Samsung Galaxy S7: Still a Daily Driver in Spain
Some users keep the 2016 Samsung Galaxy S7 as their main phone, sparking debate on tech resistance versus frugality.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Samsung Galaxy S7: Still a Daily Driver in Spain
There is a phone launched in 2016 that remains active in the pockets of some forum users years later. It is not an isolated case. A Samsung Galaxy S7, an S6, an LG K9, a Lumia 640 XL with Windows Phone 8.1, or a humble Samsung E1272 keypad phone appear in a conversation that starts with accusations of stinginess and ends as an inventory of technological resilience. The underlying question is not whether the mobile is old, but who decides when a device stops being useful.
Why a 2016 Galaxy S7 still holds up
The Galaxy S7 arrived with 4 GB of RAM and a camera that was, at the time, the best on Android. Owners defend it: "it runs like a dream," says a user who uses it daily for internet, calls, and WhatsApp. Another claims his S7 Edge works better than a Redmi 13 he bought later. The key lies in usage: if you don't game, don't edit video, and don't rely on apps requiring modern Android, the 2016 hardware still covers everyday tasks.
The problem isn't power. It's software. A 2016 mobile has gone at least five years without security patches, turning any banking or messaging app into a risk. Those using it just for calls and WhatsApp live in a functional bubble; those using it to pay do not.
The real cost of not changing phones
The accusation of stinginess is the most repeated and easiest to debunk. "It's not about being cheap, maybe they just don't need more," someone replies. The economic argument is solid: a current mid-range phone costs between 100 and 200 euros, while a second-hand S7 can be found for 20 or 50 euros. If the old phone does the same job as the new one for 80% of users, the expense is pure symbolic consumption.
Some go further: "Some people value their money. Having extra doesn't miccionan it should be wasted." The thesis is that obsolescence is not technical, but social. The phone doesn't stop working; it stops being trendy.
Removable batteries, SD cards, and nostalgia for repairable hardware
One of the most interesting threads is repairability. Several users champion removable batteries: "I carry four batteries in my bag and last days of events without charging." The LG V20, from 2016, appears as the holy grail: aluminum back, replaceable battery, HDMI, and audio DAC. "I know no better system," says its owner.
The irony is that European regulations will mandate user-replaceable batteries starting in 2027, according to a user. What was a rarity in 2016 will be mandatory in 2027. The market will have to backtrack part of the path it took.
Lumia, dumbphones, and resistance to forced updates
Not everything is Android. One user boasts about a Lumia 640 XL with Windows Phone 8.1: Telegram works, GPS is accurate, the Carl Zeiss camera takes good photos, and the original battery lasts over a day. "Internet Explorer doesn't work and I can't browse, which prevents me from wasting time on my phone," he jokes. Another uses a Samsung E1272 keypad phone: "It's not stinginess, it's convenience."
Resistance to updating is not just economic. It is a statement: the device serves as long as the user decides it serves. And that, in an economy where consumption is disguised as necessity, is almost a political stance.
What happens when an old phone stops serving
The real limit is not power, but battery and software. "Until the battery doesn't last 30 minutes, or the software won't let you install anything, keep going," summarizes someone. Samsung Galaxy S4 minis with Android 4.4 no longer browse; they only survive with custom ROMs like LineageOS. The S7 and S10, however, continue to receive third-party support.
Practical conclusion: a 2016 phone can last a decade if the battery is replaced and a ROM is installed. Planned obsolescence exists, but it is not inevitable. It is a design decision, and users are dodging it.
Prediction with reservations: as long as the hardware holds up and ROMs remain alive, the fleet of old mobiles won't retire. But when banking apps demand Android 14 and replacement batteries become scarce, the countdown will accelerate. The S7 is not eternal. It is just more stubborn than average.
There is a phone launched in 2016 that remains active in the pockets of some forum users years later. It is not an isolated case. A Samsung Galaxy S7, an S6, an LG K9, a Lumia 640 XL with Windows Phone 8.1, or a humble Samsung E1272 keypad phone appear in a conversation that starts with accusations of stinginess and ends as an inventory of technological resilience. The underlying question is not whether the mobile is old, but who decides when a device stops being useful.
Why a 2016 Galaxy S7 still holds up
The Galaxy S7 arrived with 4 GB of RAM and a camera that was, at the time, the best on Android. Owners defend it: "it runs like a dream," says a user who uses it daily for internet, calls, and WhatsApp. Another claims his S7 Edge works better than a Redmi 13 he bought later. The key lies in usage: if you don't game, don't edit video, and don't rely on apps requiring modern Android, the 2016 hardware still covers everyday tasks.
The problem isn't power. It's software. A 2016 mobile has gone at least five years without security patches, turning any banking or messaging app into a risk. Those using it just for calls and WhatsApp live in a functional bubble; those using it to pay do not.
The real cost of not changing phones
The accusation of stinginess is the most repeated and easiest to debunk. "It's not about being cheap, maybe they just don't need more," someone replies. The economic argument is solid: a current mid-range phone costs between 100 and 200 euros, while a second-hand S7 can be found for 20 or 50 euros. If the old phone does the same job as the new one for 80% of users, the expense is pure symbolic consumption.
Some go further: "Some people value their money. Having extra doesn't miccionan it should be wasted." The thesis is that obsolescence is not technical, but social. The phone doesn't stop working; it stops being trendy.
Removable batteries, SD cards, and nostalgia for repairable hardware
One of the most interesting threads is repairability. Several users champion removable batteries: "I carry four batteries in my bag and last days of events without charging." The LG V20, from 2016, appears as the holy grail: aluminum back, replaceable battery, HDMI, and audio DAC. "I know no better system," says its owner.
The irony is that European regulations will mandate user-replaceable batteries starting in 2027, according to a user. What was a rarity in 2016 will be mandatory in 2027. The market will have to backtrack part of the path it took.
Lumia, dumbphones, and resistance to forced updates
Not everything is Android. One user boasts about a Lumia 640 XL with Windows Phone 8.1: Telegram works, GPS is accurate, the Carl Zeiss camera takes good photos, and the original battery lasts over a day. "Internet Explorer doesn't work and I can't browse, which prevents me from wasting time on my phone," he jokes. Another uses a Samsung E1272 keypad phone: "It's not stinginess, it's convenience."
Resistance to updating is not just economic. It is a statement: the device serves as long as the user decides it serves. And that, in an economy where consumption is disguised as necessity, is almost a political stance.
What happens when an old phone stops serving
The real limit is not power, but battery and software. "Until the battery doesn't last 30 minutes, or the software won't let you install anything, keep going," summarizes someone. Samsung Galaxy S4 minis with Android 4.4 no longer browse; they only survive with custom ROMs like LineageOS. The S7 and S10, however, continue to receive third-party support.
Practical conclusion: a 2016 phone can last a decade if the battery is replaced and a ROM is installed. Planned obsolescence exists, but it is not inevitable. It is a design decision, and users are dodging it.
Prediction with reservations: as long as the hardware holds up and ROMs remain alive, the fleet of old mobiles won't retire. But when banking apps demand Android 14 and replacement batteries become scarce, the countdown will accelerate. The S7 is not eternal. It is just more stubborn than average.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (106 replies).
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