GrapheneOS is such a staple for me now. Been waiting for it to be released for the Pixel 8 since I got the phone at launch… it doesn’t have the annoying search bar or the unmovable widget telling you the weather… Regardless of the security and privacy it offers… And its just pretty.
You still have the benefit of Google not having unrestricted access to all corners of the device. You can still install google apps and then lock them down to only have access to what is required.