Smartphone Advice for Flip Phone Generation

Tuur · Sunday at 2:29 PM

So many things assume you have a smartphone now, it looks like I'll have to have one. The main question comes down to IOs or Android. IOs means Apple, of course, while Android means everything else. Android is Linux, which I had some experience with, and generally boasts more flexibility. It also allows third party apps, which can be both good and bad. IOs means everything has to be done the Apple way and no third-party apps, and pretty much locks you into all things Apple. But restricting apps should also give some security from malicious apps. That "Apple ecosystem" can also be good and bad. I'm interested in the AirTag for tracking things like keys, and from what little I can find the Android equivalent is more spotty in coverage. That said, both seem to rely on compatible devices to do the locating, so outside Bluetooth range it might be a wash. I'm told that IPhones are more expensive for what you get than Android, but have looked at some Android phones that are right up there with IPhones and beyond price-wise.

Right now I'm looking at how long Apple maintains IOs for various phones. It looks like maybe seven or eight years, while Android is less. Phones still function regardless of OS, but don't have security patches. As a case in point, the flip-phone I have is running on an "off-brand" version of Linux and appears to have been abandoned. Since I intend to keep phones for a long time, that has me leaning toward IOs.

Whether I end up with an IPhone or Android phone, it's going into an Otterbox for protection.

Comments? Suggestions?

pgp_protector · Sunday at 2:43 PM

Both platforms can have "Malicious" apps.
Stick to the main apps and you'll be safe from most issues.
Don't install every game, gimic, doodad that you see. (You don't even need to install "Facebook, Twitter, X ect" as for all of them you can still access it via the website.
Apple ecosystem also locks down some hardware, but there's more & more 3rd party hardware that will work with them now that it's not as much of an issue.
Part of your decision will also be how much you want to spend. Either up front or in monthly payments.
If you're just looking for something that can handle stuff like QR codes, basic apps that might be required for a job, and such, you can stick with a phone a few generations old and save some good coin.

Wookiee · Sunday at 3:38 PM

Android is based on Linux but is not really Linux (unless you install a terminal). Assume these are both entirely new OSs you have never used before.

Almost every app on a phone is from a third party. On both platforms they can also include malicious or abandoned apps.

From what you're describing, it doesn't sound like you need any particular features. I'm personally very much in favour of Android, but if you're really unsure an iPhone may be more convenient to switch to...

Unless you like tinkering with Linux and custom OSs in which Android gives you that freedom to install custom ROMs and flavours. But that's a whole other world (and one I have no time for these days)

Tuur · Sunday at 3:42 PM

Really, the only reason I need one is the expectation of companies that everyone has one and the requirement to use an app for various things company related. Games? not interested, and wonder what data they'd collect. Facebook? Dropped that years ago. Social media? Eh. Anything I'm interested in has websites.

As an example of apps, there's a glucose monitoring device that assumes you have a smartphone. I'm not on one, but am aware of an instance where a person had to buy a stand-alone monitor to use a prescribed device.. Some vehicle companies, to make things more convenient, have an app. Apparently, some equipment companies want you to have an app to configure things.

If it's not an app, would be checking out weather information on the web. Navigation is iffy - have satellite GPS that's more reliable. IPhones have a nice feature where you take a photo and it will try to identify the flora or fauna. Maybe Androids do, too.

It's security that's on my mind. I don't want something that won't be patched after a year or two, and a vetted app is more likely to be legit, but I assume Google does this just like Apple.

Wookiee · Sunday at 4:08 PM

I'd double check the apps that you 100% require (however, it's very rare that there are proprietary apps that are Android-only), but I would recommend an iPhone in your use case. I hate iPhones, but if you only need it for like 5 apps and just want to keep it alive until EOS, you're going to get more out of it, and transferring over to a new iPhone from there is pretty straightforward.

I hate iPhones, I hate Apple, but I absolutely can't think of any reason to justify an Android device to you for what you need.

