Will smartphone ownership become a de facto requirement?

[kalvado]

And now old-style 'flip' phones are becoming popular again with the younger crowd, an older friend of mine told me a few days ago that his Android phone just died and that he'll likely be going with a flip phone because he cannot justify the $1.4K dost of a replacement android phone.  I'm also wondering how this will mesh with major sports stadia that have gone to all-smartphone based game ticketing.

Mike

$1.4k seems like a hell of a phone...

[JayhawkCO]

And now old-style 'flip' phones are becoming popular again with the younger crowd, an older friend of mine told me a few days ago that his Android phone just died and that he'll likely be going with a flip phone because he cannot justify the $1.4K dost of a replacement android phone.  I'm also wondering how this will mesh with major sports stadia that have gone to all-smartphone based game ticketing.

Mike

$1.4k seems like a hell of a phone...

That's why you should always trade in your phones the second you think it's nearing end of life. I had a Samsung S20 that was working just fine, but Verizon had a deal where they'd give you a free Samsung S23 if you traded in your old phone. So, I got a $1,200 phone for free. Had I waited and had my previous phone die, I would be stuck with a big payment if I wanted the same phone.

[Scott5114]

And now old-style 'flip' phones are becoming popular again with the younger crowd, an older friend of mine told me a few days ago that his Android phone just died and that he'll likely be going with a flip phone because he cannot justify the $1.4K dost of a replacement android phone.  I'm also wondering how this will mesh with major sports stadia that have gone to all-smartphone based game ticketing.

Mike

$1.4k seems like a hell of a phone...

That's why you should always trade in your phones the second you think it's nearing end of life. I had a Samsung S20 that was working just fine, but Verizon had a deal where they'd give you a free Samsung S23 if you traded in your old phone. So, I got a $1,200 phone for free. Had I waited and had my previous phone die, I would be stuck with a big payment if I wanted the same phone.

Tin can on a string has never sounded so appealing.

[tchafe1978]

I don't understand the need to spend $1200 on a phone just because it's the latest greatest iPhone or Samsung. I use Total by Verizon Prepaid (Used to be Total Wireless) as it was the best deal for the plan. 4 lines for $100/month unlimited talk and text, 100GB shared data. Now that Total Wireless was taken over by Verizon, my plan is considered a legacy plan and I'm grandfathered in, so if I ever wanted to remove a line or change my plan I'd have to go with a new more expensive plan with less shared data. We never come close to using 100GB anyway. Anyway, we've always bought our phones up front and never paid more than $200 for them and they work just fine. My current phone is a Moto Stylus 5G that I've had for a little over a year and is the best phone I've had. Battery lasts all day on one charge, even when I'm on it all day if I'm bored all day. I'll never pay more than a couple hundred for a phone, even the "free" phones still are going to cost you in one way or another.

[kkt]

Until yesterday, there were two ways to enter my apartment building:

(1) Key fob
(2) A special smartphone app called ButterflyMX that can also be used to buzz visitors into the building

Well, the management company got rid of (1) as an option yesterday.  Apparently, if you live here, and you don't own a smartphone, you can just go commit a physical impossibility.

Oh, and if you're wondering if the new system broke already: Why yes, yes it did.

Stupid management decision.  If I rented there, I'd be asking my local tenant's rights organization if my apartment's management could really require me to buy an expensive smart phone in order to have access to my apartment.

[ZLoth]

And now old-style 'flip' phones are becoming popular again with the younger crowd, an older friend of mine told me a few days ago that his Android phone just died and that he'll likely be going with a flip phone because he cannot justify the $1.4K dost of a replacement android phone.

Wait, what???? Now, I don't touch the iPhones, but Androids? To be fair, I checked Verizon Wireless and a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra with 256GB of storage is $1200 or 512GB of storage for $1380. It's about $200 cheaper at Amazon, but then again, it's a top of the line phone. The fold phones are even more expensive, and I'm not seeing the appeal of them. Having said that, there are lower-cost alternatives out there, plus promotions. It just depends on how much onboard storage there is, how powerful the processor is, and if it supports the latest version of the Android OS. I had to assist a neighbor on their Android phone, and their old phone had only enough memory to install 3-4 apps beyond the built-in ones, and a slow processor.

Therein lies the rub.... internal storage space. I like to store and playback audiobooks on my phone, plus I'm looking forward to traveling in the near future, so I want to download some movies to watch while on a three hour flight. Because of the restrictions imposed by some of the apps, you can only download the content to internal storage space.... a microSD card isn't supported if your phone even supports one. I'm hoping that we see increased storage capacities when the Pixel 8s comes out.

But, then again, I live and die by my Android phone. It is my professional organizer, my login security device, my remote for my garage door and security system, my phone book, my navigation device, my media player for when I'm on the go, and, yes, my pager for when it's my turn for OnCall.

[hotdogPi]

And now old-style 'flip' phones are becoming popular again with the younger crowd, an older friend of mine told me a few days ago that his Android phone just died and that he'll likely be going with a flip phone because he cannot justify the $1.4K dost of a replacement android phone.  I'm also wondering how this will mesh with major sports stadia that have gone to all-smartphone based game ticketing.

