So, I’m going to try to make the case for more “budget phone” coverage.
Right now, I’m using a BLU Energy XL. Big display, BIG battery, USB-C charging, 3GB of RAM, 64GB storage, microSD slot, fingerprint sensor. I can watch 1% uptick per minute while it’s on the charger. Yes, I replaced the launcher with ASUS’s ZenUI, and Chrooma keyboard, I imagine it’s running 5.0 because it’s a known variable, and they can tweak out more battery-life than they could 6.0, which has been promised before the year is out. I've had it for two months, and love it.
I’m using Google Drive and Docs constantly, a few niche apps, and search for work. Camera use is primarily to get a “look, I did it” photo that I email to the boss.
When I’m not at work, it’s music, podcasts, and some social media.
About the only unusual thing I do on this device is reading; Kindle, Nook, OverDrive, Play Books, and Zinio for Libraries.
But here’s the thing that separates the “budget” buyer from the “flagship” buyer; we don’t expect it to be perfect.
I’ve got a coworker that just laid-down $1300 for a flagship and watch combo. He likes it, but there are these two or three things that annoy him, he admitted when I asked him about it. I asked him if he tried any alternative apps that might work better for him. <blink>What?<blink/> He had paid for, and fully expected, perfection. The typical Budget phone buyers don’t. Replace the launcher, the keyboard? Sure. Want burst-mode on the camera? OpenCamera is right there in the Play Store. It’s not quite at the sudo apt-get install whatever level that we have in Linux, but it’s not like you can’t make a few choices...
Here are the Android devices I’ve had over the years, and the OS version they’ve run, just for the sake of comparison;
Samsung Exhibit II - 2012 - Android 2.3.5
Nexus4 and Nexus7 - 2013, Android 4.2, 4.4, 5.0, 5.1. and 6.0 (on the Nexus7)
Nexus5 - 2014 - Android 4.4, 5.0, and 5.1.
BLU Studio Energy - 2015 - Android 4.4
ASUS Zenfone2 - 2015 - Android 6.0
BLU Energy XL - 2016 - Android 5.0