If you mean in the filters this does already exist, a user can choose a range that suits their budget. Combined that with the filter on score and both phones you used as an example would show up.
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Ah sorry I worded that badly. I mean if a phone was say $999 for the 64GB model or $1199 for the 128GB model, it would be included if you filtered either under $1000 or over $1100. Since the phone fits both price ranges.
That would all depend on how the filters are coded though I guess
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Hi, after reading the reviews I decided to buy a used Samsung S10e from Reebelo for $354. The phone arrived promptly and as described was in very good condition, looked just like a new one, complete with Australian charger and cable. The phone is a USA model, originally configured for AT&T so there is an AT&T logo shown briefly on powering on, plus some contact entries for AT&T that can’t be deleted. This specific hardware version does not have a firmware load for Australia though it does have all the required frequency bands 3G and 4G for Australia.
Apart from these small differences it appears to work just as effectively as an Australian model.
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I will only buy mobile phones from Jb HIFI from now on, as my experience with this company has been nothing but very satisfying, as when some thing goes wrong they are so wonderful to help you get the issues resolved. Last year I brought a Xiaomi Mix 3 G mobile for $599, it had a replacement warranty, the phone started dropping out calls, but everything else was solid, never dropped out mobile data and or anything else. Unfortunately I had to take in Back in April, as I was trying to put it off, as I love the phone. I got a $100 refund, and plus I brought a Realme 7 5G mobile and the actually call quality was so bad, the NFC failed to work correctly, as I was trying to get it to read my new Diabetic sensor that I had started using it failed, and the bad call quality the same day was enough. I visited the Hobart store of JB HIFI who had one Xiaomi Mix 3 5G in stock heavily reduced to $89, so i purchased it, set it up and no issues it read my diabetic sensor straight away, and the quality of the speakers and call quality is way better than the Realme, My mother brought the same Realme mobile a couple hours after I did, and she was even having trouble to even get the mobile dats to work using woolies mobile in Sydney and Melbourne. Mine went back to JB HIFI the next day where I got it from, and I told them this phone is utter rubbish, and I brought another one of the phones, that this realme was meant to replace. The only good things about the realme is the battery life. I was told that I had 2 months to return it to the store for a full refund. I now have had the new Xiaomi Mix 3 5G Mobile for a few months now, and love the quality, and calls are not dropping out on this one. I would highly recommend Xiaomi and I will be waiting for a while for the Mix4 5G to drop down in price a tad, as it was just released, and is way over $1000 and the Xiaomi Mix 3 5G first hit the Australians shores in 2019 and back then these phones were worth $1399. So my latest purchase of $89 was a bargain after getting everything else fully refunded.
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But I think people need to check some thing out, and to make sure that the smart phones that they are buying are Q Code compatible, as I think using check in apps, will be around for some years to come, and will remain compulsory, not all cheap phones support this
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We found a new wrinkle with a 4 years old Oppo R9 - ColorOS3 on Android 6 
The partner has been remiss in the mistaken comfort all updates would get pushed and loaded. A problem with Signal Messenger, referenced below, caused me to delve into it.
The last phone update was a May 2017 security update when it was about 6 months old. There are 3 subsequent firmware updates, none pushed, to the phone as shown on the Oppo AU repository; none will load. The only log entry a consumer can see is ‘Update failed’.
Could be many things but the phone was purchased from JBHifi so grey market issues should not be on. Noticing the phone firmware version was a ‘D’ series and all the updates on the Oppo AU repository are ‘A’ series the ‘technical support’ could not address anything about that or its relevancy or why the phone never got a single update in its warranted life beyond the single security update.
Oppo’s reply was essentially so sad, too bad, seems it doesn’t update. ‘We are sorry’.
The saga began with trying to set Signal as the default Messages app. The old ColorOS 3 won’t do it and I do not know if a newer ColorOS will. Signal only requires Android 4.4 and functions fine as a secondary messenger app excepting it does not show a badge for incomings on ColorOS3, just ‘rings’ - miss the ring and you are oblivious.
When trying to change the Message default Signal is not shown as an option in System Settings, perhaps a clue there might be a compatibility issue. Changing the default via Signal takes and all SMS are then sent through Signal UNTIL the first incoming SMS when the ColorOS reverts the default back to the standard Message App. Oppo’s response? Don’t do it since it doesn’t work. Understood, but that is not the main issue, just the trigger.
Oppo’s ColorOS is a layer on Android that mimics an iPhone, that also adds a layer of potential incompatibility. When the phone was new Oppo support was pretty good. The partner did not need ‘support’ again until now when ‘I am sorry about this’ is their standard script and expecting an explanation or just information appears beyond their charge.
-Is the ‘D’ firmware from a different region? -> We do not know why it is ‘D’.
-Is the ‘A’ firmware for this phone? -> Yes
-What can the problem be after trying all the advice on your website? -> It will not update for some reason !?! (Priceless.)
