Mobile Phone Thread

[Izzy]

2 hours ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

Don't you think that the technology has plateaued to an extent? Yes, the camera will be a bit better, the processor a bit faster, the bezels a bit narrower, but for casual users are the differences that great? Has the OS even changed much?

 

If your old phone is knackered (like the one I've just replaced), fair enough, but when was the last time mobile technology advanced in a way meant that your upgrade device let you do something you couldn't before? It increasingly feels that upgrades are an expensive way of making your Twitter feed scroll a bit more smoothly. If batteries hadn't had it after 2 years and replacing them was easier I think a lot of people wouldn't bother. I'm saying this having just got a new phone yesterday

My point exactly.

 

Even though my 6S is about 3 years old now, I'm still in awe of it really. The pictures are great, the screen is massive, the apps load quick, it's got loads of memory, and more features than I'll ever use. Now my contract has expired I only pay £14 a month for more calls, texts and data than I'll ever need.

 

I mean, what more do people want from a phone really? I can only assume it's to show off/brag that they've got the latest bit of kit (which is fair enough)

 

[The Bear]

Screen technology is probably a lot better. Higher res and OLED on most of them now. Why don't you go into a phone shop and take a look at some of them? If they don't impress you at all then you can at least say you had a look but are happy with your old one. 

[Leicester_Loyal]

Anyone pre-ordered?

PS. Izzy get a new phone you cheapskate

[don_danbury]

On 14/10/2020 at 14:19, Izzy said:

My point exactly.

 

Even though my 6S is about 3 years old now, I'm still in awe of it really. The pictures are great, the screen is massive, the apps load quick, it's got loads of memory, and more features than I'll ever use. Now my contract has expired I only pay £14 a month for more calls, texts and data than I'll ever need.

 

I mean, what more do people want from a phone really? I can only assume it's to show off/brag that they've got the latest bit of kit (which is fair enough)

 

i've just recently upgraded my iPhone 6 to a used iPhone 7  

 

i used to get hype when a new iPhone came out bitd and upgraded as soon as one came out. i don't feel the need now. i only got the 7 because my earphone jack was knackered 

[UpTheLeagueFox]

Went to Highcross Apple store to get my iPhone 8 camera fixed, ended up trading it in and got a 2020 SE for £249

Happy with the deal.

[UniFox21]

1 minute ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

Went to Highcross Apple store to get my iPhone 8 camera fixed, ended up trading it in and got a 2020 SE for £249

Happy with the deal.

Stupid thing is you'd probably be not that far off needing to pay a similar fee for getting the camera fixed. SE looks to be a decent phone and a good upgrade from the 8

[UpTheLeagueFox]

2 minutes ago, UniFox21 said:

Stupid thing is you'd probably be not that far off needing to pay a similar fee for getting the camera fixed. SE looks to be a decent phone and a good upgrade from the 8

It was the back camera so about £60 to fix so having not had to pay that, it felt like I was actually paying £199 for a new phone

[rachhere]

2 hours ago, Leicester_Loyal said:

Anyone pre-ordered?

PS. Izzy get a new phone you cheapskate

I am definitely tempted. Trying to figure out how much I might be able to get if I trade in my XS. Annoyingly I have a really faint scratch on the screen which you can't even see when the phone is in use. It seems the amount they offer really drops if you have scratches but I am not sure how strict they are... 

[Bellend Sebastian]

I've had a few days with my Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite and I have to say that so far it's been grand. Knew it was a big phone but was a bit shocked at first at just how big, but got used to that within about a day.

 

Was a bit worried about their overlay on the OS because I've had Motorolas the last few years so am used to stock Android, but it's completely fine.

 

It all works very well - none of the connectivity weirdness that plagued my last Moto G. I'll only feel I've got value for money though if I get at least 2 and a half years out of it as it was more than I'd normally spend

[BKLFox]

On 14/10/2020 at 20:13, Bellend Sebastian said:

Don't you think that the technology has plateaued to an extent? Yes, the camera will be a bit better, the processor a bit faster, the bezels a bit narrower, but for casual users are the differences that great? Has the OS even changed much?

 

If your old phone is knackered (like the one I've just replaced), fair enough, but when was the last time mobile technology advanced in a way meant that your upgrade device let you do something you couldn't before? It increasingly feels that upgrades are an expensive way of making your Twitter feed scroll a bit more smoothly. If batteries hadn't had it after 2 years and replacing them was easier I think a lot of people wouldn't bother. I'm saying this having just got a new phone yesterday

Agree for a casual user that wants to be able to text, call, scroll through a few webpages and take the odd picture then any old phone will do nowadays. 

