I’m using a Pixel 6 Pro right now, and I’m looking around to see if there are any good phones. However, I have heard that there are ads in the newer flagship phones (Samsung, Xiaomi). I am willing to spend around USD$750 on a new phone, but I just don’t want any crazy ads or preinstalled apps like Facebook. Are there phones that don’t suck nowadays? I can buy a phone that is sold in the US, Canada, or EU.
(I don’t want to go through menus to disable ads (Xiaomi), and I’m currently looking at phones other than the Pixel lineup to see if there’s a better option for me)
(I also don’t want to mess around with custom bootloaders/systems, I rely on Google services way too much)
EDIT: If it wasn’t clear enough, I am not looking for things like GrapheneOS or LineageOS or others, I am looking for a phone and judging based on the stock system on it.
You’re probably not missing out keeping your 3. I traded my 4a for a 7 a while ago, and while the 7 has better specs and whatever, it’s not so much that you can really feel a difference. It actually kind of feels like a downgrade because I lost my headphone jack and the fingerprint sensor absolutely sucks now. I would have been perfectly happy to keep my 4a for a good while longer if it weren’t for the battery.
Sadly the 3 also doesn’t have a headphone jack so I’ve had to deal with a dongle for ages. But also it’s the battery that is making me consider getting a new phone. But I’m probably not getting a flagship. I don’t need the power anymore. I’ve even thought about getting a feature phone, like the kind that still android. But most of them are still chonky as cause they make them for the elderly and disabled as the primary market.