Global, U.S. Growth in Smartphone Growth Starts to Decline(nymag.com)
nymag.com
Global, U.S. Growth in Smartphone Growth Starts to Decline
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/12/global-u-s-growth-in-smartphone-growth-starts-to-decline.html
170 comments
>smartphones are entering the laptop stages of ubiquity
That might actually be an understatement, there are many poor people with phones but no computer. Laptops, as hopeless of a market as they seem like they are, at least have some hope of moving down-market to the new ground Google is after with the Chromebook.
That might actually be an understatement, there are many poor people with phones but no computer. Laptops, as hopeless of a market as they seem like they are, at least have some hope of moving down-market to the new ground Google is after with the Chromebook.
Thats true, haven't been paying enough attention to laptop market
Really when it comes to smart phones the things I would want are things not offered by most.
- Stop being phobic about thickness already and make it durable. Nearly everyone has a case on it anyway which makes it farcical.
- Boost battery life.
- Easily accessible SD card, include service doors for a change, stop dropping features like headphone jacks.
I admit to being niche but I think at this point improvements in the peripheral aspects are what could move people in addition to anything and even if they got every little niche people wanted it probably wouldn't keep the market from saturating without adding major new functionality.
At least on Apple's part, their phones have been getting thicker since the iPhone 6 and I'd say battery life is improving with each generation, especially when you consider the growth in activity occuring on the device since that generation.
Though durability is worse; everything is glass now.
I also prefer having a thicker phone in exchange for durability and battery life, so I current have the Galaxy S8 Active, which does very well on those fronts.
Sadly, it appears it didn't sell particularly well, thus no S9 Active.
Sadly, it appears it didn't sell particularly well, thus no S9 Active.
I have one as well and that is a shame. It seemed a bit pricier but I also tend to but one or two generations back just because it is good enough and cheaper.
Perhaps it didn't scale well so the costs were higher so it didn't sell as well.
Perhaps it didn't scale well so the costs were higher so it didn't sell as well.
I think you want a Galaxy Note 4. Removable battery, sim and sd card. Built to last, unlike newer Samsung phones.
Norvig's Law:
Any technology that surpasses 50% penetration will never double again (in any number of months).
http://norvig.com/norvigs-law.html
Any technology that surpasses 50% penetration will never double again (in any number of months).
http://norvig.com/norvigs-law.html
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Just a comment on Apple: they might be positioning the Apple Watch as their next ‘big product.’ I bought one for myself, then one for several family members and we all love them.
In an age when too many people stare at their phone in social situations, having a watch that handle calls, emails, text messaging, and simple apps - but, is not something you engage with for long periods of time. I usually don;t use my phone on weekends anymore. The Apple Watch keeps me connected but in a way that doesn’t pull at my attention.
In an age when too many people stare at their phone in social situations, having a watch that handle calls, emails, text messaging, and simple apps - but, is not something you engage with for long periods of time. I usually don;t use my phone on weekends anymore. The Apple Watch keeps me connected but in a way that doesn’t pull at my attention.
I'm offended by these now $1K iPhone models, I'm getting off that train.
I want a tiny phone to do sms and emails. The only thing I might miss is maps ... but that could even be done on a smaller phone if Google removed all that crap from the screen as we try to use their maps ...
I want a tiny phone to do sms and emails. The only thing I might miss is maps ... but that could even be done on a smaller phone if Google removed all that crap from the screen as we try to use their maps ...
I'm hoping https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/light-phone-2#/ is successful.
$300 for a dumbed down phone running Android that does not appear to be easily repairable seems like a bit too much.
Funny that's exactly what I was thinking. We can hope, but we'll see. Hardware is hard.
I doubt this will make it. hardware certifications are absurdly difficult and costly.
Living in a major city the killer phone to me would be the dumbest possible incarnation of: Voice, SMS, and Rideshare. Emails can wait until I'm sitting down on my computer, so can banking, but those three utilities are essential to modern life and safety.
If you live in a major city and go out drinking, you need your ride home late at night.
If you live in a major city and go out drinking, you need your ride home late at night.
Have a feature phone and call a cab? I guess I don’t use Uber/Lyft much but then I don’t live in a city though I travel to them frequently.
> Living in a major city the killer phone to me would be the dumbest possible incarnation of: Voice, SMS, and Rideshare. Emails can wait until I'm sitting down on my computer, so can banking, but those three utilities are essential to modern life and safety.
Living in Shanghai, my essential utilities were: wechat (replaces voice and SMS, though I couldn't really use voice anyway), kindle (replaces rideshare - read while you ride the subway), and pleco (a chinese-english dictionary app).
Living in Shanghai, my essential utilities were: wechat (replaces voice and SMS, though I couldn't really use voice anyway), kindle (replaces rideshare - read while you ride the subway), and pleco (a chinese-english dictionary app).
Yep, that's why I think Light Phone 2 is the sweet spot: phone texting contacts maps ride-hail. Nothing else. I really hope they're able to ship.
I'm still hoping for a $250-$350 USD Android device that has
* a headphone jack
* removable battery
* 4 years of updates
* no installed software except Play Store
* no modifications to stock AOSP.
As you mentioned, I would install maps, mail and be done with it.
* a headphone jack
* removable battery
* 4 years of updates
* no installed software except Play Store
* no modifications to stock AOSP.
As you mentioned, I would install maps, mail and be done with it.
Here's the sad part. I swear we _used to have this._ I will probably be exposed as a curmudgeon by saying this.
The v1 droid, with the sliding keyboard. I would buy again in an instant if a comparable phone existed. It was _tiny_ too, and indestructible. Loved that phone.
Software updates not what you requested, but from a featureset perspective, other than "turning up the dials" I feel like i'm paying more for less with every upgrade, although that may be blamed in part by app/web bloat.
(This post is an expression of a broad similar gripe I have across much of tech, e.g. within chat software; we peaked with desktop gchat/pidgin >decade ago, the hell have we been doing since then. Discord is a great evolutionary branch but it doesn't fill the original niche)
Edit: As a sister post says, the E4 isn't a terrible alternative, but I find it to be bigger, more finniky, and less functional than the OG droid (currently using an E4). Good price point though.
The v1 droid, with the sliding keyboard. I would buy again in an instant if a comparable phone existed. It was _tiny_ too, and indestructible. Loved that phone.
Software updates not what you requested, but from a featureset perspective, other than "turning up the dials" I feel like i'm paying more for less with every upgrade, although that may be blamed in part by app/web bloat.
(This post is an expression of a broad similar gripe I have across much of tech, e.g. within chat software; we peaked with desktop gchat/pidgin >decade ago, the hell have we been doing since then. Discord is a great evolutionary branch but it doesn't fill the original niche)
Edit: As a sister post says, the E4 isn't a terrible alternative, but I find it to be bigger, more finniky, and less functional than the OG droid (currently using an E4). Good price point though.
The Samsung A5 meets these criteria except that it's got Samsung's junkware stack.
Edit: oops, battery isn't removable either. Can't remember the last time I saw a phone with that:(
Edit: oops, battery isn't removable either. Can't remember the last time I saw a phone with that:(
Aren't Android One phones at least close to that?
The Lumia 6.1 comes close, unfortunately got poor reviews. Do you have any other suggestions?
I have a Nokia 6.1 (Android One) that I like. It does have a couple of quirks though (which show up every few days and disappear after a reboot).
