Barclays App Requirements

[Rosie]

At Barclays Bank it says that the phone requirements are "iOS 15 or later Android 5 or later". Knowing nothing about mobiles I bought an Android 11. Got it set up. Tried to get the App/Mobile Banking App from the Playstore. It's not there. Just about every other UK Bank's App is, as are other Barclays Apps but not the one I need.
Finally it flashes up ' your device is not compatible '. I tackle Barclays about it. It turns out that it's because it's a GO Edition.... But this isn't MENTIONED on the requirements page! So I have wasted my money!? They have done NOTHING to put things right so the App is usable, and I don't even know what phone I can get that WILL work! Anyone know any cheap Android phones that DO work with Barclays pesky little App?

 

[joeldf]

At Barclays Bank it says that the phone requirements are "iOS 15 or later Android 5 or later". Knowing nothing about mobiles I bought an Android 11. Got it set up. Tried to get the App/Mobile Banking App from the Playstore. It's not there. Just about every other UK Bank's App is, as are other Barclays Apps but not the one I need.
Finally it flashes up ' your device is not compatible '. I tackle Barclays about it. It turns out that it's because it's a GO Edition.... But this isn't MENTIONED on the requirements page! So I have wasted my money!? They have done NOTHING to put things right so the App is usable, and I don't even know what phone I can get that WILL work! Anyone know any cheap Android phones that DO work with Barclays pesky little App?

I just want to let you know that when you say that you bought an "Android 11", that means nothing to us. That's like telling a PC forum you bought a "Windows 11". You're talking about an operating system. Not an actual device. Android is on thousands of different devices world-wide.

What actual phone did you get? What is the manufacturer and model name/number?

Like "Samsung", "Nokia" or "ZTE" for a manufacturer, and models like "Galaxy S23", "G42" or "Blade V40"

Now, mentioning that it has Android Go does tell us a little bit. Android Go is a seriously hobbled version of the OS for extremely low-end devices that can't normally handle a full Android installation.

Maybe you can give us a general budget you're willing to spend up to.

In the meantime, can you use their website on the browser? That might work. Maybe not the full services their app would offer.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! What's your budget, and where are you located? As joeldf mentioned (and as you're unfortunately finding out), Android Go is best avoided unless it's really your only option. Check with your carrier to see what their current deals are in terms of subsidized phones -- most carriers will have at least 1 or 2 phones that are "free" (as long as you stay with the carrier for a year or two), and budget offerings like the Samsung A04 or A14, or the OnePlus Nord series, are fairly decent.

 

[fuzzylumpkin]

Welcome to Android Central! What's your budget, and where are you located? As joeldf mentioned (and as you're unfortunately finding out), Android Go is best avoided unless it's really your only option. Check with your carrier to see what their current deals are in terms of subsidized phones -- most carriers will have at least 1 or 2 phones that are "free" (as long as you stay with the carrier for a year or two), and budget offerings like the Samsung A04 or A14, or the OnePlus Nord series, are fairly decent.

If they are banking with Barclays they are probably in the UK.

 

[B. Diddy]

If they are banking with Barclays they are probably in the UK.

True, but there's also a Barclays US Credit Cards app: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=barclays&c=apps. My Banana Republic card is now with Barclays. But you're probably right, since I don't think Barclays has any actual banks in the US.

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

I would suggest a Pixel 6a which can be bought for around £299 new from Currys. If you need even cheaper then see if you can get one off eBay for cheaper secondhand.

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/google-pixel-6a-128-gb-charcoal-10240867.html

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

True, but there's also a Barclays US Credit Cards app: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=barclays&c=apps. My Banana Republic card is now with Barclays. But you're probably right, since I don't think Barclays has any actual banks in the US.

I believe they have one branch in New York but it is a Barclays worldwide branch rather than a retail bank (as we call them in the UK)

 

[Mooncatt]

I tackle Barclays about it. It turns out that it's because it's a GO Edition.... But this isn't MENTIONED on the requirements page! [Snip] They have done NOTHING to put things right so the App is usable

To be fair, they said their app is compatible with Android, not Android Go. While the names are similar, you can think of the Go version as Android Lite as Joeldf explained, and they are under no obligation to effectively dumb down their app to work on an OS they never claimed to support in the first place.

Sorry but it's buyer beware. You've been given good advice so far, but feel free to ask more questions if you need more clarification on what to look for. All I can add is to stay away from sites like Wish that advertise dirt cheap phones. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

 

[fuzzylumpkin]

True, but there's also a Barclays US Credit Cards app: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=barclays&c=apps. My Banana Republic card is now with Barclays. But you're probably right, since I don't think Barclays has any actual banks in the US.

On a related but not on topic note, I've been seeing adverts for chase credit cards over the last couple of years. They never existed here until very recently, they must be getting desperate if they are moving into the UK haha


The Barclaycard was made out to be a big deal when I was a kid... Funny adverts.

 

[Laura Knotek]

If they are banking with Barclays they are probably in the UK.

True, but there's also a Barclays US Credit Cards app: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=barclays&c=apps. My Banana Republic card is now with Barclays. But you're probably right, since I don't think Barclays has any actual banks in the US.

The OP does mention "UK banking apps", so it seems that she is in the UK.