Richard T · Sunday at 7:28 PM

Tuur said:
So many things assume you have a smartphone now, it looks like I'll have to have one. The main question comes down to IOs or Android. IOs means Apple, of course, while Android means everything else. Android is Linux, which I had some experience with, and generally boasts more flexibility. It also allows third party apps, which can be both good and bad. IOs means everything has to be done the Apple way and no third-party apps, and pretty much locks you into all things Apple. But restricting apps should also give some security from malicious apps. That "Apple ecosystem" can also be good and bad. I'm interested in the AirTag for tracking things like keys, and from what little I can find the Android equivalent is more spotty in coverage. That said, both seem to rely on compatible devices to do the locating, so outside Bluetooth range it might be a wash. I'm told that IPhones are more expensive for what you get than Android, but have looked at some Android phones that are right up there with IPhones and beyond price-wise.

Right now I'm looking at how long Apple maintains IOs for various phones. It looks like maybe seven or eight years, while Android is less. Phones still function regardless of OS, but don't have security patches. As a case in point, the flip-phone I have is running on an "off-brand" version of Linux and appears to have been abandoned. Since I intend to keep phones for a long time, that has me leaning toward IOs.

Whether I end up with an IPhone or Android phone, it's going into an Otterbox for protection.

Comments? Suggestions?

I have a cheap samsung phone. I see the A16 for 199.00 at Best Buy. I have an earlier model than that but it works fine. Picture quality is decent and it does everything I need. I don't load my phone with many apps. Samsung seems fair on pre-loaded apps but while I can disable apps like youtube, or facebook. I can't remove them entirely. Some phones are notoriously worse for their pre-loaded apps.
As you make the switch from a flipphone, I think that another concern is that the smartphones will want to invade your privacy even more. So be careful with mic, video, location, etc. as various companies will want to profile you and sell your information, allegedly for targeted advertising. Google too has some privacy settings.

Tuur · Sunday at 7:43 PM

Wookiee said:
I'd double check the apps that you 100% require (however, it's very rare that there are proprietary apps that are Android-only), but I would recommend an iPhone in your use case. I hate iPhones, but if you only need it for like 5 apps and just want to keep it alive until EOS, you're going to get more out of it, and transferring over to a new iPhone from there is pretty straightforward.

I hate iPhones, I hate Apple, but I absolutely can't think of any reason to justify an Android device to you for what you need.

Nods. So far, what I've encountered that's prompting this is for IPhone or Android. I think the big companies support both.

Tuur · Sunday at 7:44 PM

Richard T said:
I have a cheap samsung phone. I see the A16 for 199.00 at Best Buy. I have an earlier model than that but it works fine. Picture quality is decent and it does everything I need. I don't load my phone with many apps. Samsung seems fair on pre-loaded apps but while I can disable apps like youtube, or facebook. I can't remove them entirely. Some phones are notoriously worse for their pre-loaded apps.
As you make the switch from a flipphone, I think that another concern is that the smartphones will want to invade your privacy even more. So be careful with mic, video, location, etc. as various companies will want to profile you and sell your information, allegedly for targeted advertising. Google too has some privacy settings.

That's going to require checking out the settings on both phones. Today, even vehicles report in. I'm serious.

Richard T · Sunday at 8:41 PM

Tuur said:
That's going to require checking out the settings on both phones. Today, even vehicles report in. I'm serious.

Yes, very true. Perhaps that advice is futile, but I suppose limiting the settings might keep the info down a little.

seeking.IAM · Sunday at 9:16 PM

No advice because everyone has their preferences. As for me, I once carried an Iphone and an Android. One was my personal phone and the other was company issued work phone. I much prefered the Android, which I thought was more intuitive and user friendly. Your mileage may vary.

Tuur · 2025-09-01T18:23:44-0500

Important note:

Today found that the I16 end of support is 2029, five years after introduction. The latest Samsung Galaxy also has five years, ending in 2030. It sounds like it's a wash there.

Tuur · 2025-09-01T18:25:15-0500

BTW, I want to thank everyone for their input. I still don't know what I want to do.

Smartphone Advice for Flip Phone Generation

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