Phone screens like the new TVs that offer super duper OLED 8K Ultra HD blah blah blah our pointless to an extent, apart from having to have an 8K source in the 1st place, as unless your a tetrachromat the average eye won’t pick up the change especially in a small mobile phone screen, even on a tv you’ll need to fork out for a new 100in to make the gains, so again most modern phones will fit the crystal clear screen criteria. 

Where they get you is the battery and OS. Batteries wear out and nowadays this seems to be earlier and earlier within the mobiles lifespan, which isn’t a huge issue as these can be replaced I’ve had to do it on my Ip6 I’m currently using but even this has now started to lose charge after 1 and a bit years. Secondly it’s the OS I can no longer get OS updates meaning a lot of the APPs out there I can’t get or no longer able to use the 1s I had BUT more importantly it’s the security updates I’m no longer receiving and with cyber crime as it is this is a major concern and the #1 driver for me to now look to upgrade.

 

To go back to your opening line of “has tech plateaued....” the game changer here is 5G, with the increased demand of IoT this now puts the mobile up as the heart/hub of a home for those that want to be fully connected with all their devices, of course for those that are happy to get off the sofa and flick the switch on the kettle or don’t want to de-ice your car on a winters morning from the comfort of your bed and just want to ....text, call, scroll.....etc then it will make no difference to you although the futures moving fast and @ some point you’ll be forced to embrace but for now you don’t need the latest phone.

[LCFCCHRIS]

2 hours ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

I've had a few days with my Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite and I have to say that so far it's been grand. Knew it was a big phone but was a bit shocked at first at just how big, but got used to that within about a day.

 

Was a bit worried about their overlay on the OS because I've had Motorolas the last few years so am used to stock Android, but it's completely fine.

 

It all works very well - none of the connectivity weirdness that plagued my last Moto G. I'll only feel I've got value for money though if I get at least 2 and a half years out of it as it was more than I'd normally spend

Good choice. I have the mi 10 note lite and think xiaomis really are one of the best for the money at this stage.

 

It helps that they kinda rip off iPhone themeing in settings , system apps etc which makes it familiar for ex iPhone users and kind of premium feeling. 

[ozleicester]

33 minutes ago, LCFCCHRIS said:

Good choice. I have the mi 10 note lite and think xiaomis really are one of the best for the money at this stage.

 

It helps that they kinda rip off iPhone themeing in settings , system apps etc which makes it familiar for ex iPhone users and kind of premium feeling. 

I have the 8T and is has been excellent for very very few $$.

 

Only thing that disappoints is the lowlight camera.

 

Xiaomi are superb

[Bellend Sebastian]

2 hours ago, BKLFox said:

Agree for a casual user that wants to be able to text, call, scroll through a few webpages and take the odd picture then any old phone will do nowadays. 

Phone screens like the new TVs that offer super duper OLED 8K Ultra HD blah blah blah our pointless to an extent, apart from having to have an 8K source in the 1st place, as unless your a tetrachromat the average eye won’t pick up the change especially in a small mobile phone screen, even on a tv you’ll need to fork out for a new 100in to make the gains, so again most modern phones will fit the crystal clear screen criteria. 

Where they get you is the battery and OS. Batteries wear out and nowadays this seems to be earlier and earlier within the mobiles lifespan, which isn’t a huge issue as these can be replaced I’ve had to do it on my Ip6 I’m currently using but even this has now started to lose charge after 1 and a bit years. Secondly it’s the OS I can no longer get OS updates meaning a lot of the APPs out there I can’t get or no longer able to use the 1s I had BUT more importantly it’s the security updates I’m no longer receiving and with cyber crime as it is this is a major concern and the #1 driver for me to now look to upgrade.

 

To go back to your opening line of “has tech plateaued....” the game changer here is 5G, with the increased demand of IoT this now puts the mobile up as the heart/hub of a home for those that want to be fully connected with all their devices, of course for those that are happy to get off the sofa and flick the switch on the kettle or don’t want to de-ice your car on a winters morning from the comfort of your bed and just want to ....text, call, scroll.....etc then it will make no difference to you although the futures moving fast and @ some point you’ll be forced to embrace but for now you don’t need the latest phone.

My new phone has actually got 5G, although whether it will ever use it during its lifetime, who can say. Will all depend on whether EE start including it on all plans like they did with 4G or keep charging more for it, which they are at the minute.

 

It seems a bit superfluous to me for now anyway - I can understand that there might be scenarios where you want to download a film when you're out and about, but realistically I'm not sure that I need anything faster than 4G, which when the signal is good is rapid enough to do most of the things I want to do.

