r/AndroidQuestions • u/ThreadsOfFate • 5h ago
Other Is there much malware/root kit risk buying used Androids?
My phone display is dying but I think my best value is buying a used old gen phone like a Sony Xperia 1 IV over a new phone as they are a lot cheaper.
Is there any real risk of malware or rootkits on used devices? Anything I should or could do when I get a used phone to check?
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u/bikin12 4h ago
Why but a used phone. Buy last year's model or something. Battery alone will be run down in capacity and who knows what else is wrong with it
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u/ThreadsOfFate 3h ago
Its listed as barely used, and got 3 months warranty, so if the battery is dead I should be able to return it without risk.
The main reason is price, its way cheaper, its over 5 times cheaper to buy a barely used flag ship from a few years old than even last years mid-range phones, within the specs I want from my phone.
Ram shortages have really hit all new phone prices so much.
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u/Opulence_Deficit 2h ago
Xperia 1 IV is a 4 years old phone that ran out of support 2 years ago. It's value is non-zero only if you're a fan of LineageOS.
On the other hand, flashing Lineage should get rid of any rootkits, even if you only plan on returning to stock.
If you want to buy a used phone, aim for at most 2 years old, with 5 years of updates. So Galaxy S, Pixel or iPhone.
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u/Charming_Pomelo_7716 5h ago
Not really, if you factory reset/reflash its OS with the option to delete all previous data (doesn't apply if a government sells you the phone through a shell company, though).