Note phones have a 3 year lifespan, concerned with Note 8

[Aquila]

in my experience, three things have been the reason - power supply, hard drive, or RAM. All which were replaced.

Yep.

Power supply is incredibly common, damage is incredibly common (liquid, impact or dust/debris), failure to maintain the equipment, shorts, etc. These are common reasons do for devices to fail. Hard drives have become better now that they're solid state, but HDD are still very vulnerable. I've never had RAM die, but if it does, that can corrupt BIOS, etc. Key thing among the above? Hardware, hardware, user error and hardware.

Luckily PC's are built to be modular and can have these components replaced, rather than buying a full new one. That works on phones too, but often it costs more to go that route than the device is worth because the industry is still so young.

 

[flyingkytez]

A few things...

1) We already established the first paragraph is wrong. Example, most of the people here who have Note 4's are not having any issues. Why? Simplest answer: because there is no conspiracy to sabotage all the Note 4's in order to get them to buy Note 8's. Because that conspiracy theory is ridiculous. Given that this has been established, multiple times... it's unclear why the thing keeps being repeated.
2) Why are you not accepting Windows updates? Is that all updates or just not installing Windows 10? Because most of those updates are updating security vulnerabilities...
3) Why do you perceive a correlation between software updates and devices slowing down? That's pretty close to the exact opposite of how things actually work.
4) I think I've mentioned this before, but it might really help if you bought some quality kit. Samsung is not the beacon of software - far from it, they're one of the worst at software. I believe if you were buying quality devices (from a software AND hardware standpoint, not just based on some of the specs) that you'd have a better overall experience and spend less time thinking that the kit makers are sabotaging your gear so you can buy more from them.
5) If they really were doing that, and you knew it, why would you ever buy anything from them?

1. It doesn't apply to everyone. Maybe some of them are smart and hacked their phone to disable updates. But I have 2 friends that I know. It happened to both of them. Coincidence? I don't know. But there is a lawsuit.

2. Windows updates ALWAYS slows down my computers. I've been using Windows OS for over 2 decades, I know how it works. Security updates might be great if you work in a business environment. For a consumer, I'm not concerned, would rather have my computer running fast like it did since day one, not sluggish with all the pointless updates.

3. I'm using my 2 friends that I know. They both have been using the phone for 3 years. That last and final update caused them to abandon their phones. But before it was working great.

4. I've been shying away from Samsung phones, their software is inconsistent. Fast when you first own it, slows down after months. Maybe it's just me? I don't know, seems like a reoccurring issue.

5. I haven't been buying Samsung phones. My experience with the LG software is much better (no forced updates, sluggish OS). Just bringing up this problem to light. Maybe some might not experience it, but there are others that have including myself (I had an S4 that got slower after updates, features removed, etc.)

 

[Almeuit]

1. It doesn't apply to everyone. Maybe some of them are smart and hacked their phone to disable updates. But I have 2 friends that I know. It happened to both of them. Coincidence? I don't know. But there is a lawsuit.

2. Windows updates ALWAYS slows down my computers. I've been using Windows OS for over 2 decades, I know how it works. Security updates might be great if you work in a business environment. For a consumer, I'm not concerned, would rather have my computer running fast like it did since day one, not sluggish with all the pointless updates.

3. I'm using my 2 friends that I know. They both have been using the phone for 3 years. That last and final update caused them to abandon their phones. But before it was working great.

1) My buddy on Sprint has installed updates. As I said previously still uses his Note 4 (no matter how much I beg) to this day.

2) I have always installed all Windows Updates. I still don't see the slowdown you speak of. Even after 4+ years on one machine.

3) Friend has had the Note 4 since release as well. Still working great.

 

[flyingkytez]

Completely untrue. The main reasons for computers to "crap out" are not viruses and it is not Windows updates.

Have you used a friend's or family member's computer, a person that is NOT tech savvy? Extremely slow, too much spyware and viruses, too much Windows hot fixes. My remedy is usually installing a fresh Windows OS and start all over. Back then, I used to reinstall Windows every 6 months just because of OS corruption. Now I'm much smarter and disabled the update service, and avoid spyware/viruses.

