Android phones: Tips, tricks?

[Handruin]

I'm using Google Fi at the moment and that deal was through them. Best Buy will probably have something. All these phones barely have anything new so they'll try to get any kind of action going with deals.

The only interesting new feature on the S26 ultra is that hardware based privacy screen. It's not enough to make me jump to the larger phone or probably even to "upgrade" but I do like that they developed it.

 

[Mercutio]

I'm actively interested in getting a device that can run GrapheneOS, which is sort of the last gasp of functional AOSP builds. It only works on Pixel devices and it's missing some of the DRM functionality needed for things like banking software. I might get a Helium Mobile SIM for it, which would give it very limited free-but-ad-supported service, which is fine for a backup device. I'm hoping to find a Pixel 8 or 9 at some reasonable price for that purpose.

I really wrestled over the S26+, but in the end I decided that it's silly to trade in a phone less than 3 months old, even if I don't like it. Going by the offers this year, I think the phone I have now will have the same trade in value next year if I really want to be ride of it.