Mobile Phone Decision Making

My Situation

So recently I have the chance to get a new mobile phone, upgrading from an old iphone. I was pretty excited about this and after getting into tech I decided to explore the world of android phones (as well as iphones) and share some of my thoughts on certain phones that caught my eye. I'm also tired of Apple's rigidity. I want to be able to mod my phone easily and for no particular reason other than to know that I can. Any opinions shared in the comments will be appreciated because I still haven't decided.

The Nothing Phone 4a Pro/Nothing Phone 3

I'll be honest and say that the reason why these caught my eye is because they're very cool-looking. Specifically with the 4a pro, the glyph interface, the playground, and generally the outside of it really drew me in. The 4a pro led me to the Nothing Phone 3, their flagship phone. I was surprised at how cheap they were compared to an iphone however after looking at the specs I can see why. The cameras just aren't that good and I'd rather pay more for a longer-lasting phone than a phone that only has 3 years of android support. From what I've read, other flagship phones like Iphone and Saamsung have better battery life too and more features. I am excited for Nothing as a brand and if they come out with a flagship phone that's actually competitive, it'll definitely be at the top of my list.

Side note, I just love their website, their vibes, and their brand ambassador. I love seeing a company actually put in effort. Also I've seen mixed reviews on the headphones. Some people say that the sound is fine and others are saying that they're way to expensive for what you're getting. For me, as long as I can hear the sound it's fine but I do think they're expensive. If someone could drop a review that would be great.

Motorola Razr 2026/Galaxy Flip 7

The main advantage to these would be the form factor. To me the flip phone style is really appealing. However it just doesn't seem like the performance is up to par with an iphone. The Motorola specifically slashed their storage in half with their 2026 razr and didn't add much compared to the 2025 razr. With the Flip 7, it would be a serious contender if it weren't for the fact that the specs just aren't up to par specifically with battery life. Also my pockets are usually small and a thinner phone is just more practical in my everyday life.

Iphone 17

It's an iphone I think everyone knows the specs are fine, it's not much different from the 1 but who cares. Everyone with a phone knows exactly what they're getting into with an iphone. Most people around me already have an iphone so it would be easier to text and I enjoy FaceTiming family. I don't think it's fair to make most of them download WhatsApp. I don't like Apple, I do feel like they purposefully lower the battery life with each update and the icloud storage stuff is a stupid game imo. Also I feel like the cameras get worse as each year goes by dramatically. I don't know if this happens with other phones at the same rate, please let me know if it does, I also do expect the camera to degrade just a little, but Apple cameras degrade by a lot.

Xiaomi 17

This phone is so cool. The design is peak and the specs are peak but the spyware is also peak and they're not sold in the US. So there goes my dreams.