 

[Aquila]

1. It doesn't apply to everyone. Maybe some of them are smart and hacked their phone to disable updates. But I have 2 friends that I know. It happened to both of them. Coincidence? I don't know. But there is a lawsuit.

The lawsuit is referencing issues that took place prior to the incidents you're referring to. It is evidence against your hypothesis, not for it. Your two friends are trumped by the many people here running with no issues. In order for your hypothesis to work, all Note 4's that received the July security update should be dead. Almost none of them are. Same answer for #3 .

4. I've been shying away from Samsung phones, their software is inconsistent. Fast when you first own it, slows down after months. Maybe it's just me? I don't know, seems like a reoccurring issue.

5. I haven't been buying Samsung phones. My experience with the LG software is much better (no forced updates, sluggish OS). Just bringing up this problem to light. Maybe some might not experience it, but there are others that have including myself (I had an S4 that got slower after updates, features removed, etc

These two get the same answer. Samsung phones slow down considerably for almost all users. Slowing down and becoming unusable are not the same thing though, and a factory reset can often solve the issue for many users here. LG is not a good example of good hardware and software. They suck fairly hard at both, at least on phones. I don't know about their other products. Their recent devices show signs of improvement, but that is not what I meant by trying some quality products.

2. Windows updates ALWAYS slows down my computers. I've been using Windows OS for over 2 decades, I know how it works. Security updates might be great if you work in a business environment. For a consumer, I'm not concerned, would rather have my computer running fast like it did since day one, not sluggish with all the pointless updates.

I don't know exactly what it is, but if this is true you're doing something majorly wrong or there is something majorly wrong with your hardware. But this also could just be a symptom of buying inferior hardware, I'm not sure. I haven't been in the mid-range and budget PC game for a long time, so things could still suck there.

 

[ajb1965]

My wife's Note 4 had been great since we got it a month after launch with the exception of replacing the battery several times (she's a charging fiend). It's received all the VZW updates and upgrades and only recently started having HW issues. I don't think it's Samsung doing this though. I'm leaning more towards the NSA and their microwave beams.

 

[Aquila]

I'm leaning more towards the NSA and their microwave beams.

This is approximately 1000 x more likely than the other hypothesis. I'm going to grant you a full .01% probability of yours being correct, and a .00001% chance of theirs being correct. The remaining 99.98999% will fall under the "this is a pretty new industry with a lot of untried components being developed rapidly and the devices are misused and abused constantly by people who don't understand how they work, causing a whirlwind of havoc and destruction to converge between the hardware and user error issues - yet this is entirely accomplished without any conspiracy or intentional sabotage at all" hypothesis.

 

[flyingkytez]

Yep.

Power supply is incredibly common, damage is incredibly common (liquid, impact or dust/debris), failure to maintain the equipment, shorts, etc. These are common reasons do for devices to fail. Hard drives have become better now that they're solid state, but HDD are still very vulnerable. I've never had RAM die, but if it does, that can corrupt BIOS, etc. Key thing among the above? Hardware, hardware, user error and hardware.

Luckily PC's are built to be modular and can have these components replaced, rather than buying a full new one. That works on phones too, but often it costs more to go that route than the device is worth because the industry is still so young.

Computers are built using a little bit of gold plating so they can last pretty long and withstand environmental factors. Hard drives can last very long, but they don't last forever. There are hard drives that still run from 20 years ago. Newer PC'S especially can last awhile. Usually, on tower desktops, the power supply can fail especially if it's a cheap brand. But computers are designed to last for some time, and not thrown away after 2 years like smartphones.

 

[flyingkytez]

The lawsuit is referencing issues that took place prior to the incidents you're referring to. It is evidence against your hypothesis, not for it. Your two friends are trumped by the many people here running with no issues. In order for your hypothesis to work, all Note 4's that received the July security update should be dead. Almost none of them are. Same answer for #3 .



