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I never broke a phone, not even scratched the screen but I feel force to buy a new one every 3 years because they become obsolete (I guess apps require more and
by pachico 3y ago
I never broke a phone, not even scratched the screen but I feel force to buy a new one every 3 years because they become obsolete (I guess apps require more and more memory to the point I cannot have two open at the same time, which kills my ability to pay online).
I bought a Framework laptop for the same reason and I successfully managed to upgrade it, not repair it!
Is there a phone that allows me to upgrade over time and not only fix it?
- ilkke 3y agoI have the same problem and no real solution. FWIW I've been able to make my (mid-range android) phone last for 7+ years now by uninstalling some apps whenever memory becomes an issue. Also I update apps only when forced.
- tetris11 3y agoSamsung j3 mini, running Android 11. I think there's even a 12 Lineage available, but the current one is so stable as a daily driver that I don't feel the need.
- onion2k 3y agoIs there a phone that allows me to upgrade over time and not only fix it? Turning off app updates would have the same impact if you're right about the increasing memory requirements.
- pachico 3y agoI wish I could simply run 3 year old apps. In many cases I am not allowed, especially the bank ones, which are the ones that I cannot run in the background as the OS kills them.
- br3d 3y agoSorry if this is obvious, but have you tried the options in Settings to avoid the OS killing certain apps? On my Pixel it's Settings > Apps > App Battery Usage > (choose app) > Unrestricted
- pachico 3y agoNot obvious at all, my friend, or at least not to me. Unfortunately, I don't have such option in my Redmi but I'll look for something similar, thanks!
- digging 3y agoBank apps seem to be a bottleneck in many aspects of phone development. Are you not able to use your bank's mobile or desktop website in your phone's browser? I don't think I've ever installed a banking app. I also use a credit union though, maybe they're less incentivized to force people onto their apps.
- abdullahkhalids 3y agoMy Canadian bank occasionally will block a bank transfer if done from my computer. I have called customer support, and they can't even tell why the transfer is being blocked. Possibly because there is some opaque ML algorithm at the backend. Customer support has requested that I use the mobile app, and that usually allows the transfer.
- k__ 3y agoI noticed two ways. Either you don't get any updates and at one point you can't use any app because it's outdated. Or you get all updates and at one point you can't use any apps, because your phone became unbearably slow.
- pachico 3y agoYup, that's what I'm dealing with and it sucks. I am typing this from a phone that I am already considering replacing for this very same reason although it does everything well and I looks brand new (rubber case, screen protection, etc.). I understand phones are harder to upgrade because space is very limited but the e-waste we're generating (and the money impact) seems something that needs to be addressed.
- robertlagrant 3y ago> and the money impact I imagine if this is something that lots of people want, it will result in more alternatives, but also raised prices. So it might not save money, but it might well result in less waste.
- zelphirkalt 3y agoI think it is also about the use cases and apps you use. For example: I have 1 phone older than 10y serving as a music player, almost never having Internet connection, almost always being in airplane mode. Another phone as my normal phone, also nearing 10y old, with a screen that is partially broken, but still accepts touch input fine everywhere, inherited from someone else, used usually only for Signal and Hackernews reading, rarely browsing in Firefox, nothing really feeling slow. Then I have one much newer phone, but waaay cheaper phone and it felt terribly slow right from the start, got it only to separate concerns, and as a throwaway. Not sure what its issue is really. My point is that with reasonable apps old phones work just fine. Just don't install crap apps or facebook or something like that, stick to well working apps. Use a phone as a phone, not as your universal computing interface and you should be OK for a long time.
- xnickb 3y ago
- trenchgun 3y agoThere should not be a need. There is enough performance, and it has plateaued.
- ratg13 3y agoI also don't understand their comment. I've been buying either a flagship Android or iPhone every upgrade and don't remember not getting at least 5 years out of a phone. Even at 5 years I only ever felt like I was upgrading because it was 'time', not out of a direct need. I can only imagine a person getting 3 years out of a phone if they are buying junk.
