Can anyone throw any light on Thais consistently using their smartphones with the loudspeaker on when making voice calls?

 

I've seen a quite a few doing this - including my wife - and I'm trying to find out why exactly they do it. To me it's extremely irritating when you're forced to listen to the distant party at high volume, even though the local party is not talking excessively loud.

Wherever she is in the house, I can hear the loudspeaker, although can't tell what's being said.

My wife insists that if she switches off the loudspeaker and uses the phone as a traditional device - placing it to her ear - that she cannot hear the other end as they are also using it 'handsfree' with the loudspeaker on, therefore the microphone is not close their mouth, prevent it being clear/loud enough, requiring the loudspeaker option at high volume.

She says it's often when making internet calls - via Line, as an example. She says making normal mobile-mobile calls is not a problem. Her phone isn't a cheap low quality device, it's a Samsung Galaxy.

Sometimes I can get her to use the earphones, but getting her to do it consistently is an uphill struggle, as she uses the phone so much.

 

I do it all the time.

 

Being partly deaf in both ears and a lot more tone deaf I simply cannot hear that well.

 

A few years spent working on jet aircraft with no ear protection in the 1960s doesn't do a lot for my hearing during the 2010s.

50 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I do it all the time.

 

Being partly deaf in both ears and a lot more tone deaf I simply cannot hear that well.

 

A few years spent working on jet aircraft with no ear protection in the 1960s doesn't do a lot for my hearing during the 2010s.

OK, I understand you're doing because you cannot hear well enough when holding the phone to your ear. I have a perforated eardrum, so I have to use my 'good ear' on the phone.

 

I'm more interested in the 'forced sharing' aspect of it, for want of better phrase. Usually people can do both - personal conversation or the broadcast option, and I want to know why they go for what I would describe as the  anti-social option.

 

The issue is that ONLY the topmodel phones use good speakers...i have a Samsung J7 which has great hardware but only the speaker sucks...i can't use it without handsfree calling because i don't hear it.

 

I had the same with my previous phones because i refuse to pay 5-600 Euro for one...my old Nokia had the same issue and i have been complaining in their shops several times, finally they soldered a new speaker in it for free (so it is possible to fix)...

 

Now i assume that many Thai have fake phones so they sure won't get the best speaker in it...

Hmm, I've just checked and my wife has the J7 Prime.

Perhaps I'm missing the point here? She uses it in mobile-mobile mode with no problems, but the loudspeaker is only on internet calls (although she doesn't HAVE to do that).

 

As I said, I felt it was maybe (both) parties aren't clear because of the distance they are away from the microphone, so often they end up shouting. Unless there's some Thai/cultural thing to make it as loud as possible to force everyone to hear the conversation?

 

To much intense listening to the shopping mall's 80% off promo's over the years has hammered their anvils?

52 minutes ago, Thian said:

The issue is that ONLY the topmodel phones use good speakers

Not true. I'm using a 10+ year old Nokia and the speaker is just fine.

7 hours ago, Vacuum said:

Not true. I'm using a 10+ year old Nokia and the speaker is just fine.

When Nokia started making smartphones they cut on the speaker quality...only the topmodels had good speakers, everything under that had a crappy one.

 

 

8 hours ago, bluesofa said:

but the loudspeaker is only on internet calls

Mine does it too only on internet calls.

 

Her reason is simple, with the phone to her ear she can't see the calling party (and they get a shot of her ear) ?

 

7 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Mine does it too only on internet calls.

 

Her reason is simple, with the phone to her ear she can't see the calling party (and they get a shot of her ear) ?

 

Sure a lot of the Line calls are video-video, but there is also the option to make them "voice only", which is what I'm querying.

Thanks Crossy, good try, but no cigar - ha ha!

 

Headphones.  Earbuds.

 

Get yourself a mobile phone jammer. You can buy them anywhere like MBK. Turn it on when she is using the loudspeaker and the phone will shut down. Leave it off when she is listening normally. She will work out the the functionality has something to do with her use of the loudspeaker. You can be very helpful and suggest she stops the practice of using the loudspeaker.. Bingo, problem solved and you will be a hero for making a sensible suggestion. Just make sure you don't get caught otherwise there could be BIG problems.

34 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

Get yourself a mobile phone jammer. You can buy them anywhere like MBK. Turn it on when she is using the loudspeaker and the phone will shut down. Leave it off when she is listening normally. She will work out the the functionality has something to do with her use of the loudspeaker. You can be very helpful and suggest she stops the practice of using the loudspeaker.. Bingo, problem solved and you will be a hero for making a sensible suggestion. Just make sure you don't get caught otherwise there could be BIG problems.

