What phone do you have?

[Steo]

Heck, even my FairPhone 3 displays a scary message on bootup because the bootloader is unlocked! "Do not store any sensitive data on this device"

It's actually annoying that they do this stuff, and even with rooting they have always been weird. Apps are nosey and start checking for root, then refuse to work due to it. Some apps aren't even banking apps that do it either, so it's just weird that they even bother. It's also up to people what they do with their phones in the same way anyone gets to choose an OS and browser on a PC, then log into those same banking services. Who says people aren't doing funny stuff with their browsers in the same way as rooting a phone could cause.

[PluMGMK]

I guess Magisk at least allows you to "hide" root from certain apps to stop them from doing that, but yeah, it's stupid that you have to do that in the first place. After all, all private PCs are basically rooted, in that you can run anything you want as admin.

I've probably ranted about this before, but I have an app from my bank that I need to use to verify large debit card transactions. It complains about the phone being rooted, but mercifully that's just a warning message. But it refuses to start unless I change my on-screen keyboard to Gboard! Mercifully I was able to install that via Aurora Store, and without having to bring in any other Gapps, thank God…

[Steo]

Yeah that's why I think it's silly. I have used Magisk to hide root on my Note 9 while I was still using it, then ultimately things just started to decline over time and it started getting really slow etc. I actually recall one time that my old banking app wouldn't work on a phone due to the fact Gapps wasn't installed. I was using Aurora store, but then when I just tried installing Gapps, the app started to work. I don't understand why you would need to change the keyboard to Gboard though, that's kind of interesting. Overall though yeah it should be up to a person what they do with their own devices, the whole point of even being allowed to unlock the bootloader or root is because some people might want that. Removing features due to it is a bit silly.

[PluMGMK]

I don't understand why you would need to change the keyboard to Gboard though, that's kind of interesting.

Basically they think it's a "security risk" because an unrecognized keyboard app could be transmitting input data to a third party – which in fact Gboard does, to Google! If they allowed the normal AOSP keyboard it'd make a bit more sense (and be way less inconvenient to me!)

[Steo]

Oh ok I see. Well yeah that's kind of silly then, and I even believe Swiftkey which I have used a lot, would also transmit data to Microsoft. It makes no sense to think that stuff relating to Google involves any privacy at all.

[DaveRattlehead]

I changed my phone and I own a Xiaomi 13T since October 2023. I wanted another one, but there was an offer in which a TV was included! My parents needed a new TV, so I decided to give it an opportunity and I have to say I'm happy with it. It's my second Xiaomi in the last 10 years and I'm very happy with their phones.

[Steo]

I have heard of Xiaomi before but I never actually had one. When I got the Oppo, I just wanted to try something that wasn't Samsung, and the price was far lower while the specs were higher than the likes of the S22 at the time. It was kind of a price to performance thing with what I was getting, but I'm more than happy with it. I believe the screen is also 2K even though a screen that small doesn't even need that, but why not.

[DaveRattlehead]

There are good alternatives around there, you just need to take a look at them! Most of the times shops don't show them because they're not as expensive as the other phones

Btw, am I the only one here who believes iPhone is highly overrated?

[Greengoop]

Every Apple product is extremely overrated, despite what 15 year old girls in Starbucks told you

Fixed a slight spelling error in your post

[DaveRattlehead]

Oh man how could I write that bad? Thanks for the correction Greengoop, glad you're ready to point at our mistakes

[Greengoop]

It’s okay, I’ve seen that letter be used incorrectly a lot

[PluMGMK]

Eh, pick your poison… Apple's a walled garden, while Android's basically just a mess! (I already touched on some of the reasons for that above, like the whole kernel updates thing)

[Master]

Yeah, there's a lot to rightfully criticise Apple on, and I'd never go for their stuff. But I think there's still some good software and standards that they adhere to.

Pity their products are badly made and they had to be given the regulatory boot to open up their repair processes.

[PluMGMK]

I'm glad the right to repair is being put on a regulatory footing. On a tangentially-related matter, I heard before that BMW were going to charge a subscription fee to enable features like heated seats in some of their newer cars. I wonder if the regulators will clamp down on that…

[Master]

I can only hope, SaaS is already BS (looking at you Adobe), doing it to hardware already in the machine is just a whole other level of scummy.

[Steo]

There are good alternatives around there, you just need to take a look at them! Most of the times shops don't show them because they're not as expensive as the other phones

Btw, am I the only one here who believes iPhone is highly overrated?

I was never that interested in iPhones and I don't like how closed off they always were. I only had iPhones back in the iPhone 3 and 4 days, and switched to Android ever since. Apple always had this "premium" sense and overcharged for their products due to it. Also it was similar with my Oppo, they didn't even have it in stores, I bought it from some refurb site as a grade A.

[Gamefreak924]

I always stay up to date with the latest devices and software. Check out this bad boy.

[Reese Riverson]

This is seriously the phone this man daily drives too, guys. He had it here when he visited too.

[Steo]

I'm so jealous, I wish I had one of those instead of this crappy 120Hz AMOLED screen and relatively modern chipset. I will just have to make do with what I have though, how terrible...

[neo]

I always stay up to date with the latest devices and software. Check out this bad boy.

This man doesn't want to upgrade even when faced with a possibility to be remote hacked. I have a Samsung Z22 by the way. Or S22. I think S22.