Looking to get a second phone - need advice

[TheBrokenBee]

Hey guys,
I am looking to get a second phone for office. Now I really want it to be a small phone since I already own an iPhone 8. I have shortlisted down to an iPhone SE or a Redmi 4. SE because I've always loved the form factor and it would be nice to have another iOS device since i already own a apple watch, AirPods and Air.

A Redmi 4 because it has dual SIM, 4000 mAH battery and also because its not a iOS device. It'd be nice to have something thats not iOS.

I am just confused between the two. What would you do?

Thanks!

 

[convergent]

If you are an iPhone person, get the SE. Its a great phone and is tiny. My wife has one and loves it.

 

[ramram55]

Redmi. It is going to lead you out of IOS world.

 

[Breaking Good]

This is really tough. Can you give us some examples of what you expect to do with the second phone?

 

[SigEp265]

My vote is for Redmi 4 as you will get the best of both worlds (iOS and Android). Or look into the xperia compact.

 

[pika2000]

Hey guys,
I am looking to get a second phone for office. Now I really want it to be a small phone since I already own an iPhone 8. I have shortlisted down to an iPhone SE or a Redmi 4. SE because I've always loved the form factor and it would be nice to have another iOS device since i already own a apple watch, AirPods and Air.

A Redmi 4 because it has dual SIM, 4000 mAH battery and also because its not a iOS device. It'd be nice to have something thats not iOS.

I am just confused between the two. What would you do?

Thanks!

I am assuming "for office" meaning for business use? I would vote for the iPhone SE if you want really a phone for actual business, simply due to encryption and security. Don't go for Android, let alone an imported phone that might contain some modified ROM (many imported Xiaomi phones are chinese model, injected with unofficial ROM with malware).

Now, if security is not important, let's begin.
If you want to go Xiaomi, go with at least the Redmi 4X (note the X). It sports Snapdragon 435 and has many more convenience features like fingerprint sensor, etc, compared to the lower end Redmi 4. If you want to spend more, get the Mi A1. It's running stock Android instead of MIUI, and will get updates similar to the Pixel phones. If you want to stick with regular Xiaomi with MIUI, just remember that it's a heavily customized Android ROM. It doesn't even carry the same feature sets as stock Android.

Moving on to other OEM, check out the Moto G5s Plus. It's slightly cheaper than the Mi A1, runs near stock Android. The catch is, Lenovo is getting poor with updates.

If your budget is even higher, then check out OnePlus 5T. It's a flagship phone with mid-range price. You cannot go wrong with OnePlus, but don't expect OS updates more than 2 years (which is already great for Android). It's a much better value than the likes of Samsung/Sony.

 

[beeinformed]

My vote is for Redmi 4 as you will get the best of both worlds (iOS and Android). Or look into the xperia compact.

Off Topic Question: Is the Xperia compact (XZ1 Compact) phone easy to grasp & hold (like the iPhone SE but a little wider & taller)? Thanks!

 

[beeinformed]

I am assuming "for office" meaning for business use? I would vote for the iPhone SE if you want really a phone for actual business, simply due to encryption and security. Don't go for Android, let alone an imported phone that might contain some modified ROM (many imported Xiaomi phones are chinese model, injected with unofficial ROM with malware).

Now, if security is not important, let's begin.
If you want to go Xiaomi, go with at least the Redmi 4X (note the X). It sports Snapdragon 435 and has many more convenience features like fingerprint sensor, etc, compared to the lower end Redmi 4. If you want to spend more, get the Mi A1. It's running stock Android instead of MIUI, and will get updates similar to the Pixel phones. If you want to stick with regular Xiaomi with MIUI, just remember that it's a heavily customized Android ROM. It doesn't even carry the same feature sets as stock Android.

Moving on to other OEM, check out the Moto G5s Plus. It's slightly cheaper than the Mi A1, runs near stock Android. The catch is, Lenovo is getting poor with updates.

If your budget is even higher, then check out OnePlus 5T. It's a flagship phone with mid-range price. You cannot go wrong with OnePlus, but don't expect OS updates more than 2 years (which is already great for Android). It's a much better value than the likes of Samsung/Sony.

Is encryption & security better on the IOS system than on the android system?

 

[pika2000]

Is encryption & security better on the IOS system than on the android system?

In short, yes. iPhones are encrypted by default (remember the FBI fiasco?) Plus, the longer software support of iOS means you will be getting security patches. With Android, most OEMs don’t bother because nobody is demanding them to.

If you really want Android that is secure, then go for the Pixel 2. Google enabled encryption by default on their devices. It gets updates straight from Google and is supported for 3 years from its release date. That’s the longest you can expect for Android. But it is overpriced for what you’re getting, and at that price, might as well get an iPhone.

 

[TheBrokenBee]

I ended up getting a Moto Z2 play. Thanks, folks.

 

[deany]

In short, yes. iPhones are encrypted by default (remember the FBI fiasco?) Plus, the longer software support of iOS means you will be getting security patches. With Android, most OEMs don’t bother because nobody is demanding them to.

If you really want Android that is secure, then go for the Pixel 2. Google enabled encryption by default on their devices. It gets updates straight from Google and is supported for 3 years from its release date. That’s the longest you can expect for Android. But it is overpriced for what you’re getting, and at that price, might as well get an iPhone.

Pixel 2 is now a tempting £500 in the UK, 1/2 the price of iPhone X

My vote would have been the Mi A1 as a second phone.

Pixel 2 daily driver.

Total cost £650

 

[DeepIn2U]

I know this is a slightly older thread but was looking for information on this phone and stumbled here.

Off Topic Question: Is the Xperia compact (XZ1 Compact) phone easy to grasp & hold (like the iPhone SE but a little wider & taller)? Thanks!

Yes it's very easy to hold. An old colleague of mine has one and I got to check it out was very impressed. Device has smoother/rounder edge on the sides (not unlike the Z5 Compact I used to own) of which neither was slippery to hold vs iPhone 6/6S/7. I actually have to think about my grip when holding 6/6S/7 without a case. I got a case for my IP7 due to a drop on thick carpet thank heavens.

In short, yes. iPhones are encrypted by default (remember the FBI fiasco?) Plus, the longer software support of iOS means you will be getting security patches. With Android, most OEMs don’t bother because nobody is demanding them to.

If you really want Android that is secure, then go for the Pixel 2. Google enabled encryption by default on their devices. It gets updates straight from Google and is supported for 3 years from its release date. That’s the longest you can expect for Android. But it is overpriced for what you’re getting, and at that price, might as well get an iPhone.

I beg to differ on this stance even 9 months prior to your posting in December 2017.

BlackBerry and Samsung encrypt their hardware from the chip on up to the software stack (SW stack on Samsung Galaxy S7/8/9 Enterprise edition, Note 7/8 was dependant on EMM/MDM using BlackBerry BES12/Samsung KNOX). You may want to not generalize on Android security so easily.

 

[pika2000]

BlackBerry and Samsung encrypt their hardware from the chip on up to the software stack (SW stack on Samsung Galaxy S7/8/9 Enterprise edition, Note 7/8 was dependant on EMM/MDM using BlackBerry BES12/Samsung KNOX). You may want to not generalize on Android security so easily.

I agree on Blackberry, but not on Samsung.
Google recently started an intiative called Android Enterprise Recommended. Think about is as a soft certification for Android devices that fit for enterprise use. BlackBerry is one of those, Samsung is not. Considering how much Samsung is charging for their devices, definitely not with it.

In fact, my new recommendations of Android is Nokia, especially their new lineup. Nokia is going with the Android One Program on their latest devices. (The Nokia 8 is on the enterprise recommended list as well).

 

[RG03]

Get the Redmi, u won't be disappointed. U'll get the best of both systems and the MIUI on the Redmi is very fast, some app load fatster then on the iPhone + it has a lot of nice, usefulfeatures. I myself have the iPhone X and Mi Max 2 for media comsumption and I tend to use the Mi even more than the iPhone.

 

[DeepIn2U]

I agree on Blackberry, but not on Samsung.
Google recently started an intiative called Android Enterprise Recommended. Think about is as a soft certification for Android devices that fit for enterprise use. BlackBerry is one of those, Samsung is not. Considering how much Samsung is charging for their devices, definitely not with it.

In fact, my new recommendations of Android is Nokia, especially their new lineup. Nokia is going with the Android One Program on their latest devices. (The Nokia 8 is on the enterprise recommended list as well).

I’m guessing you have no idea or experience of Samsung Knox, BlackBerry BES10/12 (both their partnership), nor the Gartber Magic Quadrant on EMM/MDM solutions for the last 3yrs? Of course I take Gartner ratings/review/recommendations with a grain of salt.

Maybe you do ... but I recommend researching Samsung’s KNOX in relation to the Galaxy S7/S8/S9 please. These were log before Android Enterprise and most likely the reason for that.

Sony is also on a android enterprise recommended list but those listings mostly is for consistent and timely security updates, trained enterprise support as well as Google training directly on what’s Google feels is good for enterprise.

Samsung Knox:
https://www.samsung.com/us/business/solutions/samsung-knox/mobile-security-platform/

Devices:
https://www.samsungknox.com/en/knox-platform/supported-devices

2016 Security breach of Knox article:
https://www.techrepublic.com/google-amp/article/samsung-knox-isnt-as-secure-as-you-think-it-is/

^ would like to know if these 3 findings are still relevant with current KNOX release.

It is great Google is directly taking this seriously. Maybe push for new innovations and thus challenge Apple here.

Which is kind of funny, after the Lisa Apple never really pushed for the corporate enterprise space for any of their products until iPhone OS (remember that) 3 was released with Exchange Server support.