Reco - what phone to buy for non-technical in-laws

[dawheat]

When I say non-technical, I really mean it. They currently only know how to take and receive calls on their current feature phone - no idea how to check voicemail, etc. My father in-law does use an iPad we bought them last year that's set to their local language - basically to check email, Facetime and iMessage his daughters, and watch asian dramas via an app. Games, the app store, etc are all beyond him.

We want to get a smartphone primarily for my mother-in-law to be able to text in their local language, use the navigation, check email, and of course talk. I'm going to add a new line to my AT&T family plan and am trying to decide whether to get the G2 for her or an iPhone 5C (or possibly another suggestion).

- Both phones will be set to their local language
- I'll delete/hide all the apps I can that they won't use to simply the phone screen
- Both phones are supercheap on contract ($0 compared to $49) so a non-issue
- Both phones will get a pretty durable case + screen protector
- We're on opposite ends of the US so minimizing support calls to us is essential

iPhone
+ father-in-law can help since he's familiar with some of the basic iOS apps from the iPad
+ able to Facetime and use iMessage (my wife and her sister both have iPhones)
+ simpler and more consistent in-app experiences IMO
- can't increase app icon size or app name font size (poor eyesight), small screen overall
- can't rename apps to be more self-explanatory
- can't completely control the home screens. Ideally there would be only 1 screen with only the apps she'll need and nothing else

G2
+ much bigger screen (I'd use Nova to make app icons larger with large font size)
+ can rename apps to be self-explanatory in their local language
+ can setup a single homepage in Nova with only the apps she'll ever use and nothing else (and lock the homescreen so things can't get accidentally deleted, etc)
- not able to use Facetime or iMessage - Hangouts is a poor subsitute
- separate ecosystems and not able to help each other figure things out (which means more calls for us)

So thoughts? Suggestions? I'm not really considering WP as I'm not very familiar with it and wouldn't be able to help them much remotely.

 

[magomago]

iphone no contest. IMO the G2 is a more capable phone, but the fact that your father in law understands the ipad a little bit means that your existing investment in their ecosystem makes it a clear case of WIN given that you want a hassle free experience.

 

[gmaster456]

iPhone. Being that he has an ipad he'd be at least somewhat familiar with it.

 

[WelshBloke]

Personally I'd avoid the smartphone thing all together, it's going to be your fault that stuff doesn't work/is overly complicated.
I know that for Android you can remotely log into some supported phones and control them from your PC. I'd probably go that route if I had to.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

You can use some of the accessible features to make the screen bigger, font larger, things like that.

You can have only one home screen with lots of folders.

 

[corkyg]

I would recommend the Jitterbug Touch 2 - a simple smartphone designed for folks like me and your in-laws. This review is well illustrated:

http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/28/jitterbug-touch-2-smartphone/

 

[dawheat]

Personally I'd avoid the smartphone thing all together, it's going to be your fault that stuff doesn't work/is overly complicated.
I know that for Android you can remotely log into some supported phones and control them from your PC. I'd probably go that route if I had to.

I do want them to be able to text/message and they can't do so on a feature phone, especially with an English keyboard. That's one of the reasons I was leaning toward a smartphone - I can set it up to display in their local language with a local keyboard.

Yeah - I'm leaning toward the 5C as well, though this Jitterbug looks interesting. Unfortunately the reviews don't seem great for it.

 

[WelshBloke]

I do want them to be able to text/message and they can't do so on a feature phone, especially with an English keyboard. That's one of the reasons I was leaning toward a smartphone - I can set it up to display in their local language with a local keyboard.

Could you import a suitable phone that's in their native language?

It's been awhile since I have used a non smartphone but I remember playing tricks on people by setting their dumbphones to a foreign language so they do have some support.

 

[WelshBloke]

I would recommend the Jitterbug Touch 2 - a simple smartphone designed for folks like me and your in-laws. This review is well illustrated:

http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/28/jitterbug-touch-2-smartphone/

That homescreen reminds me of Windows mobile.

 

[s44]

S4 in idiot mode.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Or Note 2 in easy mode. Can be gotten cheap and the screen is huge for old eyes.

 

[Bateluer]

Any modern phone will be easy to use for basic functions. These aren't designed to be complicated. If they can't figure out the basics, phone call, text messaging, web browser, on their own, they shouldn't have a smartphone to begin with.

 

[crashtestdummy]

I'd go with an iPhone. There are just fewer places for them to get mixed up. If being able to see the screen is a big problem, maybe consider the Note 2/3 or a Lumia 1520. I know you preferred not to go with windows phone (for good reasons), but IMO it is the best design for seniors because of the simply designed and adjustable tiles. There's much less visual "noise" to worry about.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I say it's between iPhone or a windows phone.

 

[WelshBloke]

I still say that something with remote management would be useful.

The app I was thinking of earlier was teamviewer. You can log into your parents phone from your PC and have total control of it to sort any problems out.

 

[notposting]

I still say that something with remote management would be useful.

The app I was thinking of earlier was teamviewer. You can log into your parents phone from your PC and have total control of it to sort any problems out.

Total tangent, but I used to get calls from my wife's dad for tech support. I would be patient, do 45 minute long calls, literally button by button walkthrough's. Eventually I had a couple of them in back to back months, and each time, he was running Windows 7 in Guest mode, which gives you access to nothing, and didn't tell me.

I eventually told him no more calls unless he was in his regular account, and installed Teamviewer.

I haven't had any calls in 2 years :biggrin:

 

[notposting]

Also, iPhone or see if you can import a Lumia 1320. Thinking of getting one for my dad as well.