What’s it like to use a 3-year old budget Android device?
not too bad but immensely frustrating at times….
In a typical Indian household, we’re open to handing down mobile devices to another member of the family if it’s still in proper working condition. This can be attributed to our insistent outlook towards reuse. Why let a decent feature-packed Android device sit and catch dust in the almirah?
Getting to the matter at hand, the smartphone pictured above was first owned by my father and is now at the mercy of the hands of my beloved mother. The device, Xiaomi Redmi 1S, was purchased back in late 2014 when this Chinese giant step foot in India and is still working just fine. Yes, just fine. It may fall under the “worse” category for user experience.
This is her first Android smartphone and I just yesterday heard her complain about the sluggish speed of the software. Hence, here I am, to talk about the harrowing pains (a bit of a stretch!) of using a three-year old Android device.
As we’re all aware, the Android ecosystem suffers with innate fragmentation (open-source, extensive customization, numerous OEMs, and delayed updates). The devices tend to slow down over time due to unoptimized updates as well as large apps.
It’s the same case with my mother’s smartphone and I can totally understand her frustration. Even I went through a similar ordeal a few years ago (budget Samsung devices suck!).
The common struggles of a three-year Android device user are listed below:
- My primary concern for this budget Android device is the outdated specs. While the processor and RAM may stand the test of time, the storage and antenna technology is lacking as compared to devices now available in the market.
- Back in 2014, India was on the cusp of the 4G revolution and this Android device lacks required hardware for the same. Hence, it delivers 3G speeds and makes it impossible to jump ship to a 4G network provider.
- You only got 8 GB of internal storage in a budget device three years ago (now you get at least 16 GB and hybrid SIM+SD card slot). It means you can install a limited number of apps.
- Installation of new apps (developed for Android Marshmallow and above) are out of the question. They’ll only further take space and slow down the device. Same is the case with some of the more heavy/large apps (such as Facebook’s primary app).
- Also, several updates and app installs have led to memory fragmentation, causing the device to slow down. The theme engine and heavy bloatware further adds to these problems. Even the launcher begs for ‘a second’ to load the home screen.
- The device slowdown has not only led to frame drops. It also causes it to freeze amid tasks. You may be scrolling through a webpage or Instagram feed when the scrolling comes to a sudden halt— adding to the frustration towards this 3-year old device. It regains consciousness within a minute or two.
- We’re living in the age of dual-lens cameras but the 8-megapixel sensor on this device is not half bad. It is one of the better ones three years ago and is still quite competent. It outputs crisp pictures and records video at 720p. It does the trick for beginners or inexperienced smartphone users.
Even though using the device become a struggle at times, there’s one thing for sure. If it was brand new, with no software updates & usage hours logged, it’ll still be a bang for the buck. We had bought it for a little over $100.
Conclusion:
While I may have rebuked Android and it’s untimely approach towards latest software updates, the device remains completely usable till date. It runs most apps without hiccups, but you’re at the beck of the speed Gods when it comes to performance.
Sometimes, you cannot just jump in and make use of a three-year old Android device when you need it. It will choke on you and may need a restart. It’ll still help you keep up with this fast-paced time and that’s probably enough for my mother.
However, she can lose it when her Facebook feed gets stuck while scrolling. It is then she demands a brand new budget Android device, which will probably meet a similar fate in three years.
If you’ve had a similar experience, then please share your thoughts with us underneath. Show some love and show some appreciation (👏) for Android, it will one day get through its fragmentation issues.
