Which way to go? A potential Nexus 5 migrator could use your help.

Hi, I had a Nexus 5 and a Nexus 5X. I found myself in your same situation a couple days before Christmas, when my Nexus 5X decided to demonstrate the famous bootloop of dead. I also cannot stand the customizations applied by the various manufacturer and I want quick updates.
I have considered three groups of smartphones: Android One, Motorola and Nokia.

Unfortunately, the Moto X4 Android One Edition isn't sold here in Italy, the only one in the series that convinced me. I don't like the Xiaomi Mi A1 and the HTC One U11 Life is very overpriced (both sold in Italy). So I excluded the Android One.

Motorola smartphones have almost stock firmware, with some interesting additions (like the Moto app), but also bloatware (some Microsoft apps). Excluding the Moto Z series which costs a lot for the mods that didn't interest me, I had focused on the Moto X4.
But Motorola smartphones have a "small" problem, they are updated every 3 or 4 months, so they have outdated security patches.

Finally for Nokia the choice was the Nokia 8, since 7 is not sold again in the west and 6 (2017) is a medium-low end smartphone.

My choice fell on the latter. In addition to being a real high end smarphone at an affordable price, it has a fully stock firmware and hmd releases security patches monthly. It was also one of the first smartphones, in addition to Nexus/Pixel, to have received Android Oreo (the rollout lasted not a little, but in the end I think it has reached everyone and probably that of the initial build was interrupted to make way for the improving build released at the end of December).

The software is identical to the one you are used to, the only additions are for specific functions such as Glance or double tap to wake (for example). The pre-installed apps are the usual Google apps. Also apps such as dialer, Contacts and Calculator (etc) are those released and maintained by Google and not the AOSP counterpart (the Motorola instead have AOSP apps). The only two foreign apps are Nokia Support and Camera (released and maintained by hmd).
The launcher is the classic launcher3 with some modifications to resemble the Pixel Launcher (whose porting works without problems). Another difference is the accent color, blue like Pixel and not green like Nexus
On the face of updates hmd is keeping its promises, at the moment there is Android 8.0 with the December patches and in some days should arrive those of January (already present in the Oreo beta of Nokia 5 and 6). These don't arrive early in the month like Google does, but anyway they are released every month. It should also come Android 8.1 soon, since it has been confirmed unofficially.

Summing up, I think that Nokia devices, like Android One, are the ones that are closer to the Google philosophy.

Now I have the Nokia 8 for ten days and I am fully satisfied. Having been in your same situation, I hope I have helped you. The difference between Nexus 5X and Nokia 8 is clear, even more so compared to Nexus 5

EDIT: It seems that the January patches are already in rollout for the Nokia 8 (from a report of an user in the Nokia community)

I also came from a 5X that bootlooped itself into oblivion just before Christmas.. and I too am very happy with the Nokia 8, it has been flawless so far.

The launcher took a little bit of getting used too (its like the pixel 2 one - so you slide up.. on my 5X i had to press the middle button to get the tray).. but apart from that nothing changes. (with the exception of the apps noted above by cri347)
Nokia have added their own File manager (Files) but its tiny and works well.. It replaces downloads on the 5X.

There's also currently an annoying bug somewhere between Nokia and google where photos (which is the default gallery app) cant delete anything off the SD card (it was introduced following the January security patches by Nokia) - but you cant really count this against the device as the nexus didn't have SD cards so couldn't have had this issue.

Oh and one other very minor issue.. the NFC reader is weird. It works fine for payments on a chip and pin terminal, but it cant read NFC chips in passports or bank cards, or the little stickers.. it just doesn't work. Just something to watch for if that's important to you - it seems to be a design fault that affects all of them.

Its a great upgrade and its the best phone I've ever used. If it had Wireless charging I'd buy another right now as a spare!

sambartle said:

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Nokia have added their own File manager (Files) but its tiny and works well.. It replaces downloads on the 5X.
...

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Click to collapse

That is the stock file manager, was also present on the 5X, so I did not mention it. On the 5X it is reachable from the storage settings, but with Android Oreo has virtually replaced the Downloads app. In fact they are the same app, only that the most recent has access to all the folders. On the Nexus it was still called Downloads in the launcher, while on the Pixel and on this Nokia is called Files. In the apps settings of the Nexus 5X instead it was correct as "Files".

sambartle said:

...
Oh and one other very minor issue.. the NFC reader is weird. It works fine for payments on a chip and pin terminal, but it cant read NFC chips in passports or bank cards, or the little stickers.. it just doesn't work. Just something to watch for if that's important to you - it seems to be a design fault that affects all of them.

Its a great upgrade and its the best phone I've ever used. If it had Wireless charging I'd buy another right now as a spare!

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Unfortunately in Italy Android Pay isn't yet available, so I cannot try payments via NFC. I have an AiO Printer with an NFC tag for download the Epson app, then a passive tag, like those in passports or credit card and it work properly. I think the NFC antenna is placed near the protective glass of the camera, because it is sensitive there. Just a touch in that area on the tag and it works, even with a cover (which moves the glass away from the surface). Rather I believe there are bugs in the management services of the NFC, it seems that sometimes it goes on standby even when the screen is on, not working until it is deactivated and then reactivates.
Unfortunately, the wireless charging goes against the metal body But charging via cable is very fast, even with the Nexus 5X charger and the battery life is surprising despite the relatively small battery, it double my old 5X.

Petite_Mort said:

You have been most helpful, I appreciate the feedback! :good:
It seems I'm gonna wait a bit to check out the Nokia 9 and Nokia 8 (2018) that are supposed to come out these next few days.
Overall you've validated my suspicions thus far. Add the ported Google Camera I keep reading around here and things are looking swell! :silly:

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Click to collapse

I think there will not be a Nokia 8 2018 already, rather a new color (Sirocco, shiny gold at Nokia style ). It would be a contradiction, since the 9 still shares much of the hardware with the 8. There would be too much overlap in the range.
I think it will remain the current Nokia 8, as high end device at a good price and the new Nokia 9 with an 18:9 display and maybe a photographic section at a higher level, all at higher price. Probably all exclusive for China in the first months (Nokia 8 Sirocco and Nokia 9).
Our Nokia 8, as a camera hardware is not bad, confirmation is given by the third-party apps, they have to work on the software and a new app seems to be coming out, with full Zeiss collaboration.

However, the January patches have already arrived at all, hmd is confirmed good about updates. I am very satisfied