- johnnyanmac 3y agoThey talk about online games. Mobile gaming has become night and day in the last 4-5 years, so if you're trying to play the newest ones you may not even meet minimum specs. I feel it's a temporary problem like PC's, where eventually they will plateau on performance and a 10YO potato will (eventually) be able to play 99% of "high end" games in some capacity, similar to how a Steam Deck can play most games (even most AAA) without special accomadations. But I imagine there will be at least 5-6 more years of moore's law before it falls off (like it did on PC around... 2015-6?) ---- could also just be a low end phone. My Asus ROG 5 lasted 2.5 ish years before it literally died (sent it in for repairs to the motherboard based on online symptoms, for 3 weeks. paid $100 for shipping... died 2 months later) and instead of buying a brand new phone I just purchased the same model for half the price I bought it at launch. Still chews through pretty much every game despite being 3 years old.
- doublepg23 3y agoI'm not sure if you've built a PC recently but 2016 is about when Ryzen was truly the better choice and gave Intel a swift kick in the butt. CPUs since then have gotten very nice gains YOY. Granted, GPUs are the usual bottlenecks for gaming yes.
- cogman10 3y agoI truly only upgrade my phone because it has fallen out of security support. I'd still be using my old Pixel 2 if it had security support. Fairphone looks mighty tempting with a replaceable battery as the only annoyance I have with my current phone (Pixel 6) is the battery is starting to lose steam.
- nicoco 3y agoI honestly don't think you have to. If banking apps are a bit slow, so what? I know that individual actions have limited impact, but do you realise what's at stake when it comes to environmental issues? FWIW I run a 6yo xiaomi and I avoid crapware, it's working fine, I can AV call, message, browse HN and other forums/links aggregator, navigate, track my sports and calories... The resources (some) apps and websites use are the issue. You're part of the educated crowd, resist, FFS.
- pachico 3y agoIt's not that they are slow. When I pay online, I need to confirm the payment through my bank app. When I switch to it, the browser or shop app closes and I cannot complete the transaction.
- nicoco 3y agoWow. Without a < 3 yo phone, it's not possible to switch between 2 apps without one of them being killed? When I think about my atari 1040ST and what it could do with a single core running at a few Mhz and a few hundred kilobytes of RAM, it makes me realise how wrong we've gone with smartphones. (before someone mentions it, I know that my atari didn't have wifi, couldn't play full HD videos, etc, and that it was harder to develop software for it, but still, something's off IMHO)
- pachico 3y agoAt least not with vanilla settings.
- 2muchcoffeeman 3y agoWhat phone and bank app is this? I have a 6 year old phone. I've never come across such issues.
- pachico 3y agoSpanish BBVA and Triodos bank apps combined with Brave browser on a redmi with 4+2 GiB of ram.
- rekoil 3y agoWhen the modular phone concepts appeared online (in the early '10s?) I was convinced that this was where it would take us, so when I heard about Fairphone, I really thought it was going to be that. Slightly disappointed it hasn't happened yet.
- lopis 3y agoI really really hope FairPhone has a plan to start making their phones upgradable. They gave us a taste of it with the 3T. The FP5 is so similar to the FP4. I imagine they will eventually be able to estabilize the design and start offering backwards compatible parts. Until the 4, the hardware was just not up to industry standards.
- whazor 3y agoYou would not upgrade from the 5 to a 6, as it would be a small upgrade. You would likely want to upgrade from a 3, but the design is too old, the cameras are too small, and probably other problems. I think we need a very stable upgradable base.
- lopis 3y agoBut that's what I mean. In 3-4 years I don't want to upgrade my phone, but if I need to replace some broken parts, it would be nice to be able to upgrade them. I replaced my FP3 cameras at the time with the better ones in that exact scenario.
- llamaInSouth 3y agoYou are one of the rare people that never broke a phone, probably.... or you just started using a cellphone... or you dont really use it or armored case, or something similar
- pachico 3y agoI lost one 20 years ago, that was the closest I've been to breaking one.
- zelphirkalt 3y agoIs it that rare? I also use smart phones for over 10 years and have never broken one, only inherited a broken screen one. And I have never even used protective hulls or anything. I sometimes do consider myself even rather clumsy and yet I still did not break a phone.
- DamonHD 3y agoI have been using mobile phones since at least the 90s and have never broken one. (Motorola Sapphire was my first, 1G, and I still have it somewhere. Powering it up would probably break several laws at this point. The SIM was an entire credit-card size also...)