The next mobile was going to be another Oppo but maybe not after this experience with ‘I am sorry’ sans information. No way to lab test such things, but a way for me to add information for others to assess as to whether such things are important to them or not.
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Yes, a buyer needs to ensure a product meets their needs. Most modern phones if not already able to natively use QR codes they can install an app that provides that function.
I wasn’t making a point about anything but the price related to storage capacity. The phones are very similar but the storage is very different (and can’t be increased in the phone). The poster I replied to wondered why both phones did not appear together as the only difference is storage capacity it seems. However the price difference was substantial.
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As the thread covers all mobile phone reviews…If a phone can read QR codes, it doesn’t automatically mean it can be used for Covid-19 QR code check-ins adopted by the state governments. This is discussed here for Queensland:
and the same applies in Tasmania (two jurisdictions I am familiar with). One needs to check the QR system being used where they live/travel to ensure that their phones are capable of being used for Covid-19 Check-in QR scanning and registration. One also has to check that the operating system and version is also compatible.
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Yep why I stated most would be capable, a user does need to check compatibility for what they need to use their phone for. As noted though my comment was specifically about the same iPhone types that just had differing storage and so price was very different.
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I was disappointed that the mobiles under $1,000 had such a high proportion of Samsung. I recently purchased a new TCL20L+ for just under $400 and found it amazing value 6GB + 256GB Dual SIM with plenty of other great features. TCL re an up and coming mobile producer it seems remiss that they have been overlooked.
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Welcome to the Community @giant
The underlying reason is that reflects market presence. As is posted near routinely, Choice works to a budget and chooses products to test based on our market with the occasional exemplar thrown in, and an occasional cameo report. Sometimes they borrow products to test from importers/manufacturers and so state but that is not the norm.
Perhaps not overlooked, just not sufficient market presence yet. Maybe they will appear in the next updates if they become more popular.
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An article regarding more fantastic research being undertaken at UQ.
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Please explain difference between SOUND SCORE and CALLING SOUND QUALITY as covered in your smart phone review.
Currently I have difficulties hearing speaker and want to ensure my next phone overcomes this problem,
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Hi @Anastasia, thanks for the question. The Sound Score relates to a phone’s performance when on speaker mode - so if you’re making calls on speaker mode or using the phone to listen to music or a podcast, the speaker score will give you an idea of how it will perform. The Calling Sound Quality is when you have your phone up to your ear in a phone call.
We also have this review for people looking for an easy-to-use mobile phone that is not a smartphone. It focuses on sound, dexterity and readability of the phone. Good luck, let us know if you have any follow up questions, I’m sure others here would be happy to share their experiences with different phone models.
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Have you thought about earbuds or headphones linked via Bluetooth? Some come with noise canceling. There are many decent versions by many different brands. I find the noise canceling helps me a great deal in noisy areas, it may be worth your while to look into them.
I went after market for my earbud silicone fittings as I prefer the memory foam fitting.
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THANK YOU. You clarified the distinction.
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An aspect of smart phones beyond the ability to lab test, but one that bit. Oppo is not regarded as being one of the top software companies in phonedom but we have an R9 manufactured in Nov 2016, purchased from JB Feb 2017. It is Android 6 with ColorOS 3.0.0i and only ever had a single security update pushed in 2017, no other updates beyond one manually obtained via their support channel shortly after purchase to upgrade the dual SIM from 4G/3G to 4G/4G… Long term support Oppo style?
The Oppo website has more recent firmware for the R9, 3 to be exact - 2018, 2019, and 2020, and attempts to install them all result in an ‘incompatibility failure’. I asked Oppo support about it and their response was essentially it is a google issue not an Oppo issue and is dependent on [this and that technology that must be missing] and they are sorry.
In essence they are posting firmware updates for an Oppo R9 that seem not to be for an Oppo R9, and it is all Google’s fault with Android and they are so sorry, not their problem…
One cannot expect a phone company to support a product forever but less than 1 year seems pretty special. Not being able to respond with more than generalisations and empty platitudes, priceless.
They are nice phones and come out well in reviews, but their support? Just something to consider when shopping that you might buy a phone frozen in time in the moment it is unboxed. Have they gotten any better?
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Oppo is not the only company that has done this to me. Support for LG, Motorola, Samsung phones can be patchy - and if you buy the phone through a carrier then that carrier will want to run any patches through its own ‘QA’ process (and add its own little ‘features’).
This is the main reason I moved from Android to Apple with my latest phone. Apple patches are regular and are reliable, and the company delivers them direct to device. Apple provides patches for its devices for much longer than the Google Pixel ‘standard’ of three years after manufacturing ceases.
There are many things I find frustrating about Apple, but updates do not fit in that category.
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Apple premium service comes with a premium price and one could physically upgrade a range of phones once or twice for the cost of a single iPhone, not that their price point is unique. One picks one’s poison even though one might whinge about the taste.
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Yes, and I am a cheapskate so went with a refurb.
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