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Nokia launches DIY repairable budget Android phone

theguardian.com

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Re: Nokia launches DIY repairable budget Android phone

#21

Post by amelius »

tuetuopay wrote: post #15

> It runs Android 12 and will be supported for three years of monthly security updates and two major Android version upgrades. And that's why I stick to iPhones for long-lasting devices, those two major versions are a joke. Apple has the crown with seven on the iPhone 6S. When will someone make Android phones other than Pixels with non-abysmal software support? Yes, I know you can install alternate ROMs on your phone…

Yes, I had to throw away my perfectly capable phone because my banking app refused to work at some point because the version of Android was too old and the phone stopped supporting newer versions of Android.

Edit: not sarcastic, 100% serious.

Re: Nokia launches DIY repairable budget Android phone

#23

Post by Zigurd »

tuetuopay wrote: post #15

> It runs Android 12 and will be supported for three years of monthly security updates and two major Android version upgrades. And that's why I stick to iPhones for long-lasting devices, those two major versions are a joke. Apple has the crown with seven on the iPhone 6S. When will someone make Android phones other than Pixels with non-abysmal software support? Yes, I know you can install alternate ROMs on your phone…

It's the oems fault in this case. And they have no excuse. Google has modified the architecture of Android to make it possible for oems to update as quickly as possible, as well as all of the previous efforts to enable updating user-facing features without updating the OS. But it's all still a kludge compared to iOS.

The bottom line is I don't think this is solvable with technology. Google should have gotten much tougher with OEMs once Android got widely accepted.

Re: Nokia launches DIY repairable budget Android phone

#24

Post by not_your_vase »

johnny22 wrote: post #12
aspyct wrote: post #3

This will be nice if and only if there is a way to install a custom android version. Otherwise it'll be bogged down with bloatware and will be useless as soon as security updates aren't available anymore. But if so, very nice :)

are you sure it doesn't? My low end "nokia" from HMD Global has an option to unlock the bootloader. Maybe this one does as well.

It's a hit or miss with them... my old Nokia 6.1 (ditto HMD) came with no option to unlock the bootloader.

Based on some superficial Googling, this phone's predecessor, G21 also comes without an unlockable bootloader.

Re: Nokia launches DIY repairable budget Android phone

#25

Post by behnamoh »

I had the worst customer support by Nokia. Purchased a Nokia 7 Plus in another country. The phone had a design issue which resulted in loose USB C port. Many people reported the same problem online. When I was back in the US, I tried reaching out to Nokia support and they literally said their repair center won’t even accept my phone for repair because I had purchased it in another country!

Third party repair shops told me it takes $100 to fix the USB C port, almost 1/3 the phone price. Needless to say I didn’t do that and the phone died shortly after only because it couldn’t get charged anymore. Switched to other brands and will never buy Nokia again.

Re: Nokia launches DIY repairable budget Android phone

#26

Post by cvalka »

amelius wrote: post #21
tuetuopay wrote: post #15

> It runs Android 12 and will be supported for three years of monthly security updates and two major Android version upgrades. And that's why I stick to iPhones for long-lasting devices, those two major versions are a joke. Apple has the crown with seven on the iPhone 6S. When will someone make Android phones other than Pixels with non-abysmal software support? Yes, I know you can install alternate ROMs on your phone…

Yes, I had to throw away my perfectly capable phone because my banking app refused to work at some point because the version of Android was too old and the phone stopped supporting newer versions of Android. Edit: not sarcastic, 100% serious.

Security updates are a must. Without them it's not a usable device

Re: Nokia launches DIY repairable budget Android phone

#27

Post by rock_artist »

tuetuopay wrote: post #15

> It runs Android 12 and will be supported for three years of monthly security updates and two major Android version upgrades. And that's why I stick to iPhones for long-lasting devices, those two major versions are a joke. Apple has the crown with seven on the iPhone 6S. When will someone make Android phones other than Pixels with non-abysmal software support? Yes, I know you can install alternate ROMs on your phone…

Also Pixels usually gets less official OS iterations than iPhones.

Only nice thing on Android is the aftermarket ROMs since it's AOSP. Sadly from my experience the aftermarket ROMs for newer OS iterations arent polished or miss features that the OEM roms had.

Re: Nokia launches DIY repairable budget Android phone

#28

Post by dogma1138 »

Not they haven’t this phone isn’t anymore repairable than an iPhone it might be just a bit more serviceable.

Users can’t do board or component level repairs, and Nokia isn’t making schematics, diagnostic software and access to low level firmware that will be needed to independently repair this phone available.

User replaceable battery is nice, however every other component is reliant on a supply on parts being made available for the long run which is unlikely to happen since there will never be a healthy supply chain for niche devices.

I’ve serviced multiple iPhones replacing a battery and broken screens with no equipment other than what came in the kit (and an hair dryer) and not the Apple one.

Yes it’s a PITA but honestly they open easily with a hair dryer and a suction cup.

What is far more important on the “right to repair” front is long term software support which the lack of bricks far more devices than any hardware failures, a healthy supply chain and not DRMing components.

The former 2 is something that iFixIt always seems to ignore especially the first one the latter is something I that should be the focus of RtR legislation together with a guarantee for parts being made available for a period of X years from when the devices officially stop being sold just in the same way that car manufacturers and in the past appliance manufacturers were forced to.

Re: Nokia launches DIY repairable budget Android phone

#29

Post by PufPufPuf »

jw14 wrote: post #9

Supported with updates for 3 years? So you'll change the battery once, I guess.

If it gets popular enough on XDA, you can bet on another few years of updates from the community.

- Sent from my Xiaomi A2 Lite (released 2018), currently running Android 13

Re: Nokia launches DIY repairable budget Android phone

#30

Post by gandalfian »

Shame no compass or gyroscope, both of which I value. I hope the idea catches on though the toolkit looks suspiciously like ever other mobiles. Lift screen with sucker while prying with pick. Then unscrew battery and admittedly wrestle with glue... Still a way from the old fashioned, pop off the plastic back and lift the battery straight out in 20 seconds.
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