Can't choose a smartphone

[SchumannFrequency]

That's mostly fearmongering.
Batteries are a form of condensed energy. Condensed energy will always try to find a way to escape, be it an explosion, catching fire or whatnot. Most of those stories are about phones while being charged using improper chargers. More the fault of the charger, really.

The likelihood of your smartphone exploding is slim, but it happens, as demonstrated by Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 fiasco a few years back.
Health Canada says cellphones and smartphones now take the top spot of electronic devices that are causing fires.

The number of injuries related to cell phone burns/explosions is probably +- 2500 in the USA for 2023.
Lihium-Ion batteries, when fully in fire, will usually burn very hot and can also pose other health risks due to toxic gases leaking from the batteries during and after the thermal event.
Many persons sleep with their smartphone in their bed.

But overheated smartphone can cause house fire as well. The total damage is more than only the 2500 yearly injuries in the USA.

Officials say mobile phones to blame for two house fires in one week

Officials say mobile phones to blame for two house fires in one week

Officials say they’re a rare occurrence, but twice in the same week, fires have started that were later blamed on charging cell phones.

edmonton.ctvnews.ca

Smartphone Explodes in Man's Hand, Causes House to Catch Fire

Smartphone Explodes in Man's Hand, Causes House to Catch Fire

"I was coming in my front door and it just went bang, like an explosion," explained 35-year-old Andrew Granger.

www.newsweek.com

Smartphone Explodes, Burns Down House in Damour

Smartphone Explodes, Burns Down House in Damour | Blog Baladi

blogbaladi.com

Vancouver firefighters issue warning amid five-fold increase in battery fires

Vancouver firefighters issue warning amid five-fold increase in battery fires | Globalnews.ca

The bulk of the fires have been associated with batteries in e-bikes, scooters and cell phones, though battery fires in laptops and other devices have also been recorded.

globalnews.ca

Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services says it has recorded a five-fold increase in battery fires over the last six years.
Spokesperson Capt. Matthew Trudeau said the bulk of the fires have been associated with batteries in e-bikes, scooters and cell phones, though battery fires in laptops and other devices have also been recorded.

What a weirdo, wanting connectivity for mobile devices
Can't he plug in an Ethernet adapter and tether the phone instead?

SMS is kind of replaced 95% by WhatsApp and Telegram. So most people don't really need 4G connectivity for SMS anymore.
Most calls are also at home or in an office, or public places where Wi-Fi is often available.
I think 4G and 5G are less used by most persons than Wi-Fi, at least for the people I know.

 

[Dr. Dro]

Buy an iPhone SE?

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

Buy an iPhone SE?

Did you read the OP?

 

[Macro Device]

Did you read the OP?

I am cursed. People avoid reading my posts properly whatever it takes.

Wireless charge would be a nice bonus.

60 FPS at 1080p is a must.

Ability to use a SIM card of every major US cellular provider is a must.

Budget: about $550

Change of preferences and the budget has increased.

 

[SchumannFrequency]

I am cursed. People avoid reading my posts properly whatever it takes.

He's probably going to be able to find a provider with good network coverage with the smartphone I recommended.
He can buy the smartphone, then test other people's SIM cards so he knows which provider gives good network connectivity in his location.

 

[Macro Device]

He's probably going to be able to find a provider with good network coverage with the smartphone I recommended.
He can buy the smartphone, then test other people's SIM cards so he knows which provider gives good network connectivity in his location.

Why do you so desperately refuse understanding me? He has SIM cards from five providers, AT&T and Verizon included, and he needs ALL these SIM cards to work flawlessly. And don't ask me why, I'm also clueless as to why. Spending time to find out you can only use one ISP is like why you paid hundreds on a phone in the first place. Especially when it's your TOP-1 priority to have outstanding connectivity. He's ready to sacrifice performance, display quality etc but he can't sacrifice signal strength and bands availability.

 

[SchumannFrequency]

Why do you so desperately refuse understanding me? He has SIM cards from five providers, AT&T and Verizon included, and he needs ALL these SIM cards to work flawlessly. And don't ask me why, I'm also clueless as to why. Spending time to find out you can only use one ISP is like why you paid hundreds on a phone in the first place. Especially when it's your TOP-1 priority to have outstanding connectivity. He's ready to sacrifice performance, display quality etc but he can't sacrifice signal strength and bands availability.

Ok I guess I just hadn't read that part.
For the 300$ budget, finding a really good smartphone with wireless charging and all the other requirements is not easy.
I would consider whether wireless charging can't be scrapped.

 

[Macro Device]

Ok I guess I just hadn't read that part.
For the 300$ budget, finding a really good smartphone with wireless charging and all the other requirements is not easy.
I would consider whether wireless charging can't be scrapped.