Most Android One phones tick none of those boxes except maybe for the headphone jack.
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Moto E4 might come close, although it's $100 instead of $250.
Moto doesn't modify AOSP very much and the one app it has provides some nice features (shake for flashlight being my favorite).
Moto doesn't modify AOSP very much and the one app it has provides some nice features (shake for flashlight being my favorite).
I would love to have a small flip phone again. Digital keyboard on bottom with small screen on top. Just need call and text and way to summon Uber/Lyft. Maps are useful sometimes, but I just want something smaller in my pocket.
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The Boss Phone is tiny enough for any use case:
https://hackaday.com/2017/05/11/tearing-down-the-boss-phone/
https://hackaday.com/2017/05/11/tearing-down-the-boss-phone/
I got an Apple Watch to fill this niche so I could leave my phone at home. I hope they fully unteather it soon...
I don't think there's much reason to upgrade these days. Years ago I would instantly notice the crisper screen resolution, the nicer photos, and overall snappiness of a new phone. Granted my current phone (Pixel 2) is only a year old, but I can't imagine what I would upgrade to or for what reason.
For me, one reason: Photography.
That's it.
"The best camera is always the one you have with you."
I have far more expensive dedicated cameras but my iPhone is the one that I use the most frequently because it's _always_ with me. That matters and I'll always upgrade if the camera is significantly better in any way (especially in low-light, which is the area where there's a ton of room for improvement).
But I'm speaking as a person who values and has a dedicated interest in photography.
My mom really doesn't care as much because phone cameras have gotten really really good for most people's use-case.
That's it.
"The best camera is always the one you have with you."
I have far more expensive dedicated cameras but my iPhone is the one that I use the most frequently because it's _always_ with me. That matters and I'll always upgrade if the camera is significantly better in any way (especially in low-light, which is the area where there's a ton of room for improvement).
But I'm speaking as a person who values and has a dedicated interest in photography.
My mom really doesn't care as much because phone cameras have gotten really really good for most people's use-case.
If you care about camera so much, especially in low-light, you probably want to upgrade to a Pixel, the night sight feature is like magic.
I personally prefer to stay in Apple's ecosystem, but features like that are certainly interesting and speak to the type of camera improvements I was talking about in my comment.
Guess "always" was the wrong word, then.
I have an iMac, iPad, MacBook Pro, Apple Watch, AirPods...and so on. My friends and family also have Apple devices in their homes. My workplace is 100% Mac.
There's no chance I'm getting anything but an iPhone, for those and a number of other reasons.
With that being said, there are significant improvements year over year in the camera hardware used across the industry regardless of manufacturer. There's also really innovative stuff going on in camera software and computational photography from both Google and Apple among others (shoutout to Halide Camera).
I'm not going to swap out my entire phone operating system and integrated workflow for a single software-feature like Night Sight (even though I think it's very cool).
I was just making a statement about how smartphone cameras (as a category) will continue to get more impressive through a combination of software and hardware. The step function improvements in the camera experience alone are enough for me to consider upgrading even if the rest of the experience is only marginally better. The point being that even as someone with more expensive cameras and lenses, the camera on a phone is still extraordinarily important to people like me because it's the camera we end up having with us all the time.
I get that you really want to turn this into an Apple vs Android thing, but I'm going to play that game with you.
There's no chance I'm getting anything but an iPhone, for those and a number of other reasons.
With that being said, there are significant improvements year over year in the camera hardware used across the industry regardless of manufacturer. There's also really innovative stuff going on in camera software and computational photography from both Google and Apple among others (shoutout to Halide Camera).
I'm not going to swap out my entire phone operating system and integrated workflow for a single software-feature like Night Sight (even though I think it's very cool).
I was just making a statement about how smartphone cameras (as a category) will continue to get more impressive through a combination of software and hardware. The step function improvements in the camera experience alone are enough for me to consider upgrading even if the rest of the experience is only marginally better. The point being that even as someone with more expensive cameras and lenses, the camera on a phone is still extraordinarily important to people like me because it's the camera we end up having with us all the time.
I get that you really want to turn this into an Apple vs Android thing, but I'm going to play that game with you.
And that's why Apple prices are only going to keep rising, lots of people are locked in on their own choice.
If I were you I'd start planning how to move to the side where competition is actually a thing, before you're paying 4x or 5x for the same thing.
If I were you I'd start planning how to move to the side where competition is actually a thing, before you're paying 4x or 5x for the same thing.
The price increases are 100% fine by me and do not impact me as a customer.
The value of the ecosystem working reliably together is worth the premium to me (in addition to things like reliable updates, good privacy models, and a focus on customer service, among other things).
Apple have an incredibly opinionated view of computing, for sure - but it's one that I prefer even at increased cost.
With that being said, I would like to keep the focus of this conversation on camera technology across the industry. Apple or no Apple, the cool stuff going on in computational photography excite me as a photographer.
The value of the ecosystem working reliably together is worth the premium to me (in addition to things like reliable updates, good privacy models, and a focus on customer service, among other things).
Apple have an incredibly opinionated view of computing, for sure - but it's one that I prefer even at increased cost.
With that being said, I would like to keep the focus of this conversation on camera technology across the industry. Apple or no Apple, the cool stuff going on in computational photography excite me as a photographer.
Not the Grandparent, but I'd point out you turned it into an Apple vs everything else thing =]
New smartphones are more expensive than I paid for my last one, missing features I care about (headphone jack, removable storage), and replaced them with features I don't (waterproofing, notches). So while I will likely have to buy one in the next couple of years when the battery on my current phone gives up, it'll be an experience more like replacing a broken kitchen appliance than getting a new toy as it has been in the past.
I would upgrade with the zeal of a fanboy for one reason:
A phone that could be plugged into a usb C hub and instantly I have a running full Ubuntu desktop environment with all of my phone's data in the right places.
I know there's some partial attempts at this out there but I'm talking the full thing with Apple levels of quality and polish.
A phone that could be plugged into a usb C hub and instantly I have a running full Ubuntu desktop environment with all of my phone's data in the right places.
I know there's some partial attempts at this out there but I'm talking the full thing with Apple levels of quality and polish.
This will be a feature of the Librem 5, if they manage to deliver: https://puri.sm/products/librem-5/
That looks really nice. But I'd still need an escape hatch of being able to install android apps.
You'd think everyone wants this but in reality hardly anyone would actually use it.
Imagine you want to go to a coffee shop, go sit somewhere else in your house, go to meeting someplace, get on a plane, go to an office etc.
There's no hubs, screens, keyboards etc. in these places so you'd be stuck with a phone. You're effectively much much less mobile than a laptop, only incrementally more than having a desktop at home.
Perhaps if hubs / screens became ubiquitous everywhere (maybe apple can do that) it would be useful.
Imagine you want to go to a coffee shop, go sit somewhere else in your house, go to meeting someplace, get on a plane, go to an office etc.
There's no hubs, screens, keyboards etc. in these places so you'd be stuck with a phone. You're effectively much much less mobile than a laptop, only incrementally more than having a desktop at home.
Perhaps if hubs / screens became ubiquitous everywhere (maybe apple can do that) it would be useful.
