Phone advice

[Icehaven]

Want to get Mr. H a new smartphone for his upcoming birthday but I have no idea what to get. The problem he has is his current phone that he's had forever (a HTC One) is less and less able to use apps, just keeps saying they aren't compatible with his phone, so it's basically becoming obsolete, so I need to get one where that won't happen. The problem I have is budget, I can't afford much more than about £100-150. It doesn't have to be amazing or have a great camera or anything, just not have this fucking annoying issue of not being able to cope with apps or app upgrades. Second hand is alright. Any suggestions?

[Dex Sawash]

Samsung has promised 4 years of major updates for the last year or two but I don't know if that extends to the budget ones. Pixel phones are 3 years. Probably just have to buy a cheap phone every time apps are removed.

[olliebean]

Motorola are usually decent for a budget option.

[robhug]

I always get a chinese one, they could well be full of spyware but they are priced accordingly so you feel you've got the best end of the bargain. Unlocked obvs.

this sort of thing
https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/xiaomi-redmi-note-8-edition-2021-4gb-ram-64gb-ps14130-at-amazon-spain-3768067

[Jerzy Bondov]

Nokia are good value. Nokia 5.4 would be a substantial upgrade in most areas over the HTC (lower resolution screen though) and it can be had for less than £150.
https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=10624&idPhone2=5313

[Sherringford Hovis]

I always get a chinese one, they could well be full of spyware but they are priced accordingly so you feel you've got the best end of the bargain. Unlocked obvs.

Chinaphones - especially rugged ones - are ace. I've got a Unihertz Atom XL right now because I'm a Walter Mitty saddo who thinks he needs the digital walkie-talkie function (I don't), but that's about a ton over your budget. Purely because I enjoy the novelty, I tend to treat myself to a new rugged Chinaphone about every 6-9 months and sell the old one - I usually get back 80-90% of what I paid for it since idiots people are still very wary of ordering stuff from China. Doogee, Blackview, Unihertz and Oukitel all make good handsets for under £200 - some under £100 - that you can buy from UK or Chinese suppliers. Just make sure whatever you get has at least 4GB RAM or it'll soon struggle. Also, the model designations make no sense at all for many Chinaphone brands: for my examples below a Oukitel WP6 actually has more features and is more expensive than the WP8, whereas the Armor X7 is more-or-less the same as an Armor 8 Pro but with a smaller screen and weaker battery. Screen resolution is relatively unimportant for most mobile phone users, except that a lower res means less power consumption - my Atom XL has what phone reviewers would call a very 'poor' screen and 'inferior' battery, but the battery lasts forever because it's not powering pointless pixels indiscernible to the human eye.

The infantilising Internet descriptor for most rugged phones would definitely be "chonky boi"; if you want a rugged phone that doesn't look like a rugged phone, around the £150 mark I'd recommend OUKITEL WP8 Pro
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/402872197002

if you've gotta have Android 11 (that'll future-proof your chap for a very long time), Ulephone Armor 8 Pro can be had for the same money...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/194223464245

If your chap wants a huge battery-life, Blackview 6600 is great: I had one and absolutely caned the poor thing as a WiFi hotspot for many months before selling it on. I love how Blackview aptly use the Leaning Tower of Pisa as a representative icon for European Sales/delivery...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/384190640956

[Barry Admin]

I always get a chinese one, they could well be full of spyware but they are priced accordingly so you feel you've got the best end of the bargain. Unlocked obvs.

this sort of thing
https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/xiaomi-redmi-note-8-edition-2021-4gb-ram-64gb-ps14130-at-amazon-spain-3768067

I got a Xiaomi sent over from China when I got out of hospital a couple of years back. I specifically got it for the split screen function, but since quit Ingress and PoGo, so don't use that much.

Love the shit out of this phone. I'd only had hand-me-downs before, and this thing is just sooooooo much nicer to use.

[Icehaven]

Ended up getting a Xiaomi Note 9 and having just checked this thread back now I'm extremely glad! Cheers for the reccs, might even get myself one when this one bites the dust.

[Shit Good Nose]

EDIT - ignore, you're already sorted.

[Elderly Sumo Prophecy]

If Mr icehaven is comfortable with HTC Ones, why not get him one of the newer ones? I got a HTC U11 for about £120 on eBay. They're from 2017, so I think the ones you can get are just factory returns or something. Mine had some minor cosmetic faults on the finish on the back, but other than that works fine. Nice and speedy, decent camera, all that. Plus they have a pretty nice looking two tone pearlescent effect on the back. Mines red and gold, so it looks like Iron Man's phone.

Edit: Drat! Already bought one.

[Icehaven]

If Mr icehaven is comfortable with HTC Ones, why not get him one of the newer ones? I got a HTC U11 for about £120 on eBay. They're from 2017, so I think the ones you can get are just factory returns or something. Mine had some minor cosmetic faults on the finish on the back, but other than that works fine. Nice and speedy, decent camera, all that. Plus they have a pretty nice looking two tone pearlescent effect on the back. Mines red and gold, so it looks like Iron Man's phone.

Edit: Drat! Already bought one.

No worries, cheers for the advice anyway!