Buying a New Phone in 2025: Simplicity Is Hard to Find
Buying a smartphone used to be straightforward. But in 2025, it feels more like a cleanup mission. For people like me who treat a phone as a functional tool—not a status symbol—the biggest challenge isn’t specs. It’s avoiding unwanted features and hidden nuisances.
1. Why Not iOS?
iPhones are great for some, but I’ve always preferred the freedom of Android. I like having control over how my device looks and works, and not being forced into a walled garden. But that freedom now often comes with bloat and invasive features—even on clean-looking phones.
2. Disposable Devices, Higher Costs
In the past, I’d keep my phone budget around HKD1500. These days, anything decent starts at around HKD3000. That’s fine—I’m not looking for flagship features. Just a stable daily driver for messaging, web, and practical tasks. Phones feel disposable now, and I treat them that way.
3. Nothing Phone 3a: Great, But With a Catch
I recently picked up the Nothing Phone 3a for HKD2600. It's a sleek device with good performance and minimal UI clutter. But it came with two frustrating features: “Essential Button” and “Essential Space.” These are unique to the Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro—not found on other Android devices.
The Essential Button, located right next to the power button, is far too easy to press by accident. It often triggers screenshots or launches Essential Space, which is a cloud-linked hub for notes, tasks, and other personal inputs. While these features aren’t forced, they are hardwired into the UX and promote data uploading with a free-tier limit—after which you're nudged to pay.
It feels intrusive for something I never wanted. Thankfully, I used ADB to remove both, and now the phone behaves the way it should: smooth, quiet, and distraction-free.
4. How I Actually Use My Phone
I don’t game or live on social media. My phone is for:
Messaging and email
YouTube and music with TWS
Sharing shopping snaps with my partner
Scouting photography locations
For real shooting? I carry my Ricoh GR. It handles street photography, behind-the-scenes, and even boudoir portraits. My phone camera is a utility; the GR is where the magic happens.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a clean, capable Android phone in 2025, the Nothing Phone 3a is a solid pick—but be ready to tweak it. Once you disable Essential Button and Essential Space, it becomes a great everyday tool for those who want performance and privacy without unnecessary cloud features.