I just updated the budget and requirements a couple messages ago. They don't allow me to edit the OP.

 

[SchumannFrequency]

I just updated the budget and requirements a couple messages ago. They don't allow me to edit the OP.

You don't need to change the price range if you drop wireless charging.

Anyway, maybe the Motorola Edge 30 Neo is perfect for all your (original) requirements:

Motorola Edge 30 Neo review

The Motorola Edge 30 lineup came in two parts this year. From March through May, the company introduced the vanilla Edge 30 and Edge 30 Pro, whereas the...

www.gsmarena.com

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

I'm 90% sure a Pixel 5 would do everything that you need for your original budget. Still available on Amazon BNIB.

Bump it up to a Pixel 7 if you want more updates.

 

[SchumannFrequency]

Best Design Android Phone | motorola edge 30 neo | motorola ROE - motorola ROE | Android phones & Razr

Looking for the best smartphone camera with the best design? Meet motorola edge 30 neo, a slim, stylish Android phone with a gorgeous OLED display and immersive stereo sound.

www.motorola.com

5 W wireless charging
Turbo charging 65watt (fast charging)
Rear Camera Video Capture FHD (60/30 fps)
It has NFC
It has a good display, the display is better and larger than the Google Pixel 5
The performance is more than sufficient according to user reviews.
The SOC is not the fastest but in combination with the 'other hardware' (fast screen and fast RAM) users that previously used 'high end phones' all find the performance of this Motorola good.
Dual SIM
It has 4020 mAh (=all-day battery and all users say the battery life is great)
It has IP52 certification
clean Android experience
5G ready + Wifi 6
advanced GPS technology (for this budget)
Stereo speakers
128GB built-in storage
good build quality
critical rating sites give the device 5/5 average
The price is your original requirement

LTE Cat 18 has download speeds of up to 1.2Gbps, 150Mbps upload rate, and support to the increasingly popular CBRS unlicensed band for private LTE operation.

 

[bug]

The likelihood of your smartphone exploding is slim, but it happens, as demonstrated by Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 fiasco a few years back.
Health Canada says cellphones and smartphones now take the top spot of electronic devices that are causing fires.

So what does that mean? 1 in 10 phones will explode? 1 in 1,000? 1 in 1,000,000?

Just throwing stuff like that around, that's fearmongering.

Also Samsung Note 7 did not explode, but it did overheat or combust.

 

[Lost_Troll]

How about a Linux phone?

This has some good reviews, and I am thinking of getting one to try out, and only 199$ US.
Pine Phone PINEPHONE | PINE64

There newer one, Pine Phone Pro PinePhone Pro | PINE64

 

[Dr. Dro]

I am cursed. People avoid reading my posts properly whatever it takes.

I did read your post. The SE fits the bill almost perfectly?

Screen: 4.7-inch IPS (-1)
Battery: Adequate capacity, with an efficient SoC, reliable servicing is affordable and widely available (+1)
Camera: Far exceeds the capabilities of the original iPhone 6 (+1)
Storage: ranges from 64 to 256 GB? (+1)
Supports NFC for payments (+1)
Performance: It's a freakin' Apple A15 Bionic! Android phones haven't quite gotten there yet, maybe the 8 Gen 3? (+1)
Supports a physical and up to 8 eSIM cards (+1)
I'd argue a 144 g (5 oz) phone is hefty enough (+1)
Price: varies but the 64 GB version can often be found at an $300 budget if you shop around

Summary: 8 out of 9? It's just a bit smaller I suppose.

Also you didn't mention in the OP but, this phone will likely receive software updates until 2030 and be usable further beyond... Apple released an update for the iPhone 6s (which is 8 years old) this week! Motorola often abandons their phones on the software they came with (simply do not expect long term support on any of their devices including the high end ones), anything below the Galaxy A series is a total second class citizen for Samsung, the other Android makers are either too small, too moribund or don't really give a crap about supporting their phones so, there's that consideration. Me? I'd buy the SE. Even a 2020 SE if you can't find a 2022 model within the budget, the only change is that it has the iPhone 11's A13 SoC instead of the iPhone 13's A15.

Now if refinement isn't an option and you just want an affordable brick with a mishmash of things that primarily fit your criteria, although can't speak for eSIM support, there's always this Blackview brick I admit I have been romancing for a while

Blackview BV9300 Measuring Edition review

A phone that can laser range find

www.techradar.com

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

@Dr. Dro if you wouldn't mind awfully, I would suggest re-reading the first sentence of the OP.

Much as the SE is attractive, it is a no-go.

 

[Dr. Dro]

@Dr. Dro if you wouldn't mind awfully, I would suggest re-reading the first sentence of the OP.

Much as the SE is attractive, it is a no-go.

Shame that Android is really a hard requirement.

