Is pixel 4a too old for a new phone?
Hi,
A friend wants to degoogle his phone, so I suggested the OS I'm currently using. The one we can't talk about... He wants a small/compact phone, so I suggested pixel 4a (not buying second hand though), but I'm afraid that planned obsolescence may kill the phone rather soon. What's your opinion?
Cheers and thank you for your help,
What's the OS we can't talk about?
The open-source one that's so powerful it summons an online fight with at least 50 members if mentioned. It's kinda anomalous so it is recommended not to mention it online until further research.
The OS-who-shall-not-be-named lest you summon it's power.
The Google Pixel 4a is officially end-of-life and doesn't get any software and security updates anymore (https://endoflife.date/pixel).
CalyxOS still provides extended support for Pixel 4a until August 2024.
FYI: "Extended support" from a custom rom means the OS level software gets updated, not the device firmware. So you still end up with a not fully up to date phone.
Written from my Pxiel 4a. :)
The one we can't talk about...
I don't get it ? Why can't we say it's name ?
Because GrapheneOS is a debatable triggering subject for some people. Basically the OS itself is amazing and very good. But the project leader is apparently arrogant and offensive. And offended a load of big known online personalities. Apparently he says his OS is the best and better then everyone else etc etc. So the question is: do you use and support a project where the product itself is amazing and just what the world needs, but where the project leader is offensive? Some say yes, some say no. = Controversial subject.
Personally I use GrapheneOS because I need a good camera and I like having a flagship modern phone. Currently I'm using a Pixel 7 Pro. I also like the privacy and security features that graphene offer. I don't see another project out there that can offer me the same. The product is good.
I think it's a bit too old, if you want to stay in the pixel ecosystem maybe try to grab a 6, 6a or 6 pro. They are around $250, and they are great!
I recently got a 6a to replace my iPhone SE for €160 and it's been working great.
Great
I'm using a 4a right now which I bought last year, refurbished. It's a great phone and has a headphone jack. If you're concerend about updates, install an alternative OS. If you want to degoogle that should be the path anyway.
4a is end of life already, so no firmware updates from Google. GrapheneOS has legacy builds available for it but doesn't recommend using them, and they might go away anytime soon
get a used device which is still properly supported, don't buy brand new e-waste
You could just jot use Graphene OS. They create ewaste just as much as Android. Lineage OS will run on 8 year old phones.
I have a 4a running graphene and I love it but after 3+ years the battery life is shot. I really didn't want to buy any of the new pixels because they are all too big and I hate big phones. I was thinking of just buying a new 4a and installing graphene again (because got forbid making a phone where you can just swap out the battery in this day and age) but are you saying this would be a bad idea at this point? Like even if they keep graphene up to date the phone will still be outdated (and therefore vulnerable) at the kernel/hardware level?
yes and P4a is already one major GOS/Android version behind, it's only getting "extended legacy support" releases. i.e. security fixes are merged and backported where possible, but it's overall not the best setup and they recommend to switch asap.
I'm pretty sure GOS will drop Android 13 (and therefore P4a) as soon as they release Android 15, since the team won't be maintaining three major Android versions.
CalyxOS ported Android 14 to P4a, so you might squeeze an additional year or so out of it if you switch.
I'd either replace the battery in the old P4a, or get a newer model with 7y software support. But buying a new 4a is probably not your best possible move
You can install LineageOS or e/OS on it (instead of Graphene, if that's too controversial), and then the 4a is a good phone to use.
I bought a used Pixel 5 in Feb for my daily driver. Replaced my Pixel 3 only because the power button was flaky. They both still run great. By my standards, getting two years out of a phone I paid $150 for is better than getting three years out of a $700 phone.
The software updates are maybe not an argument when it comes to degoogling? Then it depends if the OS they plan to use still sends updates.
The hardware driver updates are absolutely critical if you want to have a secure phone. The phone has to be within the support window, to get any hardware driver updates. The risk surface of a phone's hardware is huge, you've got the Bluetooth drivers, you've got the Wi-Fi drivers, you've got the modem drivers, and any other sensors I may have forgotten about.
It goes for like $80-120 in my country. For the price it's an interesting deal but it's extremely old so GrapheneOS won't support it. I think you can still find something like LineageOS or crDroid but tbh it's too old for a new daily driver. Lack of firmware updates will kill custom ROMs due to incompatibility with new Android versions eventually (and most likely very soon).
Compact phones are dead now and the last ones don't even seem to support degoogled custom ROMs. You're out of lack with that.
Writing from a 3 years old 4a running CalyxOs: the phone is a perfect choice if you want a small sized phone with a 3.5mm jack and that gets constant updates. The camera might be a little better but I don't take many pictures so I don't mind.
the camera is amazing, but you need to use the Google Camera app for it to take advantage of all the Pixel magic. 3rd party camera apps will yield lousy shots comparatively.
Can someone explain to me under what circumstances would using an old phone be risky (under a common reasonable threat model)?
No security fixes once the device reaches end of life. For pixel 4a end of security updates was 10 months ago. That mostly is a problem with malicious apps - there were some privilege escalation bugs in those 10 months - but sometimes you get a banger that can get exploited by simply loading a page or opening an image.
Depends on your friends threat model, lineage will work on it.