 

I take your point about phones increasingly being control hubs for connected devices, and I do think it's great that I can control my network music player and the Sonos speakers in this way, but it feels like the domestic demand overwhelming the WiFi is a while off yet, and that's with my kids streaming video every second of the day unless I stop them

 

 

 

 

[Bellend Sebastian]

1 hour ago, LCFCCHRIS said:

Good choice. I have the mi 10 note lite and think xiaomis really are one of the best for the money at this stage.

 

It helps that they kinda rip off iPhone themeing in settings , system apps etc which makes it familiar for ex iPhone users and kind of premium feeling. 

 

36 minutes ago, ozleicester said:

I have the 8T and is has been excellent for very very few $$.

 

Only thing that disappoints is the lowlight camera.

 

Xiaomi are superb

I'm pleased by how solid it feels. I think a lot of the stuff you read in reviews along the lines of "it really feels like a premium device" and such like is bollocks really, but it's great to spend not too much and get the feeling (possibly illusory) that it's built to last.

 

AND - hurray - it's got a headphone socket. Not having one would have been a deal breaker

[Samilktray]

Pre ordered an iPhone 12 Pro last night. Quite excited 

[Countryfox]

45 minutes ago, Samilktray said:

Pre ordered an iPhone 12 Pro last night. Quite excited 

When I eventually upgrade it’ll be a mini for me ..   all that tech finally in a smaller frame ..  bout time ..   only like the one big bulge in my trousers ..  

[Jattdogg]

5 hours ago, Countryfox said:

When I eventually upgrade it’ll be a mini for me ..   all that tech finally in a smaller frame ..  bout time ..   only like the one big bulge in my trousers ..  

Key chain?

[Nod.E]

Had my Google Pixel 2 for 2 years and 7 months.

 

Still going strong. Battery life suffers slightly at times especially if recording video, but other than that it's as good as the day I bought it. Can't see it going lame on me for at least another year.

 

- Not a glass screen so resistant to drops

- None of that slowing down of software crap you get with Apple

- Camera brilliant. Always laugh at gigs when my out of date Google phone actually performs and you can see the stage when all the iPhones surrounding me get a blur of light

- Unlimited storage for photos and videos on the cloud, instantaneously backed up

 

My contract ended ages ago and I'm now paying £6 per month for a SIM only deal.

 

I can afford to pay for all the latest, but unless you hate money, what's the point? To be able to say you have the latest phone?

 

I understand everyone has different needs and desires but I do find it puzzling that people that call themselves skint choose to burden themselves with expensive phones that functionality wise offer nothing fundamental that something a few quid can get you.

 

The iPhone 12 Pro is £65 a month on O2 over 24 months with 5 gig of data.

 

- £59 per month more than I pay.

- £1.4k over the course of the contract. (Okay, take a couple of hundred off for the cost of my refurbed device.) 

 

That's a lot of money in most people's book. Put it this way, it's some holiday.

 

If people want to pay that, that's fine, but I struggle to understand why these contracts are seemingly bought into so flippantly.

 

Outside of rent/mortgage, bills, cars and holidays, what else costs that amount in people's lives? It's actually mental. 

Edited 20 October 2020 by Nod.E

[The Bear]

2 hours ago, Nod.E said:

Had my Google Pixel 2 for 2 years and 7 months.

 

Still going strong. Battery life suffers slightly at times especially if recording video, but other than that it's as good as the day I bought it. Can't see it going lame on me for at least another year.

 

- Not a glass screen so resistant to drops

- None of that slowing down of software crap you get with Apple

- Camera brilliant. Always laugh at gigs when my out of date Google phone actually performs and you can see the stage when all the iPhones surrounding me get a blur of light

- Unlimited storage for photos and videos on the cloud, instantaneously backed up

 

My contract ended ages ago and I'm now paying £6 per month for a SIM only deal.

 

I can afford to pay for all the latest, but unless you hate money, what's the point? To be able to say you have the latest phone?

 

I understand everyone has different needs and desires but I do find it puzzling that people that call themselves skint choose to burden themselves with expensive phones that functionality wise offer nothing fundamental that something a few quid can get you.

 

The iPhone 12 Pro is £65 a month on O2 over 24 months with 5 gig of data.

 

- £59 per month more than I pay.

- £1.4k over the course of the contract. (Okay, take a couple of hundred off for the cost of my refurbed device.) 

 

That's a lot of money in most people's book. Put it this way, it's some holiday.

 

If people want to pay that, that's fine, but I struggle to understand why these contracts are seemingly bought into so flippantly.

 

Outside of rent/mortgage, bills, cars and holidays, what else costs that amount in people's lives? It's actually mental. 

