L4sBotSamsung sees 95% drop in profits for a second consecutive quarter
hardypartWhen money is tight you might use your phone for a year or two longer. 1000 Euro phones also don’t help the matter.
vinnymacWhile I don’t use a Samsung, I am over half way through my phones fifth year. Other than a battery replacement I’ve had literally no problems whatsoever.
If only lifespan and right to repair were written into law everywhere.
Software updates are the problem unfortunately
HamartiogonicDevelopers require money, and software maintenance requires lots of developers, testers and other people.
Yes and no. Installing last version of android on a pixel 4 is most likely absolutely fine. And keeping at least security support is likely not a big deal. 3 years of security update support it is clearly a finance department decision. Why 3, why not 3 and half? Why not 4?
Just because they need predictability in sales, and they attached the support to the “classical” number of years after which you’d like a customer to buy a new tech product. 3 years has always been a magic number for hardware companies, since forever
donut4everThat’s why the bootloaders of phones should be required to be unlocked by law. You can always root your phone and install a custom ROM on it to keep up to date.
No not really, formula is no more than 10% production costs pa unless w produced poorly to begin with. It’s even less if you’re running multiple versions of roughly the same thing then the costs are spread over those versions.
I wonder why this is not a problem for pcs though
Because PCs are from a time before tech monopolies. They are based on a spec that allows different vendors to work together. As a result there is more competition, more options for repair, etc.
I wonder how long this will last. We’re already seeing Apple getting some crazy performance with their M chips with integrated RAM and GPU, wouldn’t surprise me if PCs start becoming less and less modular as time goes on.
kapx132As a guy who likes repairing tech this movement towards anti repair saddens me.
EldritchI have quite a number of systems capable of running Windows 11. Microsoft won’t allow it. Thankfully I run mostly Linux. But your point is not as solid as you think it is unfortunately…
Yes, though technically they started out as reverse engineered clones. There were tons of incompatible microcomputer brands before the IBM PC. Then companies like Compaq put out “PC compatible” clones based on specs that came from reverse engineering of the IBM PC. Over time, things evolved toward deliberate standardization.
Imagine the dumpster fire of legal action, which courts would likely side with, if someone put out hardware that was 1:1 compatible with the iPhone and iOS would run on it. That’s basically what happened, though MS DOS was produced by an additional party instead of IBM.
Because PCs are based on a hardware standard that allows for a standard kernel and pluggable drivers. So you can just take a standard install of a new version of Windows, and toss in the same drivers from the last version, and you’re on your way.
On ARM, there is no such standard that is widely deployed, the hardware is integrated bespoke for each and every device, so building a new version of the OS for a specific phone means using very specific configurations (where in memory is the GPU mapped? where is the sound chip mapped? on a PC the hardware can plug-and-play detect this stuff, on ARM it has to be hardcoded into the OS for every device). This is made worse by the chips used in mobile phones being proprietary hardware where the drivers are only released to manufacturers under NDA, and these hardware manufacturers often don’t bother to supply updates at all
It kinda is. Windows 11 won’t run on older hardware and end of life of the latest version of Win 10 is coming up in 2 years or so. And a bunch of PCs weren’t really ready for Win 10 when that replaced Win 7/8 and again, support for those dropped at some point.
Lifetimes are usually more lenient with PCs, but it still happens. You can switch to Linux of course, but then there are alternatives for many smartphones as well.
MayMy Galaxy S10 is on its 5th year I think. Really had no issues with it, even the battery. Only showing signs of slowdown this year.
Granted, I run my phone on 720p and constant battery saver lol
It also seems like the whole you gotta upgrade every other month hype has long since died down. It’s not the exponential improvements that it was ten or twelve years ago.
Phones just went through the same thing PCs went through twenty five years ago.
I couldn’t agree more. I have a Zfold 2 that I’ve had since launch (3 years) and I look at the phones on offer now that I have an upgrade available and I see no reason to upgrade to a new phone for a marginally better camera and processor, there hasn’t been enough innovation in mobile tech in that time to warrant paying another £1000+ over another 3 years, I’ll rock this phone phone until it dies the same way I did my Note 9.
I’m in the same boat. I’ve still got an S10 from launch, although it’s noticeably wearing down in performance now. I’ll wait to the holiday season to see if I can get a deal on a new Samsung. At that point I’ll have used the s10 for almost 5 years. Used to get a new phone every other year but that’s not needed or wanted now.
