[solidangle]

This is why I bought an iPhone 12. I had a Samsung Galaxy S8 before it and I was perfectly happy with it, except for the fact that it had reached the end of its scheduled security updates. The battery life was still good enough for my light usage, it still ran my apps without a hitch, and the OLED screen still looked great, but it had not received a proper software update in over a year and it had just received its final quarterly security patch. I don't care that much for Apple products (except for MacBooks), but it's the only phone manufacturer that actually supports its products beyond the first few years.

[corysama]

Same. Only recently replaced my 6+ with a 12. I used my old phone constantly for 6 years. And, it was still pretty useable at the end. Amortized over that much time the new one is a reasonably cheap upgrade.

[SuchAnonMuchWow]

I just bought a new android smartphone, and I have the current one since 2012 I never really needed to update the system: all the apps that I wanted just worked, and I didn't really needed new features from more recent versions of android.

It works still fine: performance is ok (maps is the only app that is a little laggy), the battery still last a full day.

But now the version of android on that phone is no longer supported by one of the app I use (banking app), so I'm forced to change it. I would have wanted it to last a few more years, but 9 years is still a long run.

I hope my new phone will last as long, and I choose it with that goal in mind (modern processor, 5G so I have it if I need, no samsung galaxy flagship that will be deprecated in a year, the possibility to install a custom OS instead of android if I need to, ...)

[noobquestion81]

Good lord dude. Any site you browse to on the internet can trivially steal all the data in your phone...

[robocat]

Actually Android phones remain relatively safe to use because the browser continues to get updates (well, eventually Chrome stopped updating for Android 4.x, not sure what the oldest Android version supported is now).

An iPhone is not safe to use when it no longer gets updates because Safari doesn’t get updates.

[SuchAnonMuchWow]

yeah, I obviously keep all my apps up-to-date with the most recent versions. The fact that it was no longer possible is precisely what made me change my phone.

[robocat]

Android has auto-update for apps, although if your phone was too outdated then obviously no help. Note that sarcasm is generally unwelcome on hn (as per comments I have seen from dang).

[SuchAnonMuchWow]

That wasn't sarcasm, and looking back at my comment I don't really understand what could be understood as sarcasm. What did you understood when reading it ?

edit: ok, I see how it could be seen as sarcasm.

[sumedh]

What do you mean?

[ajfjrbfbf]

Why not just unlock the bootloader and install a custom ROM? As you describe it your phone still worked perfectly fine.

[addison-lee]

I can’t speak for who you’re replying to but having to maintain my phone like that sounds awful. I have my computer that I can endlessly tinker with—I want my phone to be a phone and just work.

[nazgulsenpai]

This is one of the main reasons I used Windows Phone 7 phone for so many years. All of the phone features, enough smart features to make it great for work, and none of the distractions -- ironically, the things that made it a commercial failure.

[moh_maya]

Bank apps don’t work. Some enterprise security apps don’t work. Rooting is a pain, and custom boot loaders require investment of mental bandwidth that I’d much rather dedicate elsewhere. Which isn’t to say I don’t see the value of it; a couple of years ago, used to play with them. But priorities have changed, and I just want a phone that works.

Switched to iPhone after being on android all this time (with a brief dalliance with Microsoft phone on the lumia 910, which I think is still one of the best smartphone UIs) for the same reason as parent.

[nazgulsenpai]

I'm an Android user for the ability to do this exact thing, but there's a huge difference in unofficial vs official software support. While you can certainly flash a custom ROM to an Android phone when software update support ends, clearly first party updates would be preferred, at least from a security perspective.

[happytoexplain]

This is a really bold use of "just". Many people (even technically competent ones) don't want to bother, if they have other options.

[LanternLight83]

As a Galaxy S8 user, I absolutely would, but I have the International Edition with a Snapdragon processor (G950U), and the only remaining (safe / reliable) root methods only apply to the models with the Exynos chip.

[elzbardico]

I was an android early adopter, had my share of custom roms and their attendant issues with drivers. Enough to me. I admire those projects, but no, thanks, I have better things to do with my time.

[vmception]

Translation: “now I can never use cryptocurrency apps because I compromised my own phone and others will take advantage of that when I least expect it”