OH yes the Sony camera almost makes it worth carrying around a simlocked device. You can do 128 fps slow-mo videos, and there are 3 lenses 16 gives the wide angle 24 is the more normal, and 70 is for attempting to focus shots at a distance, and the dial really is cool. True the visual screen is sort of faith based but it's great to have the side button and not have to find a screen button. I went to the seaside and made underwater videos as well, at a depth of a few feet. Got a notification immediately the first time I went in the sea with it, and for a month or so after that there was a USB port moisture, but that seems to have gone away finally with no lasting problems. Best phone camera I've ever had. I have only the Xperia 1 II which I got from a reseller and it's simlocked, but the II is better than the III because it doesn't have a side button dedicated to Goolag ({Mod edit}) that button for Goolag sounds really naff, but it wasn't there in the II. Don't need 5G the II was actually some degree less 5G capable I've read. I also really like the thin and straight edged, rounded but still sharp corners design, thinner and easier to hold. I have found difficulty disabling the Goolag Play Store lately, but I haven't noticed much as I keep it firewalled out. I suspect there may be some update that's hiding the uninstall updates option, but I also don't find it as an admin app, so it's puzzling. One last edit, I can't forget the great dual front facing speakers. They are great for listening or watching.
must tip my hat to my Samsung A70 (2019) which although its Android 11 update seems to increase difficulty of low light evening horizon focus shots, has been a ROCK. I can and have disabled ALL Goolag apps for many moons now, ever since I discontinued any affiliation with
{Mod edit} YouTube...and the thing has the best interface, and charging so fast it easily beats all competitors. Yes it's just got the sturdy single speaker, but Samsung really knows their stuff, The interface is infinitely better than other interfaces you will find for instance Sony and Huawei. Huawei has a whole other range of interface things that also don't quite match up with my Samsung, I've bought a few as gifts recently and had a look at them.
I do like that there are some very affordable, (100-125 slightly used) high spec (4/128) options from Huawei that also DON'T have any affiliation with
{Mod edit}. The P Smart 2021 (Goolag-less), and some P40 lite E (Goolag on some models).
Back to my Samsung A70, I really like being able to open wifi and bluetooth by clicking on the word under the icon in the notification curtain menu. I have come to depend on their homescreen 'hold to open' info option for app icons. Of course loving the option to use dark mode on the phone in general. The GPS notifications are also importantly (more about this below) non-pestilential.
I would definitely recommend the Samsungs although one potential speed bump being that I tried an S21 at a pawn shop yesterday and found they do not show system apps in that, so I don't know what's going on with that. The Goolag Play Services app appears in main apps and then there is a Samsung apps section, but I happen to know that in my A70 there are some 300 Apps that appear in the full view...ANT HAL thru Wlan Test there are 87 system apps that all turn on at one time if I turn on one in the firewall. I Including several com.samsung... apps. So I am seeing this as a possible blackout of users options though many apps of course already black out options, at least I see them and know of their existence. Though I haven't investigated developer options there on the latest line of phones. I would think there could be something in developer mode that would allow to show these, if not then there could be some bad acting Goolag framework app. Which I need disabled I can't live without disabling that Goolag stuff. (edit, Actually just updated my A70 not a week ago and as I wrote this I am indeed finding a new location for system apps option, possibly this is also true on that S21 I saw, it's new to me. I included a couple of screenshots in fact this looks like it may be another improvement to the apps settings options as it may make it a persistent difference to show system apps, which would reduce clicks potentially genius move by Samsung only time will tell).
I don't have the S21, just a 15 minute look at a pawn shop yesterday. However, I have used my A70 for 2years and have found it to be far better than any other phone's design. I used to use HTC U11 (flagship), have used Sony Xperia XA2 (which is the low price phone, but very similar to Xperia 1 II interface-wise) as a 2nd/(and now 3rd) phone for 2 years and know their interface notification curtain doesn't have the option to click the wifi and bluetooth labels on the icons, so you always gotta go into settings to get there.
Sony's interface and charging is inferior to the Samsung, quite slower charging. As that quick charge in Samsung beats all with its short time full charge speed on the A70. So I guess I'm saying get 2 phones. I was disappointed to find they've raised the price by about 1-200 bucks since A70 to A72.
I can't discuss this topic without mentioning this very nagging thing I found this little thing about Android in 2021: I just recieved a notification from disabled GPS to "enable GPS or (such and such) app won't work" (happens with many apps). I must mention this --for those who care-- that the Sony 1 II had relentless GPS notifications when using with native phone or SMS, and GPS disabled. It became such a problem that I had to switch to non native phone and SMS apps. Those GPS notifications in Sony 1 II, running Android 11, couldn't be silenced or turned off, and were a real pestilence. Which is another reason to go with a cheap $125 Huawei 4/128 Type C USB (Type C is a must have in 2021), Goolag-less phone like the P Smart 2021 Goolagl-ess. This is what I recommend for those with lower means. I found Huawei had plenty of versions of apps I need in their App store, such as video downloaders.
