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How can I find out when my Android phone was first activated? (mander.xyz)

submitted 2 months ago by Mothra@mander.xyz to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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I'm not too tech savy. I've searched online and found two methods that use Google Play or my Google Account, but for the life of me I can't find the settings I'm supposed to find. And also, wouldn't this information just be stored on my device? Why do I need to ask Google about my phone ?

Another method is using an IMEI code, which I've found on my phone but the website I've tried said they have no information about me. I could try again on a different website but this feels dodgy to me. Maybe I'm wrong.

So, is there a simple way to access this information? Thanks.

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[–] Mothra@mander.xyz 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

So if say I got a second-hand phone I have no way of knowing for how long it's been used other than what the previous owner can tell me?

[–] BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 13 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Not really - that information would have to be stored off-device, as anything on-device would be destroyed by a factory reset.

At best you can see the age of a device - when it was manufactured or perhaps sold. Which for most purposes is good enough. For example, the battery is probably the most sensitive component, with time being a significant measure of its life, along with usage/usage patterns.

[–] Flatfire@lemmy.ca 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

With that in mind, a battery health tool is probably the fastest way to tell how old a phone is going to feel. Otherwise nothing else is going to suffer wear and tear. If the phone is in good shape, and the specs are agreeable, then it doesn't matter how old it is.

[–] Mothra@mander.xyz 1 points 2 months ago

Okay thanks for the info!