This is precisely why myself and my wife are full-on Nexus users.
And this is why I won't attempt to it, since I really don't know what I'm doing. I'd love to use Cyanogenmod but probably won't until I buy a new phone that I feel more comfortable flashing a ROM onto. Looks like I'll just live with crapware for now :)
I have a Sony Xperia Z2 now and I chose the root option instead of the (available) Cyanogenmod install for it since Sony, while being very open to rooting etc., chooses to remove some image enhancement functionality on flashed devices. The root has enabled me to remove a lot of the junk and also install the Xposed framework along with XPrivacy. The latter enables fine-grained control of permissions by app.
Sure it is a bit of work but it depends on how you value your private data. I realize ultimately it might be futile but I am planning to put in as much effort as makes sense to protect my data as best as I know how.
I don't want to go back to a dumbphone. I like having a computer in my hand. But what with privacy, the unsafety of apps, the crapware … what's the point anymore?
I'm pleased with the phone otherwise, and would buy it again.
I don't think Google's new Pixel strategy will work well for them. My opinion is Android is inferior to Apple on almost every dimension and I own an android because it was $400 instead of $1k for iphone (7 is $650 + $100 for more than 32g storage + case + 3-5 headphone cables + applecare + tax). So I was hoping for a Pixel that was a good replacement for my Nexus 5 which just decided that using bluetooth should reboot the phone...
Granted these are more generalizations but they're a bit of a cliche for a reason. Still, the combination of a bit more flexibility and the ability to buy a Nexus (or that one time, a Moto X) for $350-450 instead of $650 and up for an iPhone has kept me in the Android camp for the past several years.
I've also been holding off on replacing my Nexus 5 and will still wait to see just what the word is on these new Pixel phones but I will say that the higher, more iPhone-like price means I'm likely to be less forgiving of minor issues or complaints that I'd just deal with on a device that costs 2/3 as much.
Just as my Asus laptop has a worse screen than a similar Macbook sold at the time but cost $950 instead of $2200 for otherwise similar specs, I have no problem accepting some tradeoffs for the right price. But if that Asus had be marked at $1950 compared to the $2200 Macbook, I might have just gone with the better viewing angles and better support record.
Still, it's all just speculation. We all make our purchasing decisions after we get a chance to evaluate all of the options. Until the devices and reviews show up, it's all a bit premature.
How botched are their security lockdown of their phones compared to the Nexus line?
Can't seem to find a list of CVE's fixed with each update (not in their changelogs, that they only post on the forum...) , based on that, they do not fix known security problems.