Missionary Android Phone Specs

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awchan13
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Re: Missionary Android Phone Specs

#11

Post by awchan13 »

I contacted Mission Support's Global Service Department and these were the responses I received:

The missionary paperwork states that the Maas360 app is not compatible with Android 10. I wanted to verify whether this information is current and correct?

Thank you for reaching out! Unfortunately, Android 10 (Q) is not currently supported. The device’s operating system has to have Android 8 (Oreo) or 9 (Pie). We apologize for any inconvenience this may bring.

Do you have plans to include compatibility with the newer software versions (Android 10 or Android 11)?

We are unsure of how they are going support the new Operating Systems and when, but we hope that we have it soon.
awchan13
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Re: Missionary Android Phone Specs

#12

Post by awchan13 »

I'm a fan of the S series of phones from Samsung.. the other problem I see is if they do not update support of newer operating systems, then even buying older versions of the phones will not be possible. For example, many S9's have already been upgraded to Android 10. So, you'd be lucky to find an S9 (unless you buy new if available) without Android 10 already installed. So, that leaves you at the S8 series and older... Of course, receiving the constant "update available" notification is another issue if you don't upgrade your software...
russellhltn
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Re: Missionary Android Phone Specs

#13

Post by russellhltn »

awchan13 wrote:The missionary paperwork states that the Maas360 app is not compatible with Android 10. I wanted to verify whether this information is current and correct?
Maas360 is an IBM app. Looking at Google Play store, various MassS360 apps are available for my Android 10 phone. But looking at the reviews, it appears buggy. It's possible that the church techs have determined it's not reliable on Android 10.
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awchan13
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Re: Missionary Android Phone Specs

#14

Post by awchan13 »

I was on the Mission Portal (https://missionary.churchofjesuschrist. ... smartphone) and noticed this in the FAQ:

WHICH SMART PHONE MODELS ARE APPROVED?

All smartphones (whether previously owned or newly purchased) must meet the following requirements:

Brand: Samsung
Knox version: 2.8 or above. Verify that your phone model has Knox version 2.8 or above here.
Note: Your phone’s model number can be verified in the product description or in the “About phone” section of the phone settings. On the website listed above, the Knox version is listed next to the model code (also known as the model number). If the exact model is not listed, then that phone is not approved. Phones with a Knox version listed as 2.7.1 or below, “N/A (One UI Core device),” or “N/A (Android Go device)” are not approved.

Operating system: Android 8, 9, or 10
Note: The operating system can be verified in the product description or in the “About phone” section of the smartphone’s settings.

Carrier: Unlocked to work with any GSM carrier. What is GSM?
Note: Verizon and Sprint use CDMA networks (not GSM).

Internal storage: Minimum 32 GB
Note: Rooted or jailbroken devices cannot be used.

If you depend on a medical-related app, please email mmnurses@dmba.com as soon as possible to request permission to use the app on your missionary smartphone. (App access cannot be guaranteed, but requests will be accommodated if possible.) Please ensure that the phone model you intend to bring is compatible with the requested app. (Phone compatibility information is available on the Google Play Store or app developer’s website.)
Echarleshersel
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Re: Missionary Android Phone Specs

#15

Post by Echarleshersel »

I reached out and this is what they sent me if anyone is interested. It looks like now they allow android 8, 9, and 10.



Thank you for reaching out! The approved Samsung phones include Galaxy A, S, and Note series. Samsung Galaxy "Core" models and M series smartphones are not approved. All smartphones (whether previously owned or newly purchased) must meet the following requirements:

Brand: Samsung
Knox version: 3.2.1 or above. Verify that your phone model has Knox version 3.2.1 or above here.
Note: Your phone’s model number can be verified in the product description or in the “About phone” section of the phone settings. On the website listed above, the Knox version is listed next to the model code (also known as the model number). If the exact model is not listed, then that phone is not approved. Phones with a Knox version listed as 3.2 or below, “N/A (One UI Core device),” or “N/A (Android Go device)” are not approved.

Operating system: Android 8, 9, or 10
Note: The operating system can be verified in the product description or in the “About phone” section of the smartphone’s settings.

Carrier: Unlocked to work with any GSM carrier. What is GSM?
Note: Verizon and Sprint use CDMA networks (not GSM).

Internal storage: Minimum 32 GB


Sister Park

Mission Support

Global Service Department
jdlessley
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Re: Missionary Android Phone Specs

#16

Post by jdlessley »

Echarleshersel wrote:What is GSM?
GSM stands for Global System for Mobile communication. CDMA stands for Code Division Multiple Access. Those are just fancy ways of describing two forms of radio technology that phones and phone networks use to transmit voice and data.

One of the biggest differences between these two systems is that GSM phones use SIM cards to link a particular phone with its network, while CDMA phones don’t require a SIM card because the phone itself is linked to the network.

However, with the widespread adoption of 4G LTE networks, this has changed. The GSM vs. CDMA debate was really only about 2G and 3G technology. Now that 4G (and even 5G) are the standards, phone manufacturers like Apple, Google, and Samsung are creating devices that are compatible with all phone technologies: CDMA, GSM, LTE.
JD Lessley
Have you tried finding your answer on the ChurchofJesusChrist.org Help Center or Tech Wiki?
cydrickbrady16320
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Re: Missionary Android Phone Specs

#17

Post by cydrickbrady16320 »

my son purchased a phone that was advertised and Android 9, however it happened to be version 10. The phone would not work properly with the church's installed app and so the phone was taken by the mission office and he was given a loaner phone. Thankfully we were able to return the phone for a full refund and got him the proper android version 9
(this took place the end of May 2020)
russellhltn
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Re: Missionary Android Phone Specs

#18

Post by russellhltn »

Hopefully the app in question will work on Android 10 now. The "current" version of Android which entered full production about a month ago is 11.
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awchan13
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Re: Missionary Android Phone Specs

#19

Post by awchan13 »

My son is currently serving in Boston with a Galaxy S10e fully updated with Android 10 and latest Knox. He hasn't had any problems. He also says the other missionaries in his apartment are using A10e's with Android 10.
Aplman
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Re: Missionary Android Phone Specs

#20

Post by Aplman »

The church needs to support iPhone and use something like JAMF or JAMF School to manage the devices. Even IBM doesn’t use Android or their own product, MAAS 360 to manage their equipment. Strange.
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