From the Editor's Desk: We like different phones, and that's OK

Diversity in Android means we can disagree on the 'best' phone, but still both have a great phone.

This week I wrote a three-month follow-up to our Pixel review, keeping up our tradition of returning to high-profile devices several months on to see how they've held up over time. As seems to be the case any time we talk about our favorite phones, there's a large amount of dissent in the comments section and on Twitter saying how far off base we are about determining that a phone is still the best.

There are a half-dozen great high-end phones available at any given time.

The argument usually boils down to "but it doesn't have x feature or y feature, which I always use." What's glossed over in these arguments is that you can absolutely be correct that this phone may not be right for you because it's missing a feature you want — but at the same time I can still say the Pixel and Pixel XL are the best phones available today. The diversity of the Android market — even when we're only talking about high-end, expensive phones — is still strong enough to give you several great phones to choose from at any given time.

You see, even our "best android phone" article is a list with multiple options on it. Sure we've determined that the Pixel still sits at the top, but at this point we also include the Galaxy S7, OnePlus 3T and Huawei Mate 9 as viable "best" alternatives for people with different tastes. We heartily recommend (and use ourselves) all four of those phones, and chances are you can find one in the group that appeals to you more than the rest.

They all offer different combinations of features for those who just have to have something specific. For people who aren't so discerning about one feature or spec, though, they're probably going to enjoy the phone we consider the top in the group: the Google Pixel. So understand that just because we have determined one to be the top of the heap doesn't mean your choice isn't also valid; this isn't a zero-sum game, there can (and will) be multiple winners here.

And with that, few more thoughts on the week that was:

• We're finally going to see the official launch of Android Wear 2.0 in a couple of weeks, alongside some new hardware. The platform desperately needs this injection of excitement.
• Now that the Nougat update has landed for my OnePlus 3T, I've tossed a SIM back in it to see how it is.
• So far all seems good. It's fast, clean and now has the latest Android features. Just a fantastic phone for only $439.
• Finally caved and bought Bose QC35 headphones. Even though I already had noise-cancelling headphones, the over-ear design on the Bose is dramatically more comfortable for all of the travel I do. The noise cancellation is top notch as well.

Have a great week, everyone.

-Andrew

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