Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Galaxy S4 release date: 2013

iPhone 5s release date: 2013

Last official update from galaxy s4: Android 5.0.1 in 2015 [1]

Last official update to iPhone 5s: iOS 12.5.7 in 2023 [2]

I’m well aware that you’re speaking of custom roms, but insinuating that this is solving ewaste issues is disingenuous at best. No ewaste is fixed by us nerds flashing custom roms through adb incantations in out of support hardware.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S4#Updates

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS_version_history



And despite all of that, I can still use the Galaxy S4 (or even the Galaxy S3 if you really cared, specs are a bit low but it still works) as a daily driver with a modern Android version whereas the iPhone 5 or the iPhone 4 can only end up in the bin, there's nothing to be done about it.

Maybe that's a lesson to learn that we should require open bootloaders and more open systems to reduce ewaste. If Android devices were more opened, this amazing effort to save devices could be even better. As we go forward, more and more older devices will simply be good enough if you could just install software updates onto it.

And as of "nerds", I may point out that the general public doesn't reinstall their windows either and just go to a repair shop.


https://reddit.com/r/Android/comments/13i7gbb/just_saw_someo...

As anecdotal experience, the same age (or even older) iphones are also being used by many.


You technical can yes but Iphones of that age are as good as bricks in my opinion though, the browser isn't updated and is terrible and you can't install any normal app anymore.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: