Inquiry about Operating System on TCL Flip Phone

[gabegabegabe]

I'm interested in purchasing the TCL Flip phone, but I've noticed some discrepancies regarding the operating system. Specifically, I've seen that some sources, including Public Mobile, list the TCL Flip as running the Android AOSP operating system, while other sources, such as YouTube videos, indicate that the phone runs on KaiOS.

On TCL's official website, the operating system is listed as AOSP, but I'm confused about whether it's the same as KaiOS or if there are differences between the two. I'm wondering if you could clarify this for me and let me know if the AOSP version of the phone can download apps like YouTube and Google Maps as the KaiOS version can.

Here is the link for the phone on public: https://publicmobile.ca/en/bc/phone-section/tcl-flip

[Korth]

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@maximum_gato wrote:

@Korth 

This is off topic but you may know about these things.....? Is there anyway to download Google apps on a Sonim XP5-S? I'm starting to remember why these are terrible phones when sold by North American mobile providers?!!

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This phone runs embedded "Sonim OS". It's basically an Android 8.1.

You can install apps on it from the Google Play Store. They will only run properly if they're compatible with Android 8.1. Sonim itself has some apps on the Google Play Store.

https://www.gsmarena.com/sonim_xp5s-11709.php

https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Sonim+Technologies,+Inc&gl=US&pli=1

All that being said, it may or may not still be a "terrible phone". Few manufacturers implement plain vanilla AOSP, they always muck around with it, configure and tweak it, add things, remove things. There are many examples of phones which have superb hardware held back by horrible software.

[maximum_gato]

@Korth 

This is off topic but you may know about these things.....? Is there anyway to download Google apps on a Sonim XP5-S? I'm starting to remember why these are terrible phones when sold by North American mobile providers?!!

[maximum_gato]

@Korth 

That was one if the main reasons I put aside my flip phone was texting became a nightmare.....everybody texts. But I still have one for a backup phone and it's invaluable for back country adventures or long camping trips with limited or no charging ability. I have the ZTE Cymbal 2 now and the battery lasts on standby between 18 and 21 days.

[Korth]

@maximum_gato 

Internet browsing not really that bad if the device has a decent screen, as this one does.

Although, yes, it can be a little frustrating if a website has unreadable, microscopic text while displayed as a full page. Where zooming in enough to actually make it readable means you can only view a tiny segment of the page at once, you have to constantly scroll around from side to side just to read a paragraph.

Different people have different ideas about what is acceptable. Some refuse to even look at mobile internet on anything smaller than a tablet- or laptop-sized display. I personally think a small screen is acceptable for this use. Although I only occasionally use a mobile browser, when looking up addresses and maps and directions or the price of an unusual item or whatever. If half your life is on an internet browser and you're constantly using apps, watching videos, playing games, whatever, then a large screen is definitely a better choice.

I personally love and prefer flip phone form factor, for me it's better in many ways, a phone is a phone, I use it as a phone, if I want to do things on computers and internet than I use real computers and real internet. But in the end I don't use a flip phone because I often communicate with texts. Typing texts on T9 buttons or on a puny touchscreen - at least with my big clumsy manly hands - is just too frustrating.

[maximum_gato]

@gabegabegabe 

What is your reasoning behind downloading apps to a flip phone? I own a couple of flip phones and they can't download apps but I suppose it's possible using a micro SD card. There is only a very basic browser that is hilarious to see a barbie sized Google search engine. For practical reasons you can access your email and maybe use Google maps if you have the directions read out to you but flip phones are not designed for browsing the internet. The screen size is about 2"×1 3/4" not very practical for using most apps and it is not a touchscreen.

[Korth]

AOSP = Android Open Source Project

It is basically the core Android OS, originally released by the Open Handset Alliance. It's what Google, Samsung, and all the other OEMs use as the baseline when building their own proprietary Android versions.

KaiOS = a mobile linux distro built around a Firefox release.

The two operating systems work very differently under the hood (Android was originally a linux-based system, but it has evolved into something entirely different).

The front-end UI will probably offer all the same built-in apps (dialer, messaging, browser, settings, etc) organized in a similar fashion. From an end-user's perspective, the most important difference will be compatibility with downloaded apps - and many of the popular apps do not support mobile linux. Figuring out how to use all the things you want to use on the phone would be about the same regardless which OS it runs. You don't have to be a hardcore linux nerd to operate a modern linux UI, even children can figure it out these days.

The general rule of thumb is that mobile linux offers better privacy, security. performance, and battery life. Android, even open Android, is quite bloaty these days. I'm guessing that KaiOS is offered as an option on this flip phone because flip phone users tend to just use the thing as a phone - they're not as interested in installing mountains of apps and videos and games.

[softech]

@gabegabegabe 

KaiOS is different from AOSP  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KaiOS

 Sorry, I have no definite  answer for you as I don't have one.  But the official site, Rogers, Telus all shows AOSP and I would say it should be AOSP.  Understand Yahoo might show a different one, maybe due to the different market?. 

Why not order one and try it?  Worst case you have 30 days.

Or you can try to go to a Telus or Rogers shop and see if they have one, ask them to show you and confirm the OS

[NDesai]

@gabegabegabe Unsure about the specifications of this device, but since it's listing Android AOSP, you will likely be able to load those apps. If it helps, go to nearest BestBuy or any other cell phone store and have a look at a similar model demo phone. Worst case if you buy it and can't load apps, you have 30 days to return the device.