For someone who wants to spend the entire at least On one phone and not having to think about buying another for a long time, I would always recommend Google's A-series Pixel phones. This is doubly true now pixel 8a at $100 off Black Friday-ish cyber shopping holiday Or whatever we are currently experiencing. The 8A is a solid value at its full $499 price, and dropping it down to $399 is a ridiculously good deal.
Here's the kicker: Google is promising to update the Pixel 8A with OS version upgrades and security releases Through May 2031, This means that you can expect it to run on Android 21. If you bought the 8A now for $400 and owned it for six years, that works out to $66 per year. For this you have to use a $1000 flagship phone 15 years To get the same ROI. Look? You're practically making money with the Pixel 8A.
More importantly, the 8A is a phone I'd recommend to friends and family who don't care about fancy features and don't want to bother with buying a new one every few years. Seriously: my mom has a 7A and my dad has an 8A.
It's more affordable to afford a $400 phone than a flagship phone, a Pixel, or any other phone. If you don't want to abide by the terms of a wireless carrier's promotion in exchange for a “free” phone, the Pixel 8A is a good deal — no strings attached.