iPhone for old Dad

I vote 14 Plus

After reading a bit of your post, I’d like to change my answer.

If obsolescence is not an issue: XS Max (best grade at iStore pre-owned is R7499)

If you’d prefer possibly another update: 11 Pro Max (best grade at iStore pre-owned is R10999)
 
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Hatefulsandwich said:
Android doesn't really support old versions forever. I recall WhatsApp ditching support for some of the older versions of Android at one point and some people I knew having a bit of a hissy fit over it since they were still using such old phones.

But this is exactly what I wanted to know. Just how much support can one expect? Sources online have often said people can comfortably use their old iPhones and apps well beyond EOL, but I don't know to what point that's actually true. So if getting an iPhone 11 now means losing support for apps before 2030, then that's a no-go (maybe I'm being optimistic here that he's still going to be around in 5 years, but I reckon an update every 5-6 years is as much as I can get him to accept).
Click to expand...

Get an iPhone , I still use an iPhone 7 for work WhatsApp

No issues with that phone at all
 
Hatefulsandwich said:
Android doesn't really support old versions forever. I recall WhatsApp ditching support for some of the older versions of Android at one point and some people I knew having a bit of a hissy fit over it since they were still using such old phones.

But this is exactly what I wanted to know. Just how much support can one expect? Sources online have often said people can comfortably use their old iPhones and apps well beyond EOL, but I don't know to what point that's actually true. So if getting an iPhone 11 now means losing support for apps before 2030, then that's a no-go (maybe I'm being optimistic here that he's still going to be around in 5 years, but I reckon an update every 5-6 years is as much as I can get him to accept).
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Look at a new Samsung A55, you'll get 4 OS upgrades and 5 years security. Plus a 6.6" screen and new it'll be around R8000
Check this out on takealot: Samsung Galaxy A55 5G 256GB Dual Sim - Awesome Navy

Takealot.com: Online Shopping | SA's leading online store

South Africa's leading online store. Fast, reliable delivery to your door. Many ways to pay. Shop anything you can imagine: TVs, laptops, cellphones, kitchen appliances, toys, books, beauty & more. Shop the mobile app anytime, anywhere.
www.takealot.com www.takealot.com
 
AfricanTech said:
Concur with the advice of the others - go for a 12 or 13

I upgraded my Mom from a X to a 12 and she's very happy with it (I've left it on iOS 17 for the time being - get's all the security updates and is rock solid - also means that she doesn't have to deal with any "newfangled" changes that comes with iOS 18)

By the way, good call on switching them to the Apple ecosystem - we switched my Mom* a couple of years ago (Samsung) and the "support" burden on me (after the short initial learning curve for her) went down by 95 percent - before we switched her it would be phone calls every week to deal with phone related issues.

Eish, it was actually quite a mission to switch her 'cos she initially HATED the camera on the iPhone X and complained for weeks that "my old Samsung took much better photos than this iPhone". Now of course you'd have to pry the iPhone out of her hands with a crowbar because "it just works and doesn't give me problems like my old Samsung used to"


* similar usage profile as your parents, Whatsapp; phone calls; Facebook; Instagram; Photos; etc
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What issues used to occur? Most people don't need to touch settings after the initial phone set-up.
 
My mother moved from a budget LG to my sister's old iPhone 11 after she upgraded to a 13. My mother did the swap mostly for the increase in photo quality (she loves taking pictures of plants 😅) but I think she would have preferred a premium Android experience.

Why don't you get your father a Samsung A35? It's big and the camera is decent, especially for the price.

I daily a S23 and an A35. The latter isn't blistering fast but it's fine for 80% of people. It takes better pictures than my father's Redmi Note whatever he has. The display is really good for the price too.
 
My 75 year old MIL has had a Samsung Gallaxy , Redmi Note 8, now a Redmi Note 9 I think. Seldom have any issues besides "how do I connect to the wifi", what is airplane mode etc.

She has no issues using any of them. Only been using a smart phone for the last 5 years or so.

Problem is she keeps on breaking them.

Point I am making is give them anything and they will adapt. If he is used to Android. Get him another one.
 
