Reliable cellphone

[Talk2Me]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

I have owned nothing but Samsung phones for at least the last ten, maybe 15 years and I've never experienced any of them 'turning on or off' things like you have stated. The fact that you 'think' it might have been there all along is weird. I generally keep them for at least 5 years and only upgrade when they get pretty beat up. I'll assume you are keeping it updated with every new OS update and security patches that come through?

I can't think of a single time my phone turned off or on some type of notification. How much of a 'deep dive' person are you when it comes to phones? Do you really go into the phones settings and play around with things? I know you can set things up so different notifications happen at different times automatically. Another possibility is that sometimes when an app updates things will change to that apps defaults. Are the changes app specific?

Either way, it's time to upgrade your phone. If you like Samsung/Android, stick with that. iPhones are fine but pretty limited in your ability to tweak certain things. Android is much more customizable. iPhone is pretty 'what you see is what you get'. They are rock solid though and very secure. My whole family is on iPhone. I'm on Android because I'm a tweaker. I like to setup my phone to do things they way I like them, not the way iPhone makes me.

This is also my experience and perspective. I'm only commenting to ask the OP if the phone does this all the time or only on cell network or only on WiFi? It could be a network hack or a phone hack but the device definitely should not act that way.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by Talk2Me

This is also my experience and perspective. I'm only commenting to ask the OP if the phone does this all the time or only on cell network or only on WiFi? It could be a network hack or a phone hack but the device definitely should not act that way.

Samsung makes a lot of really great stuff, the competition is making them better at post-sale matters. In this case the OP has EOL and EOS (end of life and end of support) device. That means carrying an attack surface and an attack vector in your hand or pocket. No one should be doing that.

Why??? Just looking at my security console for our guest networks used by staff and customers I see dozens to hundreds of attempts to carry out known phone OS exploits per day.

Why #2. When HR asks us to help someone who's been exploited we see how bad it can be. It is always a bother. It is horrible when someone gets accounts totally hijacked.

[Talk2Me]

Originally Posted by imwjl

Samsung makes a lot of really great stuff, the competition is making them better at post-sale matters. In this case the OP has EOL and EOS (end of life and end of support) device. That means carrying an attack surface and an attack vector in your hand or pocket. No one should be doing that.

Why??? Just looking at my security console for our guest networks used by staff and customers I see dozens to hundreds of attempts to carry out known phone OS exploits per day.

Why #2. When HR asks us to help someone who's been exploited we see how bad it can be. It is always a bother. It is horrible when someone gets accounts totally hijacked.

Yes, the big tech companies have been good at telling us EOL and EOS are good things. That we "need" to upgrade. That just makes them more money and puts financially strapped users behind a wall of exploitation that they cannot overcome other than with money they don't have. The fact that people believe the tech companies is amazing to me. Some people don't need (and/or cannot afford) the latest greatest device and are suffering for that fact due to this exploitation (big tech and hackers basically working in union). Not saying that's the OP's issue but I know quite a few people currently in this situation and running the risk.

[LiveMusic]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

...The fact that you 'think' it might have been there all along is weird....

If it's a six year old phone, I don't recall if it's been behaving this way for 4, 5, or 6 years but it's been a very long time. What's weird about not remembering that? I even complained to the Verizon store people about it long ago. "Yeah, they do weird stuff sometimes." One time, they did a factory reset. That didn't solve it.

One time, it changed all of my assigned sounds. I never have gotten that back to how I like it, lol. I took it in to the store but didn't get much help. I don't like going there.

Do I like tweaking the settings? No, not my cup of tea. I do what I have to do when I have to do it. And finding how to fix something is problematic.

Someone asked about if it's only on cell service or wifi. I don't know the answer to that. Seems to be both.

I just assumed that it's common to have these problems but based on this thread, it is not common. Maybe it's a lemon. No telling how many times this phone has changed from ringer to vibrate on its own. And I often can't feel the vibrate, so, I miss calls and texts. It doesn't seem to be as bad as it used to be but that could be just because I get a lot less calls and texts these days due to less business use by me.

This has been such a PITA I have asked all of my friends if they have similar problems and nobody has said "No, it should not be that way." The consensus seems to have been more along the lines of "Yeah, they're a PITA." So, the opinions in here are different from what I have heard. Not slamming, just saying it's not like I have not ever looked into this, lol. I have made the statement, "This phone is a $1,000 device, it should NOT be like this."

There have been several times I was ready right then and there to go to iPhone but then it hits me that I can't because my hearing aids are Android. Actually, I could go to iPhone and just forget any hearing aid connectivity. But I need bluetooth connectivity for phone calls, I can hear better. It's about the only thing I like my hearing aids for.

The battery seems fine. Ok, enough of this, you guys can carry on, thanks for your opinions, I will get another phone when I can down the way.

[Rockysdad]

I've had iPhones since 2008, I don't upgrade phones on a yearly basis.

