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> Despite inflation numbers falling through the quarter and ongoing strength in the job market, consumers hesitated to upgrade their devices amid market uncerta

> Despite inflation numbers falling through the quarter and ongoing strength in the job market, consumers hesitated to upgrade their devices amid market uncertainty.” > Apple’s resilience was driven by strong promotions across postpaid and prepaid. Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile continued to offer $800+ promo credits for the iPhone 14 while old-generation iPhones were also steeply discounted across prepaid. We are seeing no weakness in the overall promotional activity. Perfect storm, especially for a broke-ass like me. When it stops being about features and starts being about "cheap"... Then again, I'm going dumb phone next month, which is _even cheaper_. Take that, smartphone market!

salad-tycoon 3y ago
What did you settle on? I’m starting to fantasize this reality too. I have an iPhone now.
- mydriasis 3y ago
  I'm going to be getting a Nokia 6300 4G. Smart enough to have google maps, dumb enough to stay out of my head. I've been recommended to "just get a GPS" -- they're like $300, and I'm cheap :) so my dumpy little phone will have to do the job. That's like, the #1 thing I _really need_ out of a phone; the rest is distracting trash. The best part is that you can pay _ridiculously low_ prices month to month through various carriers. Like $15 / month in the US, on top of the phone being $70. Good stuff in my opinion. I thought I was getting off good with ~$45 a month for Google Fi.
  - the_third_wave 3y ago
    > I've been recommended to "just get a GPS" -- they're like $300, and I'm cheap :) Get a second-hand Android device for those tasks, install LineageOS and F-Droid/Aurora Droid, don't put in a SIM card and you're set for much less than $300. You'll be running free software - e.g. OsmAnd for mapping using off-line maps, no connectivity necessary - and you won't be feeding Google (et al) your data as you will using that Nokia. The battery will last a long time with connectivity disabled as well, longer than that on those $300 GPS receivers.
    - mydriasis 3y ago
      ... This is a _fascinating_ idea. I have a Pixel 4a right now, can I install this stuff on there and just switch to a dumb phone entirely for... phone purposes? It looks [0] like this shouldn't be too tough... [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgNWaORMM9I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgNWaORMM9I
      - 6581 3y ago
        >I have a Pixel 4a right now, can I install this stuff on there GrapheneOS is available for the 4a.
        saltcured 3y ago
        To be clear, there is no need to replace the stock firmware unless you are taking a hard ideological stance. You can install F-Droid on most any Android phone, then install OSMAnd+ from F-Droid over WiFi, download some maps, and then turn off the networks to use it offline as a GPS-only device. Replacing the firmware with something de-googled would make it more certain that don't login with a Google account during initial phone setup nor send any telemetry during that period before you go offline, or if you go back online eventually for map updates etc. Also, if you're going to use it offline as just a "GPS tool", you might not care about other issues like getting firmware updates. It won't be subject to attack if you're offline and not browsing the internet...
        mydriasis 3y ago
        Gotcha -- okay! I'll check out F-Droid first. Thanks!!
- sourcecodeplz 3y ago
  That's just an exercise though really. You NEED a smartphone nowadays for everyday life: banking, gym access, maps, etc.
  - mydriasis 3y ago
    I really don't. I exercise at home. I can just go to the bank, or if I have a balance inquiry, call them. They also have a desktop web application that I can use. The only one I really need on that list is maps, which my dumpy trash-heap will have.
  - FourHand451 3y ago
    Perhaps I'm out of the loop, but why do you need a smartphone for gym access?
  - lrvick 3y ago
    Not had a smartphone or even a cell phone plan in years. I live in silicon valley and run a b2b company. I manage bank accounts, travel a lot, keep up with friends, clients, and peers, etc etc, and get by fine with looking up directions before I leave with a paper map as a backup. Turns out you actually do not NEED a phone. I have a very digitally connected lifestyle which makes it that much more important I be -disconnected- whenever a workstation screen is not in front of me so I can be -present- in whatever I am doing or with whomever I am doing it with.
    - davidf18 3y ago
      [dead]
  - eimrine 3y ago
    You can have a non-ios non-android device for maps, visit a non-requiring a smartphone gym, use a plastic card instead of NFC and a website instead of bank app. Also use phone/email for voice/text conversations instead of 14 apps every one of which are full of ads.
    - 3y ago
rootusrootus 3y ago
I have a love/hate relationship with Verizon. Okay, more often hate/hate, but still. They have the best network in this area when we're out in the sticks. But their pricing is pretty high. They'll offer $800 on a new iPhone, and then the credit comes one month at a time over 36 months. Meanwhile, you're paying $70-80 per phone. You might as well take the upgrade when available, if you're going to stick with them, because otherwise you're just paying for other people's upgrades. I'd switch to Visible (the Verizon prepaid) and pay half the price, except they don't yet support standalone Apple watches. So we continue to pay almost $200/mo for a family of four (with only two real smartphones), because of those watches. Some day the kids will be old enough that my wife will let them have smartphones, and we'll switch to some plan that costs half as much.
- ethbr0 3y ago
  I switched to prepaid MVNO because I didn't want to do research everytime I made a billing decision with Verizon / ATT. Give me a monthly price. Give me a monthly data number. Then stop talking.
  - mydriasis 3y ago
    This is exactly the route I plan to take :)
  - selykg 3y ago
    Yup, there are plenty of MVNOs out there that operate on your choice of network. I use US Mobile, which I'm generally happy with. I haven't even had to think about it really for the past 2 years. Better yet, there was a recent price reduction, instead of a price increase as I was almost always dealing with on Verizon or AT&T. I think I went from $25/mo to $21/mo.
  - throw9away6 3y ago
    Att prepaid 16gigs at 300 a year is a deal.
- mydriasis 3y ago
  What a wreck. Then, I'm never surprised. It's always been a rip-off built on having the "next best thing" at all times. Well, a price is paid for that, as you demonstrate. Blech!
codyb 3y ago
Ha, what a world! I've known that Apple's actually been fairly competitive from a cost benefit analysis wise for a long time at the hardware level but it's very funny to see a comment associating Apple with being the cheaper option. Edit: I see you answered below ;-) Which dumbphone are you getting? (Nokia) That's awesome. I've been doing a PHONEVORCE lately... it's been several years in the making as I've shed all social media, and deleted and blocked nearly everything that I can waste time on with my phone. Now my phone use is for looking at maps, checking which aircraft are nearby, email, and direct messaging. It's pretty calm! I'm reading more, mental health seems very good, I learn neighborhoods really well cause I don't use GPS. It's really nice not staring at that fucking box all the time.
- mydriasis 3y ago
  Omg I've been describing it as a phone divorce as well. For all the same reasons. With all of the same external requirements like maps. ... Are you me?
  - codyb 3y ago
    haha! Oddly enough... my middle name is Sam no less!
ars 3y ago
> going dumb phone next month, which is _even cheaper_ You sure it's cheaper? I've been unable to find a dump phone for a good price - a used smartphone on eBay is far far cheaper. Also a Chinese android phone, and just don't use the "smart" parts.
- mydriasis 3y ago
  Yeah, $70 for a new Nokia! Not bad if you ask me.
trashface 3y ago
I also don't want to spend a lot of money on phones and when my last android phone broke (dropped it one too many times and the glass shattered) I got an iPhone SE. But I kind of hate it. When the better goes (which will only be a few years, I'm amazed at how poor the capacity is, you really don't get a lot of value with low end apple phones) I'm going to switch back to cheap android with a big battery. I'm a low-usage phone user so android was fine for me.
- simonh 3y ago
  For me the sweet spot is an SE with a battery case. A ‘full size’ phone still wouldn’t cut it with my usage, so this way it’s heavy, but still fairly compact and gets the job done.