Mike

$1.4k seems like a hell of a phone...

That's why you should always trade in your phones the second you think it's nearing end of life. I had a Samsung S20 that was working just fine, but Verizon had a deal where they'd give you a free Samsung S23 if you traded in your old phone. So, I got a $1,200 phone for free. Had I waited and had my previous phone die, I would be stuck with a big payment if I wanted the same phone.

My iPhone has been going strong for 6 1/2 years with no signs of failing other than maximum battery capacity. I bought it for about $400 because it wasn't the newest version when I bought it.

[JayhawkCO]

I'll never pay more than a couple hundred for a phone, even the "free" phones still are going to cost you in one way or another.

I'll bite. How is my free Samsung S23+ going to cost me?

[ZLoth]

My iPhone has been going strong for 6 1/2 years with no signs of failing other than maximum battery capacity. I bought it for about $400 because it wasn't the newest version when I bought it.

My Pixel 3, near the end of it's life in 2019, was barely holding a charge for more than about 90 minutes. The battery replacement procedure is not easy for a Pixel 3, so I elected to wait until the Pixel 6 Pro was ready for order. The two phones were ordered in early November when they became available for ordered.... and didn't arrive until Christmas.

The big factors for me in phone replacement is if it can use the latest version of Android OS, and battery life. My employer enforces a minimum Android version for security reasons.

[kalvado]

I'll never pay more than a couple hundred for a phone, even the "free" phones still are going to cost you in one way or another.

I'll bite. How is my free Samsung S23+ going to cost me?

How much do you pay for the plan? What are the strings, like 2 year contract?

[JayhawkCO]

I'll never pay more than a couple hundred for a phone, even the "free" phones still are going to cost you in one way or another.

I'll bite. How is my free Samsung S23+ going to cost me?

How much do you pay for the plan? What are the strings, like 2 year contract?

We're in a family plan with my wife's parents and brother and sister-in-law. I pay them $100 a month for my wife and me. I don't know the terms of the contract alas.

[kalvado]

I'll never pay more than a couple hundred for a phone, even the "free" phones still are going to cost you in one way or another.

I'll bite. How is my free Samsung S23+ going to cost me?

How much do you pay for the plan? What are the strings, like 2 year contract?

We're in a family plan with my wife's parents and brother and sister-in-law. I pay them $100 a month for my wife and me. I don't know the terms of the contract alas.

My plan was $30, give or take. So you may assume the difference of $20 went towards your phone discount. And I bet you signed up for 2 years of service when you got your phone - that's $500.
Of course there is a lot of variables, like you don't want to change your plan and would do same thing regardless. But basic idea of company loosing money on these promotions is unreasonable. They will make the profit of you, one way or the other. My impression is that us cellular business model is overpriced service, everything else is icing on the cake.

[tchafe1978]

I'll never pay more than a couple hundred for a phone, even the "free" phones still are going to cost you in one way or another.

I'll bite. How is my free Samsung S23+ going to cost me?

You still pay for the "free" phone by paying more for your plan. It's probably buried in the fine print of the terms somewhere, but either part of your monthly payment for your plan is a payment towards your phone, or you have a contract for 2 years or whatever. The carriers will recoup the cost of the phone one way or another. My daughther wanted a new iPhone last year apart from the ones that were available from Total Wireless. She went on her own plan through Verizon. Part of her monthly plan payment is a payment towards the phone. Nothing is ever free.

[kphoger]

... or you have a contract for 2 years or whatever.

Which only costs you if you weren't already planning to use their service for another two years anyway.  But, wait, it doesn't really cost you because, even if you had been planning to switch carriers, you still would have signed a new contract with that other carrier instead.

[hotdogPi]

... or you have a contract for 2 years or whatever.

Which only costs you if you weren't already planning to use their service for another two years anyway.

When my dad died, my mom tried to get Sprint to change the principal name on the account. Sprint insisted that he be there (which was impossible, since he was dead), so my mom switched from Sprint to Cingular. This was clearly not planned in advance. I don't believe there was a contract at this time, but if there was one, it would have been a larger problem.

[kphoger]

When my dad died, my mom tried to get Sprint to change the principal name on the account. Sprint insisted that he be there (which was impossible, since he was dead), so my mom switched from Sprint to Cingular. This was clearly not planned in advance. I don't believe there was a contract at this time, but if there was one, it would have been a larger problem.

It's amazing how some of the seemingly simplest things to do after someone dies can end up being most difficult.  When my grandmother died, my mom was the executor.  Of everything she had to do, the biggest ordeal was canceling my grandma's JC Penney card.

[1995hoo]

When my dad died, my mom tried to get Sprint to change the principal name on the account. Sprint insisted that he be there (which was impossible, since he was dead), so my mom switched from Sprint to Cingular. This was clearly not planned in advance. I don't believe there was a contract at this time, but if there was one, it would have been a larger problem.