These two get the same answer. Samsung phones slow down considerably for almost all users. Slowing down and becoming unusable are not the same thing though, and a factory reset can often solve the issue for many users here. LG is not a good example of good hardware and software. They suck fairly hard at both, at least on phones. I don't know about their other products. Their recent devices show signs of improvement, but that is not what I meant by trying some quality products.



I don't know exactly what it is, but if this is true you're doing something majorly wrong or there is something majorly wrong with your hardware. But this also could just be a symptom of buying inferior hardware, I'm not sure. I haven't been in the mid-range and budget PC game for a long time, so things could still suck there.

1. The point is people are having issues. I'm implying the updates are slowly taking down the device, so the user won't notice too quickly. Just think about it, why would a big greedy manufacture allow user to keep their phones for a long time? If they could do it, they would.

2. Factory reset does not work. I used to work for Samsung/Best Buy. Firmware updates causes problems and it's a fact. Just look at the forums and you see people complaining and asking how to downgrade. The tutorials are all over XDA to downgrade, I've had to follow their tutorials a few times because I hated the updates. Most updates are irreversable. The key is to leave the OS alone and it should still run like it did day one.

3. Windows updates and hotfixes causes performance issues. Computer was running fine when it was brand new. Install updates and there is a noticable lag. Factory reset computer and it runs like brand new. Not hard to figure this one out. This is not a hardware issue.

 

[LegalAmerican]

Unless you have a Honda/Toyota, cars break down (ahem, American and German cars). At least with a car you can change the batteries and do repairs. Smartphones get thrown in the trash too soon.

Okay, WHOA WHOA! You've crossed the line now. I am still in awe at the number of people who falsely believe that Honda and Toyota are more reliable than anything else. I can take any car (other than a Volkswagen) and I guarantee if I have the determination and money to keep up with all the service requirements, they will all have a very comparable lifespan. I drive an old Dodge truck from '99 and half the time I forget to add oil, and when I do it's got about 30% of what it should. I add oil, and it runs like a dream. My family has owned Volvo, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Chevrolet, Honda, Nissan, Hummer, Ford, Volkswagen, and probably a few others that I can't recall. The worst in order for us, has been: Honda, Volkswagen, Ford, Hummer.

I know i'm off topic and this isn't the place, but if only one person reads this and stops listening to the lies about Honda and Toyota, I will be satisfied. As an aside, Toyota has had more recalls lately than almost anyone else.

 

[Aquila]

Just look at the forums and you see people complaining and asking how to downgrade.

I don't mind being quoted on this in each of those threads. Most of those people have no idea what the new software is, how it works, what the features, are etc. They're freaking out because something changed, not because something is better or worse. They're clueless, they're not victims.

 

[Aquila]

I'm implying the updates are slowly taking down the device, so the user won't notice too quickly. Just think about it, why would a big greedy manufacture allow user to keep their phones for a long time? If they could do it, they would.

Right, this is the hypothesis in the OP and another person was parroting it.. and this is the thing that has been established as being incorrect. There's not a shred of evidence to suggest that there is such a conspiracy to sabotage users' devices and there is every reason in the world for companies to never do such a thing - because being caught would mean the end of their business. The only way it could possibly work is if ALL OEMs were in on it together. And that is a thing that is simply impossible. It's impossible to get them even to work together on simple things like functionality standards, you want them all to work together on some arch villain level plot to make a couple extra dollars (as if their customers wouldn't jump ship after a bad experience) and that they're all going to be able to keep it a secret? That's the hypothesis, yes... but it's completely untenable.

Here's what really happens when a company makes a bad product: they end up giving away free replacements through warranty, insurance claims, etc.

 

[natehoy]

They force updates on you (unless you hack, mod, or root it beforehand). Whether hardware issue or software issue, this is unfair and that is the real problem.

I respectfully disagree.

There is plenty of incentive for a carrier to make sure you are on the latest security patch of Android. Even if they don't care about the possibility of your personal information being breached, a compromised device can do bad things to their network.

So any device they sell you has forced updates as part of the package. It protects you, but they don't care about that. They care about the fact that it protects them.

