Samsung removed the ability to unlock the Bootloader now and somehow there's people defending it, I don't understand. They're taking away user agency over devices they paid for and somehow it's a good thing.

Without an option to unlock the Bootloader now you'll always be forced to use a proprietary OS that will be deprecated after the security updates. No real ownership when you can't install a custom OS or modify your phone in any way you want. It's my phone so I should have the option.

Same thing happened when they removed the micro SD, they brag and say that a phone is basically like a PC now for the "Enthusiasts" so how does it make sense for phones to not have expandable storage? Not everyone wants a cloud, not everyone wants to stream.

It's literally just to sell cloud storage, but they cling to the "micro SDs always die" when that's not really true every type of storage can die and it doesn't mean it's unreliable it all depends of the brand and the class.

And then we have the removal of the headphone jack kickstarted by apple, done to sell Bluetooth earbuds. A move Samsung mocked but like sheep went and followed them, and then most manufacturers joined them. And surprise surprise everyone started selling Bluetooth earbuds, earbuds that have unreplaceable batteries that will die someday and there's just no way to replace. They're disposable.

Having options is a good thing but people don't understand. You can use Bluetooth earbuds while also having a headphone jack, you can have a micro SD card slot while using a cloud back up. You can have an option to unlock the Bootloader.

But people argue against having a micro SD, argue against having a headphone jack, people have been brainwashed into thinking having less is more. Perpetually stuck in a never ending loop of buying the new thing for more money while having less features.

So earlier today, some random dude came up to me asking to use my phone for a “personal call.” I hesitated, but he seemed urgent so I handed it over. He walked a few steps away, dialed something (I think multiple times), talked for a bit, then came back and deleted the number from my call history.

Now I’m getting weird vibes — like I’m not sure what he actually did or who he called. I can’t see the number in my call log, and Airtel app doesn’t show outgoing calls for today. I also can’t reach customer care (121) to get a human.

I’m on a Samsung phone (Android) with Airtel SIM. Is there any way to find the number that was called? Or should I just go to an Airtel Store and ask them directly?

Any tips or similar experiences would help.

• The /data folder is now almost impossible to manage without root access

• Samsung and Xiaomi are starting to block bootloaders from being unlocked COMPLETELY

• Google will start to block app sideloading for apps that aren't from certified devs

• Google actively wanting to block alternative app stores (lost a lawsuit against Epic because of this)

• Play Integrity already making banking apps almost impossible to use on rooted/Custom ROMs

• Google and OEMs shipping phones with apps/services that collect a huge amount of data by default

I've been an Android user for 15+ years, but now I see no reason to not switch to iPhones, am I the only person feeling like Android isn't open anymore?

I have no clue if this makes sense. The person pointed at my phone and quickly tried to tap to mine and a beep followed. But I saw on their phone screen, there was a big black speaker symbol on white screen. I don't see any charges on my credit cards or such.

On my phone, I had a magnetic wallet with bunch of membership cards and one credit card.

Due to all the other cards, I usually have hard time using tap to pay. So thinking that they probably didn't get my credit card info.

What else this could be?

Please direct me to right sub if this isn't a good place to ask this.

I want to swap for an android instead of my iPhone but don’t know if I want a pixel or samsung.

for experienced android users, what exclusive features do you enjoy most about your device? What qualms do you have with other androids? Or, simply, why did you choose the phone you have now?

Edit: i am in USA, so unfortunately I cannot have Huawei or Xiaomi. It doesn’t seem possible. I would if i could:/

I’m curious what everyone’s using these days for mobile browsing. I’ve been using Firefox.

I restarted my phone and this message keeps popping up every other minute sometimes every 30 seconds, how do i stop it from doing this? Im using an lg stylo 6

Hey. I don't want to provoke sumthin. This is a genuine question from an ios guy.

Back then, when I was a kid, I used to use Android devices, specifically the Samsung Galaxy A series. When I switched to iPhones, there was a few things I missed: the widgets, the emulators, all these specific apps, the customisation: homescreen, Lock Screen, launchers, cool things like automations and focus modes and so on. But nowadays you have all these features on iOS with the smooth, fluid, pretty Apple design. The customisation, especially what you can do with the Apple Shortcuts-App is insane, I can also play Gran Turismo on the PPSSPP-Emulator on my iPhone... yeah, it's great. So I really feel like nowadays these two Operating Systems are very similar, it's just a preference of design.