salad-tycoon 3y ago

What did you settle on? I’m starting to fantasize this reality too. I have an iPhone now.

mydriasis 3y ago
I'm going to be getting a Nokia 6300 4G. Smart enough to have google maps, dumb enough to stay out of my head. I've been recommended to "just get a GPS" -- they're like $300, and I'm cheap :) so my dumpy little phone will have to do the job. That's like, the #1 thing I _really need_ out of a phone; the rest is distracting trash. The best part is that you can pay _ridiculously low_ prices month to month through various carriers. Like $15 / month in the US, on top of the phone being $70. Good stuff in my opinion. I thought I was getting off good with ~$45 a month for Google Fi.
- the_third_wave 3y ago
  > I've been recommended to "just get a GPS" -- they're like $300, and I'm cheap :) Get a second-hand Android device for those tasks, install LineageOS and F-Droid/Aurora Droid, don't put in a SIM card and you're set for much less than $300. You'll be running free software - e.g. OsmAnd for mapping using off-line maps, no connectivity necessary - and you won't be feeding Google (et al) your data as you will using that Nokia. The battery will last a long time with connectivity disabled as well, longer than that on those $300 GPS receivers.
  - mydriasis 3y ago
    ... This is a _fascinating_ idea. I have a Pixel 4a right now, can I install this stuff on there and just switch to a dumb phone entirely for... phone purposes? It looks [0] like this shouldn't be too tough... [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgNWaORMM9I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgNWaORMM9I
    - 6581 3y ago
      >I have a Pixel 4a right now, can I install this stuff on there GrapheneOS is available for the 4a.
      - saltcured 3y ago
        To be clear, there is no need to replace the stock firmware unless you are taking a hard ideological stance. You can install F-Droid on most any Android phone, then install OSMAnd+ from F-Droid over WiFi, download some maps, and then turn off the networks to use it offline as a GPS-only device. Replacing the firmware with something de-googled would make it more certain that don't login with a Google account during initial phone setup nor send any telemetry during that period before you go offline, or if you go back online eventually for map updates etc. Also, if you're going to use it offline as just a "GPS tool", you might not care about other issues like getting firmware updates. It won't be subject to attack if you're offline and not browsing the internet...
        mydriasis 3y ago
        Gotcha -- okay! I'll check out F-Droid first. Thanks!!
sourcecodeplz 3y ago
That's just an exercise though really. You NEED a smartphone nowadays for everyday life: banking, gym access, maps, etc.
- mydriasis 3y ago
  I really don't. I exercise at home. I can just go to the bank, or if I have a balance inquiry, call them. They also have a desktop web application that I can use. The only one I really need on that list is maps, which my dumpy trash-heap will have.
- FourHand451 3y ago
  Perhaps I'm out of the loop, but why do you need a smartphone for gym access?
- lrvick 3y ago
  Not had a smartphone or even a cell phone plan in years. I live in silicon valley and run a b2b company. I manage bank accounts, travel a lot, keep up with friends, clients, and peers, etc etc, and get by fine with looking up directions before I leave with a paper map as a backup. Turns out you actually do not NEED a phone. I have a very digitally connected lifestyle which makes it that much more important I be -disconnected- whenever a workstation screen is not in front of me so I can be -present- in whatever I am doing or with whomever I am doing it with.
  - davidf18 3y ago
    [dead]
- eimrine 3y ago
  You can have a non-ios non-android device for maps, visit a non-requiring a smartphone gym, use a plastic card instead of NFC and a website instead of bank app. Also use phone/email for voice/text conversations instead of 14 apps every one of which are full of ads.
  - 3y ago

