[General Topics] Bolumstar:
Have you ever wondered why the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra retails at $1,000 while Realme GT with the same processor and 120Hz Amoled Screen retails at $460 - less than half the price of the Samsung?

Today, I will discuss how most Android phone manufacturers cut corners to sell many Android phones cheaply without most users knowing.

Is this really a bad thing? Em! The Answer is not a straight yes or no as I'll explain shortly.

However, we will focus on one act of cutting corners that proves costly when your Android screen breaks or the Touch screen stops working - the USB Alt mode!

A rich feature of Android that should be on every Android phone, but it's not, and most OEMs who sell phones cheaper don’t want you to know.

But if You'd like to know more about it, let’s go check it out.

Before we go into the USB ALT mode,

How do Android OEMs keep cutting corners and selling phones cheap?

The most straightforward answer is the Android Midrange phone segment!

As Android Midrange phones got better and better over the past three years, more premium features like Flagship processors, top quality camera sensors, NFC, super quick charging, bigger batteries, 120Hz refresh rate AMOLED screens and more. You don't need to spend $1000 to get a good Android phone. $400 - $500 will give you a good Android phone that serves all your phone needs and there are plenty of options in this top midrange segment.

Wireless charging, IP certification for dust and water resistance, latest camera sensors and optical image stabilisation may just be the few features exclusive to premium Android Flagship phones. The reality is over 90% of Android phone users can comfortably use their phones without wireless charging and IP certification. Which means that Android OEMs can continue to cut corners, sell phones cheaper and still keep the majority of the users happy.

You may already know that Android OEMs reduce premium glass back down to cheap plastic, Replace Aluminium phone chassis with plastic and use a two-year-old processor in their midrange phone. However, they cut a corner that you probably haven't heard about yet.

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While Android OEMs can cramp in more hardware into midrange phones, these hardwares are poorly Utilized. Top-end processors - poor cooling system, great camera sensor - no optical image stabilization. I can go on and on about underutilized hardware in Android midrange phones. It gets even worse when it comes to software optimisation in Android midrange and Flagship killers.

You barely get 2 years of Android OS upgrade, security updates don’t come monthly and after sale support amongst Android midrange is next to none. If you think this is all, just fasten your seat belt cause we are about to take off.

The USB Alternative mode exposes how Android OEMs cut deep corners to the detriment, growth and robustness of the Android ecosystem.

What is USB ALT Mode?

USB ALT Mode is a functional extension of USB type C which enables USB connections to carry non-USB signals. ALT MODES are optional capabilities that are unique to the USB-C connector or port that allow technologies like Display Port, Thunderbolt, reversible charging, transmitted via USB-C.

The USB ALT mode allows your Android phone to deliver up to 4k video at 60FPS from your USB C port, charge another device, Receive digital sound or multiple joystick connections all from your USB C port. Let's stick to the USB C display out function because several Android Flagship devices already have this function.

So, How do Android Phone Manufacturers avoid adding a display port to their phone's USB C?

The easiest way Android OEMs cut this corner is simple - continue to use USB C v2.0 instead of V3.1 and beyond. USB ALT MODE Display port requires USB C v3.1 and Above therefore, Android OEMs stick with USB C v2.0 and boom, no need to talk about Display port

Let's take a little quiz - Is your current Smartphone using USB C v2.0, 3.0, 3.1 or 3.2?

Let's make it practical. The Realme GT2 Pro and the OnePlus 10 Pro are similar devices or a clone of each other as they share the same specs in everything but one. The Oneplus 10 Pro costs 18% higher than Realme GT 2 Pro and you want to know how Realme cut that corner? The GT 2 Pro Uses USB type C v2.0, While the Oneplus 10 pro uses USB type C v3.1 with a display port function

So, what’s my point?

There will be no need for me to make a series of videos on how to access or use your phone with a dead or broken screen if your USB-C is also a display port. It could have been the same way you plug in an external monitor to your Laptop, PC or Mac when the internal screen is bad or not good enough.

USB ALT Mode was released in 2014 and 8 years later, it is not available in any Android Midrange phones.

Sadly, Google was the first Android OEM that failed to implement the USB Alt mode display port when the Pixel 2 launched with USB-C v3.1 in 2017. Maybe Google trying to sell more Chromecast devices contributed to that as it. Today, Chromecast is probably half dead and Google still disabled USB C display out for recent Pixel phones.

In 2018, Samsung implemented the USB ALT mode Display port with the debut of the Samsung Galaxy S8 series. However, Samsung had to add their interest to display port, launched Samsung Dex and sold a composite product - the Dex Duck- for over $100 if you want to use the display port features in all its glory. Samsung Dex didn’t turn out so successful and my $5 knockoff adapter works fine for USB C to HDMI display and enables Samsung Dex if I connect the charger. I will put a link to the adaptor in the video description. It is also available for iPhones starting from the iPhone 6s.

There is no way I will end this video without mentioning Xiaomi. Four years after Samsung started using USB-C v3.1 and display port in its flagship phone, Xiaomi’s 2022 flagship Mi 12 Pro is still stuck with USB-C v2.0. USB ALT mode Display Port cannot be implemented with USB-C v2.0 so, don’t bother checking.

Xiaomi has migrated into the Android Top tier of premium phones but somehow, still cuts corner. The Mi 11 Ultra that retailed for $1100 for the base configuration - a true premium flagship Android phone from Xiaomi. However, corners were still cut because the Mi 11 Ultra had a USB-C v2.0 without the Display port function of the USB ALT mode. How do you sell a phone over $1000 dollar with USB C v2.0? I will put a list of Android devices that support USB-C display port in the video description, do check it out before thinking of your next phone.

I just feel that Android OEMs should stop this madness of upping the specs each year without maximising the available Hardware features in improving software experience.

so, focusing on hardware/software optimizations will do the Android ecosystem a whole world of Good.

I really recommend Samsung for giving 4 years of Android OS upgrade from S22 series and I want Google and other Android OEMs to do likewise for all Android phones.

Let me know what you think in the comment section. Do you think Android OEMs should focus on improving the general software experience more than just specs sheets?