What phone are you using in 2023?

[E-waste]

7 hours ago, Nalyk said:

What added functionality does what you mentioned offer.

Not mainly about functionality, but software freedom, no google data collection, or related services, possibly longer battery runtime, and possibly, depending on community support, which would be more heavily concentrated if there were not so many different android models, could and usually does offer at least two or three extra years or more of extra android system upgrades, security patches, after official support has stopped.

 

This support, offered free of charge, could be more if our tech community would settle on a small number of brands, and of those, a select few, (no more than three or four) models of each brand.  This would tighen the focus of android firmware developers publishing LineageOS and other software support. If you have any interest in any of this, start looking at xda forums as soon as possible, as updates will quickly patch the bootloader to be locked and so far, no one has broken the security yet.  Once that happens, you are stuck with "official" software upgrades, and when they stop, you will eventually be force to purchase a new device to continue using new programs.

 

With that said, my device is still on Android 8.0 and still allows current app support, so it is significantly slower than it is for apple devices, where software support for apps stop after about two years.

[venomtail]

After 5 long years with my LG V30 being on its last legs, I upgraded to an S23+. So far great phone, love the gesture navigation, best thing made. A wonderful phone that I would never but again cause Samsung are just scammers. In fact I've burned all the bridges now and will never buy another Samsung product. Will always only consider their competitors now.

 

Bad timing for Samsung as well cause I need a new TV, Fridge, Washing machine, Dryer, Dishwasher, Oven, Hob, vacuum cleaner and other appliances. Samsung is now off the list leaving me with Bosch, LG, AEG or Miele.

[E-waste]

13 hours ago, venomtail said:

After 5 long years with my LG V30 being on its last legs,

https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/root-your-lg-v30-and-custom-roms-faq.3927154/

 

You might want to look for LineageOS support for the samsung device before updates patch unlocking bootloader.

[Commodus]

On 9/29/2023 at 3:20 PM, E-waste said:

This is a tough, nigh impossible argument you put forth!  At what point will you find a device's camera quality acceptable enough to keep and not upgrade?  Is it just continuous improvement?  It seems the physical accessibility of taking out a device nearly always near you for photo capture is unbeatable by any other solution.

 

The fairphone 4 camera is not very good, it's dark with higher saturation, making things seem even darker.

 

Fairphone 5 has an odd issue where the preview has too high brightness, vs the capture, but overall camera quality is very good:

 

https://www.dxomark.com/fairphone-5-camera-test/

 

So, there are options to have your phone and keep it too!  For moments when you can take a regular camera with you, that would likely have far better quality than a smartphone, but most people don't want two devices and having everything in one device is just the current reality.

I wouldn’t say nigh-on impossible. Really, the goal is mirrorless camera quality with enough zoom to cover many shooting situations. Physical sensor sizes do limit the potential in some respects, but computational photography is rapidly closing that gap.

[venomtail]

9 hours ago, E-waste said:

https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/root-your-lg-v30-and-custom-roms-faq.3927154/

 

You might want to look for LineageOS support for the samsung device before updates patch unlocking bootloader.

Hardware on the phone is near dead.

 

• OLED has severe burn in.
• Numerous dead pixels.
• Batter health is at  40%.
• Headphone port is loose and green.
• Charging port is loose.
• Volume down sometimes doesn't work.
• Fingerprint scanner is dead.
• Back panel is coming off.
• Back and front glass is smashed.
• Camera is cracked.
• Rear Camera is blurry because of cracked glass over it.
• Front camera is blurry cause cracked glass is over it.
• Probs something else I've forgotten...

Nothing a rooted OS will solve. Phone has served end of life. Was a good one at that. Shame LG left the market. Really enjoyed the HI-FI headphone jack.

[Average Nerd]

Samsung Galaxy A52. I have it for around 4 years now and it still works fine. Fast charging decided to not exist anymore for unknown reasons but other than that nothing ever broke, despite it having to hold up to my (mostly) unintentional abuse.

[E-waste]

On 10/3/2023 at 6:13 AM, Average nerd said:

Fast charging decided to not exist anymore

It wears out your battery with high-heat charging.  You'll have a higher capacity battery overtime using a slow usb cable, which may take as much as 8 hours to charge your battery.  It can help even more to not drain below 15-20% and not charge past about 75%.

[Average Nerd]

9 hours ago, E-waste said:

It wears out your battery with high-heat charging.

That makes sense, what confuses me about that phenomenon is that it has been claiming to fast charge on the same 10W powerbrick I´m charging it with now, and now it doesn´t say "Fast Charging (estimated time to 100%)" anymore, but only "Charging (estimated time to 100%)", the charging time remained more or less the same though.

[RTX9080]

Galaxy S22 128GB Phantom Black. Probably going to keep it until the S25 comes out and then will upgrade to it shortly after when my carrier gives me a sweet deal.

[RabbidEwok]

iPhone 14 Pro, probably wait until the 16 or 17 to upgrade now. Though I’m not a fan of the titanium, I think it’s a very poor material to build a phone from and 100% inspired by marketing so they can somehow differentiate the 15 from the 14 and 13. 