Carrier devices come with forced updates, and there are good reasons why this is so. If you don't want forced carrier updates, don't buy a carrier device. Some carriers, for also good reasons, won't allow anything but their own devices on their network. Fortunately most GSM carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, etc) are pretty liberal about that.

 

[Paradroid01]

Right, this is the hypothesis in the OP and another person was parroting it.. and this is the thing that has been established as being incorrect. There's not a shred of evidence to suggest that there is such a conspiracy to sabotage users' devices and there is every reason in the world for companies to never do such a thing - because being caught would mean the end of their business. The only way it could possibly work is if ALL OEMs were in on it together. And that is a thing that is simply impossible. It's impossible to get them even to work together on simple things like functionality standards, you want them all to work together on some arch villain level plot to make a couple extra dollars (as if their customers wouldn't jump ship after a bad experience) and that they're all going to be able to keep it a secret? That's the hypothesis, yes... but it's completely untenable.

Here's what really happens when a company makes a bad product: they end up giving away free replacements through warranty, insurance claims, etc.

Sorry, still too naive imo.

 

[Aquila]

^Sorry, still too naive imo.

So it "naive" to believe that carriers and OEMs are willing to take steps to protect themselves from issues on devices, which license their software from them, that can compromise their products and services?

Yet, it is not naive to think that millions of manufacturer employees and partners are all entangled in a global conspiracy to sabotage those devices in order to add a couple of extra sales, risks be damned, logic be damned, and that they're able to accomplish this without a single person ever leaking the plot, whether currently involved or formerly employed and engaged in the plot?

Is that the hill you want to die on?

 

[Cary Quinn]

I still think there's planned obsolescence.

There isn't, but it can be hard to understand for someone who has not worked in product development.
Why plan for obsolescence when you know that every device is made of dozens to hundreds of components that will
each fail in their own way over time and regular usage. Its hard enough to design them to last the way
people manage to use their phones without trying to make them fail on a regular schedule.

If a phone was working fine everyday and then starts to become extremely sluggish after an update, then it's obvious.

No, If EVERY phone did that after an update, it would be suspicious; there have been phone updates in the past that had to be recalled or have a following update to fix some issue that got past testing. The only proven update to any note series that reduced functionality on a device was with the Note 7, and we knew that update was coming MONTHs in advance.

Some people would literally keep the phone for YEARS especially if it's working for them spec wise. Samsung can see these users still hanging on, they knew it's smart to cut them loose just in time when the Note 8 launched.

Actually that makes no sense at all. It's a bigger bragging right to say you have people still using the phone you released 4 years ago and point to that for the build quality going forward to the Note 8. I am still using the Note 3 I bought back then, and had to switch back over to when I turned in my Note 7.

BTW I have a SAMSUNG Series 7 Chronos 15.6 inch laptop from 2013. I kept Windows updates off and the computer runs like it did when it came out the box (had to factory reset after Windows forced an update on me, turned it off ever since). Maybe battery life dropped a small amount but it works fine. If anything, the computer should fail sooner than a smartphone which runs on solid state memory VS mechanical hard drive, and much more complicated parts such as spinning fans. I honestly don't plan to upgrade my laptop for many many many years, it works perfectly fine and there is absolutely no reason to upgrade unless I want newer tech. Same goes for a smartphone.

Agreed, you bought a good laptop. But there is always a small percentage of buyers who got a dud out of the box for the same laptop purchase, and who may have been lucky enough to trade it in for replacement or repair. Or who was unlucky enough to have it crap out the week after the warranty ran out. When you sell a million of a device you are going to have a much wider range of both long term and short term use than a few anecdotal examples can accurately cover.

 

[flyingkytez]

There isn't, but it can be hard to understand for someone who has not worked in product development.
Why plan for obsolescence when you know that every device is made of dozens to hundreds of components that will
each fail in their own way over time and regular usage. Its hard enough to design them to last the way
people manage to use their phones without trying to make them fail on a regular schedule.



No, If EVERY phone did that after an update, it would be suspicious; there have been phone updates in the past that had to be recalled or have a following update to fix some issue that got past testing. The only proven update to any note series that reduced functionality on a device was with the Note 7, and we knew that update was coming MONTHs in advance.



