Published Apr 25, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT Jon Gilbert is a Features Writer for Android Police. I've covered Android since 2021, focusing on writing features and guides about Android apps and features that directly affect users. I've attended CES to uncover powerful hardware that isn't dominated by Google like the Mudita Kompakt. I trawl through Android news daily, hunting for stories that have real-world consequences. I hold a BA in History & Classics.  It's no secret that modern phones have become boring. Samsung is content to recycle the same look year after year, and Google hasn't made a substantial change since the Google Pixel 7. However, some might argue that this isn't a problem. Phones are tools, after all, so why fix what isn't broken? Better for a phone to be boring, but effective, rather than exciting, but impractical. We have to look elsewhere to find visually striking phones, but there we see the pitfalls inherent in such a strategy.…