I would want this. This is basically how I use my laptop. My computer I use both at home and at work and plugged into extra monitors, keyboard, mouse, headphones, internet, power, etc at both locations. On the road it is nice to have a screen and keyboard, so if my computer was my smartphone I would have to carry a little screen and key board (I already carry a mouse). I wonder if such an inexpensive screen exists not attached to a computer like an iPad or tablet.
Yes I'm not claiming this to be a viable product. However I bet apple could find a way to sell this idea as a lifestyle.
Sony Xperia XZ Premium with Termux and some widgets + old Apple Bluetooth keyboard + old Chromecast dongle + old 27" iiyama monitor and Huawei mobile router E5372.
And with help of rclone sync via S3 I have (98%) mirror of my laptop terminal environment (vim, git, npm, pip, gcloud, awscli etc.) and also nice GUI.
True not all gadgets use USB-C.
And with help of rclone sync via S3 I have (98%) mirror of my laptop terminal environment (vim, git, npm, pip, gcloud, awscli etc.) and also nice GUI.
True not all gadgets use USB-C.
Why plug into a hub?
I’d rather just wear those (inexistent) googles that create virtual screens anywhere I want.
I’d rather just wear those (inexistent) googles that create virtual screens anywhere I want.
You might downgrade and be fine with it.
Happened to me as I changed employer and had to hand back the fancy Pixel slab. I have been fine with the cracked screen 'burner' phone that I had bought in a hurry after I accidentally put my previous personal phone in the wash.
The 'burner' was only supposed to be a temporary purchase so I could take personal calls from not-so-well relatives. However I like having a not-so-special phone and not having the fear of dropping the posh all-singing-all-dancing Google device. Family channel messaging still works on it, it works fine as a phone and it even has nice touches like an SD card and replaceable battery. The smaller size is particularly good, the Google thing did not fit in my pocket too well.
The lack of decent camera is fine. It is actually what you do with a camera more than how good it is that matters the most. Plus there is that 'live for the moment' aspect of not having a posh camera.
The only downside is not having 'the big phone' for 'really important things'. I used to be able to do that, for a really important call, fancy photo or serious surfing, tell people 'hang on a minute, let me get my big phone for this...'. There was comedy value to it (but, like the best jokes, you would have had to have been there at the time).
Funny too that I never really needed any of those apps, games or whatever else you are supposed to have on these things. There is also value in being 'other' and not having a precious phone rectangle. I don't tease others for having to have their hand-rectangle crutch with them at all times. I am even okay with leaving my phone behind, if anyone calls then I call them back when I get in. Nothing is that important. There is no needless checking of the phone at every opportunity for me nowadays. I understand that new phones have apps to moderate that behaviour, I find that quite comical as I have no need for that imposed 'self control'.
As an outsider to hand-rectangle life I now observe others sharing a room, all of them engrossed in whatever it is that is shown on their respective hand-rectangles and not talking. If you want to do any of those things a hand-rectangle is for then a regular laptop (with tethering) is far better. I can't think of anything of consequence I have read or watched on hand-rectangles of old. Even maps is something I am dubious about, I am good for the zombie apocalypse when directions will need signs, landmarks, sun-angle and other clues. Camera is also a bit more nuanced. A dedicated camera with tripod mount is much better than even a Pixel phone when you want to do things like product shots. Out and about, the burner camera is fine for those things you message people with.
Testing websites for web-development is kind of even better with a burner phone. If it looks good on my phone then everything else is pretty covered (aside from Safari nuances).
It reminds me of the time I gave up my addiction to music, once I took the headphones off I discovered that the ambient soundtrack to my life was pretty good. I can honestly say I don't aspire to a new hand-rectangle but if I did wash my phone again and had to get a new phone then I would find today's burner phones pretty sweet compared to what I have now to go for the same. To think of the 'status anxiety' aspects of the past, where obviously I would need the deluxe version of a device with that extra RAM and storage space 'just in case'. I have grown past that feeble dependency.
Happened to me as I changed employer and had to hand back the fancy Pixel slab. I have been fine with the cracked screen 'burner' phone that I had bought in a hurry after I accidentally put my previous personal phone in the wash.
The 'burner' was only supposed to be a temporary purchase so I could take personal calls from not-so-well relatives. However I like having a not-so-special phone and not having the fear of dropping the posh all-singing-all-dancing Google device. Family channel messaging still works on it, it works fine as a phone and it even has nice touches like an SD card and replaceable battery. The smaller size is particularly good, the Google thing did not fit in my pocket too well.
The lack of decent camera is fine. It is actually what you do with a camera more than how good it is that matters the most. Plus there is that 'live for the moment' aspect of not having a posh camera.
The only downside is not having 'the big phone' for 'really important things'. I used to be able to do that, for a really important call, fancy photo or serious surfing, tell people 'hang on a minute, let me get my big phone for this...'. There was comedy value to it (but, like the best jokes, you would have had to have been there at the time).
Funny too that I never really needed any of those apps, games or whatever else you are supposed to have on these things. There is also value in being 'other' and not having a precious phone rectangle. I don't tease others for having to have their hand-rectangle crutch with them at all times. I am even okay with leaving my phone behind, if anyone calls then I call them back when I get in. Nothing is that important. There is no needless checking of the phone at every opportunity for me nowadays. I understand that new phones have apps to moderate that behaviour, I find that quite comical as I have no need for that imposed 'self control'.
As an outsider to hand-rectangle life I now observe others sharing a room, all of them engrossed in whatever it is that is shown on their respective hand-rectangles and not talking. If you want to do any of those things a hand-rectangle is for then a regular laptop (with tethering) is far better. I can't think of anything of consequence I have read or watched on hand-rectangles of old. Even maps is something I am dubious about, I am good for the zombie apocalypse when directions will need signs, landmarks, sun-angle and other clues. Camera is also a bit more nuanced. A dedicated camera with tripod mount is much better than even a Pixel phone when you want to do things like product shots. Out and about, the burner camera is fine for those things you message people with.
Testing websites for web-development is kind of even better with a burner phone. If it looks good on my phone then everything else is pretty covered (aside from Safari nuances).
It reminds me of the time I gave up my addiction to music, once I took the headphones off I discovered that the ambient soundtrack to my life was pretty good. I can honestly say I don't aspire to a new hand-rectangle but if I did wash my phone again and had to get a new phone then I would find today's burner phones pretty sweet compared to what I have now to go for the same. To think of the 'status anxiety' aspects of the past, where obviously I would need the deluxe version of a device with that extra RAM and storage space 'just in case'. I have grown past that feeble dependency.
I would be very happy to keep my Galaxy S7, but they make it slower on purpose with each software "update".
5G
What can you do on 5G that you can't on 4G? My 4G phone is faster than my broadband at home, I can stream at the max resolution on the screen and almost every app is latency or CPU bound at this stage.
You've got Google and Microsoft saying 5G is essential for a future of ubiquitous high quality game streaming.
Facetime and its ilk is still too low res. You cannot stream upload 4k 60 to youtube. You cannot play streaming games nor streaming VR because the latency is so bad. These things 5G will fix.
Remove data limits and speed caps, and 5g might just be worth it.
He’ll, it’d be worth it for 4g.
Won’t happen in the states though
He’ll, it’d be worth it for 4g.
Won’t happen in the states though
I made a commitment 2013 to only buy repairable phones. 5 years later my fairphone finally died (tbh, I had been wanting that for quite some time) and Motorola's vow to provide official parts for its phones made me go with them. The reason to buy the latest and greatest has never been smaller.
