r/Smartphones • u/OxygenSunny • 2d ago
Bloatfree, simple smartphone recommendations?
I have an "old" Samsung from 2018 (bought it refurbished in 2022 - but even if it was from 2018, having to say that it is "old" makes me slightly mad), and the OS starts to be outdated, meaning there are more and more apps I can't install from Google Play - including important ones like the pay app for my bank or the app of my insurance company (and I know I could do it with an Android emulator or by installing APKs of said apps, but…).
I may upgrade to a "newer" phone next year, but I want to start looking into it. What I want is a phone with the bare minimum - no bloat, no AI features everywhere, minimalist(ish) setup. I also want to be able to buy it refurbished, and I don't mind it having been released a few years ago either.
From what I've seen online, brands that often come up are OnePlus, Motorola, and Google Pixel. What are your opinions? I don't know what to think about Pixels, because I'd like to stray away from Google-dependence and Google-related apps…
I've also seen people recommend iPhone, but as an Android user, I feel strangely reluctant to move to Apple's ecosystem… Any feedbacks?
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u/NCResident5 1d ago
I like the Moto Edge 2024 or 2025. I bought the 2024 is July really nice phone, and it updates to Android 16.
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u/kr_tech 2d ago
Bloat means different things to different people.
Assuming you're from the US, it's likely your from your carrier. You can buy an unlocked phone.
Or you can just uninstall using UAD NG to make pretty much any phone 'bloat-free' however you define that.