[NavyCobra1417]

Just got the Pixel 8 Pro and loving it so far

[Poinkachu]

Still my S10e that I bought used.

What can I do, I like the size.

[FIXXX]

Poco X3 Pro

NIB for $200 at the start of 2022

[ewitte]

I have a pixel 6 pro.  There are only two issues I have.  First 128GB was once very good for me but now I wish for more.  Also, in the sun during summer it overheats so fast.  Didn't happen last summer but it was like 105 EVERY SINGLE DAY so I really didn't spend that much time out during the middle of the day.  Thinking about just getting a 512GB Pixel 7 pro it's like net $200-250 maybe $300 after ebay fees.

 

I haven't had an iPhone since the 3g.

[E-waste]

On 10/23/2023 at 4:53 PM, ewitte said:

Thinking about just getting a 512GB Pixel 7 pro it's like net $200-250 maybe $300 after ebay fees.

Seems like it would be more economical to use a device with expandable storage instead of purchasing a new device when you need more.

[ewitte]

On 10/24/2023 at 4:24 PM, E-waste said:

Seems like it would be more economical to use a device with expandable storage instead of purchasing a new device when you need more.

That would be if they still made devices like that, that people want anyway.  Plus, I always had issues with secondary storage not acting right (slower as well).  Generally, things like pictures are fine but apps don't always behave right.

[Anghammarad]

Nokia Lumia 830 and a Xiaomi Mi 12

[NavyCobra1417]

On 10/24/2023 at 2:24 PM, E-waste said:

Seems like it would be more economical to use a device with expandable storage instead of purchasing a new device when you need more.

It would be great if more high end devices still included expandable storage, but sadly that's not the market we have these days.

[E-waste]

2 hours ago, NavyCobra1417 said:

devices still included expandable storage

Sony brand includes sd slots, and, no camera notxhes!  And unlockable bootloaders with specific instruction.

[NavyCobra1417]

24 minutes ago, E-waste said:

Sony brand includes sd slots, and, no camera notxhes!  And unlockable bootloaders with specific instruction.

Yes, they are one of the few remaining who include such features in flagship devices.

 

I don't think the camera hole punch is that big of a deal. You really do stop noticing it after maybe a day or two.

 

They also cost well over $1000 for the Xperia 1 family

[E-waste]

4 hours ago, NavyCobra1417 said:

cost well over $1000

WOW!  Yeah, that's a bit much for a minature computer.  So if you want a guarenteed unlockable bootloader, sd card reader and an exceptional DAC chip, then go with one of the previous models, like the X, or the Z.

 

I think any phone over about 5" screen is way, way too unweildy.  In fact, I used to have a 4.7" android way back, and, I still could not operate it with just my thumb and still think that is too large.

 

I would like to try the really outdated 3G palm pre pebble devices, which had 3.1" screens.  Firefox branded models had 3.5" to 4" screens.  I think the keyboard buttons are way too small and an idiotic design, similar to the old windows mobile and blackberry devices, and for that reason, make on-screen keyboards far superior.

 

https://m.gsmarena.com/palm_pre-2726.php

 

Being able to operate a screen with one thumb would be great, especially in an emergency.

[NavyCobra1417]

4 minutes ago, E-waste said:

I think any phone over about 5" screen is way, way too unweildy.

That's gotta be rough with the current market 

 

Fortunately for me, I migrated to phablets years ago and am comfortable with screens up to 6.8" diagonal.

One handed use would certainly be nice to have again, but I'll personally take the trade off with advantages (media consumption, mobile productivity) aided by large screen phones.

[Ulvhamne]

Cat S61 bought on release and dropped on all sorts of surfaces so it looks adequately used with dented and scratched frame. 

Pixel 3a refurb bought this month, and force fed Ubuntu Touch, to test the waters to see if I can jump ship from Android. And yes, I will definitely never buy another android device. 

[E-waste]

On 10/27/2023 at 6:27 AM, Ulvhamne said:

Pixel 3a refurb bought this month, and force fed Ubuntu Touch, to test the waters to see if I can jump ship from Android.

How do programs like spotify and podcast programs work?

[Ulvhamne]

15 hours ago, E-waste said:

How do programs like spotify and podcast programs work?

Depends greatly on the level of support in the middleware layer, and since most programs do not have a proper version written by the company, you'll have to run them in waydroid. So far everything except TomTom GO has worked in waydroid for me. My government ID app, my banking app, spotify, parking apps and so on. There are some rough edges, but it works well enough for me to jump off the creepy spy daddy train. 

 

The native apps are a bit hobbyist, like how apps were in Android when it first hit a wider customer base but they work. I've been pondering actually looking into using the TomTom SDK to write a native app for myself. But, lazy. And also, I'd get UI code all over mysellf. 

 

It's definitely not for everyone, but I've lived most of my geek life being in the quirky edge zone with Linux, BSD and such stuff. But if the manufacturers start making phones with Ubuntu Touch (or the other ones that use the same middleware) then the customer base might grow and the app base will follow.