[unsignedint]

You don't need to go for the cheapest phone, but I find the midrange, around $300-$400, to be the sweet spot. Sure, you could opt for something more expensive, but unless you have a specific need, the benefits won't be that noticeable. I'd rather put that extra money toward upgrading a PC instead. I chose a midrange Samsung for its practical customization options over stock Android, plus it comes with 4 promised updates. While it's not as long as the 7 years of updates from a Pixel, realistically, the battery will likely swell like a pillow before it even hits the 7th year anyway.

[paulryanrogers]

IME even mid tier phones won't have more than a year or so of security updates left, unless you buy them new. And even then it's often only 18-24 months. We should insist that companies support their phones longer or unlock and completely open source them at the EOL.

[unsignedint]

We’re likely talking about a small subset of users for whom open sourcing or similar efforts would be worthwhile. The bigger issue these days is that phones aren't designed to last. We've seen this trend ever since batteries became non-removable, and I doubt EU regulations will make a significant difference. Most users either dispose of their phones when they stop working or trade them in for a newer model. This is especially common with premium phones, while mid-range models might only fetch you $10 on a trade-in if you’re lucky.

Some companies do better in this regard. For example, Samsung provides four major updates, whereas the last mid-range Motorola I owned only gave me one. By the time I receive the fourth update on my current phone, I'll probably be dealing with bigger issues, like the battery not holding a charge—or worse. I wish phones were more serviceable, but that’s just not the case. Still, at mid-range prices, I’m fine with replacing it when it’s on its last legs.

If you're inclined, though, most Android phones allow you to unlock the bootloader and tinker with the software as much as you want.

[ac29]

You can get a (used) Pixel 6a for well under $200 and it has updates until mid 2027.

A brand new Pixel 8a is under $500 and has updates until 2031.

[paulryanrogers]

That is a welcome change in Google support policy, and was recent. Sadly many other vendors haven't followed suit yet.