Repair technician here, all phones on the market are probably easier to repair these days than ever before. For example the iPhone X is easier than the 7, and the Galaxy S8/S9 are easier to repair than GS6.
To me the risk is not hardware repairability, it’s lack of timely security updates and long term support of them.
Outside of iPhones are there any phones on the market that get 5+ years of fast security updates?
Outside of iPhones are there any phones on the market that get 5+ years of fast security updates?
The iPhone’s high pricing should actually be very good for the environment. People will look after their phones because of resale value, iPhones can be repaired by professionals and will be repaired because of value, and for the same reason parts can be salvaged. A cascade of products through second hand markets to meet various market niches is much better than manufacturers selling disposable directly to those niches.
The only way you are going to get 5+ years of fast security updates outside of iPhones is unofficial Android ROMs such as LineageOS. My 6 year old Nexus 4 still gets updates that way.
Even then, you're missing out on kernel security updates. My Nexus 6P is running Android 8 with LineageOS, but it's on a 3.10 kernel, which is no longer supported.
On the other hand, my release-year Nexus 4 started experiencing battery swelling several years ago, and I had to get rid of it.
You can replace the battery on them with a screwdriver, hot air, and some bravery to slightly bend the original battery as you rip it out. Then you can remove the adhesive and not have to worry about doing that again, until your next "non-replaceable battery" phone.
Considering any functional smartphone should be able to net you at least $80-100, and the battery can be found for $5-6, not to mention the waste electronics/recycling aspect, it seems like a smart move if you have the time and will.
I did this with a Nexus 5, and broke a few clips on the back, but just enough to make the back easily removable but also stays on firmly during normal use. Now it's a regular replaceable battery phone.
Considering any functional smartphone should be able to net you at least $80-100, and the battery can be found for $5-6, not to mention the waste electronics/recycling aspect, it seems like a smart move if you have the time and will.
I did this with a Nexus 5, and broke a few clips on the back, but just enough to make the back easily removable but also stays on firmly during normal use. Now it's a regular replaceable battery phone.
I did disassemble my Nexus 5 in the hopes of getting it to boot again. (It didn't work.)
In the process, I slashed my finger with the knife-like tiny screwdriver I was using, hurting quite a bit and drawing blood.
I don't consider this to be something I should obviously do with all my phones.
In the process, I slashed my finger with the knife-like tiny screwdriver I was using, hurting quite a bit and drawing blood.
I don't consider this to be something I should obviously do with all my phones.
Even open source projects have centered around a 5 support term.
Granted, it's cheaper to upgrade to Ubuntu Bionic LTS from Ubuntu Trusty LTS than upgrading your hardware.
Many parts of this article are so disingenuous. There's a smartphone decline coming, but it's not here yet, and this article is a premature declaration that can't substantiate itself. It starts by talking about a "smartphone decline", then discreetly transitions to a smartphone sales decline — of only -0.3%. And this decline can be explained by, as the article puts it: "there’s no doubt that the replacement cycle for phones is elongating".
> If you bought a new iPhone 3G in 2008, and then a new iPhone 4 in 2010, you were buying markedly different machines. [...] If you bought an iPhone 6 in 2014 and then an iPhone 7 in 2016, that expected improvement was much harder to mark (except, perhaps for that fact the the iPhone 7 didn’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack).
Yeah? What if you shifted the years 2014/2016 to 2015/2017. Suddenly you're comparing an iPhone 6s to an iPhone X. Arguably an even bigger leap than iPhone 3G to iPhone 4.
> If you bought a new iPhone 3G in 2008, and then a new iPhone 4 in 2010, you were buying markedly different machines. [...] If you bought an iPhone 6 in 2014 and then an iPhone 7 in 2016, that expected improvement was much harder to mark (except, perhaps for that fact the the iPhone 7 didn’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack).
Yeah? What if you shifted the years 2014/2016 to 2015/2017. Suddenly you're comparing an iPhone 6s to an iPhone X. Arguably an even bigger leap than iPhone 3G to iPhone 4.
Repair technician and mobile researcher, not really 2015 and 2017 internal components are amazingly similar.
Even the screen technology, taptic engine, Audio IC, Touch IC, and more are relatively the same — just a migration of location on the board.
The 6S screen design is even more similar to the X than I had originally thought when I started to tear into them.
Now the switch from 3G to 4? That was some brand new engineering techniques and internal chip sets.
Even the screen technology, taptic engine, Audio IC, Touch IC, and more are relatively the same — just a migration of location on the board.
The 6S screen design is even more similar to the X than I had originally thought when I started to tear into them.
Now the switch from 3G to 4? That was some brand new engineering techniques and internal chip sets.
I think you're mentioning the similarities but omitting all of the differences — radically different design, waterproofing, face ID, wireless charging, fast charging, etc.
> The 6S screen design is even more similar to the X than I had originally thought when I started to tear into them.
What?
The 6s has a LCD and the X (2017) has a flexible OLED.
Couldn't be more different.
What?
The 6s has a LCD and the X (2017) has a flexible OLED.
Couldn't be more different.
Unfortunately there are no modern smartphones with a removable battery and the Super AMOLED display screen (the screen on the Samsung Galaxy and iPhone).
Batteries are always the bottleneck here. My Samsung Galaxy S6 is at a point where the battery lasts maybe an hour. But because the battery can't be replaced I need to buy a new phone.
I'd get a LG V20 (most recent phone with removable battery, over 2 years old) if not for the fact that I'm so used to that sharp AMOLED display screen that I can't go back to an LCD screen.
I guess I'll be reluctantly buying the Samsung Galaxy S9+, but I hope the battery isn't useless in 2-3 years forcing me to buy a new phone again like now.
Batteries are always the bottleneck here. My Samsung Galaxy S6 is at a point where the battery lasts maybe an hour. But because the battery can't be replaced I need to buy a new phone.
I'd get a LG V20 (most recent phone with removable battery, over 2 years old) if not for the fact that I'm so used to that sharp AMOLED display screen that I can't go back to an LCD screen.
I guess I'll be reluctantly buying the Samsung Galaxy S9+, but I hope the battery isn't useless in 2-3 years forcing me to buy a new phone again like now.
There’s no such thing as a non-removable battery, just different degrees of difficulty in the removing. If the iFixit instructions [1] look like too much work, most malls have some guy in a kiosk who will fix your problem for a relative pittance. There are services on eBay that will do a 24 hour turn around for $35 if you don’t live near a mall. We are talking about something you may need to do once every 2-3 years.
Helpless posts decrying the lack of market options come up on on almost every thread that mention smartphones, but they really shouldn’t on a website for self-professed hackers.
[1] https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Samsung+Galaxy+S6+Battery+Repla...
Helpless posts decrying the lack of market options come up on on almost every thread that mention smartphones, but they really shouldn’t on a website for self-professed hackers.
[1] https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Samsung+Galaxy+S6+Battery+Repla...
This is precisely why I "upgraded" my S2 to an S5, even though the S6 was already out and the S7 was already on the horizon.
I'm running LinageOS on it and it works flawlessly still, even though I'm now on my third battery.
I will never buy a >$500 device (be it smartphone or laptop) with a non-removable battery or easy path to replace it.
