What's with ST never updating?

[jefboyardee]

I switched to Straight Talk several years ago cuz they're easy, cheap and don't care if I tether. I've had a few of their phones and they all share this shortcoming: none of them ever perform system updates. I asked the manufacturer of my current phone and they said:

I request you to contact your carrier to check the current Android version available for the device.

You can contact Tracfone at 1-800-867-7183.
You can contact StraightTalk at 1-877-430-2355.
​

I suppose that makes sense, but which of these is the more likely culprit?

 

[Jfalls63]

Can't remember where I read it but the article stated that hardly any of the phones purchased through prepaid carriers receive updates. Basically your stuck with the version that was on the phone when you bought it. Keeps operating costs down for them.

 

[kate]

Not sure which number to call, I'd try one and if they don't know try the other.

Some prepaid phones/carriers will send out updates, but unfortunately not as often as the main carriers.

 

[jefboyardee]

article stated that hardly any of the phones purchased through prepaid carriers receive updates

I got that feeling too, after having this (not) happen with several phones. But I'll probably call one or tuther soon.

 

[dontazz2003]

I got that feeling too, after having this (not) happen with several phones. But I'll probably call one or tuther soon.

Well what did they say.????

 

[jefboyardee]

Oh yeah, sorry guess it's not 'soon' yet...

 

[SungSam77]

When I got my S7 last year, it started out with Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) out of the box, but I'm now up to Android 8.0 (Oreo) and have has a few software updates. Only the more expensive flagship phones will get them from what I've noticed. I now don't go below $200 when I buy a phone for that very reason. My S5 was outdated and never got updates but it was also a cheaper phone. So the S7 was my upgrade and it had all I was looking for without breaking the bank. I got mine for $299 during a promo for buying the service card, which I had to do anyway. It's now down to $289 on ST's website.

 

[mikedt]

When I got my S7 last year, it started out with Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) out of the box, but I'm now up to Android 8.0 (Oreo) and have has a few software updates. Only the more expensive flagship phones will get them from what I've noticed. I now don't go below $200 when I buy a phone for that very reason. My S5 was outdated and never got updates but it was also a cheaper phone. So the S7 was my upgrade and it had all I was looking for without breaking the bank. I got mine for $299 during a promo for buying the service card, which I had to do anyway. It's now down to $289 on ST's website.

Of course the Galaxy S7 has been around for 3 years now. And maybe out of support by Samsung, it may still get security patches still, but is unlikely to receive any more OS updates beyond Oreo 8.0

 

[joe71]

Back about twelve years ago or so I and wife were using prepaid, virgin mobile, Trac phone, At&t Gophone, NetZero. The phones never seem to last longer than two months. I had one for personal use, one strictly for work and we kept one in the car and truck. That was before Android and Google and iOS really took off.
My pervious Verizon phone the Nokia V2 when I got it said on the box it or website it was running Android 9.0 however when I booted it up I found it was running Android 8.1 .1 but I figured well I only paid $53 for it, thought okay so I got a device that Android 9 skipped, I got the update two days later, a day after that I got the most recent security patch which I think was January or February security patch.
I don't know if it was Nokia or Verizon who pushed them through I was surprised though

 

[OracleDba]

I have same issue but discovered a work around if you happen to have a Samsung phone...

From samsung.com
Download and install smartswitch onto a PC.
From playstore download and install Samsung smartswitch onto phone.

Launch PC program
it will tell you to cable up phone.
When you do PC program will defect phone is not current and offeres a big "update" button. Click it and it will do the needful to install updates just follow the prompts.

It took about an 70minutes to get me onto android 13 from 12.

It could be years before straight talk pushed an over the air OTA update but on can become current at will via the above method. I might do the above quarterly.