Ha ha! Good thinking! Did your school report ever describe you as 'quietly devious'?

 

16 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Ha ha! Good thinking! Did your school report ever describe you as 'quietly devious'?

 

No, but my wife's annual performance review of me made comment once that I was sometimes known to be "sneaky".

 

3 hours ago, amexpat said:

Headphones.  Earbuds.

 

Buy her a set of JBL FREE in-ear headphones, they are cordless, and very effective. It also will have the advantage of showing your wife has a set of the latest hi-tech gadgets to impress the village.

im not sure how much you love your wife but have you ever thought of leaving her and getting another who likes to use a more traditional method of using the phone?

I always use earbuds 'smalltalk and often get bad echo of my own voice.

I've only just realised that the echo is caused by the other end using speaker ---- my voice is delayed then fed back into their microphone.

I've found if you join in the conversation they take it off loudspeaker pretty quickly.

You can also buy your own noise cancelling headphones. I use Bose qc20. They are expensive but worth the money.  It will make your surroundings eerily quiet. Great for plane flights too.

I'm not Thai.  I usually use my speaker for voice calls.  I doubt it's a cultural thing.  For me it's more like being hearing impaired.  However, it's a pretty rare day that I'm on the phone.  Like TVs, it's a technology that I've ditched after I retired.  I only use the phone when absolutely necessary considering that I used to be tethered to one 24/7.
And if I can't hear well, the speaker goes on. 

The reason is so you don’t have a device emitting radiation right next to your brain.

I suppose it's like asking "why do they shout at each other while standing beside each other in "normal" conversation?

Can't speak for the shouty shouty mob,  but I carry ear buds, I'm hard of hearing,  but don't like my conversations being overheard,  I can also speak softly into the wired mic. and be heard clearly by the caller. 

Just be thankful there's no public call to prayer - in most of the country,  anyway.  You'd think the one true god wouldn't need loudspeakers to talk to his flock,  but there it is... 

29 minutes ago, lust said:

The reason is so you don’t have a device emitting radiation right next to your brain.

I can't really see that as the reason, as a) no Thai that I know has the slightest understanding/interest regarding this, and b) they don't seem to worry when talking for hours on a normal mobile call, holding it to their ear.

Also as the OP, I'm asking specifically about voice calls and not video calls.

 

Quite a few people have mentioned  about using the speaker due to hearing loss, which I understand and sympathise with, but that definitely is not the issue in my case.

 

I wonder if it's something to do with Line itself, as occasionally my wife calls me using Line, and sometimes it seems to be really loud and I need to turn the volume right down to be able to hold it to my ear. I don't like everyone listening in to my conversation, so want to keep it private.

 

I appreciate the suggestion about JBL earplugs, although I think to be practical the wireless ones with the cable loop around them would be better, as I can see those very small 'earbuds' being lost within days.

 

Ask your wife to use with earplugs. If I’m on a call for very long I will use speaker if no earplugs handy. Need to get use to it most places it’s illegal to drive using the phone.  

 

California fine for using the phone without earplugs. The fine is per offense 1,2, etc. It’s costly...  Usually a motorcycle police will pull up 

Behind you and look if you have seatbelt and are using a phone improperly. Easy for them to determine. Caught before you know it. 

 

My granddaughter used phone to call parents and check in. She got a ticket although she explained they general won’t let you off for phone. 

 

$20 base fine: $162 final cost.
$25 base fine: $197 final cost.
$35 base fine: $238 final cost.
$50 base fine: $285 final cost.

Mine uses speakerphone too

12 hours ago, lust said:

The reason is so you don’t have a device emitting radiation right next to your brain.

next to your what?

I know Line automatically turns on the speaker when there is a video call. I always reject video calls when I am not wearing ear buds. I hate others listening to my conversations whether they are business or pleasure.

I hate when sitting in a nice coffee shop that people use speaker phones. Worse still are those that watch a tv series or film using the speakers. They have no aconsideration for others.

Aren't all mobiles sold with ear plugs nowadays?

Sent from my GT-N5100 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

12 minutes ago, petedk said:

I know Line automatically turns on the speaker when there is a video call. I always reject video calls when I am not wearing ear buds. I hate others listening to my conversations whether they are business or pleasure.

I hate when sitting in a nice coffee shop that people use speaker phones. Worse still are those that watch a tv series or film using the speakers. They have no aconsideration for others.

Aren't all mobiles sold with ear plugs nowadays?

Sent from my GT-N5100 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Yes they do come with earphones, but getting my wife to use them, not only carry them isn't easy, especially when it's an incoming call.

I agree about them having no consideration for others in public areas.