Hell, I’ve had a £100 phone for 3 years already and it’s absolutely fine. I’ve noticed a little battery degregation but it still lasts a whole day. Plus a cheap batter change will make it last year’s more. I can’t understand why anyone would still sing those contracts for a new phone every 2 years.
Yeah, I’ve had my LG G8 for four years now and I’m just starting to look for replacements. Unfortunately the G8 is known for the battery being very hard to replace or I would be looking into a battery replacement service instead to get a couple more years of useful life.
I’m clinging to my LG though with no OS updates ever again its days are numbered. In the meantime I paid a shop to replace the battery in my LG because it couldn’t hold a charge anymore.
MereoI’m still using my iPhone 8 Plus that I bought in 2017 and it still serves well since I don’t play games.
Foldable devices seem like the 3d TVs of the last couple of years. I will not be getting one any time soon.
Yeah, so many points of failure and so expensive
After having one, it’s really amazing and the form factor and random utility it brings (built in tripod, easy to aim flash light and be hands free). The screens just need work. The crease is a non-issue as far as using the phone, but the little screen protectors that manufacturers say not to take off will deteriorate after like 6 months.
I think it’s close though and I do often miss my foldable.
Have had a samsung foldable and in a 2 year time period I’ve had to replace the factory installed screen protector twice. It started w a little crack that crept upwards until the whole protector was split in half. Ended up just peeling it off after the 2nd replacement started cracking. I imagine ppl don’t like the idea of not being able to protect their screens for one of their premium products…
On the flip side I did watch the superbowl from a hotel pool with this phone and it was perfect for that.
BrooklynManand who even wants this? a couple of friend shave them, and it seems like nothing more than a weird novelty. in sci-fi, the phone unfolds to become a tablet, not folds in half to become… uselelss while potentially damaging the screen for no good reason.
this is a classic example of one of those technologies that you think would be cool, but once you have it, you’re like, “eh, never mind.” but Samsung went all sunk cost fallacy and doubled-down on it and lost billions. brilliant!
I want one. I had flip phones before smartphones became default, I loved the intuitiveness of answering, locking, etc, and I love the idea of a foldable smartphone because of the size of the screen that you can get into a pocket. Especially important when you’re over 45 and your eyes have turned to crap.
That said, I won’t buy one until they’re no longer “high end” and manufacturers feel safe producing versions that have headphone jacks (at minimum. I suspect it’s too much to ask for off-screen navigation buttons and a bezel in 2023 but I can hope.)
from what my friends have told me, that novelty wears off real quick, and is replaced with the concern it will break or wear out— which happens more frequently than manufacturers claim. if not the screen itself, then the hinges, which were a common problem with the old flip-phones, too, back in the day.
I mean, you like what you like. I’m just speaking from a practical standpoint in that any moving parts = a high manufacturing cost and higher rate of defect and breakage. the primary advantage of the “candy bar” form factor is that it reduces/eliminates moving parts and potential points of failure from the physical design.
I admit… I really do miss the idea, even the feel of flipping a phone shut. hell, I even miss slamming a phone down to end a call. angrily jamming my finger into a screen to end a call is REALLY unsatisfying, and often ends in my throwing my phone across the room, and I’ve thankfully developed the habit of throwing it at my couch to save on replacing expensive smartphones, lol. but, until tech evolves tot he point where we get phablets a la Westworld or Legion that can unfold into a super-slim tablet rather than fold down into a flip-phone from the past whose screen could actually just break at any moment because the tech was rushed…. yeah, I’m not interested.
I was going to say I miss slam-shutting my flip phone too but have realized that I only talk on the phone like 3 times a week so I wouldn’t be getting a foldable just for that
I had a Motorola razr in 2021 that was a good phone, the crease never really bothered me but after 6 months of use the touch screen stopped working and then the pixels started going out on it before it stopped working entirely.
I loved the form factor but it’s just not reliable enough. I’d probably only buy another clamshell foldable if apple made it because I trust them not to rush a half baked product to market.
and is replaced with the concern it will break or wear out
Oh obviously, I’m waiting on them both having a headphone jack (as mentioned) and for all the technological issues to be figured out.
I want one, but that doesn’t mean I want a bad one…
rm_dash_r_starI had flip phones before smartphones became default, I loved the intuitiveness of answering, locking, etc, and I love the idea of a foldable smartphone because of the size of the screen that you can get into a pocket
Same here, was on flip phones for the longest time. I loved the compactness. They became scarce some years ago so I started buying smart phones, currently a Samsung. That thing is huge and unwieldy. It does not fit well in a pocket so I don’t carry it around. I always have to find someplace to stow it, often in the center console of my car.