No security updates makes the Pixel 4a a bold choice for your main phone. I don't recommend it
I would follow the graphene OS recommended phone guide, that gives you maximum flexibility to put any operating system you want on the phone.
I have a Pixel 3a, and I love it. I also have a Pixel 4a and love that one too
I bought a Pixel 5a, and hated it. I think the 4a is the best phone on the market right now. Great price, great support in Lineage, and its not too big and heavy.
Sadly agree, I've been looking for a proper successor with no luck.
tangential: I‘m using a oneplus 6 with postmarketOS but depending on your friend‘s it skills, it might not be ready for him yet.
So far its very usable but I suggest someone must want to swim against the current and do things differently. One could say a „pioneer“ type would be ideal for this.
After my 6 year old Redmi 4X's screen touch decided to die, I got an opened-not-used Pixel 4a (in perfect condition) at the end of 2022, because it was one of the few small-ish phones that had good modding support (Pixel phones are ofc known to be very good to degoogle). I love it. Feels good, works well, has a great camera (got a GCam mod too), etc. Only downside is the smaller battery (3100 vs 4100 mAh), but honestly it isn't that big of a deal, I can just carry a powerbank on my backpack or, you know, use my phone less.
Back then, it was the perfect choice for me. Now, I don't know, haven't been keeping up with current models.
I love the battery. I got a well used phone and I rarely have less than 70% at the end of the day.
But I leave my phone in airplane mode 24/7 (just use WiFi, no SIM)
Its comments like this that lead Google to make newer phones have stupid big batteries. I hate those big, heavy phones :(
Ah right, airplane mode makes a ton of difference. I also tend to have it enabled as much as I can, usually when I'm home (and thus reachable through VoIP services) or at work. And I (almsot) never turn it off, I just leave it in airplane mode. I limit the charge to 75/80%, with ACCA, so I get even less juice.
And I'm sorry, I also dislike big phones with huge screens and batteries, there's no real need for that. But I know that you can fit better batteries in smaller phones as well. My previous device was smaller than the Pixel 4a, but had a bigger battery, while having almost identical weight.
I wish manufacturers would make smaller phones, really. I'm very unsure what other device I will get after this one dies or gets broken...
Yes, it is. You should not recommend such a phone. And this only in terms oft update.
The arguments against the company behind this phone would Film books, but that's another point
I am far from unbiased as I just switched back to my pixel 4a from my new Sony Xperia. I think the Pixel 4a is a flat out GREAT phone, full stop. It is perfectly sized IMO, has been very reliable, good battery life (though at this point I should look into replacing the battery), and it has a headphone jack. That being said, picking it as a new phone now essentially means going with a custom rom and hoping it stays supported. That's fine and all, but it's not something most people want. Just to be clear, the xperia isn't a bad option per se, I only switched back because the phone came carrier locked when it was supposed to be unlocked and the carrier it was locked to was uncooperative so I refunded it.
Used Pixel 6, 6 Pro, 7 and 7 Pro can be found for reasonable prices these days. One of those in good condition would be a better buy because you'll still get security patches for a while. Last time I looked, the third party OSs for Pixel phones only supported them for as long as Google did.
It is currently not being updated
Random hardware suggestions, using mobile Linux support as a litmus test
As for the pixel, there's work on it but it's still broken at the moment. As for the hardware being too old, I haven't used anything Android in a while, so I don't know how much performance degrades each release, but a mobile Linux distribution should run just as good today as it will 20 years from now, assuming you use the same interface.
Umm one question by the way , why use Google phone to degoogle? There are plenty of good Android phones out there right?
While it is ironic, the pixels are easy to unlock the bootloader and have good support across lineage, calyx, and graphene. Been using one to degoogle for awhile and would recommend them
Google makes the most open and customizable phones. Unlocked bootloaders, the ability to sign your own code. Rapid security updates for baseband drivers.
Nobody else comes close.
https://grapheneos.org/faq#future-devices
Actually pine phone is really open, but it's not android and nowhere ready to be a daily driver.
Pixel 5 is end-of-life and shouldn't be used anymore due to lack of security patches for firmware and drivers.
I understand if your friend is on a budget and simply can't afford a non EOL phone but, they should really consider a 6th gen Pixel or better if they care at all about their data security.
Has there been a successful exploit against a phone with old firmware but modern Android security patches?
I am not sure if there is an example of that specific situation as it would be pretty odd for a phone to be receiving security patches but not firmware updates.
Anyway its not super relevant as the Pixel 5 does not receive firmware or security patches anymore.
OP also seems to be inferring he suggested to his friend to use a very specific security / privacy OS that does not recommend using that model phone anymore for the exact reasons I mentioned. Plus the model is only receiving partial support as a stop gap for users to have time to get a newer model and won't be supported much longer anyway.
Pixel 4a was one of the last in the Google lineup with a headphone jack (5a being last). The OEM lost its way after that. This enough to not recommend their devices as far as I am concerned.
The Pixel 5 is not much more expensive and is still a great phone with good battery life and good camera, and the last Pixel small enough to used one-handed. It also has wireless charging which is missing on the 4a.
If your friend isn't gaming or doing anything CPU-intensive the P5 is what I would reccommend today. Everything afterwords has been an incremental upgrade for significantly more money.
don't they have issues with randomly getting stuck in edl?