LacyGreenfelder
nixCraft 🐧Phone Upgrade 101
* Get a phone.
* Use it 'til it dies.
* Get a new one.
Ignore the hype by Apple/Google/Samsung and co.
Chris. R. 🎧🎼☕🍍@nixCraft iPhone XS going since 2018
Xavier Jacques Côté
Jo - pièce de résistance
Captain Snowball
Mrs Mouse at work@nixCraft
I mean, get a new one when you run out of security updates maybe?
or get a better vendor...?
Max Lee
SomeAnoTooter@SomeAnoTooter
Yeah the price for new ones is kinda insane, but I just get used flagships (Galaxy S10e is my current one) and install a rom with latest Android. I've never paid more than 100€ for a phone.
Yeah the price for new ones is kinda insane, but I just get used flagships (Galaxy S10e is my current one) and install a rom with latest Android. I've never paid more than 100€ for a phone.
@the_moep sadly no android flagship with long enough update guarantees for now.
Samsung and it's bloatware is awful.
But generally not you bad of an advice.
Samsung and it's bloatware is awful.
But generally not you bad of an advice.
@SomeAnoTooter
You don't need update guarantees by the manufacturer. Just use a device that's officially supported by LineageOs (or popular enough to get community roms)
You don't need update guarantees by the manufacturer. Just use a device that's officially supported by LineageOs (or popular enough to get community roms)
Louis Couture@louisrcouture
It does though? I run Android 14 on a S10e. What do you mean doesn't work exactly?
It does though? I run Android 14 on a S10e. What do you mean doesn't work exactly?
@the_moep maybe it works with older devices, but there's no alternative distros for newer devices
@louisrcouture
What do you mean? Even the latest S23 Ultra has roms: https://xdaforums.com/f/samsung-galaxy-s23-ultra.12713/?prefix_id=33
What do you mean? Even the latest S23 Ultra has roms: https://xdaforums.com/f/samsung-galaxy-s23-ultra.12713/?prefix_id=33
Felix
Rusty Corgi@nixCraft I'm trying to hold out until more Android phones get Qi 2 charging. Been rocking my Pixel 6 for so long now. 
Adam Honse* Check postmarketOS wiki for best supported devices
* Go find one in acceptable conditon on ebay
* Use it until it dies or a significantly better supported device exists
* Repeat
Stax the fox@nixCraft
Phone Upgrade 101 (for nerds):
1. Buy an android phone from a brand that is usually well supported by @LineageOS
2. Wait until the vendor support ends (Or don't!)
3. Flash https://e.foundation
Phone Upgrade 101 (for nerds):
1. Buy an android phone from a brand that is usually well supported by @LineageOS
2. Wait until the vendor support ends (Or don't!)
3. Flash https://e.foundation
majestic_birb_lover@bioxman @nixCraft @LineageOS I'm unsure how fast e os adapts devices, but most Lineage OS devices are sooner or later available on e os as well
But just sticking with LineageOS is perfectly fine as well! I just personally feel like /e/ is more polished than LineageOS
Batuhan Y. Yılmaz@nixCraft My old phone was a Samsung Galaxy Note 3. I used it from 2016 to 2023 until it's wirelles chipset has died. Which prevents it from connecting any type of networks.
Expect that, It still runs like a charm and sometimes I use it to play some old games to relive my childhood.
AlgoCompSynth by znmeb 🇺🇦@nixCraft "dies" for me is "stops getting security updates". IIRC for Apple that's five years. My Samsung phone is approaching five years and I think it's still getting security updates. But it used to be three years for Android.
So no, you can't ignore the supplier's hype. The phone may still take pictures and all that but you do *not* want it on the internet if it is vulnerable to hackers.
Alvaro@AlgoCompSynth @nixCraft iOS supports iPhone XR, launched in 2018.
Maxilo OveritI haven't bought a new new phone for ages. I'm currently using a OnePlus 6T MacLaren edition that I bought used four years ago.
This Account Kills Fascists@nixCraft My mother in law said she has to get a new phone by the end of the year because Apple will no longer update hers. I don't think it's all that old. Never had that problem with my Android.
BoxOfSnoo@violenteastcoastcity @nixCraft Android used to be much worse back in the day, 3 years or so IIRC? Apple had much longer lifespans… but I think Android support is massively better these days.
