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.
I have an S24 and I don’t use the game center myself, in fact I un-installed it. I paired up my Xbox Elite controller to test it and did not see any kind of ad or pop up, but I do have the Game Pass app installed. I was using LG phones for the last several years and was going to get a Pixel 8 since LG stopped making phones, but read terrible reviews on the Pixel 8. I was worried Samsung was going to be a terrible, locked down ad ridden experience, but honestly it’s been fine. Lmk if I can help any further, and good luck!
I’ll be checking out Samsung phones in the future then.