 

[B. Diddy]

The OP does mention "UK banking apps", so it seems that she is in the UK.

Oh yeah, you're right! It might help to know which UK carrier the OP is on so we can look at what current deals are available.

 

[Rosie]

Yep I am in the UK. I had someone from the Bank on the phone this morning who explained that it's doubtful that they will ever be able to produce an app for the type of phone that's within my budget.
Sorry, but I come from a generation that regards the prices people call ' budget' phones as actually extortionate. We are of two different mind sets. I got my phone from Amazon where, by the way, it didn't even mention the GO. It wouldn't have meant anything if it had. I didn't even WANT a mobile phone. I have the things. However I have at the age of 78, become bedridden and needed a simple way to pay a bill each month and this seemed to be an answer - though basically to me a phone is something you call someone on or vice versa. Full stop. I've been using computers since the late 70s, done 4 years work in 2 at college at them and ran my own school for computer graphics for ten years.
So I don't appreciate the word dumb down in any context! There is NOTHING dumb about not wanting to spend ludicrous amounts on a piece of hardware or expecting decent software at affordable prices.
Someone suggested the Pixel A for £299! Thank you but the day I spend that much on a phone (or even a third of that) I will be thoroughly ashamed of myself for wasting my hard earned money.

 

[B. Diddy]

"Dumbed down" is only an expression -- perhaps "pared down" is a better term.

Any piece of mobile tech will still demand some premium, no matter how "budget" it is, because there's still a lot of R&D that's behind all of it. And realistically, you'll get what you pay for -- if you're looking for a phone that's <100 pounds, all you'll find are extremely subpar experiences. It's like buying a Yugo and expecting it to come with a great stereo system and automatic climate control.

You still haven't told us which UK carrier you're on. I still think you might be able to find a decent phone that ends up being free if it's subsidized by the carrier over a year or two.

 

[fuzzylumpkin]

"Dumbed down" is only an expression -- perhaps "pared down" is a better term.

Any piece of mobile tech will still demand some premium, no matter how "budget" it is, because there's still a lot of R&D that's behind all of it. And realistically, you'll get what you pay for -- if you're looking for a phone that's
You still haven't told us which UK carrier you're on. I still think you might be able to find a decent phone that ends up being free if it's subsidized by the carrier over a year or two.

I doubt someone with these attitudes to mobile phones will be willing to get a pay monthly contract. I'm not willing to, and I love technology.

 

[B. Diddy]

I doubt someone with these attitudes to mobile phones will be willing to get a pay monthly contract. I'm not willing to, and I love technology.

Good point, but monthly contracts are probably how the vast majority of customers (at least in the US) get their phones -- I'd say it's mostly enthusiasts like us who buy unlocked phones outright.

 

[Rosie]

There we go again. Different mind-set. I don't want a phone subsidised by anyone. I pay for what I have, in full and to the limit I set. I have never in my life had anything I haven't paid for in full at the point of sale, never had a day in the red anywhere, never bought anything on installments/credit, never owed anyone a penny. My husband and I always made do with the cheapest of everything until our house was paid for. If I have a phone, it will be mine, because I paid for if.
My Carrier (again not term I knew but I think you mean service provider) is Vodafone BTW. You

 

[Rosie]

Oh and I don't do monthly contracts, just the most basic PAYG tarrif. I've had several phones just for emergencies where I had to use the phone once in six months to keep the account going. I lost all three accounts because I never had to use them. Which illustrates how feel and my husband and I feel about them. We have a landline which we use for bills etc and up to now it's all we've needed.

 

[B. Diddy]

It's pretty much always been the mindset of this kind of technology and market. If you want to stick with the mindset you're comfortable with, then you're also stuck with older technology (like flip-phones or featurephones, and yes, they're nicknamed "dumb phones" whether you like it or not) that are very limited, and certainly won't do anything like banking.

It looks like Vodafone doesn't have any "free" deals -- maybe that's more common in the US. The best deals I could find right now are a Pixel 7a for 19 pounds upfront and 26 pounds/mo for 36 mo, or a Samsung Galaxy A34 5G for 29 pounds upfront and 18 pounds/mo for 36 mo. I wouldn't go for the refurbished Galaxy S10 they also offer, since that's a pretty old phone. https://www.vodafone.co.uk/mobile/deals-and-offers#pay-monthly-deals

 

[B. Diddy]

Oh and I don't do monthly contracts, just the most basic PAYG tarrif. I've had several phones just for emergencies where I had to use the phone once in six months to keep the account going. I lost all three accounts because I never had to use them. Which illustrates how feel and my husband and I feel about them. We have a landline which we use for bills etc and up to now it's all we've needed.

For PAYG, the cheapest decent phone would be the Galaxy A04s for 139 pounds (which will still be a subpar experience given the fairly inferior hardware). The TCL 403 and Nokia C22 that are cheaper are also Android Go, so those are out of the question.

 

[Rosie]

Yes, the truth is that I couldn't live with spending that kind of money on a phone I would rarely use. I don't do Social tedium - I mean Media. I would rather slit my throat. I play games. By myself. My one concession to the web is my website because I had an interesting career. Apart from that there is nothing I need from technology. My dog means more.