Ask HN: Why are Android phones such a scam?
My problem is the Android support. Why does every Android phone get depreciated after a couple of years? It pisses me off because I feel gamed. It's not about the money, but the principle. I don't need to buy a phone every two years. I want to keep my phone until the battery dies. That usually means four to six years and with newer battery technology, probably even longer.
Is there a solution to this? I considered LineageOS but my banking apps won't work without the secure Android environment and I really don't want to mess with that, because even if its secure and I get it working, an update could leave me stranded without money.
It sort of blows my mind that even in this supposedly competitive market there isn't a single decent option for an average guy like me.
32 comments
[ 7.9 ms ] story [ 79.4 ms ] threadAnything one actually needs to do on the Internet is far easier to do with a desktop / real computer client, as opposed to any phone.
Phones are far more signifiers of tribal allegiance than useful, functional objects now.
Sadly we're getting more and more locked into having a smart phone to get around unless you're filthy rich or off the grid.
I managed to avoid "Smartphones" until getting a Moto Power G (2021) last year when they killed 3g phones. The first thing I did was remove all the apps for social media, and turned off Email notifications. If you need to reach me, you call (and play nice with Google's screening service), or send a letter in the mail.
Smartphones are great for running Termux/SimH/VAX780/Open VMS 7.2 and engaging in a bit of nostalgia... oh and Pokemon Go.
I don't try to do serious computing on them.
For specific Apple hate, I have a different rant: about how Steve Jobs founded a more pernicious cult than Scientology, brilliantly adapting the lessons of previous efforts while improving their efficiency, by dispensing with the humility and humanity that had hampered others.
Why do you feel you need to change phones every 2 years? The hardware is probably fine unless your carrier of choice completely changes their network. The software will still work, although security fixes might be less frequent (it seems those are done for about 4 years, though 3rd-party distributors like Motorola might not honour that).
Are you sure your perception that you need a new phone every couple years isn't being driven by marketing and contracts?
And right now, my phone is not usable even if the battery was still good because the banking apps now refuse to operate due to the security environment being depreciated.
So I think the actual physical performance of the phone is more of an issue than the OS.
That said, the phone is definitely usable - as a phone and probably for texts and many other apps. But if the 2-4 year lifespan of your banking app is the issue, maybe just use it on the desktop or through a browser instead of the dedicated app. As long as you can get a recent-ish browser installed on your phone, you might be able to use the web banking interface (not all banks have mobile-friendly versions, admittedly).
And yes, I believe the official stance of Google with regards to updates is 2 years of updates followed by 2 more years of security-only updates. Other manufacturers may do less than that, which is one reason I get the Pixel phones.
- Pixel 8 phones will get guaranteed Android version updates for at least 7 years until at least 2030. [1]
- Recent Samsung models seem to offer longer 5+ years of updates, too.
Also, perhaps the budget Android phones seem to have shorter support windows (like if you got a Pixel 8 in 2028 the 7+ years may seem more like 2)
And Apple devices tend to get longer support.
[1]: https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/4457705?hl=en#z...
But android severely suffers from “too many cooks in the kitchen” problem beyond their common challenges.
I understand why you might like an app - but is it actually a need? If so, why?
In the UK it's SMS, call, or in app approval. In app requires biometrics, or failing that usually a complicated two stage password.
On the other hand, if you are willing to spend $500+, you often can use them for 10+ years if you take good care of them (strong case to protect the screen, reduce humidity, replace battery when needed).
I have a 15 year old bog standard Toshiba satellite which wasn't expensive.
You don't get what you pay for with hardware at all.
Seems fine. No doubt could be better but works ok.
I don’t think it gets major new releases but the software still seems to get some sort of updates.
My son got a Google phone the key factor being software updates.
I've had both Apple and Google hardware become unusably slow on me after getting a big OS update. I don't know if it's aggressively planned obsolescence or just bad software, but either way I'm done buying hardware from them. I've never had a bad experience with Galaxy phones so I'll stick with those.
Motorola/Lenovo are one of the most notorious Android OEMs for poor software support.
Android Enterprise Recommended devices used to have a 3/5 year software update requirement, but this was dropped a few years ago.
Your best bet is either the Google Pixel 8 or Samsung Galaxy S24 as they come with 7 years of software support.
ALL smartphones are a scam. They're designed to slurp as much cash as possible out of the customer. Once upon a time, you could plug any phone into any computer and transfer files back and forth easily. Try doing that today. "Oh, you want to access that photo? Pay here."
I seriously think about getting a non-Western phone brand like Huawei for my next phone.