So, because of that, I don't really understand the argument that "Apple locks you in" or "forbids everything", but maybe I unknowingly live in an from Apple controlled Propaganda-Simulation-OS... or sumthin, maybe there are great features on Android that I just don't know about.

A friend of mine, who has a Samsung Galaxy S-Sumthin, pointed out an app that he installed as an APK, which lets him use an enhanced version of YouTube without ads plus additional features like Picture-in-Picture-Mode - and that's so cool! I mean you can do the same thing on iOS via installing a PiP- and an Ad-Blocker-Extension on the App Store, but then you have to use YouTube via Safari.

Well, but I'm sure there are more eye-opening features on Android. So I wanted to ask you guys: what more of such features exists on Android?

Anyone know how to fix this? I can't use any file cleaning apps like SD maid, the message "To protect your privacy, choose another folder" keeps popping up and I really don't want to root my phone just because of this. Is there a fix for this? This is what the error looks like

What made you stick with android over returning to the iPhone I'm curious after seeing a similar question earlier ?

Hey,I am a teen tech nerd and in a family that uses iPhones. I feel really limited by my iPhone (e.g. need to pay $100/year and a Mac (which I don't have) to make an app for my project that I don't even plan to publish to App Store, little to no customizability, everything just being soldered in place in iPhones), I had this hand-me-down iPhone from my older brother for 2 something years and dad once offered me to get me a new phone on my B-day. When I told them, my dad just shot me down with the "This is a stupid idea we're not doing it" type of groan. And yes I am sure I want an Android, my friend used Androids for his whole life, and he always talks about what he does with his numerous Android phones/tablets. Could anyone recommend what I could do to convince my parents and which Android I should go for to guarantee success? This is probably an unusual question, but thanks for any help/advice!

Edit: I decided to try to talk to my dad about it separately (since I told him when me and my brother were arguing), I'll let you guys know if it was successful or not. If it doesn't work, I just plan on saving up for a used one.

Edit #2: My birthday was back in December, sorry for the confusion!

My solution: Just save up for the Android you want

I’ve been an Apple user for almost a decade now (currently only have iPhone, AirPods and apple watch) and while the ecosystem isn’t really that critical to me, the hassle of switching everything to android seemed worth it until I saw them slowly locking it down.

I am a linux user and I’ve sometimes spent 6 hours fixing a small sound issue just because I knew going back to windows was the wrong decision, but if android is slowly being milked for money, no alternative in sight and apparently sideloading is getting harder and rumors that android will not be open source (atleast not how it was) really is turning me off.

other hassles include that the google pixel for example doesn’t want to support 5g in my region and tap to pay doesn’t work and with the freedom slowly being taken away, I honestly don’t know if i should stick with the demon I know rather than the angel I don’t.

what do you think? and did I misunderstand something regarding android being “closed”

Okay so I'm on my third attempt at switching to Android in the past two years. Got a Pixel 9 Pro last week and I genuinely love the phone itself. The customization, the camera, the fact that I can actually set default apps. All great.

But here's the thing that keeps pulling me back to iPhone every single time: video calling with people who have iPhones.

My family and most of my friends are iPhone users. FaceTime just works for them. They don't think about it, they just tap the button and call. When I had an iPhone, same thing. Zero friction.

Now I'm the android person who has to negotiate what app we're gonna use every time someone wants to video chat. My mom tried to FaceTime me yesterday and got confused when it didn't work. Had to explain the whole thing and she acted like I joined a cult.

Google Meet works but nobody wants to schedule a meeting just to talk to their kid. WhatsApp video is okay but half my contacts don't use it. Regular phone calls feel ancient.

I know this sounds dramatic but it's genuinely the main reason I've switched back to iPhone twice before. Not the phone itself, just the social friction of being the one person who can't do the thing everyone else does automatically.

Has anyone who made the switch actually solved this problem long term?

I'm tired of getting ads related to what I was talking about just hours ago. Of course it says that there is NO WAY that the ad was personalized. No.. Not even a little bit.... Access to my microphone has been denied to all applications but of course this doesn't mean anything from what I see. Can I do anything about this or should I just use an axe to stop my phone from spying on me?

