How to ensure long version support for new phone

/e/OS Smartphone Operating System
1

(edited for clarity)

Hi all,

I intend to buy a new phone shortly and use it with /e/OS and would love to have feedback on my reasoning for which version to choose. I’m new to /e/OS but I’ve been using LineageOS+microG for a few years.

I’d like to get a device whose OS version will be supported by apps as long as possible as one of the deciding factors for me to change phone is some apps don’t support my Android 7 phone anymore

So I’m thinking I should start with the latest, namely an S build. I’m under the impression that I would be fine with a dev build (currently mandatory for S except with the FP4). I’m not specifically looking for extra work (ideally I’d like to use Easy Installer to skip some thinking) but I’ve installed LineageOS on my current phone so I can handle minor trouble. I’m under the impression that dev-build instability is not on the order of “bluetooth is missing” and more like “one non-essential app might be broken and also you can’t sue us etc.”. Am I on the right track?

On the other hand, maybe I don’t need an S build right now because I could get a phone with a stable R build and get an OTA upgrade to S some time in the future and it will run smoothly? But can I know in advance which devices will get this type of update? Could I even look further in the future and buy a phone that has a good chance of being upgraded to version T and later?

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Which country are you in? Might limit the options.

3

I’m in France. Does that imply anything?

4

For instance Fairphone does not ship and support everywhere.

1 Like
5

But in France yeah and if he wants, he can purchase it on Murena shop

6

Indeed I already checked the Murena shop and saw the FP4 but I’d like to know about all options among the many supported phones. I see good things in the OnePlus 8 and the Pixel 4a for instance, if we look at devices with Easy Installer support, but I don’t know if they’re the best choices by OS version criteria.

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FP4, Pixel 4a and OnePlus 8 sure are good picks if you’re not strict on receiving firmware update, just having updated Lineage or e/OS. When it comes to hardware firmware support, Calyx has a table on this: Device Support

So if you’re very keen on firmware updates, buy even newer Pixel generations - if you care less, you can checkout anything that got added to the T / Android 20 build roster. If you scroll up that page and compare what vendor kernel your device SoC shipped with is a good indicator of longevity.

Devices that launched with Android 8-10 have a better future compared to your last Android 7 phone as you can go with GSIs when there is no device build anymore.

2 Likes
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Thank you. So, what you’re saying is that devices in the “Added 20 devices” table on the LineageOS changelog you mention are likely to get an eOS OTA to T some time in the future, whereas others probably not?

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But the Fairphone 4 is more ethic and ecologic, so it’s just your choice. Do you want buy a Pixel and give your money to a GAFAM who use Ouighours ? Same for OnePlus, not a GAFAM, not sur use Ouighours but Oppo who are in the same group (BBK) use them for their products.

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1 Like
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@tcecyk up in case you didn’t see my followup question.

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@18yt8zhg I am taking it under consideration. I may or may not chose the FP4 and I could give you reasons why not but I do think that you have a valid point and that opting for the FP4 is an honorable choice.

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those will get /e/OS T builds. There can be more, especially the ones murena is actively selling. But as in the answer, I’d look for modern SoCs. As newer devices can do GSIs, once you’re out of device support, those fall softer than the devices that ended at Android 7. For an FP4 that will be… after Android 15 or what?

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