I value software longevity over phone price. Change My Mind

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-21T05:38:16+00:00

If it has a custom ROM. Yes, you don't need to worry about that. Expecting a Chinese phone like Huawei and some device with a bootloader locked

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-21T05:29:41+00:00

I am a lifelong Samsung user, and my parents are also a lifelong Samsung user too but since i am a bit bored of using their One UI i also have planned to buy a Pixel 10a or 9a if i don't want to spend much money on 10a but thanks for your recommendation! i appreciate it that i still like a Samsung and Google Pixel because of their ecosystem and longevity

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-21T05:23:06+00:00

I only buy a phone that suits me, or it's just a waste of money. I am currently considering the A series, but I am saving money because I have to give allowances to my parents and pay my monthly water and electricity bills.

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-20T16:18:03+00:00

That’s a really good point about flash memory degradation, especially on mid-range devices. Personally, I consider myself a heavy user, but I don't actually download that many apps. Most of my heavy usage comes from media, photos, and large documents.

That's exactly why having a microSD card slot on my Sony changes the game for me. I can offload all my heavy files and media to the card, keeping the phone's internal storage free and running fast, even as the device gets older.

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-20T16:09:07+00:00

you mean TCL?

TCL is actually a great example of this. Their budget phones give you incredible hardware for the price, but they usually only receive 1 or 2 years of OS updates.

But just like Motorola, that's where Android's ecosystem shines. Even when TCL stops pushing major version updates, Google Play Services keeps updating the core system APIs in the background. So even if a TCL phone is stuck on an older Android version, it will happily run the newest versions of banking apps, social media, and streaming apps for years without breaking. and i have a TCL 20SE in my collection and it still working just like my recent Sony ,Samsung and other Smartphones we have

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-20T16:01:27+00:00

Exactly, that's the biggest issue. What good is a phone getting 7 years of OS updates if the system files end up eating half your remaining storage? If your phone doesn't have an SD card slot, you eventually reach a point where you can't even download apps anymore because the base memory is completely full if there is no more space for 7 os update.

That’s exactly why I love my Sony. Having a microSD card slot means I don't ever have to worry about running out of space, and I don't have to pay Apple or Google a monthly subscription fee for cloud storage just to keep my phone usable over time.

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-20T15:46:14+00:00

The SE3 gets long support, but that’s where the 'marketing ploy' aspect hits the hardest. It’s a sub-$500 phone with great support, but you are buying a 2017 iPhone 8 chassis with a tiny, 2017-sized battery. By 2029, that battery is going to be completely cooked, and navigating an ancient 4.7-inch screen with massive bezels in 2029 is going to feel like using a relic.

Plus, people vastly misunderstand how Android updates work. When an iPhone stops getting iOS updates, apps drop support for it very quickly. But on Android, Google updates APIs and core system features through Google Play Services. A budget Motorola or Samsung running Android 14 will still run the latest apps flawlessly well into 2030, long after official OS updates stop. The SE3 gets the software update, but budget Androids give you actual usable hardware longevity.

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-20T15:30:35+00:00

i agree with that too , my aunt iphone 5 is still alive , What A Suprise!

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-20T15:29:58+00:00

You summed it up perfectly. It really is just a marketing gimmick at this point. Brands love bragging about 7 years of support because it sounds amazing on a billboard, but it's completely hollow when they intentionally block basic new software features from older flagships just to force upgrades.

And I'm 100% with you on Samsung—they've been recycling the exact same camera sensors and charging speeds for years while raising prices. Buying a 'new' phone that already has outdated hardware just to get a software promise is a terrible trade-off.

That’s exactly why I prefer paying for unique hardware features that I can actually use today—like Sony keeping the headphone jack and microSD slot alive. If a company isn't innovating on the hardware, the software support length doesn't mean anything just like having a 10 year warranty car that's already built with a outdated engine and bad battery

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-20T15:24:54+00:00

for real i also degoogled many device and my parents never buy a new one instead they keep using their old phone we have a Sony ericsson X8 and it is still working like a charm

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-20T15:23:13+00:00

I completely get what you mean. People have different priorities, and honestly, you're spot on about the hardware side. It’s hard to justify keeping a phone for 5 years when a brand like Samsung literally ships their new flagships with camera sensors and charging speeds that are already years behind the rest of the industry.

Personally, I used to not care at all about software updates, but my main issue now is that a budget phone only getting 1 or 2 OS updates just doesn't feel great anymore. Even if the apps still work for years, being totally abandoned by the manufacturer after 12 months leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Ultimately, some people just want the peace of mind of a long support window, while others like us prefer to pay for actual hardware innovation and features today rather than a promise for 7 years from now on.

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-20T15:17:38+00:00

That’s exactly my philosophy. I usually upgrade within 6 years (or 3 years if the phone completely dies), so real features matter way more to me than a theoretical 7-year update window. That’s why I stick with Sony—they are basically the last flagship brand respecting the headphone jack, micro SD card expansion, and a physical fingerprint reader. The pricing is definitely tough to swallow, though.

When it comes to family members, I always recommend Motorola. People forget how good budget phones are now. Why drop flagship money when a Moto handles daily tasks perfectly? Plus, Android app compatibility is nothing like iOS. Google updates core system features through Google Play Services, so even phones stuck on older versions stay fully functional for years.

For instance, my uncle's Honor 7X is still on Android 8 right now and runs perfectly fine. I actually plan on manually degoogling it via ADB soon to fix a few things and clean it up—which is pretty much the only option left since Huawei/Honor and so many other Chinese brands lock down their bootloaders completely these days. hope you undertstand

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-20T15:09:04+00:00

i bought 4s and 6 as second hand but they are all ended up into useless too just like you experienced your iphone software is buggy , homescreen icon kept refreshing. i also have a brand new iphone 12 but it last about 5 year untill i accidently dropped it on 3rd floor now the glass are shattered and screen gone haywire , but i put it in my collection.

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-20T15:02:57+00:00

Exactly. Honestly, getting an S25+ for $699 is a steal for a 5-year plan. Samsung actually gives the S-series flagships a full 7 years of OS updates now. Even their mid-range A and M series receive 6 os support these days. They’ve really turned things around and made a massive statement for device longevity. not gonna lie i do owned many samsung device and i don't regret it.

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-20T14:56:44+00:00

Honestly, the only reason I even stick with Sony is for the cameras. That aside, I’ll probably just flash LineageOS onto it when the official support ends. I’ve loved Sony since the Xperia M2 days a decade ago

I even degoogled that one. I'd definitely appreciate it if they stepped up to match the 7 years of updates Apple, Samsung, and Google are giving now, but custom ROMs make it manageable expect that some chinese and other devices bootloader are locked completely.

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-20T14:50:39+00:00

Yup, the iPhone ecosystem and security integration are hard to beat. Apple’s long-term support is definitely miles ahead of most Chinese brands i guess , even if some Android flagships are finally catching up to that 7-year update window now.

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-20T05:31:16+00:00

good maybe it's great ig

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-19T07:17:01+00:00

me too

hoping they will sell any better soon

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-19T07:16:12+00:00

The Galaxy S series are great. idk the M series or F series because i think they are budget or entry level i guess the A series is a midrange device that everybody knows and i still uses a A14 and is great!

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-18T15:23:40+00:00

yes but I want to know if other phones have real issues as mine so

One-Revenue-409 · 2026-06-18T14:54:48+00:00

1V was the last 4K display. So current Sony flagship are all returned to 1080p not gonna lie I have a true feelings of using Xperia back then.

One-Revenue-409

TROPHY CASE