Hi,
I read all the topics about ‘Best devices for /e/OS’ except I cant find one with the following criteria :
Does it still exist ? Does anyone have the same criteria as me?
Thanks !
Hello coucou !
What is your definition of small ?
Is a 5 inch screen device small enough for you ?
About the fingerprint scanner, the fact the device has it doesn’t mean you have to use it. If your concern is about your fingerprints getting scanned, one thing to do is to apply a piece of tape on the scanner, or any other obstructive material.
I do use a Motorola G5, 5 inch screen, just passed as legacy, has a fingerprint scanner but I don’t use it, have a removable battery.
There are further Search Options in Smartphone Selector which will show all phones with removable batteries.
My phone is one of multiple versions of Samsung S5 Neo. That is my definition of small, in which I include Motorola G5 too.
My phone is Legacy since 1 year I think, so maybe for security issue it is better to switch to a phone still supported. Also, it begins to be very slow now.
What is your thought about the fact that Moto G5 just passed Legacy ?
Yes, I searched with this Smartphone Selector before writing this thread.
I was just surprised that /e/OS, which I’d thought would be willing to equip old phones with privacy-friendly OSes, preferred to equip big new smartphones.
The last ones with removable batteries are Teracube and Fairphone, which are not ““sustainable”” smartphone by design (big screens, high definition cameras, high resolution, etc.)
I search for an old, small, robust, energy-efficient smartphone which is still maintained by /e/OS. Maybe my criteria are too restrictive for 2024.
My thoughts ? It’s sad, but I understand the reasons.
Does this mean you’ll be changing your phone because of the switch to Legacy? Is that forcing you to change phone ?
What are the reasons for you and do you think it is in line with the foundation of /e/OS ?
(I don’t know how to PM in this forum, I could delete this message if it doesn’t belong here)
Probably.
The foundation of /e/OS, however you might perceive it, doesn’t say that Android versions and phones can’t fall out of support. Murena are operating within existing technical constraints and certainly not with a limitless budget, i.e. they are operating in reality and can’t do magic … see also Why has support for a large number of phones been stopped?
Click/tap on the avatar circle or username of the user you want to message, the resulting popup will feature a “Message” button.
If the button is missing for you, the forum probably still sees you as a new user and applies some restrictions … Understanding Discourse Trust Levels
I have similar criteria. Mainly looking for a small phone with decent specs (5G support for example), removable battery would be awesome. I searched a lot the past few days…
Regarding request #4: Removable battery devices are extremely rare. Fairphone has already been mentioned. There is also Shiftphone, but still huge phones.
I went through the list of /e/OS supported phones that get /e/OS U (current version as a starting point for request #2) and noted all that are shorter than 150 mm:
I looked further into the Samsung, Sony, Motorola and Google Pixel phones. (I don’t think Nubia and Essential phones are available to me and I have a personal thing against Xiaomi phones.)
Only some of the Google Pixel phones (4a has a separate 5G version; included in model 5 and higher) and the Nubia support 5G connectivity, so I looked into Pixel phones.
If you want to get a current phone, Pixel 8 seems to be the smallest choice. Otherwise, if you care about 5G support, Pixel 5 seems to be the smallest choice.
The Pixel 4a recently got a battery update for one of two types of batteries that were used for 4a, rendering this battery almost useless for protection against over-heating. Look for one with a HST battery or replaced recently. Article on AndroidAuthority.com
All of those Pixels I just mentioned have a fingerprint sensor and do not fulfil your request #3, but I’m with Didou here: you could just not use it. Pixel 4a and 5 have it on the back, so you could just cover it with a case. However, it is in or under the touchscreen on the Pixel 8.
Regarding request #2: Even the Google Pixel (no number) from 2016 gets /e/OS U, so I guess by getting a Pixel, we’re in for long support?
And yes, I am aware that getting a Google phone for a deGoogled OS is quite ironic, but I plan on getting a used/refurbished one at least…
Smallest phone :
Unihertz has great phones, but the only one with a removable battery is the Jelly Pro and it’s only 950 mAh. That’s tiny. It costs around $ 125, at Unihertz[dot]com now $ 100. But, it doesn´t have a fingerprint scanner.
The only thing is: where to find an /e/OS build for it?
I just want to say that, except in rare cases, independent phone repair shops can install new batteries, even in seemingly impregnable devices. (In case the OP’s concern is related to extending a battery’s lifetime.)
No fingerprint scanner! That is going to be tough with non legacy devices.
Otherwise I would recommend the Fairphone 4 or 5
Yep, i case you really like your smartphone, you can choose to let your battery be replaced. I did it with a Samsung phone I really liked. And yes, it costs money, but you can use that phone a lot longer.
Also worth noting, you are not obligated to even set up fingerprint unlocking; you can use the available, longstanding, alternate methods.
I personally don’t want to store my fingerprint on any device, so I use a PIN instead.
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