My claim is that Youtube at any reasonable resolution slows things down to the point that it is unpleasant to use or watch (Both natively, and on android). I have used the Youtube example, because that is generally what I watch the most. But the same is true of other media streaming apps, including Jellyfin, Netflix, Disney+ etc.
The workaround that you’ve listed … I don’t know if it works well (I haven’t tested it). For me, the main problem wasn’t the video stopping, but the rate of slowdown. But you must understand how it is not exactly intuitive to have to open multiple browser instances in order to do something as trivial as that? And how I as a user can’t really be blamed for claiming that it doesn’t work (well) if the solution is a multi-step process where I have to find an alternative app store, download an alternative browser, and run that in the background? The device listed android support and has middle of the road specs, I expected those applications to work out of the box.
Again, I’m not trying to be controversial here. I genuinely wanted to see something like this succeed, and I do think that providing this type of feedback is essential to that. I don’t expect people to agree with me on everything, but I also don’t think it’s reasonable to expect that I am being malicious in my comments. I’m not.
I actually really want a device like this. I also owned a N900 when I was much younger, and I loved tinkering around with it. I want to see European tech do well. As I’ve claimed elsewhere, I bought this device even as I knew it would reduce my convenience wrt to NFC payments. I think the android apps being slow and laggy will get patched at some point.
But some other elements give me pause. It is jarring going from a device with good typing ergonomics to one without. That problem doesn’t feel like teething pains if the software has been out for over a decade. When typing before on these forums, the slow down on the browser was bad. To the point where the letters I were typing were coming up 2-3 seconds after I’ve clicked them, and all I was running was a podcast app and the browser.
This device is being advertised to people, I don’t know which profile they’re targeting, but I have seen the ad multiple time. That means that if that goes well you’re going to have an influx of new users.
I’m not saying every complaint those users will have are valid, I’m not saying the UI should radically shift to adjust to them, but there should be an evaluation of what they’re saying. And they should not be met with cold hostility and snark. It’s a really good way to alienate people away from your brand.
I am the kind of person who would take a risk on something like this. I have colleagues who share similar ideas to me around Apple and Android, people who are sick of the companies, not necessarily the products. I would love to be able to say - oh well I have this Jolla Phone and I found it works well out of the box with Android apps, maybe you can look at that. Right now? I wouldn’t say that.