A folding smart phone could be a solution, but they’re all really expensive. I don’t spend a lot on phones and never will. Right now I’m looking to replace my under $300 Samsung with an under $300 Motorola. Functionally my Samsung works well, but I hate all the Samsung bloatware on it. I know Motorola uses a fairly stock Android image and hopefully it will be a bit more compact.
I’d love to have one but they’re overpriced.
Same with every flagship, the tech isn’t scaring me off just that the price is ridiculous to me. A new phone case, wallpaper and launcher and I’ll get another year out of any phone.
Prior_IndustryAnd now TVs fold also 😂
I see why you’re saying that but I love my fold and I don’t think I could go back to a regular phone anymore, you quickly get used to the screen real estate and its difficult to give it up imo. While the outside screen is too thin on my fold for my fat fingers you get the best of both worlds of a phone and a more portable tablet, I get it if its not your thing but I find it very handy to have that extra work space on my phone.
While the outside screen is too thin on my fold
Yep, I’m hoping they’ll do a slightly wider tri-fold model at some point. I’d like to have a wider front screen, like Galaxy S22 Ultra sized, and then be able to unfold twice to get a ~3x sized tablet-sized screen.
Not that that would help with the already astronomical price-tag of the Z-Fold.
Maybe they could stop taking features away from their phones. Put a micro SD and aux jack back and I’d buy one
What is this, 1995? /jk
mintiefreshNah it’s 2005
Sooo… you want a Sony Xperia then
Stupid money, loved the Z series but the price skyrocketed
LUHGYeh it’s expensive but I vote with my wallet. Sony’s build is the best I’ve ever had. Software is close to stock AOSP with nice Sony improvements. Only issue I see is Sony are slow to roll out major OS updates. All in all, I’d argue it’s one of the best devices I’ve had over the last few generations.
PyroThis is exactly why I have mine! Sent this from an Xperia 5 III :)
Wait… they removing SD cards?
They already did.
What do they need all this space for?
They removed the keys for the screen. Ok.
Phones got bigger for the screen. Ok.
Phones got thinner, monolithic-like and they removed replaceable batteries. Why?
They removed the 3.5mm jack. Not ok, full stop.
They removed the SD card slot. A cloud’s not a storage card.
I heard they’re removing SIM card slots as well.
Gradually making phones into TV’s with sensors is bad. What if next you’re considered dead or criminal when offline?
AlchemyMaybe I am in the minority but I’ll never need an aux jack again and I see it as another point of failure for water damage.
A lot of people use the headphone jack still. Bluetooth will never be as good as direct connection. Some people don’t own cars with all that Bluetooth bullshit, or just prefer to use the jack since it is lossless audio. People want to charge and listen to music at the same time.
ThtevenThis is why I’m still using my LG v60, it had the best headphone jack and dac at the time and probably still does looking at everything else currently on the market.
I personally don’t use the headphone jack at all, but I still want it back for people like yourself. Also, being ok with the headphone jack removal lead to removing the sd card slot, then the charger from the box. Next they’ll removing the charging cable and send us just a fucking phone. They’ve boiled us very slowly in their pot
Next they’ll removing the charging cable and send us just a fucking phone.
Oh you mean like google did? I was pretty surprised and disgusted they didn’t include a charging cable with my pixel 7. All I got was a 6 inch data transfer cable.
Are you serious? Just a 6" cable? Wow.
Yup. I’m using the chargers from my old phone
That’s why I’m holding off on phones until this one stops. Then I’ll go buy the same exact phone from eBay. I’m done with these assholes.
I’m still rocking the v60 also. LG started packing a world class DAC into their smartphones back with the LG v35 and kept it going all the way to their pinnacle (the v60). The v35, the v60, and everything in between had audio superiority that still hasn’t been beaten by other modern flagships.
I’m going to be inconsolable when my v60 finally needs replacing.
V50 user here (didn’t get V60 cause of the larger size)
I broke my phone a few months ago, filtered GSMarena for a replacement that’d fullfil my criteria, and Sony Xperias were the the best of the few options that it spat out. Ended up just fixing the V50 for $100, I too will probably hold onto this until it actually breaks.
Ahh like I get the argument but it is technology progressing, lots of cars didn’t have cd players when the world moved from tapes. The infrastructure responds to demand.