Then I guess the next best thing is probably a Galaxy A54. It's got an Exynos chip though. The A73 with the 778G exceeds $300.

 

[de.das.dude]

Nationally, CBS News has learned incidents involving hazardous materials are happening about twice a week on passenger planes, with the greatest risk by far posed by lithium-ion batteries, which can more easily catch fire on airplanes.

Many people also sleep next to their smartphones while they are rapidly charging.

The lithium delusion: a big problem with big batteries | The Spectator Australia

The development of lithium-ion batteries has changed the concept of energy storage. As their use expands, a potential downside is becoming more apparent, with resulting fires proving difficult to…

www.spectator.com.au

Battery fires have killed 11 New Yorkers since 2021

In less than two years, 11 people perished and 251 were injured in NYC fires sparked by lithium-ion batteries used to power e-bikes and e-scooters, the FDNY said.

nypost.com

Mobile phone blast kills eight-year-old girl; pay attention to these things while using phone

THRISSUR: An expert examination will be conducted in the case of an eight-year-old girl's death due to a mobile phone explosion.

keralakaumudi.com

Man dies as his phone blows up while talking: Here is what happened

A 68-year-old man, who was completely oblivious to the hazards of talking while charging the phone, met a sad end as his phone exploded while it was plugged to the charger

www.indiatoday.in

Tradie left wit horrific burns after phone battery explodes in pocket

Matthew, an aircon installer from Melbourne, was left with horrific injuries following the explosion at work two weeks ago while climbing a ladder.

www.dailymail.co.uk

https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/mobile-phone-explodes-while-charging-in-nashik-shatters-windows-and-glasses/3257391/

"Studies show that people who breathe oxygen and drink water die before the age of 120"

ERRMAGURDD STOP DRINKING WATER!!

all of these incidents show that 99% of the time the people were abusing their phones by using incorrect chargers. Here in india i know for certain that people still use dumb 5v outputting chargers to charge their lithium battery phones. and around 50% of normal users have counterfeit batteries in them (because originals are expensive and indians are poor). Even my old motorola g (first gen) has counterfeit battery in it and used as an emergency bkp phone. The problem with these batteries is they dont have a protection circuit most of the time.

The likelihood of your smartphone exploding is slim, but it happens, as demonstrated by Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 fiasco a few years back.
Health Canada says cellphones and smartphones now take the top spot of electronic devices that are causing fires.

The number of injuries related to cell phone burns/explosions is probably +- 2500 in the USA for 2023.
Lihium-Ion batteries, when fully in fire, will usually burn very hot and can also pose other health risks due to toxic gases leaking from the batteries during and after the thermal event.
Many persons sleep with their smartphone in their bed.

But overheated smartphone can cause house fire as well. The total damage is more than only the 2500 yearly injuries in the USA.

Officials say mobile phones to blame for two house fires in one week

Officials say mobile phones to blame for two house fires in one week

Officials say they’re a rare occurrence, but twice in the same week, fires have started that were later blamed on charging cell phones.

edmonton.ctvnews.ca

Smartphone Explodes in Man's Hand, Causes House to Catch Fire

Smartphone Explodes in Man's Hand, Causes House to Catch Fire

"I was coming in my front door and it just went bang, like an explosion," explained 35-year-old Andrew Granger.

www.newsweek.com

Smartphone Explodes, Burns Down House in Damour

Smartphone Explodes, Burns Down House in Damour | Blog Baladi

blogbaladi.com

Vancouver firefighters issue warning amid five-fold increase in battery fires

Vancouver firefighters issue warning amid five-fold increase in battery fires | Globalnews.ca

The bulk of the fires have been associated with batteries in e-bikes, scooters and cell phones, though battery fires in laptops and other devices have also been recorded.

globalnews.ca

Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services says it has recorded a five-fold increase in battery fires over the last six years.
Spokesperson Capt. Matthew Trudeau said the bulk of the fires have been associated with batteries in e-bikes, scooters and cell phones, though battery fires in laptops and other devices have also been recorded.


SMS is kind of replaced 95% by WhatsApp and Telegram. So most people don't really need 4G connectivity for SMS anymore.
Most calls are also at home or in an office, or public places where Wi-Fi is often available.
I think 4G and 5G are less used by most persons than Wi-Fi, at least for the people I know.

jfc. again.. improper use will cause accidents.

you go on giving crap to li-ion but the worst experiences i have had are with li-po battery power banks, i had 2 come to me for repair and both had bloated up. i have never seen 1860xxx cells bloat up like that.


you know how many people have died from housefires NOT caused by smartphones? lol

 

[SchumannFrequency]

jfc. again.. improper use will cause accidents.

That's about 25% of the accidents. Poor production quality of the device is also about 25% of the problems.

 

[the54thvoid]

Posts edited. Topic is smartphones. Stick with that.