Rant! Cell Phones.... ugh.

[Racer88]

I hate'em. But I've got to have one, eh? I much prefer to use landlines whenever possible. And I MUCH prefer my laptop for online activity. Cell phones SUCK by comparison.

When I buy a cell phone, I plan to keep it as LONG as possible. I'm amazed at how much people spend to get the latest cell phone every year or two.

I just had to order a new cell phone. My current OLD phone is from 2018. A Galaxy S9. It still works FINE. But more and more apps (and recently my banking app), when they require an update... The app is no longer compatible with the old operating system on my phone and won't install. So, I can't use some of the apps anymore. I've also lost some navigation functions with it when connected to my car.

The new phones are ridiculously expensive. And now they've built in obsolescence by stopping support and updates after a period of time. It's a scam! But what are ya gonna do, eh?

So, of course, I had to order a new case, new car mount, etc. And I have the whole transfer process to look forward to! Hooray!

 

[Bobster]

So what did you get? I'm still nursing my S9, haven't had any issues with nav. I would want a phone with buttons on both sides, so probably going to cross over to the dark side of an Iphone...

PS: who is your carrier? Are you selling the old S9?

 

[brian]

Loss of use of apps is a primary reason that nudges me to get a new phone. I went from a Samsung Galaxy S7 to an S23 if that gives an idea how long I try to keep them. The S7 battery wasn't lasting long either. After the expense and hassle of the swap, my biggest gripe is that they keep making the damn things bigger. I get that some people want a larger screen, but I can't be the only one who doesn't want to carry a phone-tablet.

 

[Racer88]

So what did you get? I'm still nursing my S9, haven't had any issues with nav. I would want a phone with buttons on both sides, so probably going to cross over to the dark side of an Iphone...

PS: who is your carrier? Are you selling the old S9?

I ordered an S26+ with 512GB of storage. The problem with the nav is that in my Subaru Outback, beside casting the map to the main screen on the center console, it also transmits the next turn (and distance to turn) on the "Combination Meter Display" (CMD) which lies between the speedo and tach on the main instrument cluster (in front of the driver). I don't like looking over at the map on the center console. But this "next turn" on the CMD is quite handy.

For some reason that "next turn" on the CMD quit displaying. And my research points to an outdated phone (and recently automatically updated car computer).

I've been with Verizon for probably over 20 years. I'm not selling the old S9. I'll be keeping it for security reasons and the fact that it has the Strelok ballistics app on it that cannot be updated or reloaded due to Russian origin and a change in the laws a few years ago.

Loss of use of apps is a primary reason that nudges me to get a new phone. I went from a Samsung Galaxy S7 to an S23 if that gives an idea how long I try to keep them. The S7 battery wasn't lasting long either. After the expense and hassle of the swap, my biggest gripe is that they keep making the damn things bigger. I get that some people want a larger screen, but I can't be the only one who doesn't want to carry a phone-tablet.

I agree. The S26 Ultra is also known as a "phablet." It's pretty big. And it carries an even higher premium. I want something that will slip into my pocket. The S26+ is "big" but can still slip into my pocket.

 

[Bobster]

I've been with Verizon for probably over 20 years. I'm not selling the old S9. I'll be keeping it for security reasons and the fact that it has the Strelok ballistics app on it that cannot be updated or reloaded due to Russian origin and a change in the laws a few years ago.

I still have my and my wife's 10+ year old S3s that I charge about every 3 months or when I remember. (doing that now ) The batts still hold a charge and there are some apps on them that are not replicateable.

ATT (over 25yrs) obsoleted the S3s several years ago by doing away with 3G. But ATT is one of the few carriers with reception at my range. I do not believe Verizon is one of them.

The family all got a new S3 Black Friday sale. The kids got maybe 2-3 years out of theirs before they killed them. They are both on newer Iphones that they have taken good care of since they bought the phones themselves...

 

[NavyVette]

I ordered an S26+ with 512GB of storage. The problem with the nav is that in my Subaru Outback, beside casting the map to the main screen on the center console, it also transmits the next turn (and distance to turn) on the "Combination Meter Display" (CMD) which lies between the speedo and tach on the main instrument cluster (in front of the driver). I don't like looking over at the map on the center console. But this "next turn" on the CMD is quite handy.

View attachment 39805

For some reason that "next turn" on the CMD quit displaying. And my research points to an outdated phone (and recently automatically updated car computer).

View attachment 39806

I've been with Verizon for probably over 20 years. I'm not selling the old S9. I'll be keeping it for security reasons and the fact that it has the Strelok ballistics app on it that cannot be updated or reloaded due to Russian origin and a change in the laws a few years ago.



I agree. The S26 Ultra is also known as a "phablet." It's pretty big. And it carries an even higher premium. I want something that will slip into my pocket. The S26+ is "big" but can still slip into my pocket.

I have a Galaxy Fold 4 which I am not upgrading anytime soon. I've never really "upgraded" I've replaced phones I have broken before though

GM vehicles of a certain level display turns on the HUD which is a very nice feature And, depending on my mode I can see it between the tach and speedometer on my truck too.

