If you’re fine fiddling around with custom ROMs, then you can squeeze more years out of any existing phone. OnePlus, Samsung and Pixel being the easiest. OnePlus because of support, Samsung because of popularity and Pixel because it’s the closest to “pure”. Otherwise Motorola or Sony have the least bloatware after Google.
End-of-life: The Pixels 4 XL, 4, 3a XL, 3a, 3 XL, 3 are no longer being updated by Google, so the CalyxOS releases for these devices only contain the fixes to the open source components, such as the OS code and the Linux kernel. Proprietary components such as the bootloader, modem firmware, and other firmware no longer get updates.
If you’re fine fiddling around with custom ROMs, then you can squeeze more years out of any existing phone. OnePlus, Samsung and Pixel being the easiest. OnePlus because of support, Samsung because of popularity and Pixel because it’s the closest to “pure”. Otherwise Motorola or Sony have the least bloatware after Google.
RE: Custom ROMS:
CalyxOS still supports the Pixel 3, with the following Caveats:
https://calyxos.org/install/
GrapheneOS would probably work too! :)
I don’t mind Google’s bloatware because I use them. But thank you for the information!