Darwin Woodka*nods in Pixel 2*
Reiner Jung 🇬🇱 🇺🇦 🇪🇺@nixCraft
Some additional rules:
If the battery sucks, replace the battery not the phone.
If apps heat your phone and empty the battery quickly, get F-droid and install simpler replacements.
Some additional rules:
If the battery sucks, replace the battery not the phone.
If apps heat your phone and empty the battery quickly, get F-droid and install simpler replacements.
Hennadii Chernyshchuk@nixCraft I recently bought a used OnePlus 6 and flashed LOS 14. Quite happy with the result.
Sterling
PaperTowel@nixCraft My brother is still using a Samsung S7 Edge. He really needs an upgrade!
lemgandi@nixCraft Still happy with my Teracube 1 ( 2022 or so). The new model has a removeable battery, a feature of my last phone I sorely miss. But alas, no separate charger as of yet.
Jim P.@nixCraft Unfortunately "until it stops getting security updates" is effectively the same as "until it dies" for many, though some ignore it longer than they should. LineageOS can help some there.
Hopefully my P8P makes it through all 7 years of its updates+support.
Diabolic Preacher@nixCraft so they die sooner now. and rebirth with a custom rom is not that straightforward and some vendors don't allow unlocking bootloader. :( also companies like purism, system76, tuxedo probably don't know of existence of third world countries. general irl public don't even know what those brands are.
Grum999 
Jessie Nabein 
@nixCraft I'm going Motorola > Pixel. The Moto is fine but... the camera is so disappointing it's become a hindrance now. At least replacing the battery in it is super easy (the pixel is a nightmare).
Ryan Pollard@nixCraft I was a yearly upgrader until 2020. Pandemic changed my priorities and habits a bit. I have zero plans to ditch my S20+. Great phone.
Skylar Caulfield 
@nixCraft my general thing is I buy phones for hardware, and don’t fall for software marketing.
G. Allen Morris III@nixCraft Moto G5 - replaceable battery
Neil E. Hodges
Cainmark Does Not Comply 🚲Somehow my mom has an iPhone 3g that an Apple employee has quietly kept working for her through the years. I don't know how, but it looks the same as when she got it.
George@nixCraft Yes. Model swap at the speed of planned obsolescence.
Jack Yan (甄爵恩)@nixCraft Pretty much what Iʼve done my whole life. Canʼt think why one would do it any other way.
Baron Vonskinnback@nixCraft I would like to add, use until it dies, fix it until the parts are not available, then recycle it. With Apple you have the added challenge of managed obsolescence with the OS, but with Android, 3rd party roms/OS it is better, I rocked a Nexis tablet (2012) until 2023, paid £99 quid for it new, done an absolute shift until it could no longer perform, I now have an Amazon tablet that cost £89 & hope to keep it going until 2030, I get about 6 years out of a phone & try to buy second hand.
Halal Cool J@nixCraft agree gotta stop with the e waste
@halalcoolj @nixCraft my work laptop was replaced a couple of weeks ago, had my last one for 5 years, it was 2 years old when I got it, still runs like a dream after a couple of refurbishments, the win11 move means it is heading for landfill, but my company are allowing us to keep them after they are cleaned my the security team, so looks like I have a wonderful opportunity to get into Linux, about time to after working in IT for a exclusively for a decade, on the periphery for 30 years...
If it does not have a user replaceable battery, it is junk.
Bruce Heerssen 
@SpaceLifeForm @nixCraft
Why? I am at least as likely to require a new screen over the life of the phone, and I can't reasonably be expected to replace that myself. Why should the battery be different?
A sealed phone body means my phone is highly resistant to water and dust intrusion. That's important to me.
achill@nixCraft exactly
Radio Azureus@nixCraft No just no. I have a Samsung phone over here which Samsung has deliberately slowed down after three and a half years of work
A perfectly fine phone
I have to root it and put Linux on it in order to use the thing
Right now that Android is just a glorified #Ogg #Vorbis player
#hardware #POSIX #OpenSource #ClosedSource #programming #Android #Google #Samsung
Kyle Brown 
@RadioAzureus @nixCraft my Samsung phone is five years old and working just fine
Except for the power button falling out