If the 650 USD sticker price (which inevitably end up being 700+ EUR) turns out to be true, I'm getting a Chinese phone, most likely a Xiaomi Mi5. I want updates from Google, but not to the tune of an extra 400 EUR. The OnePlus 3 is fine if you can handle 5.5".

I'm in the same boat as gp -- my Nexus 5 is dying, and I'm looking for something similar for under $500. The OnePlus 3 looks perfect, except they have a history of lying about android updates (promising rapid release then taking 7-8 months).

I don't think Google's new Pixel strategy will work well for them. My opinion is Android is inferior to Apple on almost every dimension and I own an android because it was $400 instead of $1k for iphone (7 is $650 + $100 for more than 32g storage + case + 3-5 headphone cables + applecare + tax). So I was hoping for a Pixel that was a good replacement for my Nexus 5 which just decided that using bluetooth should reboot the phone...

I guess I'm more of an Android "fan" in that I prefer it over iOS in general after using both fairly extensively. As is the norm, I find iOS to be a bit more polished than Android but a bit less forgiving when I want to do something that isn't the default behavior.

Granted these are more generalizations but they're a bit of a cliche for a reason. Still, the combination of a bit more flexibility and the ability to buy a Nexus (or that one time, a Moto X) for $350-450 instead of $650 and up for an iPhone has kept me in the Android camp for the past several years.

I've also been holding off on replacing my Nexus 5 and will still wait to see just what the word is on these new Pixel phones but I will say that the higher, more iPhone-like price means I'm likely to be less forgiving of minor issues or complaints that I'd just deal with on a device that costs 2/3 as much.

Just as my Asus laptop has a worse screen than a similar Macbook sold at the time but cost $950 instead of $2200 for otherwise similar specs, I have no problem accepting some tradeoffs for the right price. But if that Asus had be marked at $1950 compared to the $2200 Macbook, I might have just gone with the better viewing angles and better support record.

Still, it's all just speculation. We all make our purchasing decisions after we get a chance to evaluate all of the options. Until the devices and reviews show up, it's all a bit premature.

Check out the OnePlus 3. It's a "flagship killer" at a low price. I have one and it's excellent.

how's their update schedule for Security fixes and OS versions?

How botched are their security lockdown of their phones compared to the Nexus line?

Can't seem to find a list of CVE's fixed with each update (not in their changelogs, that they only post on the forum...) , based on that, they do not fix known security problems.

I was waiting for the Pixels, but the OnePlus 3 looks awesome for the price! How is the camera on that phone? I remember researching OnePlus 2 a while back, and it was the camera that killed it for me.

The camera is much improved from the OnePlus 2. AnandTech did a review here: http://www.anandtech.com/show/10411/the-oneplus-3-review/5

But are they still doing that ridiculous "invite-only" buying model? I really wanted to get a OnePlus One when it came out but they wouldn't ever let me give them money for one.

Not anymore, AFAIK. Starting with the OP3 they switched to an instant purchase model.

They don't.