hello i have a question i have been a tracfone user for yearss,tracfone phones are always locked to watever android version they run when you first buy them ..will this still be the case if you buy an unlocked phone ..will an unlocked phone still get operating system updates ? thank you
Hi, good questions, but there are two of them. 1. Yes phones purchased from the tracfone store are locked and can only be used on their system. If you byop, bring your own unlocked phone, it remains unlocked and you can activate it with tracfone or many other providers. I should say, this especially important if you travel outside the USA or decide not to stick with tracfone. 2. Regarding updates to newer versions of android, updates are sent by the phone manufacturer. I don't actually understand this entirely, but a newer phone will be uodated more likely than an older one. I.e. I have a moto g5 and my spouse has a g7 play. She still gets updates but I no longer do. Some manufcturers are better on this and sometimes a particular phone will just not run an update, possibly for hardware reasons. This seems to be very hard to predict because no one really knows what might be in future updates and how the older hardware will support it. Or possibly a manufacturer decides to stop updating to get you to buy a new phone.
January 19, 2020 at 1:25 PM
Anonymous said...
A late answer to your question: I have an unlocked Moto G6 with Tracfone BYOP. It is able to receive both android updates and security updates. So, no, it is not locked to the original android version it ran when first bought.
February 4, 2020 at 10:00 AM
Best Tracfone Deals and Sales for January 2020
Welcome to TracfoneReviewer where we share the latest news, reviews and promo codes!
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Best Deals & Sales on Tracfone Smartphones
Finding a new Tracfone device can be difficult with so many different options available from a wide variety of retailers. It can be tough to find which phones are the best price and the best deal.
We are here to help! We keep track and monitor various deals and each month we gather the best prices on popular Tracfone smartphones and provide the updated deals to our readers below. Some of these deals include airtime bundles, and others just the phone. (The best value usually includes airtime deals).
Prices and deals can change often, sometimes going up or down. We've included both Tracfone smartphone deals and several unlocked phones that can be used with Tracfone BYOP.
Tracfone Deals and Sales List - January 2020
LG Journey
The LG Journey was released in late 2019 and offers some great features at a budget price. Some of those features include a 5.45" screen, Android 9 Pie, quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB internal storage, and Bluetooth 5.0. Read our full review of the LG Journey to learn more.
View the Journey on QVC with airtime bundle for $69
Moto E5
The Moto e5 is another great budget phone option with a large, 5.7" touchscreen, quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB storage, and Android 8.1 Oreo. it has great battery life thanks to a large, 4,000 mAh battery and can be used on CDMA networks. See all the details in our Moto e5 Review.
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Moto G6 on Amazon
View the Moto e5 on eBay with airtime bundle for $49!
Moto G6
If you are looking for a little more performance and internal storage, the Moto G6 is still a great option and can be found at a low price! It comes with a full HD 5.7" screen, 32 GB storage, octa-core processor, 3 GB RAM, Android 8.0 (my be upgradable to 9) and a dual rear camera with 12 MP sensor. See our full Moto G6 Review to learn more about this phone.
View the Moto G6 on Amazon with airtime bundle for $99
View the Moto G6 on eBay with airtime bundle for $99
View the Moto G6 on HSN with airtime bundle for $99
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Unlocked Smartphones for Tracfone BYOP
Take a look at these great unlocked options for use with Tracfone BYOP. Many users prefer using the BYOP program because of the flexibility in choosing whatever phone best suits their needs. All you need is an unlocked phone, like one of the options below, and a Tracfone SIM Kit to get started! These are some of our top picks at a great price.
Samsung Galaxy A10e
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Samsung Galaxy A10e
This unlocked budget phone has some similarities to the Tracfone version, but also comes with some upgrades such as a larger, 6.2" touchscreen and dual rear cameras. It also features an octa-core processor, 32 GB storage, 2 GB RAM and Android 9.0. The unlocked Galaxy A10e can be used on GSM networks with Tracfone BYOP.
View the Samsung Galaxy A10e on Amazon
Google Pixel 3a
The Google Pixel 3a has a number of impressive features for the price, with one of the most stunning the 12.2 MP rear camera capable of amazing images. It also features an octa-core processor, 64 GB storage, 5.6" full HD screen, and much more. The Pixel 3a can be used with GSM or CDMA networks.
View the Google Pixel 3a on Amazon
That concludes our deals and sales list and hope these help you get the best price on a new smartphone!
Leave a comment below with any thoughts or questions and also join us on Facebook to connect with our growing community and get the latest info.
All the phones in our list above are VoLTE capable according to Tracfone, but you may want to take a look at our recent post about Tracfone Closing their 3G CDMA network and how it may affect you.
If you're new to Tracfone, start with our Beginners Guide which shares helpful information about how it all works.
And finally don't miss out on our Tracfone Promo Code list with many different codes to get free minutes when adding airtime!
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posted by TracfoneReviewer Team at 6:11 PM on Jan 14, 2020
3 Comments
Close this window Jump to comment formhello i have a question i have been a tracfone user for yearss,tracfone phones are always locked to watever android version they run when you first buy them ..will this still be the case if you buy an unlocked phone ..will an unlocked phone still get operating system updates ?
thank you
January 16, 2020 at 10:37 AM
Hi, good questions, but there are two of them. 1. Yes phones purchased from the tracfone store are locked and can only be used on their system. If you byop, bring your own unlocked phone, it remains unlocked and you can activate it with tracfone or many other providers. I should say, this especially important if you travel outside the USA or decide not to stick with tracfone.
2. Regarding updates to newer versions of android, updates are sent by the phone manufacturer. I don't actually understand this entirely, but a newer phone will be uodated more likely than an older one. I.e. I have a moto g5 and my spouse has a g7 play. She still gets updates but I no longer do. Some manufcturers are better on this and sometimes a particular phone will just not run an update, possibly for hardware reasons. This seems to be very hard to predict because no one really knows what might be in future updates and how the older hardware will support it. Or possibly a manufacturer decides to stop updating to get you to buy a new phone.
January 19, 2020 at 1:25 PM
A late answer to your question: I have an unlocked Moto G6 with Tracfone BYOP. It is able to receive both android updates and security updates. So, no, it is not locked to the original android version it ran when first bought.
February 4, 2020 at 10:00 AM