I just got a device with an audio jack (Moto G84), very satisfying.
That stuff had been on my mind for way too long.
I was considering getting a USB-C - jack dongle, but they seemed annoying to carry around, and I wanted to avoid potential damage to the USB-C port by plugging it in and out multiple times per day (USB-C still seems finicky to me for some reason)
Also, I always like to have a backup device so that I'm not locked out of everything in case something happens to my primary phone.
The device is nice so far, really impressive for the price (got it for 180€ second hand with 1 year guarantee at a second hand shop).
I see it more as a connected music/video player than anything else, and for that it serves it purpose perfectly.
Fellow g84 user here. I love that Motorola's new thing is "here's some hardware. It runs stock android because you don't care and neither do we. We haven't put a fucking golf mode in the camera or reinvented the browser, file manager, app store, or any of that other stuff Samsung did, and therefore we don't charge you £1000 for the privilege."
Is the battery easily replaceable? Have they stopped making it a pain in the ass to unlock the bootloader? Those are the things that matter for longevity of a device.
AUX, MicroSD, smaller format and big battery was the reason I went for my Sony Xperia 10 IV (budget phone, got mine new for 260€) device.
Sadly their software updates are only for two years as otherwise I would've been interested in the Sony Xperia 5 series (compact flagship). I'm not paying flagship prices for a phone that stops updating after two years.
I hope that the EU regulation forcing 5 years of updates for phones and tablets starting June 2025 will allow me a compact flagship phone with aux, big battery and updates for a long time.
I just wish there was a PC compatible like standard for smartphones (and ARM in general). If smartphones were like PCs where a third party can relatively easily maintain 10+ years support, worrying about whether a manufacturer cares to update becomes irrelevant.
Historically I've gone for Lenovo laptops, at least for their business segments they've been good with releasing updates to fix security issues for many years. Having a promise of 5 years of firmware updates would be lovely though.
Sony Xperia 10 IV (budget phone, got mine new for 260€) device.
Xperia were really on my list, but not very popular in the second hand market where I live. Hopefully one day I'll get one, they seem to be nice devices.
Dual sim.
Call recording.
Stereo speakers. Loud enough.
Oled screen. (slight tint.)
Headphone jack
5Ah battery
Super light phone.
5G.
12 gigs ram.
FM radio with some reception sans cable.
Soft rear cover.
Biggest downside is the camera as there's no optical zoom / telephoto lens. Also if you take a photo in low light and leave the camera app straight after taking it, it's gone.
While I've had my backup Samsung M12 with a 1pmobile SIM in my work locker for a couple of years now simply as an emergency backup, I'm also currently rocking two Xiaomi's so I can test remote connections to a family members server via work WiFi/Tailscale.
My main issue is while I wear cargo pants at work, carrying two phones is more wieldy than you'd think and there's also something else I did notice the other day with the Find My Device news.
I forgot where, I left my main phone the other day and my locker is a literal Faraday cage according to FMD? 10 minutes of panic :/
I was considering getting a USB-C - jack dongle, but they seemed annoying to carry around, and I wanted to avoid potential damage to the USB-C port by plugging it in and out multiple times per day (USB-C still seems finicky to me for some reason)
Fair enough if you're concerned about the USB port's durability, but for casual users like myself that is actually a viable solution. I bought one a few months back and have been surprised at how much less annoying they are to use than I thought they would be. I no longer consider the loss of 3.5 mm a major problem these days. It's an annoyance I still consider unnecessary, but only a minor one.