Samsung A16 - Easy Mode

pseudodox

I am trying to find a suitable smart phone for a cousin in his mid 80s to replace his old dumbphone which has died. He only needs to make and receive calls and texts, check emails and when he gets used to it I expect he will try a bit of browsing (weather forecasts, touring caravan sites, places to visit whilst on holiday etc). He does not need speed, huge memory, high res screens, bells and whistles cameras and apart from a few very basic apps will probably not look at very much beyond basics. He has a laptop which he just about manages without too much help but is not wanting 24/7 tech in his life. I will be setting him up on Lebara - their basic packages will be more than enough for his use.

I have looked at the Samsung A16 which apparently offers the option to set "Easy Mode" which would appear to fulfil his requirements. It is currently available with Android 16, which is my priority. Has anyone used this phone or got an elderly relative who uses one and can give any feedback. Is it simple to set up Easy Mode? Can it be tweaked or reversed easily? I have seen the phone for sale by Easology - who seem to be charging a large premium for setting up the "ready to use from the box" Easy Mode. I am not a super techie person but would prefer to set the phone up myself so I can personalise it specifically for my cousin.

Appreciate any comments/feedback.

flaneurs_lobster

All newish Samsung phones have Easy Mode, there's a description here

https://www.samsung.com/au/support/mobile-devices/using-easy-mode

(I've no idea why that page is for Australia, it's valid for UK because I just tried it on my phone)

Doesn't do much as you can see, but should help.

Not really sure what value Easology are adding, extra support by phone? Haven't looked in detail but whatever it is they charge £269 for a phone that's £120 direct from Samsung and 99 notes at Argos.

pseudodox

I saw that Aussie site & couldn't see why it should not be valid. My cousin had found the Easology advert somewhere - fortunately he won't buy anything without my input - & felt the phone looked/sounded very "him". The layout of the screen in the ad appealed, but it does seem expensive, although I suppose it might be buying peace of mind for someone who has no-one to assist them. I expect I can tweak it to as near the ad as possible. He is currently "playing" with an old phone I lent him just to start finding his way around the smartphone world. It's low memory capacity & Android v7 are not ideal but he's getting the general idea, especially the revelation of how much easier it is to read messages than on the old dumb phone.

Thanks for the input.

pseudodox

@flaneurs_lobster

Have now looked into the Easology spec a little more . They do supply a protective case, an SD card, charging plug & printed manual (that particularly appeals to my cousin), plus UK telephone support. But hard to justify the price they charge beyond accepting that they are running a business which needs to be profitable. We could actually get an A17 5G for less than the Easology A16 price, even with additional cost of a charging plug and case. A17 (android v15) is currently at Argos for £199.99, with a £30 voucher discount until 26th May. In his mid 80s it is likely to be a lifetime purchase for my cousin, so the future proofing from an A17 makes sense.

I don't really need any further help/input here on the forum on this but it might be useful info for anyone else searching for a less techie-able/elderly person.

john1

Any Android 16 phone should have a "Simple view" in the "accessibility": setting The exact name and steps to enable it depend on device manufacturer

In Android, "Easy Mode" simplifies the user interface by enlarging text and icons, increasing touch-and-hold delays to prevent accidental inputs, and providing a high-contrast keyboard etc.

SevenOfNine

I've just switched from an A41 (it just died after 5 years), now have an A16. I'm 71, frankly HATE switching phones! Though a LOT of 'sorting it out' did my head in I found the use of AI on my desktop invaluable.

Spent all my time sitting in from of my PC asking "how to I get it to do this", then following step by step instructions on my PC, same with "how do I get it to STOP doing this"! Literally dozens of questions. Also gave links into YouTube, very helpful.

Unwanted notifications kept pestering me, one that springs to mind was something like 'phone use health help'….what! There are a LOT of apps pre-installed on it, I dumped as many as I knew I didn't want & spent ages blocking notifications of others.

For simplicity I definitely preferred my A41, husband has a slightly more sophisticated one than that, an A13, but he's 77 on PAYG & uses it ONLY for calls, texts & occasional photos. His internet it always off because he'd have to pay for using it, so tends to just use home PC. He could log on using his phone but prefers bigger screen & proper 'keyboard'.

Not sure the Easy Mode has much too offer, nothing wrong with our eyesight. There's a YouTube video here though might be more about how to select if from an A16. I like the phone well enough now, but it's got a lot there that your 'oldie' won't want, mine cost £99 SIM free (I don't like a locked phone).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzPX-Bk6k3E

flaneurs_lobster

 ….mine cost £99 SIM free (I don't like a locked phone).

Minor point, no new phone bought since 2021 will be locked to a particular network.

JSmithy45AD

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82011830#Comment_82011830

I was going to ask about that myself, so cheers.

pseudodox

An update. After considering all the pros & cons my cousin has ordered the Easolgy phone. His points were

He can afford it & in in 80s is unlikely to ever need to replace it as it will have plenty of updates. More than enough tech for his modest needs.

He struggles with online manuals so a printed one will be just want suits.

He will have UK helpline so he can stop feeling guilty about frequently asking me or his neighbour to solve his techie problems. I don't mind, but I am 20 miles away so it can be tricky to sort out what has gone wrong

He has been playing with my old phone & certainly does not want to return to the dumb phone - finally accepted we are in the 21st century!

flaneurs_lobster

Seems entirely logical.

Be interested in how your cousin gets on with the Easology support, I've a relative who would be a possible candidate for such a service.

I've not revisited their website - is the support given 'forever' or is there a subscription after a period?

pseudodox

The phone arrived yesterday and so far he has been playing with it until I go over and transfer his data/contacts etc from the phone I lent him. He says the printed manual is worth it's weight in gold to him as he does not get on well with online video instructions etc. He can read individual topics and make notes in the margin. As he goes on holiday to remote places often with limited internet connection he feels very confident he can quickly look up something in the manual when he gets stuck.

I still agree it is expensive for the package, but the important thing was to give him confidence in his new toy. Getting to grips with even limited use of my old phone has given him almost a new lease of life - his sister says she can see the change in him. I have another elderly friend who recently moved from a dumbphone to a smart phone, got in a complete mess with it and refuses all further help and has ditched it and gone back to the dumbphone. We all have our own level of competence and need technology we can feel comfortable with. Sometimes we have to pay the price for something that suits us, even if it does not suit others.