There's really no reason to buy any of the most "modern" phones unless you fancy getting ripped off big time.
I'm running LinageOS on it and it works flawlessly still, even though I'm now on my third battery.
I will never buy a >$500 device (be it smartphone or laptop) with a non-removable battery or easy path to replace it.
There's really no reason to buy any of the most "modern" phones unless you fancy getting ripped off big time.
You can’t just get the battery replaced at a phone store?
At least apple offers battery replacement, doesn't Samsung?
Pretty much every single phone out there can get battery replaced (might be it's even demanded by law in some regions) - you just need to take it to any repair shop.
That isn't true at all. Many phones have OLED-type screens. The Pixel 3 XL has an OLED screen from Samsung. https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/10/17/ifixits-pixel-3-xl-...
The Nexus 6P from 2015 has an actual AMOLED screen from Samsung (https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/3mzrl9/hi_im_hiroshi_...), as did the Nexus 6 before that.
The Nexus 6P from 2015 has an actual AMOLED screen from Samsung (https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/3mzrl9/hi_im_hiroshi_...), as did the Nexus 6 before that.
GS6 batteries are incredibly easy to replace. Check the link the other commenter left for iFixit, most people can do it in no time.
I may be somewhat of an outlier, but I have been purchasing used phones since my first smart phone (a Galaxy S2). That was a manufacturer refurb from my provider. Since then I've branched out in to ebay and amazon purchased phones, and excepting one V10 that arrived in the mail with a boot-loop issue (resolved easily enough) I've had zero problems with them and saved hundreds if not thousands of dollars.
If you don't mind replacing batteries yourself or know someone sure. My experience is the batteries especially from eBay have major issues.
ah, yes. I also never buy phones that dont have an easily swappable battery or an expansion slot. Since I started looking up drop rating videos my phones have lasted a lot longer too :)
I've not personally had an issue with buying one but of course its as much luck as anything.
I've not personally had an issue with buying one but of course its as much luck as anything.
If you bought a new iPhone 3G in 2008, and then a new iPhone 4 in 2010, you were buying markedly different machines...
This is true. The first iPhone was a great product but 3G was a huge upgrade. Retina screens, LTE, the increase in screen sizes, OTA updates all well worth a yearly upgrade. Now the 6-8 are basically the same device with tweaks. Even the two versions of iPhone X don't make a significant case to upgrade unless you just upgrade because there’s a new phone released.
This is true. The first iPhone was a great product but 3G was a huge upgrade. Retina screens, LTE, the increase in screen sizes, OTA updates all well worth a yearly upgrade. Now the 6-8 are basically the same device with tweaks. Even the two versions of iPhone X don't make a significant case to upgrade unless you just upgrade because there’s a new phone released.
I'm still using an iPhone 6 and honestly the iPhone Xs is a downgrade in a few respects. The lack of a headphone jack is a bummer in my bluetooth lacking vehicle. The lack of support for 32 bit apps means I'd have to leave a bunch of my favourites behind. The price point is still discouraging. All in all it leads to a pretty low motivation to upgrade.
Loved this presentation from Ben Evans at the a16z conference. Talks about the same thing in more detail.
https://www.ben-evans.com/benedictevans/2018/11/16/the-end-o...
https://www.ben-evans.com/benedictevans/2018/11/16/the-end-o...
I wonder how much Apple was helped by the battery debacle in the iPhone 6s. I am sure a lot of folks upgraded because their phone was horrendously slow. Now that Apple has fixed that problem and seemed to make iOS 12 faster than 11, upgrade incentives have gone down.
Incorrect title.
Also, Growth in Growth? Are we in derivative territory here, or is this a grammatical error?
Also, Growth in Growth? Are we in derivative territory here, or is this a grammatical error?
Should be sales.
I'm on an iPhone 6 plus, have had it for a while and don't see any reason to switch except downgrading to a smaller screen. I've grown tires of this behemoth of a screen and miss my tiny Google phon I could manhandle with ease.
I've always been surprised that cellular tablets didn't experience more marketshare compared to smartphones. No one has exclusively a cellular tablet that I know of, but frankly I'd probably ditch my smartphone for a cellular tablet that I carry around at all times. For me, communication mostly happens by email/text and phone calls have almost entirely been replaced by videocalling, so in the long-run I see myself moving to just a internet-enabled tablet of some kind. I guess the growing ubiquity of WiFi makes it less of an issue for most people
Tablets are in an uncanny valley. Phones fit in your pocket and are good for communication, brief transactional interaction with services, and casual stuff. When I want more than that I want a real computer, which means I pull out a laptop. Laptops are only a little bigger than tablets. Tablets have the crippled by design OS of a phone but none of the portability.
There is a market for tablets but I see it as somewhat niche.
There is a market for tablets but I see it as somewhat niche.
Personally for me, phablets are an uncanny valley. I had an iPhone Plus for a while and it never clicked. It was too big to use with one hand, but the screen size didn't warrant using two hands like an iPad does. I switched to a smaller phone and just use a tablet when I need a big screen.
Real work gets done on a laptop, but there's a lot of space between "phone" and "real work". I do wish I could get an iPad Pro with a mouse and the ability to run VSCode though...
Real work gets done on a laptop, but there's a lot of space between "phone" and "real work". I do wish I could get an iPad Pro with a mouse and the ability to run VSCode though...
There's nothing but app ecosystem standing between Tablet aand useful flyweight mobile computer.
Getting Termux on Android was a complete game-changer, and took the device from hated useless toy to ... well, still-hated, but occasionally useful toy. But clearly the limitation is in apps and OS, not form-factor.
Getting Termux on Android was a complete game-changer, and took the device from hated useless toy to ... well, still-hated, but occasionally useful toy. But clearly the limitation is in apps and OS, not form-factor.
That's what I said -- "dripped by design" OS. That being said I don't see it as something that's going to change. The duopoly behind phones and tablets wants these devices locked down. In Apple's case it's so they can take 30% of every transaction. In Google's case it's so the device can double as a surveillance platform.
I'm watching Purism and Ubuntu with interest.
I made the switch to a cellular tablet (9.7" iPad Pro) a couple years ago and it's been great.
It reduces the urge to whip out my mobile device at every moment of mild boredom, and collaborative apps like ported board games shine.
The one downside is that I look pretty silly when taking photos.
It reduces the urge to whip out my mobile device at every moment of mild boredom, and collaborative apps like ported board games shine.
The one downside is that I look pretty silly when taking photos.
> The one downside is that I look pretty silly when taking photos.
I am glad you acknowledge that.
Although it is a little strange that we feel this way, what's actually silly about using a tablet to take photos?
I am glad you acknowledge that.
Although it is a little strange that we feel this way, what's actually silly about using a tablet to take photos?
You kind of need a smartphone to talk, to move around with, small enough to keep in your pocket.
You need 'something with a keyboard' to do regular stuff.
Nobody needs a tablet.
You need 'something with a keyboard' to do regular stuff.
Nobody needs a tablet.
I do know people (mostly writers of one sort or another) who mostly travel with just a tablet these days though it’s never clicked for me. I usually travel with a tablet and small Chromebook. The Chrimebook is a flip model but it’s just not good enough as a tablet for me.
If you have a detachable keyboard, a high powered tablet is borderline laptop. It's a decent travel companion, but with macboooks so light these days ... again the tablet is just an unnessary thing. It's an optimization, not a necessity.