rootusrootus 3y ago

I have a love/hate relationship with Verizon. Okay, more often hate/hate, but still. They have the best network in this area when we're out in the sticks. But their pricing is pretty high. They'll offer $800 on a new iPhone, and then the credit comes one month at a time over 36 months. Meanwhile, you're paying $70-80 per phone. You might as well take the upgrade when available, if you're going to stick with them, because otherwise you're just paying for other people's upgrades. I'd switch to Visible (the Verizon prepaid) and pay half the price, except they don't yet support standalone Apple watches. So we continue to pay almost $200/mo for a family of four (with only two real smartphones), because of those watches. Some day the kids will be old enough that my wife will let them have smartphones, and we'll switch to some plan that costs half as much.

ethbr0 3y ago
I switched to prepaid MVNO because I didn't want to do research everytime I made a billing decision with Verizon / ATT. Give me a monthly price. Give me a monthly data number. Then stop talking.
- mydriasis 3y ago
  This is exactly the route I plan to take :)
- selykg 3y ago
  Yup, there are plenty of MVNOs out there that operate on your choice of network. I use US Mobile, which I'm generally happy with. I haven't even had to think about it really for the past 2 years. Better yet, there was a recent price reduction, instead of a price increase as I was almost always dealing with on Verizon or AT&T. I think I went from $25/mo to $21/mo.
- throw9away6 3y ago
  Att prepaid 16gigs at 300 a year is a deal.
mydriasis 3y ago
What a wreck. Then, I'm never surprised. It's always been a rip-off built on having the "next best thing" at all times. Well, a price is paid for that, as you demonstrate. Blech!

codyb 3y ago

Ha, what a world! I've known that Apple's actually been fairly competitive from a cost benefit analysis wise for a long time at the hardware level but it's very funny to see a comment associating Apple with being the cheaper option. Edit: I see you answered below ;-) Which dumbphone are you getting? (Nokia) That's awesome. I've been doing a PHONEVORCE lately... it's been several years in the making as I've shed all social media, and deleted and blocked nearly everything that I can waste time on with my phone. Now my phone use is for looking at maps, checking which aircraft are nearby, email, and direct messaging. It's pretty calm! I'm reading more, mental health seems very good, I learn neighborhoods really well cause I don't use GPS. It's really nice not staring at that fucking box all the time.

mydriasis 3y ago
Omg I've been describing it as a phone divorce as well. For all the same reasons. With all of the same external requirements like maps. ... Are you me?
- codyb 3y ago
  haha! Oddly enough... my middle name is Sam no less!

ars 3y ago

> going dumb phone next month, which is _even cheaper_ You sure it's cheaper? I've been unable to find a dump phone for a good price - a used smartphone on eBay is far far cheaper. Also a Chinese android phone, and just don't use the "smart" parts.

mydriasis 3y ago
Yeah, $70 for a new Nokia! Not bad if you ask me.

trashface 3y ago

I also don't want to spend a lot of money on phones and when my last android phone broke (dropped it one too many times and the glass shattered) I got an iPhone SE. But I kind of hate it. When the better goes (which will only be a few years, I'm amazed at how poor the capacity is, you really don't get a lot of value with low end apple phones) I'm going to switch back to cheap android with a big battery. I'm a low-usage phone user so android was fine for me.

simonh 3y ago
For me the sweet spot is an SE with a battery case. A ‘full size’ phone still wouldn’t cut it with my usage, so this way it’s heavy, but still fairly compact and gets the job done.