Lupus said:
Look at a new Samsung A55, you'll get 4 OS upgrades and 5 years security. Plus a 6.6" screen and new it'll be around R8000
Check this out on takealot: Samsung Galaxy A55 5G 256GB Dual Sim - Awesome Navy

Takealot.com: Online Shopping | SA's leading online store

South Africa's leading online store. Fast, reliable delivery to your door. Many ways to pay. Shop anything you can imagine: TVs, laptops, cellphones, kitchen appliances, toys, books, beauty & more. Shop the mobile app anytime, anywhere.
www.takealot.com www.takealot.com
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Not the South African version so you don’t get any warranty also some apps will not work. Avoid.
 
Fro said:
My mother moved from a budget LG to my sister's old iPhone 11 after she upgraded to a 13. My mother did the swap mostly for the increase in photo quality (she loves taking pictures of plants 😅) but I think she would have preferred a premium Android experience.

Why don't you get your father a Samsung A35? It's big and the camera is decent, especially for the price.

I daily a S23 and an A35. The latter isn't blistering fast but it's fine for 80% of people. It takes better pictures than my father's Redmi Note whatever he has. The display is really good for the price too.
Click to expand...
Agree. +1 for the Samsung A35. I'm getting one when I retire.
 
Bernoldus Niemand said:
Not the South African version so you don’t get any warranty also some apps will not work. Avoid.
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What apps won't work? Plus how do you know it's not the SA version? If it's not send it back.
Considering the serial number SM-A556EZKWAFA is the SA one, warranty is 2 years as well
 
Hatefulsandwich said:
Does the iPhone need to be actively getting updates to be usable?
Remember he is currently using a 6-year-old cheap Huawei without complaint.
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I replaced my son's Huawei today and that's how I discovered that the thing is a spy apparatus for China.
Without going into too much detail, we got all kinds of Chinese gibberish when we tried to move WhatsApp over, the phone was identified by a Chinese name, not the actual model Huawei. I did this because the banking app is complaining about the device being insecure.
 
PaulGherkin said:
I replaced my son's Huawei today and that's how I discovered that the thing is a spy apparatus for China.
Without going into too much detail, we got all kinds of Chinese gibberish when we tried to move WhatsApp over, the phone was identified by a Chinese name, not the actual model Huawei. I did this because the banking app is complaining about the device being insecure.
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I have never seen that happen on a Huawei device. Which model?

In my opinion it is anyway pointless to get a device without GMS. Yes, newer Huawei devices have MicroG baked in, but still.

You sure that you haven't installed some apps in a virtual environment?
 
Fulcrum29 said:
I have never seen that happen on a Huawei device. Which model?

In my opinion it is anyway pointless to get a device without GMS. Yes, newer Huawei devices have MicroG baked in, but still.

You sure that you haven't installed some apps in a virtual environment?
Click to expand...
Huawei Y5... to cut a long story short, this phone has a bit of history. Every time we've given it to a different family member they end up being hacked. I never connected the dots until this past week.
 
PaulGherkin said:
Huawei Y5... to cut a long story short, this phone has a bit of history. Every time we've given it to a different family member they end up being hacked. I never connected the dots until this past week.
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I never recommend to anyone using virtual boxes like Gbox, Gspace, and many others.

MicroG is on the device, though I would avoid the version produced by the ReVanced IO team.

The only trusted third-party store is F-Droid, that is open-source, the rest are all suspicious due to its nature.

People with Huawei devices tend to install troublesome APKs.

MicroG and Aurora are legit, and under the microscope. The Y5 aren't supported.

Still no GMS. I won't go down this route.
 
Fulcrum29 said:
I never recommend to anyone using virtual boxes like Gbox, Gspace, and many others.

MicroG is on the device, though I would avoid the version produced by the ReVanced IO team.

The only trusted third-party store is F-Droid, that is open-source, the rest are all suspicious due to its nature.

People with Huawei devices tend to install troublesome APKs.

MicroG and Aurora are legit, and under the microscope. The Y5 aren't supported.

Still no GMS. I won't go down this route.
Click to expand...
Yeah, well lesson learnt. No more pure Chinesium brands in my house.
 
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