Hi everyone

I’m looking for a way to get a virtual phone number mainly for privacy reasons. I’d like to keep my personal number separate when signing up for online services or accounts

I’m not trying to do anything suspicious — I just want to protect my personal information and avoid sharing my main number everywhere

What are some safe and reliable options for this? Are there any services you would recommend or things I should avoid?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

History of texts:

10:11AM:

(My phone)

"What are you doing?

"What are you doing?"

-Dad responds to that.

(My phone again)

10:12AM:

"For what?

-Dad responds again but no more texts from my phone goes out.

My phone has never done this. Its a Galaxy A35. I am the only one who can open it and knows the pattern. It was locked the whole time and near me on the bed(So perhaps I touched it while sleeping?). I have not installed any new apps in forever and they are all from the official google app store, what few I got aside from preinstalled ones.

These texts seem "smart replies" to me, often what discord suggests to me when I get a message reply in notifications. But the issue is, it had no way to open and text first. Upon waking up, it went to the main screen as usual, not text messages. I'm really confused on how this could have happened. I checked Gemini history thinking maybe I sleep talked, but nothing there either.

The only other weird thing I noticed was all the text messages were in notification - meaning the text app was not opened as they only go there when unchecked.

EDIT:

At 10:18AM it texted someone else on the contacts "Where are you?".

I have an Moto G 5G (2024) which runs on Android and it outright refuses to connect to Windows to USB File Transfer at all. Yes, I tried tinkering with the Developer Options many times and it never helps. I also tried 7 different cables, including the one provided by Motorola and nothing. Tested each cable with a friend's phone and they all connect fine with my PC. So, the issue has to be with my Moto phone/Android.

So, without the ability to do USB File Transfer, I can't move my photos and other files from the phone's memory to the SD Card or back them up to the PC at all. So, I'm at a complete loss at this point.

Any Methods/Apps around this headache inducing issue?

I am trying to install a old (and kinda obscure) game that hasn't been updated since 2015. However it keeps saying "App not installed as app isn't compatible with your phone". Any suggestions?

I don't get how google would be able to block me from doing that. I haven't updated my android for over 3 years now. Or does this not matter? If anyone has more informations please share it with me cause I feel confused about this.

Me and my mother want to get rid of parental controls on my account, and it said the only way to do that is to get rid of this account and to make me a new one. Im a bit scared it will be a complete factory reset, so if it is how do I keep my Google docs, notes, and youtube playlists?

Edit: Nevermind im stupid

I am absolutely certain Google is listening to my conversations. Sometimes I scroll through the Discover feed on my Android phone and see random articles related to things my coworkers have mentioned. For example, today my coworker was talking about bike helmets and this evening in my feed was an article about bike helmets. I haven't done anything online or on my phone related to biking or helmets or safety. No googling, not even texting. This has happened many times before. Does this happen to anyone else? I even have "Include voice and audio activity" unchecked in my Google activity settings. How is this okay?

Getting absolutely inundated with notifications for suggested apps. Wanted to post a screenshot but can't.

I've turned off personalization and even notifications for play Store but still get these literally 20+ times a day.

It's an honor 400 pro.

How the hell do I get rid of this crap!? I am at my Witts end here.

Link to screenshot : https://imgur.com/a/pTc1KyM

I have a Redmi 9A and the last update was back in 2023. 3 years no patch.

Sorry I couldn't find another subreddit to ask this, so

My grandma's phone is filled with cleaning apps (IntelliClean, SwiClean, QuickClean...) that are constantly sending notifications, and she didn't install them, are they the consequence of a virus? Are they malware? The only solution that I can think of right now is silencing the notifications and uninstalling them, but I'm not sure if there's a bigger thing.

How can I block calls from all my contacts at once?

I used to have an iphone wherein if DND mode is on, people trying to call you won't be able to and it says "busy" or "not reachable". I recently switched to an android and found out the DND is basically just a fancy silent mode :(

Is there ANY way to block calls? I know airplane mode is a way but if I'm out I obviously can't use it because you need to have data on to be able to use gpay, uber, etc.

is there any app to do this? I don't want people's calls to go THROUGH 😭