Actually that makes no sense at all. It's a bigger bragging right to say you have people still using the phone you released 4 years ago and point to that for the build quality going forward to the Note 8. I am still using the Note 3 I bought back then, and had to switch back over to when I turned in my Note 7.



Agreed, you bought a good laptop. But there is always a small percentage of buyers who got a dud out of the box for the same laptop purchase, and who may have been lucky enough to trade it in for replacement or repair. Or who was unlucky enough to have it crap out the week after the warranty ran out. When you sell a million of a device you are going to have a much wider range of both long term and short term use than a few anecdotal examples can accurately cover.

Compare a Samsung phone that's never been updated to one that's been updated. There is a difference. All you're doing is swiping thorough the home screen and navigating through menus. I've worked for Samsung and updated many devices at the Best Buy stores. These updates causes performance issues. There's a reason why people hate TouchWiz. They are notorious for their sluggish OS, especially months after ownership. A Galaxy S6 should still be a powerful phone, there should be no excuses.

 

[eshropshire]

Unless you have a Honda/Toyota, cars break down (ahem, American and German cars). At least with a car you can change the batteries and do repairs. Smartphones get thrown in the trash too soon.

Question, do you have a computer that's 2 years or older? Do you buy a new computer every 2 years or sooner? And why exactly do you need to buy new computers? Usually the computer starts to crap out mainly due to viruses and unnecessary Windows updates, but other than that, computers can last over 10 years. There comes a point where your computer should be "good enough" (unless you are a hardcore gamer). Just like smartphones. But how will manufactures profit if nobody is buying phones anymore because their phones are "good enough"? Planned obsolescence is the answer. You have to think like a business man, and this is what they would do to profit. It's a for-profit industry, don't care about the environment and reusing old devices. Same things are happening with iPhones because people are keeping them for longer than expected, at least with the iPhone they don't force the update.

My last Toyota was junk. Engine was ok, but the rest of the car fell apart.

My last PC I used for close to 8 years. Only switched because my wife needed a machine. She is using it and it runs great. I had several older machines that were working, but got rid of them when we moved.

My daughter was using an S3 until not long ago. She only switched because several apps (games) she wanted to run did not work on her S3. The phone still works. My other daughter had an S4 until a few days ago. Finally decided to update, she wanted more internal storage. As I have said before on this thread my Note 4 is still going strong, even after the killer July patch.

I have had products die, my HTC Rezound died after 18 months. Dell Tablet I bought my son was always garbage. Any electronic item could die.

 

[Cary Quinn]

Compare a Samsung phone that's never been updated to one that's been updated. There is a difference.

Of course there is a difference, please don't pretend that there are not features that are added and changed between updates that can impact performance on any electronic device.

I could point to an article like https://androidcommunity.com/androi...erformance-test-which-one-is-faster-20160907/ to show that Android ver 7 is slower in some tests that version 6. But I don't see most people clamoring to lose the benefits that came with upgrading to Nougat if your device supported it. And sometimes those update result in a speed increase to functions on the same device. I'm certainly not mad that my Galaxy Tab s2 finally got an update to 7.0. I was more concerned with how long it took the carrier to test and release the update in the first place.

Which also brings the question: Why would the carriers go along with such a plan? They make millions supporting phones that are already paid for. It is easier to convince someone to add a new line or switch to a newer phone if they are already satisfied with the service they have been getting all along with their current device.

 

[jimd1050]

Maybe the OP is correct. I bet the G4 bootloop problem was based on a kill switch that was triggered early by mistake. Must be because they put the same kill switch in the V10. Now we have two conspiracies. Time for more paranoia.

Or maybe, I know this is kinda of crazy - some phones age differently and break down earlier. Maybe even a bad part gets through inspection and makes it into a phone. Maybe someone gets a little water damage and it slowley corrodes something in the phone. Maybe someone drops their phone several times and eventually something breaks. No... nothing like this I am sure all of the breakdowns on Note 4's were planned by Samsung. Wait...mine is still working great. They missed mine I guess they will break it with the August or September update. I am doomed!!!