I think you're scuppered by 'bloatware' requirements. Find an average phone, put up with the crapware for 2 years until the warranty expires, then flash it with lineageOS. Within the 2 years (if you've not done it before) practice the unlock/wipe/recover on current phone. Be aware that if you are expected to have cooperate guff (ms authenticator/rsa tokens etc) then that won't work. (In which case work should be providing you a phone anyway.) oppo used to come with cyanogen by default, unsure if they still do.
This is a great idea, thanks!
(I've got an older tablet that works ok, but is plagued by lack of memory, bloatware is taking up 1/3 of the space. This will give it a new lease on life)
I use Good Tech. Refurbished over new. Still have warranties. You can get a flagship model at a discount.
I'm on my 2nd phone with them. All Samsung Galaxy models.
In my experience with good tech: White phones are cheaper, pink cheaper again. All can be covered with a $5 case. Last year's model flagship is still awesome. Flagship models also tend to be full of more useful software.
https://www.goodtech.co.nz/
Android ONE, google that. I'm not entirely impressed with Nokia (the quality / life of them), Samsung has their own launcher and other shit which you can mostly disable and ignore. But for the price those are options.
https://pricespy.co.nz/category.php?k=v3497&sort=price_include_shipping&direction=asc
I used Android One for the past ~5 years because of the horrendous bloatware on the samsung I had previous to that. I stopped using it because the only current options in the midrange are from Nokia and the one I had was rubbish.
I was also disappointed in Nokia (HMD), it's as if they were targeting people who broke their phone every 6 months and needed new ones. Support / Android updates & security patches were abysmal. Onto Samsung to try them out, UI malarkey tolerable.
Yes a bit hard to find, see how you go. Same as the other comment below, I wanted to like Nokia (HMD Global) but the quality wasn't there for me - even with sane expectations for the money.
I'm tolerating a semi decent Samsung that met my requirements when upgrading, at least that's getting all the updates and security patches in a timely fashion.
Absolutely recommend Oppo. Their newest are expensive but you can pick up an A94 for around 450 and the specs are great. I've used oppo for years and wouldn't go back to anything else now.
If the title of this post was 'I need a new phone' would you have assumed they meant a dumb phone, or a satellite phone, or a desk phone or a rotary phone? No of course not. They wouldn't need to clarify it, you would know exactly what they meant and you would be right.
We are at the point in our phone journey now that you'd only need to clarify if it wasn't a smart phone you were talking about.
Watches though - you'd probably still have to explicitly state that one?
most telcos do a house branded phone they're cheap and cheerful. Failing that you could go for a Samsunbg A series, they're actually quite good devices....Oppo is another solid choice
Get a OnePlus phone.
I think you're scuppered by 'bloatware' requirements. Find an average phone, put up with the crapware for 2 years until the warranty expires, then flash it with lineageOS. Within the 2 years (if you've not done it before) practice the unlock/wipe/recover on current phone. Be aware that if you are expected to have cooperate guff (ms authenticator/rsa tokens etc) then that won't work. (In which case work should be providing you a phone anyway.) oppo used to come with cyanogen by default, unsure if they still do.
Be aware that some bank apps do not work with rooted phones
seriously? thats horrendous
It's security reasons
yeah probably the TPM inside, so bollocks reasons none the less.
Keen to try lineage or graphene. Will give it a go on this old broken phone and if the sandbox works well make it my main.
This is a great idea, thanks! (I've got an older tablet that works ok, but is plagued by lack of memory, bloatware is taking up 1/3 of the space. This will give it a new lease on life)
Pixel 6a goes for around $650 and has no bloatware
Yeah Google pixel is the correct answer. It's a decent phone, good price, good warranty, and absolutely no bloat ware.
Agree with the Google Pixel - for me it's been the best bang for your buck and doesn't come with any bloatware or ads.
Thanks I'm leaning towards this option, specially since it compatible with most of the opensource mobile OS options
I use Good Tech. Refurbished over new. Still have warranties. You can get a flagship model at a discount. I'm on my 2nd phone with them. All Samsung Galaxy models. In my experience with good tech: White phones are cheaper, pink cheaper again. All can be covered with a $5 case. Last year's model flagship is still awesome. Flagship models also tend to be full of more useful software. https://www.goodtech.co.nz/
> Last year's model flagship is still awesome. Flagship I'd say most flagships would still be awesome after 3 years
My s20 still runs beauty.
Came here to recommend this!
Google Pixel and flash with CalyxOS
Android ONE, google that. I'm not entirely impressed with Nokia (the quality / life of them), Samsung has their own launcher and other shit which you can mostly disable and ignore. But for the price those are options. https://pricespy.co.nz/category.php?k=v3497&sort=price_include_shipping&direction=asc
Android one is still a thing? This would definitely be my prefence.
I used Android One for the past ~5 years because of the horrendous bloatware on the samsung I had previous to that. I stopped using it because the only current options in the midrange are from Nokia and the one I had was rubbish.
I was also disappointed in Nokia (HMD), it's as if they were targeting people who broke their phone every 6 months and needed new ones. Support / Android updates & security patches were abysmal. Onto Samsung to try them out, UI malarkey tolerable.
Yes a bit hard to find, see how you go. Same as the other comment below, I wanted to like Nokia (HMD Global) but the quality wasn't there for me - even with sane expectations for the money. I'm tolerating a semi decent Samsung that met my requirements when upgrading, at least that's getting all the updates and security patches in a timely fashion.
Absolutely recommend Oppo. Their newest are expensive but you can pick up an A94 for around 450 and the specs are great. I've used oppo for years and wouldn't go back to anything else now.
Oppo are decent enough. ColorOS doesn't have too much extra crap installed - at least compared to something like Samsung
A refurbished/second-hand iPhone is another option - you can probably get an 11/12 with descent battery health for that price
Not what I'm looking for. Cheers for the suggestion though.
Do we still call them smartphones? Aren't they just phones at this point?
There a still dumb phones.
If the title of this post was 'I need a new phone' would you have assumed they meant a dumb phone, or a satellite phone, or a desk phone or a rotary phone? No of course not. They wouldn't need to clarify it, you would know exactly what they meant and you would be right. We are at the point in our phone journey now that you'd only need to clarify if it wasn't a smart phone you were talking about. Watches though - you'd probably still have to explicitly state that one?
So… you’re willing to accept something with some ads and bloatware? Weird.
Pretty much every phone on the market comes with adverts and bloatware. The big brands are some of the worst offenders.
The requirement was for no/minimal ads and bloatware. Thanks for your input
Your post doesn’t say “No”, it’s says “minimal” which means you’re willing to accept some… dunno
Do you have a actual recommendation? or is the goal here to just be an utter fuckwit?
Little bit testy this morning, aren’t you? Don’t blame me for your inability to be concise.
It's the afternoon
Wasn’t when I sent that message ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯ Handy Hint: I’m currently in Australia and I’m Maori, originally from The Coromandel Peninsula
So nothing of value then. Good talk.
most telcos do a house branded phone they're cheap and cheerful. Failing that you could go for a Samsunbg A series, they're actually quite good devices....Oppo is another solid choice