The difficulty is you can’t very well use a cellular tablet with one hand while you’re in line at the coffee shop.
Depends on the size of the tablet. A full-sized iPad? Probably no. But I used a Nexus 7 as my primary mobile device for a couple of years without issue.
Shame good-quality cellular small tablets are not really a thing any longer. Though, I suppose the new big phones are close to similar form factor. Just not quite as nice to read with...
Shame good-quality cellular small tablets are not really a thing any longer. Though, I suppose the new big phones are close to similar form factor. Just not quite as nice to read with...
I really liked the idea of a tablet in 2010/2012 when I didn’t have a big screen in my pocket, then new phones with big screens and great resolution arrived and I just started declining the use of my tablet. And that was not because I prefer to watch a smaller screen but because I almost never carry a backpack with me just to carry a tablet, if manufacturers finally figure out how to break the usability wall between laptops and tablets I might change my mind again (Surface Pro has been tempting).
I would use an iPad Mini sized phone, but iPads can't be used as cell phones even if they have LTE. Carriers won't activate them as phones and you can't give them a number that rings to the dialer, since the dialer doesn't exist on an iPad. It would work for me since I never take a call on my phone, I just pop in my Airpods and never actually pick the phone up.
Oh well.
Oh well.
They fixed that(somewhat):
https://www.att.com/devicehowto/tutorial.html#!/stepbystep/i...
https://www.att.com/devicehowto/tutorial.html#!/stepbystep/i...
Google Voice.
I would prefer a mobile hotspot with 24+ hours battery life, and a couple of different tablets: 1 small 4.5 / 5" and 1 that's around 8" / 10". That way I would just use the device i feel for using be it a smaller one or a bigger one. Basically make us all portable hotspots that future smart clothing and devices can connect to.
You'll soon(ish, eventually) have one device for both screen sizes https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=219&v=Sp6RVQUQ1G...
I can’t find anything more recent, but the iPad Air got 24 hours of battery life as a hotspot five years ago....
I doubt the 2018 9.7” iPad is worse.
I doubt the 2018 9.7” iPad is worse.
This is the whole point of larger phones as most people need a phone to be reached. It makes the tablet market redundant if you can carry the tablet around - why would you want to?
I've been using a 9.7 inch cellular iPad as my primary mobile device for 6 years or so. It works very well for my use case but I do understand why more people don't do it.
In my arrangement, the tablet replaces a phone, ebook, paper notes, and a laptop. I primarily use the machine for messaging/email, maps, reading (books, websites), writing notes, and using terminals. I use desktop computers with many displays (and clouds/racks of servers) for anything "real work" like. A laptop doesn't cut it.
The bigger screen is significantly better than a phone (even a big one) for most of those things. Especially multi-tasking use cases where I want slack+a terminal visible at once. The bigger keyboard is far more comfortable for taking notes and using terminals.
I make/receive very few phone calls, and the ones I do use a headset and a Voip app. If you use the phone a lot for holding up to your head and talking to people a tablet works poorly. Most of my camera use is for things like scanning documents, qr codes, etc where the size/awkwardness is less an issue. I have a single purpose camera that I take on photo heavy trips like vacations. These are both trade offs that make sense to me but I don't think make sense for a lot of people.
I have a case with a hand strap that makes it safe and easy to use the tablet while standing/walking around, something that is hard to do with a laptop. I don't own or use a car so I tend to carry a messenger bag with me everywhere for general storage so adding the tablet to that is straight forward. It is easy to take the tablet in and out of the bag while standing if I need to look something up. Because I primarily use public transit I am free to actually use the screen of my device while in transit. Again, the more common use case where your car stores your stuff and you can't use your screen while in transit likely pushes the common case towards phone sized devices.
I pay $17.50 per month for Verizon cellular data with no contracts and no funny business. LTE data plans for tablets are priced assuming you have a smartphone already. Especially with today's $1000+ phones, a tablet + LTE plan can be drastically cheaper than a smartphone.
Finally, I like the friction of usage balance. It is much easier to grab the tablet (especially while standing/walking) than to deal with a laptop. It is a bit harder than pulling a phone out of your pocket. This leads me to avoid wasting time on my mobile device when with other people, in meetings, standing in line, etc, but makes it much easier to deploy computing power when it is necessary (standing in the data center and need to run one terminal command quickly).
The one thing I would change would be to add a watch that would help with turn by turn walking directions, basic message checking, and NFC payments. I look forward to the day that Apple Watch will pair with a tablet (or work with no tethered device).
In my arrangement, the tablet replaces a phone, ebook, paper notes, and a laptop. I primarily use the machine for messaging/email, maps, reading (books, websites), writing notes, and using terminals. I use desktop computers with many displays (and clouds/racks of servers) for anything "real work" like. A laptop doesn't cut it.
The bigger screen is significantly better than a phone (even a big one) for most of those things. Especially multi-tasking use cases where I want slack+a terminal visible at once. The bigger keyboard is far more comfortable for taking notes and using terminals.
I make/receive very few phone calls, and the ones I do use a headset and a Voip app. If you use the phone a lot for holding up to your head and talking to people a tablet works poorly. Most of my camera use is for things like scanning documents, qr codes, etc where the size/awkwardness is less an issue. I have a single purpose camera that I take on photo heavy trips like vacations. These are both trade offs that make sense to me but I don't think make sense for a lot of people.
I have a case with a hand strap that makes it safe and easy to use the tablet while standing/walking around, something that is hard to do with a laptop. I don't own or use a car so I tend to carry a messenger bag with me everywhere for general storage so adding the tablet to that is straight forward. It is easy to take the tablet in and out of the bag while standing if I need to look something up. Because I primarily use public transit I am free to actually use the screen of my device while in transit. Again, the more common use case where your car stores your stuff and you can't use your screen while in transit likely pushes the common case towards phone sized devices.
I pay $17.50 per month for Verizon cellular data with no contracts and no funny business. LTE data plans for tablets are priced assuming you have a smartphone already. Especially with today's $1000+ phones, a tablet + LTE plan can be drastically cheaper than a smartphone.
Finally, I like the friction of usage balance. It is much easier to grab the tablet (especially while standing/walking) than to deal with a laptop. It is a bit harder than pulling a phone out of your pocket. This leads me to avoid wasting time on my mobile device when with other people, in meetings, standing in line, etc, but makes it much easier to deploy computing power when it is necessary (standing in the data center and need to run one terminal command quickly).
The one thing I would change would be to add a watch that would help with turn by turn walking directions, basic message checking, and NFC payments. I look forward to the day that Apple Watch will pair with a tablet (or work with no tethered device).
> I pay $17.50 per month for Verizon cellular data with no contracts and no funny business.
How'd you manage to pull this witchcraft? This is 1/6th what I'm paying for Sprint.
How'd you manage to pull this witchcraft? This is 1/6th what I'm paying for Sprint.
Just sign up for the Verizon plan from the cellular data menu on the device. No talking to anyone, no visiting Verizon store, no negotiating. Supports tethering. 2GB/2months, way more than enough for messaging and web browsing. Probably not enough for streaming video (I don’t do this, you can pay more for more data if you want). As the sibling comment mentioned other carriers have similar or better deals for tablets.