- have_faith 3y agoI think I cracked a screen on a single phone. Maybe some small scratches on others. Historically I haven't used a case, but my current one uses one of those Apple ones that doesn't cover the screen.
- rglullis 3y agoThis is the one thing that is makes me feel a bit scammed about the Fairphone. When I bought the Fairphone 3 plus, they gave the impression they were going to stick with form factor and make the modules upgradeable. Those hopes were shattered when they came out with the Fairphone 4. I am just hoping now that I cling to this FP3 until frame.work gets bold enough to expand into phones as well.
- sspiff 3y agoIs this still the case? It certainly was in the early days of smartphones, where every update it felt like you needed double the memory to keep up. But I've been using devices with 4GB-6GB of memory for the past 8 years almost, and they don't feel that bad to use. My phone still has 6GB of memory and does all I want it to just fine.
- cassepipe 3y agoI am only buying second hand galaxy s7 (2106) and they work fine. If needed battery replacement is rather easy to do if you follow a tutorial. I use it watch youtube videos, browse the web (probably not the fastest but fast enough), use Google Maps, take pictures, listen to music. Basic phone usage you know.
- wkjagt 3y agoI’m using my original iPhone SE (2016). I replaced the battery a couple of weeks ago, and I’m often at 80% by the end of the day. For regular phone use, I find this phone is perfect. So small you don’t feel it in your pocket, and still does the basic things really well.
- cheese_van 3y agoWith WI-fi and all connection turned off (except simple texting with no images), and with all apps deleted that can be deleted, I have 80% remaining after a couple of weeks or more. I suppose its somewhat of a privilege to use a modern phone only as a phone, but there's a certain smug peace of mind to be had - as well as security. I'm also tempted to politely ask you to get off my lawn in the off-chance you are wondering about my demographic.
- rexreed 3y agoI also have some s7 but the version of android won't support the latest banking apps so it's becoming rapidly obsolete. What are you doing about app support on the android on s7?
- cassepipe 3y agoI haven´t had any problems with any app, even my banking app
- lucb1e 3y ago> I feel force to buy a new one every 3 years because they become obsolete Nowadays that's plainly not true anymore because chips hardly get faster year-to-year, but also my 2012 phone lasted 5 years before software support started to get mediocre for Android 4.4 (the hardware was still fast enough and the battery you could still replace in 20 seconds). I've only ever bought new phones for software support reasons (scheduled obsolescence) or because the GPS chip broke after they stopped supporting rooting and so I couldn't get it repaired (out of warranty) without forfeiting that. What phones do you buy that you feel they're unusably slow after only 3 years?!
- q0uaur 3y agomy asus zenfone 6 was a really great phone, but all updates stopped after just 2 years. It still has plenty of power, but due to not getting security updates since 2021 i feel i have to upgrade. getting the fairphone soon. it's really crazy how wasteful we're being with electronics in general. my old work laptop became unusable with windows 10, just extremely sluggish for even simple tasks. putting linux on it, its working great again (in fact writing this comment on it right now.) I wish we could put more focus on performance in the more mainstream products, but at least there's FOSS for people like me. can't wait until i can put an alpine linux on my phone someday.
- maga_2020 3y ago>it's really crazy how wasteful we're being with electronics in general. Indeed. from non-replaceable batteries, to weak headphone and charging port connections, to breaking cables, to mobile phone OSes. Most of consumer-oriented hardware manufacture seems to rely on obsolescent-by-design to get consumers to spend on the same type of device, in short cycles. Probably similar to the big pharma that may appreciate the economic benefits of a chronic diseases.
- Night_Thastus 3y agoPart of why people think they need to still swap phones is because of either battery degradation, or software bloat. Generally, a battery swap and a factory wipe would bring most people's phones back to an acceptable performance.
- sunshine_reggae 3y agoMy solution is to get rid of all but 1-2 apps. It's a truly liberating feeling.
- suslik 3y agoInteresting. I have iphone xs max which was made in 2018. It doesn't feel obsolete at all. Works great, in fact.
- ksec 3y agoI mean if you are on an iPhone. Replacing the battery every 2 years would have be enough for it to last 4 - 6 years before buying it for a new one. My only problem is replacing an iPhone battery is now $99.
- majani 3y agoUnfortunately this company would be hated by component manufacturers and they would actively sabotage it