It's several years between new phones, I've not EVER had ANY issues.

I've been quite happy with app & operating system upgrades through the Apple system and, I've not worried about my phone being *hacked*.

Overall it's been a great experience.

I've known Android users who've had all sorts of troubles.

To each their own.

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by Rockysdad

I've known Android users who've had all sorts of troubles.

The main problem with Android as I've always known it is the much more limited duration (and thus number of) system upgrades you get. That's a bit alleviated by the fact that the browser isn't part of the OS so you can still get security updates at that level as far as they don't depend on the OS ... and as far as your device can handle the newer software. On-board storage and RAM are much more of an issue here than on iDevices, in my experience.

It's true that Android gives the user more to tweak. To me that also comes at the price of a much less consistent and intuitive UI, where I often have to spend an inordinate amount of time to figure out how to do something.

Originally Posted by imwjl

It's not really appropriate to compare phones totally unsupported that also broke a lot to new.

You mentioned dream phones and form factors, I mentioned phones that are relevant. Those 2 old phones of mine never broke down. Or maybe I should say they did but repaired themselves auto-magically: both had the WiFi drop-out issue, and that went away without any particular intervention from my part. I did have to replace the camera in one but that was because of my own doing (I just had to toy with light effects by shining a laser into the lens, and found out it was powerful enough to fry a number of CCDs...).

[doctone]

I'm a happy Google Pixel user for many years now and have also converted my family and some friends to Pixels. Quality phones with an uncluttered and up-to-date Android, and IMO the best images, besides iPhones.
I have never looked seriously into Apple products because of their restrictive, closed community software approach.

[12FanMan]

Originally Posted by LiveMusic

I have a Samsung S9, several years old, I think it is 2018. 64gb. Just wondering if it is common for a phone to just do stuff on its own. Like, turn the ringer off and go to silent. Or change the volume of notifications. Or set itself in airplane mode. Or any number of goofy things and I haven't done a thing. This is Android, is this unusual and is iPhone any better? If this is just the way it is with everyone, no need to upgrade.

This phone has done this kind of thing for a very long time. Maybe even since I had it.

====================================I
I have an ancient Samsung s7. One thing it keeps doing that drives me nuts....is it'll ding as if I've received a text. I look at it...no text. Put it down...and a couple minutes later..I get about 15 dings...but still no texts. I haven't tried throwing it against the wall..but am considering doing so.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by doctone

I'm a happy Google Pixel user for many years now and have also converted my family and some friends to Pixels. Quality phones with an uncluttered and up-to-date Android, and IMO the best images, besides iPhones.
I have never looked seriously into Apple products because of their restrictive, closed community software approach.

It is sort of a bizarre stretch in this era of cyber crime to consider the need to be secure and vetted. I've worked for developers, we're registered where I work now but don't sell or develop a product. None of that security and quality ever stopped us or past employers.

I happen to like Android, UNIX and Linux a lot and the lack of standards and enforcement there are why and where I see them targets like Windows. Microsoft has gotten enough better where most of the attack attempts I see daily are not aways Microsoft anymore.

The rules and tools for developing better tech products for sure mean some extra learning and consideration but those are really to have better products.

Originally Posted by 12FanMan

====================================I
I have an ancient Samsung s7. One thing it keeps doing that drives me nuts....is it'll ding as if I've received a text. I look at it...no text. Put it down...and a couple minutes later..I get about 15 dings...but still no texts. I haven't tried throwing it against the wall..but am considering doing so.

It was said in other posts the S7 so also your S7 are both completely unsupported. You are carrying an attack surface and an attack target. I'm pretty sure that could be about a 9 year old phone. You need to get a new one.

If you want to stay with Android the "a" Pixels are nice modestly priced choices. The flagship models have glorious cameras like flagship iPhones. All Pixels are sort of like a Microsoft Surface or Apple product without extra software crap like others do.

[doctone]

Maybe I have misunderstood you, but I don't believe that Apple forces you to buy accessories almost exclusively from their company and to use their own software to achieve basic connectivity between devices for security reasons.

[JackC1]

I don't think I can live with a phone that does that; especially going into airplane mode unexpectedly, I'd miss some important calls because I wouldn't notice the airplane mode setting if my phone doesn't ring.

To answer your question: no, it isn't normal.

Sometimes if a phone gets wet, it'll suffer damage and these unexpected things can happen. Also, if you installed app that do these things and they malfunction (bugs), then these things can happen too.

[TomB'sox]

Originally Posted by LiveMusic

If it's a six year old phone, I don't recall if it's been behaving this way for 4, 5, or 6 years but it's been a very long time. What's weird about not remembering that? I even complained to the Verizon store people about it long ago. "Yeah, they do weird stuff sometimes." One time, they did a factory reset. That didn't solve it.

One time, it changed all of my assigned sounds. I never have gotten that back to how I like it, lol. I took it in to the store but didn't get much help. I don't like going there.

