11-22-2021, 10:34 AM
Side thing I feel is worth pointing out is that those cheap $50-100 Android phones are for the most part sold for minimal/no profit, probably even at a loss. They are subsidized so the seller/manufacturer makes profit some other way. For that price, you're looking at something carrier-locked. Every corner that could be cut was.
-It will never receive Android updates
-probably carrier locked (if so, likely has bloatware)
-locked bootloader
-minimal to no support (from both manufacturer & the community)
-firmware blobs, basically nothing is open-source.
-good luck getting rid of Google.
By design, these phones are essentially disposable after a year or two. The way I see it, the Pinephone is intended as a replacement for those, a great bottom line to start with.
Also, I kind of see where you're coming from with the lack of a recovery mode, but that was never an issue for me? This is still not marketed towards your average consumer yet, like at all . I'd feel a bit more critical if they haven't ironed issues like this out by the time the true Pinephone: Consumer's Edition comes out years from now.
-It will never receive Android updates
-probably carrier locked (if so, likely has bloatware)
-locked bootloader
-minimal to no support (from both manufacturer & the community)
-firmware blobs, basically nothing is open-source.
-good luck getting rid of Google.
By design, these phones are essentially disposable after a year or two. The way I see it, the Pinephone is intended as a replacement for those, a great bottom line to start with.
Also, I kind of see where you're coming from with the lack of a recovery mode, but that was never an issue for me? This is still not marketed towards your average consumer yet, like at all . I'd feel a bit more critical if they haven't ironed issues like this out by the time the true Pinephone: Consumer's Edition comes out years from now.