Wileyfox mobile, a good or bad move

[Carl Fimble 5,478]

I'm thinking of buying one of these :

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wileyfox-Spark-SIM-Free-Smartphone-Android-Black/dp/B01LYX7DVI?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAIWEQWV3KENJDHXQQ&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B01LYX7DVI&tag=expertreviews-m101-21

Just £70 for 2Gb RAM, a decent camera and an alrightish processor, Wileyfox are British too, and it has dual SIM card slots, not ever used two SIM cards but can see it maybe being handy. Sounds about perfect for my move from Windows 10 phone to Android, but it has this Cyanogen OS (not Cyanogen mod) thing on it, and they are finished now....

This article, and similar ones make it sound like it would be ok, that Wileyfox are going to/have provide/d an update which takes it to Android 7, or Nougat.

https://www.xda-developers.com/wileyfox-to-issue-update-to-migrate-away-from-cyanogenos/

The fact it's available with only a day or two of waiting appeals to me, my phone is almost completely unusable now. I don't know loads about Android or Cyanogen OS but don't need the latest stuff, just something usable. Not that bothered at all about apps, or lack thereof. 

What do you lot reckon?

[Cosmic Apple 933]

They've gone bust... no warranty.

I have a Swift 2 X, bought 18months ago and its been fine, except for moaning for 6months about an update it wouldn't actually install... it did eventually.

[Libspero 2,725]

7 hours ago, spunko said:

I can't say I'd ever buy anything off Amazon that had 3.5 stars out of 5, that generally means the product is crap. I always buy absolute minimum 4 stars, normally 4.5. It has served me quite well I find the ratings very accurate.

I'd go a little bit further to say, 

Go to "show all reviews" then filter by date (recent first).

Read back through and understand what people don't like.

In this case it looks like when it works most people love it and think it's great value for money. The rest seem to have problems with crashes, reboots and general unreliability. So it sounds like pot luck..  you might get a good one, you might get a bad one..  about 50:50 risk of either.  Sounds like too much of a gamble for my likeing..  unless you are prepared for the hassle of sending several phones back until you get a good one.

[Panther 2,347]

On 14/10/2018 at 08:41, Carl Fimble said:

Thank you, you lot!

Some excellent specific, and general advice there. 

I have been put off that particular handset now, just too much of a risk, even though the price and spec had me grabbed.

Clicked your link to find that's the exact same page I got my new phone around six months ago. No problems, and it comes with Android 7.0 not that Cyanogen thing.

Edited October 17, 2018 by Panther

[Carl Fimble 5,478]

From my searching online I think Android 7.1.1 Nougat is as far as the updates for the Spark X go. They released a security update for that phone in Jan '18 but there's no Androi 8 (Oreo).

Would I be better just keeping it on the Cyanogen OS, or would Android 7.11 be better/more secure.

Sorry, I've never really had an Android phone so don't know shit.

[One percent 26,360]

Ffs Carl, just get an iPhone. 

[Carl Fimble 5,478]

26 minutes ago, One percent said:

Ffs Carl, just get an iPhone. 

Fuck that! I'm a power user, and a skint one at that. 

Apple can go suck shit, they probably are incapable of doing that though. 

[One percent 26,360]

1 minute ago, Carl Fimble said:

Fuck that! I'm a power user, and a skint one at that. 

Apple can go suck shit, they probably are incapable of doing that though. 

I’ve an old five you can have. (If I can find it). Pm me. Seriously, I needed to upgrade as there wasn’t enough memory for what I was doing (using it for work). Other than that, works well. 

[A_P 928]

Can't comment on the wileyfox, but, Xaomi Mi A range is pretty good for a few quid more. I think you can pick up one shipped from the UK/EU for £130ish. From china you can get the xaomi's for £100ish

https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=8776&idPhone2=9247

Also cyangen is now linageos 

[spunko 9,134]

I can't say I'd ever buy anything off Amazon that had 3.5 stars out of 5, that generally means the product is crap. I always buy absolute minimum 4 stars, normally 4.5. It has served me quite well I find the ratings very accurate.

[Carl Fimble 5,478]

Thank you, you lot!

Some excellent specific, and general advice there. 

I have been put off that particular handset now, just too much of a risk, even though the price and spec had me grabbed.

Thanks again!

 

[Carl Fimble 5,478]

5 hours ago, Panther said:

Clicked your link to find that's the exact same page I got my new phone around six months ago. No problems, and it comes with Android 7.0 not that Cyanogen thing.

Ah, that sways me back again, though I've no money right now as a million birthdays then Christmas coming up.

Good to know they've updated it to android out the box too, I would have been keen on Cyanogen OS if it hadn't have been abandoned.

Thanks.

 

[Carl Fimble 5,478]

On ‎11‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 21:40, Admiral Pepe said:

Can't comment on the wileyfox, but, Xaomi Mi A range is pretty good for a few quid more. I think you can pick up one shipped from the UK/EU for £130ish. From china you can get the xaomi's for £100ish

https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=8776&idPhone2=9247

Also cyangen is now linageos 

Yes, Xiaomi seem to offer very highly spec'd phones for not that much money. TMT rates them too. I read about one last night with 6/8Gb of RAM! Madness to me but then I am getting old...

[Carl Fimble 5,478]

On ‎11‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 21:26, Cosmic Apple said:

They've gone bust... no warranty.

I have a Swift 2 X, bought 18months ago and its been fine, except for moaning for 6months about an update it wouldn't actually install... it did eventually.

I think I read that the company was running again, whether the new company / owners are offering any support for old handsets though I'm not sure. The Spark X seems to have stopped updating at Android 7.1.1, while yours and others have gone further.