Do I like tweaking the settings? No, not my cup of tea. I do what I have to do when I have to do it. And finding how to fix something is problematic.

Someone asked about if it's only on cell service or wifi. I don't know the answer to that. Seems to be both.

I just assumed that it's common to have these problems but based on this thread, it is not common. Maybe it's a lemon. No telling how many times this phone has changed from ringer to vibrate on its own. And I often can't feel the vibrate, so, I miss calls and texts. It doesn't seem to be as bad as it used to be but that could be just because I get a lot less calls and texts these days due to less business use by me.

This has been such a PITA I have asked all of my friends if they have similar problems and nobody has said "No, it should not be that way." The consensus seems to have been more along the lines of "Yeah, they're a PITA." So, the opinions in here are different from what I have heard. Not slamming, just saying it's not like I have not ever looked into this, lol. I have made the statement, "This phone is a $1,000 device, it should NOT be like this."

There have been several times I was ready right then and there to go to iPhone but then it hits me that I can't because my hearing aids are Android. Actually, I could go to iPhone and just forget any hearing aid connectivity. But I need bluetooth connectivity for phone calls, I can hear better. It's about the only thing I like my hearing aids for.

The battery seems fine. Ok, enough of this, you guys can carry on, thanks for your opinions, I will get another phone when I can down the way.

Like I said in my reply, neither my wife or my S9 ever did anything like this. I would assume yours is contaminated with a virus of some sort. I upgraded to the S24 plus, 256 memory, should be more than enough for me for a long time. It seems to be working very well over the week that I have had it.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by doctone

Maybe I have misunderstood you, but I don't believe that Apple forces you to buy accessories almost exclusively from their company and to use their own software to achieve basic connectivity between devices for security reasons.

No, though their store like Google's and Microsoft's take a cut for covering their infrastructure and vetting. We have some enterprise apps where we can side load but it is cheaper and more sure to just use their store and our MDM (mobile device management).

For my non-Apple personal use I also use vetted stores or check keys for validity to not be compromised. Recently I just chose to get a Windows shareware or public app that way just for convenience.

As much as the Lighting cable is proprietary, it is also part of an encrypted security architecture and a lot of why they gained so much market share in enterprises. You can buy official but non-Apple lightening cables. They're happy to get the licensing business and even resell the best ones themselves.

Now they've taken next major steps to move everything to USB-C ports, and those can facilitate secure communication.

Put simply, it is not like some myths that persist. In my day job having to manage Android, Windows and Linux it is all in a secure and accountable way there are steps all quite the same.

[RJVB]

Seeing the thread title I couldn't help but have a belated 1-word reaction

Nokia!

[Bowie]

Originally Posted by imwjl

I'm really lost on all that, or in a polite way will say nonsense because I've been tasked with knowing about the sustainability, lifecycle and footprint matters. Until the recent change from only 1 first tier Android maker Apple has had a longer life cycle and nothing else is even close to the repairability and recycling matters. Unlike other platforms Apple has a really good self-repair program.

In our enterprise we do all we can to recycle everything, and destroying or protecting data is part of that to0. 2-4x a year all retired electronics are recycled and destroyed as ethically as possible. The firms that haul it give us reports of how much was resold/reused, recycled and was landfill. The Apple products shine there.

In addition every Apple Store always takes all of their products for recycling and the following the news on their robots and processes are quite interesting.

I just looked and see 31 current and past iPhones are compatible with the current OS, and my last push for security updates to a few hundreds mobile and computers has older Apple OS products still getting security updates where there are none for Android and Windows products that old.

We have dozens of retail/inventory scanning devices that are Android and Apple. We have shorter lifecycle on the non-Apple and also more expenses to keep them secure. Getting 2 dozen units running Android 10 updated is a rather expensive software purchase for just the OS.

Then we have the title here - reliable. There are usually around 200 used actively 24x7x365 mobile and tablets we have and also in MDM. The Apple have fewer reboots and crashes, are more easily managed, and far easier to keep repaired.

We've wrapped up all we get monitored or send to our outside auditors this time every year. I expect this year will show same or better for the iPhones, iPads and MacBooks lasting longer and costing less overall.

I'm hoping the fall announcement for longer Pixel product life will get other Android products better.

Apple are some of the biggest offenders when it comes to being anti consumer and the pioneers of planned obsolescence. When the EU created right to repair legislation, Apple knew the writing was on the wall so they created a marketing campaign to appear as if they were into consumer rights. Meanwhile, they've been attempting to get around it at every step. This is in the tech news. I don't expect everyone to follow tech news or right to repair legislation but I have for years and apple is known in the tech world as being the ugliest offenders of consumer rights. And, I'm not brand bashing either. My wife just got the newest iphone and I'm not loyal to any device or platform. As someone who follows tech news, it's just wild to me how marketing money can buy a shiny reputation.