Recommend a phone?

[I'm a red panda]

My company has just informed me that my Iphone 4 is no longer supported under the BYOD security. I guess this doesn't surprise me, the model is so old it is pre-siri. But it annoys me because the phone is only 2 years old.

Can anyone recommend a good, affordable phone that will work with Verizon prepaid that meets the following specifications?
Not iPhone - 4s or lower
Not Droid – all models running lower than Android OS 5.0

The support center guy I spoke to told me to "get the latest device" because security guidelines may change...

I'm so confused... when I go to Verizon, even some of the really expensive phones are Android 4.4. 
My husband's $70 phone is Android 5.1, so that fits- but will it be outdated super soon?

I really appreciate your help. I have to have a phone for work, so it isn't an optional thing; but I really have no interest in spending $500+ for a brand new iphone.

[DebtFreeBy25]

I would check Craigslist and see if anyone is trying to sell off a year old device. Many people upgrade whether they need to or not, so it should be possible to buy an iPhone 6 or similar for way less than retail.

Regarding your husband's phone, a device running android 5.1 should last you a few years since many new phones are only running 4.3. Unfortunately, trying to keep a device longer than a few years is becoming an exercise in futility.

[I'm a red panda]

Unfortunately, trying to keep a device longer than a few years is becoming an exercise in futility.

Yeah, I think I just need to accept this.  It's just so wasteful.

I emailed my husband's model to support center to see if it would get approved.  (not sure what they'd think about a used phone, though maybe if I didn't tell them they wouldn't know).  It's $70, so that's okay for a 2 year phone.   

My bill is $45 a month, and the company pays me $40 to BYOD, so it works out pretty well, I think.  I'm not at all interested in having to carry a separate work only phone all the time!

[AZDude]

Ask your company for a phone? Or do they give you a stipend? Here it is an either/or thing, so I can take their ancient blackberry or whatever or I can use my phone and pocket the $35/month.

[lbmustache]

You can get an iPhone 5/5s for around $100-$200, no? Does it meet the security criteria?

[I'm a red panda]

Ask your company for a phone? Or do they give you a stipend? Here it is an either/or thing, so I can take their ancient blackberry or whatever or I can use my phone and pocket the $35/month.

They'll give me a brand new iphone, but then I have to carry their phone with me at all times.  I really don't want to have to carry two phones all the time.  Because you cannot use their phone for ANY personal business.

[I'm a red panda]

You can get an iPhone 5/5s for around $100-$200, no? Does it meet the security criteria?

From where?  Will Verizon let me use it on a prepaid plan?

From what I can tell, not being on a contract limits what devices they let me pick, and 5c looks to cost about $290, 5s about $315.

[Cognitive Miser]

Can you switch carriers?  I just got a brand-new Nexus 5X on Google Fi.  The base plan is $20/month and each 1GB of data is $10/month, so that would give you 2 GB for your $40 stipend.  Google is discounting the Nexus by $150 through April 7th.  It runs Android 6.0.
If you are already month-to-month on Verizon, maybe they don't have the exorbitant cancellation fees?

https://fi.google.com/about/faq/#supported-devices-3

[I'm a red panda]

I haven't really heard anything about Google Fi before.  Thanks for the recommendation. I'll look into it.

Except when I travel, I use almost no data, so that might be a nice way to go.

[AlanStache]

I got my 'new to me' phone from T-mobile, half the cost of a very similar brand new two versions latter Droid. 

I am fairly sure you can locally slick a Droid and return it to 100% factory settings if you did get one off CL.

Also a stupid thing but my phone is to big to easily fit in my front pocket, whatever you get make sure you can carry it how you normally carry it.  To many of the new phones have gotten HUGE in the past years.

"Except when I travel, I use almost no data, so that might be a nice way to go." dido, and if you need to tether you get limited that much more on carrier options.

[chemistk]

My company has a BYOD program that I finally opted out of. Not a fan of AirWatch at all. Is it possible to disconnect from email and calendar when away from the office? I use my personal phone to make the occasional business call but otherwise am pretty much disconnected now unless i bring my computer. It's very nice.

[I'm a red panda]

I've had no problems not checking email when I'm on vacation. I'm an exempt employee though so I'm expected to keep up with email during normal days. Which is rare after hours but can happen. Don't know what air watch is. I like them paying my bill :)

Looks like Fi is a no-go. Everything I've seen about Iowa coverage isn't good except Des Moines.
(Edit: Oh, looks like it is moot. Fi doesn't offer service here, they just have coverage for people who get service elsewhere...)

[csprof]

(a) I was quite happy with my Nexus 5 until I got a free upgrade to a 5x, *except* that the battery life of an old N5 is cruddy.  I'm satisfied with the n5x except that I have to reboot it every few days or it gets weirdly slow.  Both are a fairly good deal.

(b)  The bigger suggestion isn't a phone, it's another place to look:  http://swappa.com/ 

I've both bought and sold a phone there, and had good experiences both times, as have several of my friends.  (Bought a work iPhone, sold my old N5).  The fees are way lower than ebay, though as a seller, fees+shipping still add up a bit and I might co-list on craigslist when I try to sell my wife's old phone next week. :)