Hard to escape Google unless you are willing to use a custom rom which is getting harder and harder to do with devices with unlockable bootloaders becoming rarer. Google also has a pretty big influence on the direction of Android.
Even GrapheneOS that is talked of often requires purchase of a Google phone.
Maybe it’s my preference of using older mid-range devices but unlocking the bootloader has been fine, the problem is some banking apps and inferior hardware drivers (worse wireless performance, stretched camera image, no control of flashlight brightness etc.)
Hard to escape Google unless you are willing to use a custom rom which is getting harder and harder to do with devices with unlockable bootloaders becoming rarer. Google also has a pretty big influence on the direction of Android.
Even GrapheneOS that is talked of often requires purchase of a Google phone.
Maybe it’s my preference of using older mid-range devices but unlocking the bootloader has been fine, the problem is some banking apps and inferior hardware drivers (worse wireless performance, stretched camera image, no control of flashlight brightness etc.)