The “catch” is that there are no voice minutes and you have to carry a tablet instead of a phone. This is apparently enough of a burden that people don’t take them up on it. If you can live with those constraints (it is definitely doable) then it is a fantastic price.
The “catch” is that there are no voice minutes and you have to carry a tablet instead of a phone. This is apparently enough of a burden that people don’t take them up on it. If you can live with those constraints (it is definitely doable) then it is a fantastic price.
I pay $10 per month for my iPad cellular through T-Mobile — signed up directly during the setup of the new iPad.
I think there is a strong temptation for Apple and other manufacturers to push an iOS update that cripples their older models.
Long-term it would destroy their brand but short term they could potentially see an uptick.
Long-term it would destroy their brand but short term they could potentially see an uptick.
Apple has been signalling to do the opposite, iOS 12 has been great in my experience on their 2013 iPhone 5s model.
I think it makes sense for them to cultivate the reputation for long-lasting given the new price points.
I'm slightly hopefully the 5s will get iOS 13, it was the first 64-bit phone and also has the secure enclave, I'm bet they could pull it off.
I think it makes sense for them to cultivate the reputation for long-lasting given the new price points.
I'm slightly hopefully the 5s will get iOS 13, it was the first 64-bit phone and also has the secure enclave, I'm bet they could pull it off.
This is a little off topic, but it's been driving me nuts and I want to know if anyone else has experienced this. I feel like iOS 11 causes my phone to drop calls...
I have an iphone 5s, and took a loooong time before I updated to iOS 11 from iOS 10.3. I learned the hard way with my iphone 4 not to blindly click update or your phone may be unusable. Anyway, I have been in my apartment since the beginning of the year. I make all sorts of phone calls no problem. Reception is good, usually 3-4 bars.
In June I updated my phone to iOS 11. Since then, a phone call in my apartment will last at best 5 minutes before I get a "Call Failed" screen. It's insane. I look at my phone and it has 4 bars. Literally as I press the "Dial" button, it instantly drops to 1-2 bars. Usually about a minute into the call it drops to 0 bars. Then the call drops. As soon as the "Call Failed" screen goes away, it's back up to 4 bars.
I feel like I'm going crazy. Has anyone else experienced this? I haven't been able to find any similar bug reports or experiences online...
edit: i meant iOS 11. I am hesitant to update to iOS 12 because of my experience with 11
I have an iphone 5s, and took a loooong time before I updated to iOS 11 from iOS 10.3. I learned the hard way with my iphone 4 not to blindly click update or your phone may be unusable. Anyway, I have been in my apartment since the beginning of the year. I make all sorts of phone calls no problem. Reception is good, usually 3-4 bars.
In June I updated my phone to iOS 11. Since then, a phone call in my apartment will last at best 5 minutes before I get a "Call Failed" screen. It's insane. I look at my phone and it has 4 bars. Literally as I press the "Dial" button, it instantly drops to 1-2 bars. Usually about a minute into the call it drops to 0 bars. Then the call drops. As soon as the "Call Failed" screen goes away, it's back up to 4 bars.
I feel like I'm going crazy. Has anyone else experienced this? I haven't been able to find any similar bug reports or experiences online...
edit: i meant iOS 11. I am hesitant to update to iOS 12 because of my experience with 11
This sounds like you're getting data on LTE, but you don't have VoLTE (not available on iPhone 5s? or not provisioned by your carrier for you). As a result, when you use calling features, your phone will drop LTE and connect on an earlier standard to make calls.
Carriers have been reallocating spectrum from older standards to LTE, so it's not unlikely that carrier changes reduced your calling ability around the same time as you made software changes to your phone.
Double check if VoLTE is available for your phone, and try to get that enabled... Or stand closer to the window when you make calls.
Carriers have been reallocating spectrum from older standards to LTE, so it's not unlikely that carrier changes reduced your calling ability around the same time as you made software changes to your phone.
Double check if VoLTE is available for your phone, and try to get that enabled... Or stand closer to the window when you make calls.
Huh I never thought of that (or even knew about VoLTE). I'll look more into that. I am always hesitant to say "it was definitely such and such upgrade" but I can't think of anything else that changed about my phone in mid June except my iOS update. It took me a month or so to realize that it was a persistent pattern, so it's not like I updated on Monday and on Tuesday realized my calls were dropping.
I don't understand how that's possible. My girlfriend and I deliberately switched from 4s/5s to LG Zone4 specifically because of all the throttling and horrible performance of every native/3rd party app on iOS.
The difference has been mindblowing. We no longer wait 15 seconds for an app to open.
The difference has been mindblowing. We no longer wait 15 seconds for an app to open.
Repair shop owner here...that throttling is typically caused by an older battery. Putting a new battery in the phone revives its performance.
One of the tests I run when a customer brings an older iPhone in is to open the camera. We had a customer with an iPhone 6 where the camera would take 20-30 seconds to open. After we replaced her battery, it opened in a second or two.
One of the tests I run when a customer brings an older iPhone in is to open the camera. We had a customer with an iPhone 6 where the camera would take 20-30 seconds to open. After we replaced her battery, it opened in a second or two.
I thought that throttling in iOS 12 could be disabled through the software, under Settings.
You can, but the whole point of throttling was that iPhone 6s with older batteries were shutting down randomly, particularly in cold temperatures. The batteries were not able to deliver the voltage the phone required, and as a safety measure the phone just shut down. Apple introduced throttling to combat the random shutdowns.
Of course, Apple being Apple, they did a remarkably poor job of explaining all of this. It took them until people filed lawsuits to introduce their "battery health indicator", and even now people don't really understand that slow performance can often be fixed by a new battery.
Of course, Apple being Apple, they did a remarkably poor job of explaining all of this. It took them until people filed lawsuits to introduce their "battery health indicator", and even now people don't really understand that slow performance can often be fixed by a new battery.
Only issue is that the price of a battery replacement is the same as my Zone 4, and I am enjoying the objectively better hardware. Plus, I am biased against apple's ecosystem, but this is more subjective and has to do with my lack of dependence on iOS exclusives.
Thanks for the insight!!!
Thanks for the insight!!!
battery replacement on an iphone from what i have seen is a 30-50$ part and 30min of your time with a screwdriver.
With Android I think the case is not that they'll push updates that cripple older models; they just don't push updates at all.
And Apple seems unlikely to do this given their growth is focused on services now. They need as many people on their devices as possible in order to sell them services.
iOS 12 has a pretty long list of supported devices, and objectively improved performance on the specifically the oldest ones on that list.
iOS 12 has a pretty long list of supported devices, and objectively improved performance on the specifically the oldest ones on that list.
So what? I have a Huawei Mate S, from 2016. Quite good at the time, it's still totally serviceable. The lack of a replaceable battery is the only reason I'm starting to consider a replacement. I know, I'm not getting security updates anymore, but the average consumer doesn't care about that. I don't feel I'm losing much in terms of functionality from having an older version of Android.
At least with Android though you can install different, current, updated roms which are often better without the bloat that usually comes from the carrier, and a lot of them still get OTA updates. https://www.xda-developers.com/
And that helps a few geeks with a few phones. That is not a long term solution for most people.
Even worse, with most Android phones, you’re already starting out with slower processors than the iPhone of the same year.
Even worse, with most Android phones, you’re already starting out with slower processors than the iPhone of the same year.
