that you can understand it better next time. Or visit sites like this one where you can read reviews, join forums, buy extras, or get the latest news on particular phones.

Android Complaints Summarized

DROID complaints as you can see can vary slightly from other phones, but for the most part, the main complaints that users have with them are very similar to all other smartphones. In fact, although I’m sure they will also rise given a little more time on the market, there are fewer DROID complaint sites than there are for other phones in the category. As newer models come forth, the Android Market increases its amount of apps, and the bugs in the operating systems are tweaked, the DROID seems primed to become one of the “smartest” phones available!
If you would like to add a comment on this page, or add a complaint that you have for DROID phones, please do so below. Also, please feel free to share this article with any one else you know that is looking to buy a DROID, or already has one. We would appreciate the added comments or complaints that they could share so that we can make as comprehensive a list as possible of all the different issues users may be having, or wanting to know if they will have, with Android phones.