I’m going to keep using mine for a while. It’s not my only phone. I still use my LGV60 and my LG wing and a newer pixel sometimes. Those are all so big And I like the fact that the pixel 4a can fit in my front pocket.
I’ll keep using them until the batteries aren’t workable anymore. Whatever risk there is with security patches I think is overshadowed by the environmental and financial downsides of tossing away perfectly good hardware.
I’ll probably be fine using it for another year or so . As to what I would replace it with I’m not sure. Probably a used pixel just because they’re the best value proposition.
So 5a has gets android, another year of updates and it can be a 100 Bucks on eBay. The pixel 6 and 6 pro are 200 to 275 on ebay and they are getting like 40 more months of updates.
Samsung phones don’t have quite the same Compelling prices on the resal market .
I actually think the pixel 3 is underrated it’s basically the same size as a pixel 4 a but it has better chip and the glass build and the squeeze for assistant functionality. No headphone Jack though and stuck on android 12.
But still I often recommend it to people that really don’t have much money and need something in a pinch . Got a pixel 3 for $70 on woot. I absolutely love the texture. Unfortunately I think the version I have cannot use a custom rom so it’s definitely dated. But I think it’s still basically fine to use.
I don’t think I would have loved to pay 8 or $900 for it at MSRP when it came out but at 70 bugs it’s fucking amazing