Other than your carrier give it for free or cheap, I don’t really see the reason why should you buy new phone. I’ve been using Redmi Note 9 for past 3 years and recently got my had on Poco F5. I don’t see the point of my ‘upgrade’. I sold it and come back to my Note 9. Gaming? Most of them are p2w or microtransaction garbage or just gimped version of its PC/Console counterpart. I mean, $400 still get you PS4, TV and Switch if you don’t mind buying used. At least here where I live. Storage? Dude, newer phone wont even let you have SD Card. Features? Well, all I see is newer phones take more features than it adds. Headphone jack, more ads, and repairability are to name a few. Battery? Just replace them. However, my Note 9 still get through day with one 80% charge in the dawn. Which takes 1 hour.

I am genuinely curious why newer phone always selling like hot cakes. Since there’s virtually no difference between 4gb of RAM and 12gb of RAM, or 12mp camera and 100mp camera on phone.

  • Programmer Belch
    4•1 year ago

    If you are using an android phone, you can change the ROM to one that still gets updates, it’s like changing the os in a computer. The process will delete all of the user data inside the phone but you’ve got nothing to lose if it doesn’t get any security updates.

    I recommend lineageOS to anyone wanting to go down this route because of its compatibility with every phone, old or new.

    • dzervas
      5•1 year ago

      that “security update” quickly gets irrelevant as the exploits for lineage (or any non-standard rom) sells for pennies compared to a stock exploit. also no one’s paying security researchers to assess lineage - also it would be completely impossible with the amount of updates and devices they release

      remember that (unfortunately) security is all about money

      • 001100 010010English
        0•1 year ago

        But more people using stock roms could potentially mean any exploit is more easily found compared to custom roms. Not saying that’s the case, but it’s a factor to consider.

        • dzervas
          4•1 year ago

          as more people use a software it’s not easier to find exploits but much more profitable - and you see that propagate, as in:

          • More people start to use a software
          • Inevitably it gets hacked - by a kid most probably
          • The company starts panicking due to bad press
          • They start fixing the security bugs
          • (some years pass)
          • Now its quite difficult to find exploit as many security bugs have been fixed
          • Exploit prices skyrocket since it would affect many users and it’s difficult to develop
          • Bug bounty skyrockets since the exploits are so pricey

          Now the last 2 steps tend to cycle since the security of the product fluctuates

          Now the above have nothing to do with “residual” products - such as custom roms. And actually, you have so many deeply specialized people around the main product that finding a bug and developing an exploit on the residual is just a matter of “who the fuck cares”.

          So you’re basing your security of your phone on “care”, also known as security through obscurity (some times at least).

          Another example of “who cares” security is libreoffice. When I started as a security engineer the veteran (and boss) referred to it as training material to find security bugs. I found some, but who cares? Ain’t nobody gonna pay for them as “nobody” uses the software (keep in mind that we’re referring to millions of daily users rather than thousands per month)

          Sorry for sheet! ❤️ Be safe and use a password manager

      • 001100 010010English
        3•1 year ago

        It depends. For Graphene OS, there is a web installer that the people who have used it said it was the easiest custom rom they’ve installed. Unfortunately, it only supports for Google Pixels.

        For other custom roms… maybe not as easy…

        Graphene OS Web Install: https://grapheneos.org/install/web

      • dzervas
        3•1 year ago

        hmmm depends on the phone and what you mean difficult. If you’ve managed to format a computer you’ll be fine. If you’re having trouble downloading chrome or office, maybe think about it again - I’m not saying you shouldn’t try or learn (everybody can learn), Im just saying that it will require an amount of time that I imagine would be uncomfortable to a user that don’t wanna bother downloading a program.

        Not all people enjoy computers!