Completely agreed. People are blinded by brand names nowadays. 

 

I'm still using my Lenovo P2 which was the best budget phone around when I bought it for £170 a few years ago. Still going strong and still get a full day's battery easily. 

Edited 20 October 2020 by The Bear

[nnfox]

3 hours ago, Nod.E said:

Had my Google Pixel 2 for 2 years and 7 months.

 

Still going strong. Battery life suffers slightly at times especially if recording video, but other than that it's as good as the day I bought it. Can't see it going lame on me for at least another year.

 

- Not a glass screen so resistant to drops

- None of that slowing down of software crap you get with Apple

- Camera brilliant. Always laugh at gigs when my out of date Google phone actually performs and you can see the stage when all the iPhones surrounding me get a blur of light

- Unlimited storage for photos and videos on the cloud, instantaneously backed up

 

My contract ended ages ago and I'm now paying £6 per month for a SIM only deal.

 

I can afford to pay for all the latest, but unless you hate money, what's the point? To be able to say you have the latest phone?

 

I understand everyone has different needs and desires but I do find it puzzling that people that call themselves skint choose to burden themselves with expensive phones that functionality wise offer nothing fundamental that something a few quid can get you.

 

The iPhone 12 Pro is £65 a month on O2 over 24 months with 5 gig of data.

 

- £59 per month more than I pay.

- £1.4k over the course of the contract. (Okay, take a couple of hundred off for the cost of my refurbed device.) 

 

That's a lot of money in most people's book. Put it this way, it's some holiday.

 

If people want to pay that, that's fine, but I struggle to understand why these contracts are seemingly bought into so flippantly.

 

Outside of rent/mortgage, bills, cars and holidays, what else costs that amount in people's lives? It's actually mental. 

Spot on.

 

The big mobile phone manufacturers are less technology firms and more marketing firms (Apple being the best at that).  The rate of technological advancement has slowed in recent years and the overall build quality has improved.  Realistically, with the incremental improvements now being released, it is easy to go three years without upgrading without fear of missing out on new tech.  Yet Apple and Samsung (and others) have got into this now well defined pattern of releasing a new flagship phone and a suite of spin offs every year.  Their schedule is defined by the calendar and not by the technology. 

[Babylon]

15 hours ago, Samilktray said:

Pre ordered an iPhone 12 Pro last night. Quite excited 

First time I think I've got the very latest iPhone since the very first one back in the day. I've got the XS at the minute and the picture quality was far better on the 11 when I looked on them, so hopefully the image quality is another jump up again. 

 

It's extravagant, but with the interest free option it's £45 a month, plus a cheap SIM only. Most I've ever paid I think, but I will put it through as a business expense as I need camera for work. 

 

I've already spunked about £6k on tech for work this year, no might as well go the extra inch 

 

[Samilktray]

1 hour ago, Babylon said:

First time I think I've got the very latest iPhone since the very first one back in the day. I've got the XS at the minute and the picture quality was far better on the 11 when I looked on them, so hopefully the image quality is another jump up again. 

 

It's extravagant, but with the interest free option it's £45 a month, plus a cheap SIM only. Most I've ever paid I think, but I will put it through as a business expense as I need camera for work. 

 

I've already spunked about £6k on tech for work this year, no might as well go the extra inch 

 

I had an Xs when it launched but then switched to the new SE earlier this year, so this is going to be a massive jump from that. I’m paying £47 a month which for a new iPhone contract seems quite reasonable 

[Bellend Sebastian]

Now I've got the luxury of a phone that works properly, I'm trying to make better use of it.

 

Do any Android 10 users know how to change the setting so that you can activate the navigation in Google Maps using voice and have it unlock the screen as well? Mine will take the instruction, turn the navigation on, so you get the verbal instructions, but you have to unlock the screen (not ideal when driving) separately.

 

The internet is being gloriously vague about this, Google's own instructions being especially all over the place

[Innovindil]

34 minutes ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

Now I've got the luxury of a phone that works properly, I'm trying to make better use of it.

 

Do any Android 10 users know how to change the setting so that you can activate the navigation in Google Maps using voice and have it unlock the screen as well? Mine will take the instruction, turn the navigation on, so you get the verbal instructions, but you have to unlock the screen (not ideal when driving) separately.

 

The internet is being gloriously vague about this, Google's own instructions being especially all over the place

Can't you just set up your lock screen to unlock using your face and then look at it? Dunno if it works from that distance. As far as I'm aware there isn't a voice command for unlock.

[The Bear]

Surely there's a driving mode in the lock screen settings, so it stays unlocked during all navigation? 

 

That seems like something obvious that needs to be included if it isn't.