Google benefits from the development made. Asus not so much. Been using pixel phones for ages now.

Most things works fine, if they don't there are ways around it, like installing the neutered play version. Only hard NO currently is Gpay.

Not missing root functionality things at all

And decent hardware, working out of the box and plenty of other thing I assume..

Oh well.. interesting to see how this slides further down. Might be the push Linux phones need. I think my current phone will be the last android I will have

Monero is the private one. But also if you transfer your broker gotten bitcoins to another bitcoin wallet there is no evidence that that belongs to you. You can have sent them to someone else.

IPs do not show in any ledgers

Internet without VPN is like sending all your things on postcards instead of in envelopes in the mail. Yea https and more mitigate a lot but still.