I agree that it is incredibly useful to not have to look to the center stack.

When a new song comes on my Pandora, or Sirius/XM, my truck also displays the new song's information on the HUD, and in between the tach and speedo if I am in that mode.

 

[Stephen G]

Yeaaaaa, I remember having to say goodbye to my J6 not so long ago.

Wait it gets better. Forced updates resetting 100% of your preferences that allow GOOGLE to monitor audio and VIDEO 24/7.
Because if you dont- your text app wont function or email wont work or ????

 

[Stephen G]

this just happened last week

 

[brian]

I'm not selling the old S9. I'll be keeping it for security reasons

I kept my S7. While I can't get SMS messages on it, it can still connect to WiFi and I keep it on hand by my PC as a spare device for the Google Authenticator app which I use for a lot of 2FA. As I am not glued to my phone like some people are, I don't always have it with me at the computer. Plus it is a spare in case the new one gets damaged.

 

[Racer88]

Wait it gets better. Forced updates resetting 100% of your preferences that allow GOOGLE to monitor audio and VIDEO 24/7.
Because if you dont- your text app wont function or email wont work or ????

That's easy to turn off. And OF COURSE your text and email will work FINE without voice commands.

Most of my texting is done through my laptop (which connects to the cell phone via "Phone Link"). I don't do voice-to-text. If I'm using my phone directly for texting, I type it in. Again... voice command is turned off on my phone. I don't ever get ads that correspond to eavesdropping by my phone like everyone reports. Why? Because I turned that shit off.

I don't use my phone for email at all. I use my laptop for that.

Whenever possible, I use a landline for calls, and I use my laptop for 99.9% of my online activity.

 

[Peepsight]

My phone is 7-8 yrs old, a Samsung A53 wifes is A51 older than mine. We use Straight Talk for service. Mines cost $117. Works good and wouldn't buy anything else which I mean unlocked. Can't see the sense of spending thousands on a phone that a couple hundred works just fine. Tell me what I'm missing, what can a expensive phone do that my type can't?

 

[Racer88]

My phone is 7-8 yrs old, a Samsung A53 wifes is A51 older than mine. We use Straight Talk for service. Mines cost $117. Works good and wouldn't buy anything else which I mean unlocked. Can't see the sense of spending thousands on a phone that a couple hundred works just fine. Tell me what I'm missing, what can a expensive phone do that my type can't?

That's a complex question. Without being able to compare the specs side-by-side... impossible to answer.

It depends on what you want out of the phone and how you use it. But, of course, there's an argument to be made for simpler and cheaper!

The problem with older phones is that they no longer support them with operating system updates. And eventually, the app updates aren't compatible with the old operating system. That's what precipitated my need for a new phone. For example, my banking app will no longer work on my old phone. The phone itself works just fine. But certain apps eventually quit working.

 

[Peepsight]

I still get updates and the phones is wanting me to do so. All my apps work and have no issues with operation. I don't understand specs statement. As far as I can see my 7-8 yr old phone will do anything a brand new phone can do. Maybe the new expensive phones are programmed to fail. I have had a phone that slowed down but still worked, as a matter of fact it sits in my drawer if I lose this one ore it breaks. I have seen apps stop but after deleting them and reinstalling the app works again.

 

[brian]

I'm an IT guy though not embedded in the corporate world any more. While older phones may very well have the "horsepower" to work with an app, part of the issue is that the company and development team supporting the app can or will only validate it against so many variables. Literally it is a resource issue - there's only so much time and money the company is going to spend verifying it will work against OS x, y, z, x1, y2, z5, y4, etc. Not arguing for or against the situation just stating fact. May not be a big deal when you are talking about an app that tracks a shopping list, but as soon as you make it an app that involves use of a credit card, and for sure banking functions, etc then you put PCI compliance, SOX, and other legal issues into play. So what OSs are they gonna drop from the validation list? The oldest ones or the ones that involve the phones that statistically the ones less in use - very likely they are one in the same.

 

[Racer88]

I'm an IT guy though not embedded in the corporate world any more. While older phones may very well have the "horsepower" to work with an app, part of the issue is that the company and development team supporting the app can or will only validate it against so many variables. Literally it is a resource issue - there's only so much time and money the company is going to spend verifying it will work against OS x, y, z, x1, y2, z5, y4, etc. Not arguing for or against the situation just stating fact. May not be a big deal when you are talking about an app that tracks a shopping list, but as soon as you make it an app that involves use of a credit card, and for sure banking functions, etc then you put PCI compliance, SOX, and other legal issues into play. So what OSs are they gonna drop from the validation list? The oldest ones or the ones that involve the phones that statistically the ones less in use - very likely they are one in the same.

Oh, I totally get it. Sucks, but I get it. I really shouldn't complain. I got 8 years out of my old phone! And the new phone is guaranteed to be supported for 7 years. So that's not bad, either.

 

[NavyVette]

Yeah, my old Samsung Fold 4 is still getting updates, and they are almost ready to release Fold 8
I remember when Samsung would sunset releases on stuff after 2 generations.