The processor speed hasn't mattered to me for the last few years. I'm still using an "old" Galaxy S6 and it does everything I need it to just as fast as the day I bought it. I don't plan on upgrading anytime soon except maybe a battery replacement at some point, but a charge still lasts me most of the day. I'm not a part of the rat race for the latest and greatest to run apps that I don't care about, or want. I used to. Most apps are crap imo and a waste of time. I use my phone mostly as a work and communication tool and really just have like 5 apps installed. I've removed myself from the pointless yearly upgrade game. I no longer care about having the newest and shiniest gadget in my pocket. My quality of life is improved as I don't spend much time on my phone, and I've saved quite a bit of money since I bought the phone outright at the time of purchase. Nothing during the last few years is really revolutionary. You can throw more resolution at it and my eyes see it the same. I mean on something that is 5" or 6", 1080 looks about the same as 4k. You can throw in a higher clock speed and more memory, but my apps run just as fast.
> That is not a long term solution for most people.
I agree. Someone just needs to make an app to install roms from a repository source easy, so anyone can do it. Like how easy it used to be to jailbreak an iphone simply by just visiting a website and pressing a button.
> That is not a long term solution for most people.
I agree. Someone just needs to make an app to install roms from a repository source easy, so anyone can do it. Like how easy it used to be to jailbreak an iphone simply by just visiting a website and pressing a button.
Their subscription services are making it irrelevant if you use an old phone for 5 years or buy a new phone every year.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/31/apple-q3-2018-services-reven...
https://www.recode.net/2017/5/3/15523268/apple-services-busi...
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/31/apple-q3-2018-services-reven...
https://www.recode.net/2017/5/3/15523268/apple-services-busi...
I'm not an Apple fan, but Apple is a long term strategy company and they will not be doing this; just like Microsoft hasn't. Google's Android is so fractured it's basically impossible to do it.
You're getting down votes but this isn't a feeling. This has been confirmed.
https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/20/16800058/apple-iphone-sl...
This is an extreme example but it just shows they're not that worried about performance of older models. I don't think its sinister or anything. Its just not a priority.
https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/20/16800058/apple-iphone-sl...
This is an extreme example but it just shows they're not that worried about performance of older models. I don't think its sinister or anything. Its just not a priority.
That’s about having an older battery, not an older model. As extensively discussed, Apple says that’s a trade off of performance, battery life and avoidance of sudden shutdown. Performance can be restored with a new battery.
This, on top of it, if you don't want it, you can turn off the slowdown.
Since I got my first HTC EVO, I've eagerly upgraded phones every two years, and frequently every one. Now I'm 2 years into my pixel one, and don't see a phone worth upgrading too. Between rising prices and the way it feels each recent phone has removed features I'm in no rush.
Phones have reached the same point laptops reached maybe 10 years ago. They are "good enough" and no real innovation is happening. It's probably just the normal curve for most things. Once things mature, they still sell well, but the excitement is gone. Happened to cars, TVs, PCs and now to phones.
I could get excited about smaller phones though...
I could get excited about smaller phones though...
To be fair, laptops also went through that period where the only resolution available was 1366x768 unless you bought a Mac or an extremely expensive workstation class laptop. Manufacturers just kind of seemed to give up on them. Lots of mediocre hardware put together in a slapdash fashion, and this was not too long after the big nVidia chip failure fiasco. Combine that with Intel's year to year speedups being generously described as modest and AMD falling on their face with Bulldozer and there was little reason to upgrade to a new laptop.
This makes me wonder. I bought an iPhone X outright and didn’t mind the original cost. But I will not be upgrading to the iPhone XS. They were able to get me to cross the $1,000 phone barrier but it almost has a negative effect because I would traditionally not blink twice upgrading every year at the previous price point.
Well, will you upgrade next year? If so, not a dramatic difference between $1000 every two years and $500 every one year.
After I saw the announcement for the XS I immediately bought a used iPhone SE. $160 for a 64GB model. Even if it only lasts me a year (it won't get iOS 13, which I may or may not care about) the value for money is astronomical compared to Apple's current offerings.
After I saw the announcement for the XS I immediately bought a used iPhone SE. $160 for a 64GB model. Even if it only lasts me a year (it won't get iOS 13, which I may or may not care about) the value for money is astronomical compared to Apple's current offerings.
Wait, why won't it get iOS 13? Or are you saying "if it doesn't get iOS 13, it may only last a year"?
It seems highly unlikely that Apple will drop the 6S and SE with iOS 13.
It seems highly unlikely that Apple will drop the 6S and SE with iOS 13.
I don't know, but I believe the reason iPhones get dropped from support is not calendar years, but rather architectural change. That is, the 32 bit to 64 bit transition dropped the old 32 bit phones after a while. So unless there is a major architectural shift I don't see why they would drop the 6s and SE.
I agree. They will probably drop the 5s in 2019, the 6 in 2020 and the 6s/SE in 2021.
Unless they just don’t want to support the 4 inch screen anymore.
Unless they just don’t want to support the 4 inch screen anymore.
For some reason I had it in my head that it wouldn't. Fantastic, even more value!
bad_good_guy(2)
At least 4 years ago I had already gotten to the point that my phone could: take pretty good pictures and video, capably handle internet and communication, and run what apps I use (no games) sufficiently well. From then on no smartphone has offered me any new major benefit. They just do all those things a little better, but it was already good enough.
New fad. Lots of sales. Market saturation. People realizing they don't need nor want the latest and greatest so don't. Market declines.
There's nothing new here we've not seen many times before.
There's nothing new here we've not seen many times before.
I just purchased an iPhone 8 and I plan to keep this for about 4 to 5 years. My iPhone 6 Plus lasted quite well for 3 1/2 years, if you take care of it I see no reason to upgrade. Maybe the market will become completely saturated and stagnant, and Apple return to focusing on making computers.
[deleted]
My First lasted 4 years.
[2G, VGA Camera]
2nd Phone lasted 5 years. [3G, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, Radio, 5MP Camera]
3rd Phone 2 Years and counting. [4G, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, Camera + Front Camera]
It's a simple pattern. Every new phone buy should be a major Technology Upgrade, not just specification upgrade. So Minimum Requirement for my next phone will be [5G]. Hopefully within next 2 years. :)
2nd Phone lasted 5 years. [3G, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, Radio, 5MP Camera]
3rd Phone 2 Years and counting. [4G, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, Camera + Front Camera]
It's a simple pattern. Every new phone buy should be a major Technology Upgrade, not just specification upgrade. So Minimum Requirement for my next phone will be [5G]. Hopefully within next 2 years. :)
This is going to causes ripple effect in the industry. Leading Node is getting even more expensive, it used to have an expanding base of Smartphone using leading node for the past 5 years, sharing the cost and making them affordable. Now it is shared by a smaller number, which means we might see slow down on new node introduction. Luckily TSMC already has everything set for up to 5nm in 2020. After that, not only have we reach the end of Single Core IPC improvement, we might also have reached the end of MultiCore Count increase.
Essentially smartphones are entering the laptop stages of ubiquity and market saturation and making people wonder whats next. Smartphones are also losing their wow factor and just becoming another "commodity".
People are also finding less reason to replace their smartphones and replace cycles are getting longer.
The only double-digit growth is in the lower priced segments in developing nations and whats stopping Apple and other giants is their reluctance to dilute their premium branding.