Which Mobile for a Potential Neophyte?

[Richard]

Fuller story, my wife after not wishing to get one of those ‘complicated things’ has finally decided that a more modern phone might be a good idea. After my experience with a Moto G4 play that never gets any OS updates and my daughter’s contrasting experience with a Samsung A5 I am well out of favour of the Moto brand and aligning more with the Samsung, perhaps an A6? However I am open to realistic suggestions as so far I have no received any instruction other that a ‘more modern phone’.

 

[PlaneMan]

Thing is with Samsung phones is they cost a lot for what you get.

Any idea of budget? That’s the main thing to get sorted first.

[blacklion1725]

I think the Moto’s still get security patches which is enough for most purposes.

[Richard]

Given the state of her health and my poor experience with Moto the budget is somewhat secondary. My concentration and perhaps health is a bit flaky, I would be happy up to about the A6 range so perhaps up to  £300, it is her birthday and her health struggles do not yet have a clear outcome.

I have do desire to fight with Apple products or its prices.

Neither my wife nor I can face down serious issues arising. What I do not want to risk is a mass of problems arising with set up and use; as daughter has the Samsung experience that is another factor in its favour.

 

[Richard]

blacklion1725 wrote:

I think the Moto’s still get security patches which is enough for most purposes.

Sadly my last Moto G4 Play patch was  was in February 2017… and it already feels sluggish.

[PlaneMan]

Maybe a Honor 9?

[blacklion1725]

PlaneMan wrote:

Maybe a Honor 9?

Fair enough Richard I stand corrected.

EDIT: sorry PM meant to reply direct to Richard.

[JayCeeDee]

There’s supposed to be some big deals coming up on Amazon from noon on Monday to midnight Tuesday next week ( 1 1/2  days for some reason!! ) so it might be worth checking prices then to see if your decided-on item is on a deal.

[Ed P]

Mainly Amazon Prime, Jay Cee Dee.

[JayCeeDee]

I’m with prime – but I thought it was a general deal!! Oh well, that’ll teach me to look closer!!

I think I said that about when I met the wife!! ??

[Richard]

Thank you to all who shipped in with ideas.

Yes I have looked at Prime and the various offers. Many of them are for the Italian or Polish versions of the machine I was considering and the UK version price is very much the same as the good down the road price, which at one point was actually lower. I do not have to make a final choice today in fact probably not until closer to the end of the month so I will keep looking. After my Moto experience I have become wary, I used the same Nokia for about 10 years with no question of updates, the ‘New World Phone Order’ is thus a little alien and I am wary of jumping into another crocodile pit. The Honor 9 looks to be another interesting option at about the same price point, perhaps I should try a bit more consultation time with the potential user. Unfortunately too many sleepless nights, the effects of her treatments and the withdrawal of some treatment for other ailments to avoid conflicts during the chemo have not made life any easier.

[Ed P]

Ignorant question to the mobile experts – is there any real difference between the national versions (Chinese excepted)?

[PlaneMan]

3G/4G bands supported, Ed.

Sometimes there is a difference in SoC, RAM, even screen size.

[Ed P]

Today’s Ars may be serendipitous (or not)!. They suggest HMD Nokia 6.1 – seems to address the failed Moto update program at least. A tad expensive maybe at ~£290 for the UK phone.?

[Richard]

Yes that looks interesting though a shade more expensive than some but might come with advantages to offset the price, thank you.

 

[Author]

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