The main problem I have with android/smartphones is the bloatware.
I initially had a MOTO E and upgraded to an LG Rebel 3. Both have so much junk that they quit being able to upgrade because there was no room to intall app upgrades. Android would not allow me to delete most pre-installed apps. I could only return to the their initial installation status.
So far with my LG Rebel 4 I have not had the problem of running out of space.
I could delete 3/4 of the pre-installed stuff as I find most of it useless or unnecessary.
“The main problem I have with android/smartphones is the bloatware”
The main problem I have with android smart phones is google. For amusement, I put a VPN on my android and monitored google web traffic and access. With the phone on, idle and with no one using it, the android contacted google’s servers over 3000 times in a day. Info like What apps are being used, your location, what websites you visit, and on and on. It should be noted that I don’t use Gmail, google maps or any other Google services. 3000 times a day. When I bought the phone I didn’t understand that even if I use no Google services that they get to surveil me to that extent. Too creepy. And since Google hates conservative and real Americans, I see little reason to let them profit from the details of me life and use that info to try to manipulate and control me.
I read today on FR that Google is apparently colluding with the Chinese in developing AI technology. I am done with all things google.
After using android since the G1 in 2009, I ended up buying a mint condition iPhone 6S+ for 200 on swappa. I don’t really like it but doing the same test, the iPhone idle only contacts apple’s servers 10 times in a day and if I understand the data sent, it is for quality and stability purposes.
These Moto G6 phones came preloaded with a few Amazon Apps, but not much other bloatware. I normally root and get rid of all the hairy BS crap apps. Samsung phones also have a big enough following that you can easily find a stripped downed custom ROM and install that if you don't feel like removing the goofball apps your self. These are my first non Samsung phones since I switched over from HTC EVOs a long time ago. But I have not bothered on these new phones because it wasn't really necessary. Android 9, Pie has some additional features that let you control the behavior of Apps more completely and more easily without rooting as compared with earlier versions of Android.
Weirdly enough they didn't even put the Amazon App Store on these “Alexa approved” phones. I usually install it on all of our Android devices because Amazon used to give away one pay app per day, and often had specials on other Apps for significant savings as compared to the Google App Store. So I have quite a collection of Apps from the Amazon App Store. To me the Amazon App Store doesn't seem quite as intrusive as the Google Store.