Dad's first smartphone : iPhone SE 2020

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12 posts

Geek

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#2564053 14-Sep-2020 20:53

Hi, have you checked the data allowance on the Gold Talker Plan? That sounds like a "not-suitable-for-iPhone" plan. Last thing he wants is a very large data bill with his new phone.

Shoes2468

785 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2564055 14-Sep-2020 20:54

kiwifidget:
On Saturday, my 81 year old Dad and I went shopping for his first smartphone.

He ended up getting the new SE 64GB as it was smaller and fitted in his trouser pocket better.

(I keep my phone in my handbag, where do blokes usually keep their phones?)

Anyways....

He is currently on the Spark Gold Talker plan.

I made the text as big as it goes, and added the precentage number to show next to the battery indicator.

Covid tracer app is installed.

What else would you recommend I do to make his transition as easy as possible?

I know you said you made the text as big as it goes, but I find “display zoom” being set to zoomed for elderly to be really good too!

Under settings, display & brightness, display zoom

desicreationz

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2564062 14-Sep-2020 21:05

get them familiarized with the control panel and set up common shortcuts on it for ease of use.

Also, If you can rather than relying them to remember the password, get Password1 app or manually write all the credentials on Notes or Google keep (trust me its very handy).

kiwifidget

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#2564064 14-Sep-2020 21:11

craiglee:

Hi, have you checked the data allowance on the Gold Talker Plan? That sounds like a "not-suitable-for-iPhone" plan. Last thing he wants is a very large data bill with his new phone.

Yep, it's 500MB a month.

I've only installed 1 app so far.

Does Apple consume lots of data all by itself?

Is it possible to tell the phone to only do updates if on wifi?

Delete cookies?! Are you insane?!

desicreationz

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2564065 14-Sep-2020 21:18

The beauty about apple is that you can control what apps can use cellular data and what can't.

I doubt 500MB would be enough to last a month for anyone but can happen.

Yes, Infact apple ios prefer to be updated via wifi and phone plugged in to power resource.

I think give it a month trial and see if that works.

goodluck.

kiwifidget

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#2564070 14-Sep-2020 21:26

I wonder why Spark gave the Gold plans such a small data allowance?

I can track his data usage, so we'll see how he goes.

Delete cookies?! Are you insane?!

alasta

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#2564178 15-Sep-2020 08:35

My mother has no data plan and has mobile data turned off. She seems okay to only use it for phone calls when away from home, and just uses internet dependent features when at home.

Sharesies kids

Free kids accounts - trade shares and funds (NZ, US) with Sharesies (affiliate link).

kiwifidget

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#2564192 15-Sep-2020 09:07

@alasta I'm pretty sure thats how Dad will use it as well.

Though I thought I did read somewhere that the Covid app requires an internet connection for QR scanning so that might complicate things a bit.

Delete cookies?! Are you insane?!

RunningMan

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#2564200 15-Sep-2020 09:30

Covid app info states it doesn't require data to scan. It does seem to prefer it (and uses a very small amount if you agree), but should be able to work with an intermittent connection via wifi.

alasta

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#2564251 15-Sep-2020 10:44

I actually tested that on the Covid app as it's something that I wanted mother to be able to use. I can confirm that my phone has no problems scanning codes when it's set to airplane mode.

kiwifidget

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#2564359 15-Sep-2020 14:15

@FineWine does the FindMy app require always on data?

Delete cookies?! Are you insane?!

RunningMan

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#2564414 15-Sep-2020 14:43

kiwifidget:

@FineWine does the FindMy app require always on data?

The find my app requires a connection to find other devices. There is a separate toggle for data for the system process running on the device you want to find. If that isn't connected to the internet, then you won't be able to locate it. It will upload a position just before the battery goes flat, but it can't do this just before it loses wifi.

FineWine

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Nurse (R)

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#2564501 15-Sep-2020 17:10

@kiwifidget here is a good explanation on how it works.: When and how Find My Friends reports your location

But this raises an interesting point. So here is another good article: Turn Location Services and GPS on or off on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

craiglee

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#2565541 15-Sep-2020 19:48

Just go into the Spark App and go to Menu>Settings>Smart Cap. Set it to $0.00 and that will stop unwanted data charges (over his plan allowance).

1024kb

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#2567196 17-Sep-2020 21:35

Just get a plan with a usable amount of data. Really, all the workarounds to cope with what's clearly an insufficient amount will only end up removing the functionality that he just paid so much money for. Smartphones are communication devices, they communicate with far more entities than POTS telephones & primarily use data to do that. At 501Mb, Dad's Maps app will fail, as will his ability to iMessage. He can't take a photo & message it to you like he could yesterday because of that pathetic 500Mb limit - try telling him that, might just slap your ears.

Old-skool POTS connections are a legacy feature that I can't wait to see the end of - I don't need X minutes landline call time & 1000 free txts over the long-broken GSM protocol, data-driven comms apps like Signal & WhatsApp deliver all that the POTS services do & so much more. Dad's got a smartphone & it's a good one too - until he runs out of data, then it's not so smart & an expensive failure. Smartphones need a constant data connection or they don't do what they're designed to do.

Smartphones & the entire gamut of electronic devices available today go hand-in-hand with data consumption, they just do, it's part of the original design brief. If you're going to fret over the ongoing commitment to purchasing data then smartphones are not for you. The problem here is not Apple, nor smartphones in general. It's not you or your dad either. The incompatibility here sits with Spark who are offering a product that's not really fit for purpose.

Megabyte - so geek it megahertz

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