TLDR: i complain about samsung’s flagship and newer android.
I use samsung flagship phone and it’s crazy, how unable I am to use full potential of my phone, just because I don’t want to log in to google neither to samsung. I try to use F-droid and Aurora Store whenever possible, but its so bad experience…for maps I use Organic Maps, but google forces it to be installed specifically from Google Play Store to work with Android Auto, so I have to log in every time there is an update. Most of games won’t work, because they require being signed-in to google, and thats actually kinda weird…before my phone now I had an old Galaxy S5 Android 6.0 and games there didn’t complain that much as here on Android 14 (so the newer android the less privacy you get, while them all companies “focus on privacy”, bullshit liars), samsung requires signing-in to usd like 1/10 of the flagship features…It’s so sad, as I love samsung’s quality, phone is really outstanding, overall all samsung products are very good quality, but pushing these fucking accounts is convincing me not to buy samsung’s flagship anymore. We need to finally unite and make some alternative to those close-sourced bloatware, as phone industry is nowhere near to being as free as desktop industry. I feel more free using Windoze than those fucking " smart"phones. Really if you have to buy new smartphone and are into privacy, think twice before you buy samsung…phone itself is great, but software side is a nightmare.
That’s only as long as you have money for a Pixel (and most people don’t).
The a series is pretty good bang for your buck, if you can’t afford that and neither used ones, then maybe you could settle for one of the cheaper Asian ones supported by Divest OS
I’ve bought used phones since 2013. The most I’ve ever paid is $150, and that was recently for a Pixel.
You can pickup a Pixel 4 for about $100.
Surely “most people” are paying far more for their phones.
Genuine question because I’ve been out of the loop on this. I had a Galaxy S5 that only got one major upgrade from Samsung (4.4 to 5.x I believe) but CyanogenMod and later LineageOS took that thing right up to Android 11.
Why can’t the same be done with modern phones today? What changed between that old S5 and the Pixel 4a I ultimately sold for going EOL on GrapheneOS?
Edit: apparently I shouldn’t compare apples to oranges without so much as quickly checking support for the Pixel 4a…
I got a refurbished Pixel 7A for $220 just to mess around with GrapheneOS. It’s a very affordable phone.
Rich?
So only the half of the US that buys iPhone’s is rich?
Or is it they don’t know what they’re paying because it’s part of the monthly bill?
Most of the iPhone users I know are in their 20’s and make less than half of what I do… And I’m far from rich.
or want a pixel, or want to buy a new phone. the insistence on pixel support only is frustrating.
