Pixel 4a (not 5G) owners, what do you plan to do with your phone now that it reached its final Android update?

This month is the final month of guaranteed major and security updates, and we already know Android 14 won’t land in the Pixel 4a (though it will in the Pixel 4a 5G as it has guaranteed updates until November).

So for those of you who own that phone, what do you plan to do with it? Are you going to keep using it for a couple more years without the updates? Install a custom ROM (which one?)? Or are you maybe planning to get a new phone (a Pixel?)?

If you still own an older Pixel phone, how are you keeping it alive?

NENathaniel,
@NENathaniel@lemmy.ca avatar

Tbh I know tons of people who use older phones that are way past any updates but work fine.

Not ideal but doesn’t make the phone unusable

KilgoreTheTrout11,

I'm going to keep using mine for a while. It's not my only phone. I still use my LGV60 and my LG wing and a newer pixel sometimes. Those are all so big And I like the fact that the pixel 4a can fit in my front pocket.

I'll keep using them until the batteries aren't workable anymore. Whatever risk there is with security patches I think is overshadowed by the environmental and financial downsides of tossing away perfectly good hardware.

I'll probably be fine using it for another year or so . As to what I would replace it with I'm not sure. Probably a used pixel just because they're the best value proposition.

So 5a has gets android, another year of updates and it can be a 100 Bucks on eBay. The pixel 6 and 6 pro are 200 to 275 on ebay and they are getting like 40 more months of updates.

Samsung phones don't have quite the same Compelling prices on the resal market .

Jean_le_Flambeur,

Lineage OS

The_Mixer_Dude,

I still use my pixel 2 regularly. There really isn’t a reason to not use it that I can think of.

gcfbrian,

I plan to make the jump to an 8 this year. I was holding out on the headphone jack but it’s time. The 8 should be a decent jump and the rumors about docking are really appealing to me for light office work.

warmaster,

Docking also means video out. The community for the Pixel 8 will be huge. I bet even Postmarket OS and Pure OS wik make ports for it. I just wish Waydroid gets good enough by then, to use WhatsApp, Google Maps, and my Banking app.

BlovedMadman,
@BlovedMadman@lemmy.world avatar

I will be in this position in a couple months when the Pixel 5 gets its last security update, in think my choices are either the Pixel 8 or wait a few more months and get the pixel 8a, I think it will come down to price. Regardless, it will be running GrapheneOS.

Blackmist,

Are you supposed to stop using your phone once it stops getting updates?

Mine is on Android 9 and idgaf.

I replace my phone when it stops working well enough for day to day use.

jwagner7813,

I’d say for most users, this is the case. But you’re not in a thread of “most users” 😂. There’s definitely a niche here that would like to stay on the most recent system software as it probably brings them functionality they need or will want to use.

AlmightySnoo,
@AlmightySnoo@lemmy.world avatar

It depends on whether you do sensitive stuff with your phone that’s going to risk getting exposed if your phone stops getting security updates and a malware gets made specifically for it. But I guess like on PC with careful vetting of apps and avoiding sketchy websites the risk should IMO be minimal.

Murvel,

Yes, when the security patches stops it’s time to switch. But since these are usually a separate deploy chain from regular Android updates its hard to figure out when these patches stops coming. I’ve tried to find out out when the security patches for my Samsung S20+ stops, no idea still.

UsernameIsTooLon,

If you’re smart with your phone, you technically don’t need to update. You can also prolong life with custom rims and their own monthly patches.

kamenlady,
@kamenlady@lemmy.world avatar

I’m still on the default pacific rim - where can i find those custom rims?

Anonymousllama,

Even factoring in not getting the Android 14 update, plenty of people I feel will keep phones for ages (I remember having to build aps catering to people on Android 8/9 so people are generally pretty lazy to update). Even without security updates I’ve got a feeling these phones will linger since they’re still decent

Raxiel,

Every so often I think about how I really ought to replace my Pixel 2, but then it just keeps on working and the price of new devices keeps on inflating at absurd rates.

Redditiscancer789,

When I was more in mobile gaming I’d just multi box with them. Nowadays I just use them as Roku remotes.

NatoBoram,

You don’t need to be at the mercy of Google to keep your phone updated!

The whole point of having a Google phone is that you can easily flash it after its planned obsolescence date.

forbiddenlake,
@forbiddenlake@lemmy.world avatar

I’ll very likely buy a 7a in November.

adlr,

I’ll probably hang tight until Pixel 8 comes out.

oryx,
@oryx@lemmy.world avatar

I upgraded to a 7 on launch day (pre-ordered), so my 4a has been sitting around as a backup ever since. Still miss the size, material, and color sometimes - I got the Google Store blue with the orange button and it looked so nice!

doggle,

The fingerprint sensor gave out a year ago, so it will continue its slow decay in my bedside table drawer.

Minty95,

Try Lineage. I ran it on my Pixel 3 for about two years when Google stopped updating it. Then when I decided to sell it, just reflashed the Google OS back on it

notepass,

Has it gotten easier to pass SafetyNet with ROMs? I still want to use my banking apps, but want to use a custom ROM for more safety now.

Minty95,

I’ve stopped using lineage as i changed the pixel3 for a 6a, so stock android. Although at the time I could get PayPal to work my banking app was a no no

bastion,

Running lineage on pixel 3 still.

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