It's amazing how some of the seemingly simplest things to do after someone dies can end up being most difficult.  When my grandmother died, my mom was the executor.  Of everything she had to do, the biggest ordeal was canceling my grandma's JC Penney card.

When my father died, my mother got far more copies of the death certificate than she thought she'd need, and she was glad she did–she says they helped a lot with things like dealing with his mobile phone service and other such things.

[kphoger]

Some things were still in my grandfather's name, and he'd died 25 years earlier.  But even dealing with that stuff was easier than the darned JC Penney card.

[JayhawkCO]

... or you have a contract for 2 years or whatever.

Which only costs you if you weren't already planning to use their service for another two years anyway.  But, wait, it doesn't really cost you because, even if you had been planning to switch carriers, you still would have signed a new contract with that other carrier instead.

And, because of some of the features of the phone, I will be saving money over what I would have had to spend with my previous phone. I also bet the $30 plans are before taxes, so you're really paying more than that per month. $50 per person all in is quite reasonable. This obviously includes unlimited everything.

[kalvado]

... or you have a contract for 2 years or whatever.

Which only costs you if you weren't already planning to use their service for another two years anyway.  But, wait, it doesn't really cost you because, even if you had been planning to switch carriers, you still would have signed a new contract with that other carrier instead.

And, because of some of the features of the phone, I will be saving money over what I would have had to spend with my previous phone. I also bet the $30 plans are before taxes, so you're really paying more than that per month. $50 per person all in is quite reasonable. This obviously includes unlimited everything.

State taxes are a separate thing. You will not get "rate and nothing else" in NY.
There may be legacy cheaper plans, but I just checked and mainstream providers doing phone discount start with 50+tax here.
Doesn't mean you get a bad deal overall, but you definitely pay more to get more than I do. Nothing wrong with that overall.

[kphoger]

And now old-style 'flip' phones are becoming popular again with the younger crowd, an older friend of mine told me a few days ago that his Android phone just died and that he'll likely be going with a flip phone because he cannot justify the $1.4K dost of a replacement android phone.

Wait, what???? Now, I don't touch the iPhones, but Androids? To be fair, I checked Verizon Wireless and a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra with 256GB of storage is $1200 or 512GB of storage for $1380. It's about $200 cheaper at Amazon, but then again, it's a top of the line phone. The fold phones are even more expensive, and I'm not seeing the appeal of them. Having said that, there are lower-cost alternatives out there, plus promotions.

Moto G phones retail for under $200, as do a couple of Galaxy models.

[kalvado]

And now old-style 'flip' phones are becoming popular again with the younger crowd, an older friend of mine told me a few days ago that his Android phone just died and that he'll likely be going with a flip phone because he cannot justify the $1.4K dost of a replacement android phone.

Wait, what???? Now, I don't touch the iPhones, but Androids? To be fair, I checked Verizon Wireless and a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra with 256GB of storage is $1200 or 512GB of storage for $1380. It's about $200 cheaper at Amazon, but then again, it's a top of the line phone. The fold phones are even more expensive, and I'm not seeing the appeal of them. Having said that, there are lower-cost alternatives out there, plus promotions.

Moto G phones retail for under $200, as do a couple of Galaxy models.

A matter of personal choice.
Top line iPhone, latest Galaxy S, BMW, Tesla, Mercedes is top of the line option.
More modest Galaxy A5x, Moto, maybe Pixel,  Subaru, Honda is step below but pretty functional. There is reduced competition in this group of phones as US doesn't like Xiaomi, Huawei or OnePlus.
Galaxy A2x or A1x, infiniti, Ford are closer to bottom of the barrel.
 
I can understand not going for last option if possible, but using top of the line is definitely an indication of some disposable income.

[1995hoo]

Then you have the flip side. My wife could get a new phone, but she likes her first-generation iPhone SE because of its small size and she therefore wants to hold onto it as long as possible. Even the so-called "mini" models for the iPhone 12 and 13 are bigger than her old SE. It still works fine (she had the battery replaced once), so as long as there are no security issues ....

[abefroman329]

Some things were still in my grandfather's name

My grandmother left a lot of things in her husband's name after he passed.  Partly because she didn't want to advertise to the world that she was a woman who lived alone, partly because she used to get a kick out of telling telemarketers "he's dead" when they'd call and ask to speak with him.

[J N Winkler]

I'd also add that replacing the battery to extend usable service life is a pretty hit-and-miss strategy with significant downside risk.  When I tried it in 2020 with my last phone, a Motorola Droid Turbo that was then six years old, the shop bricked the old phone and insisted I accept a remanufactured replacement, which started having battery life issues after less than a year.  I replaced it with a Pixel 7 earlier this year and, frankly, that was about a year later than I should have, because unplanned shutdowns due to the battery greatly limited the use I could get out of it.

I learned two lessons:

*  If you take a phone in for repair for any reason, be prepared for it to come back as a brick.

*  No-one looks out for the consumer in terms of battery life on remanufactured phones.  If you are forced to accept one as a result of a failed battery replacement, expect battery life to be just as bad as on the old phone.