I would suggest an iPhone 14 (not pro) since the back glass is easy replaceable on that model and you can get it for a decent price nowadays

The sad part is the things poking through the screen were designed as leaf springs to keep from the screen pressing onto the components. at least that’s what it looks like.

That’s more of a band issue, different regions operate on various frequencies. Buy the phone from your region or make sure it supports the necessary bands on your network before buying.

To be honest, I used to love the pixel lineup, but after constant hardware issues and longevity concerns I realize that to me hardware matters more than software.

Although I have many gripes with iOS, when I’m spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a smartphone that I plan to keep for at least four years, the iPhone is a much better choice.

Apple would be nothing without the iPhone and their reputation in the hardware space matters. Whereas Google will most definitely survive even if its entire hardware division fails.

It’s sad to say, but Google cannot be trusted to manufacturer high-quality devices. Companies like Apple and Samsung that are hardware businesses first, have a lot more riding on them to produce good hardware.