I was already using Linux a lot of the time when Windows 7 was out, and seeing Microsoft push ads in the start menu, as well as all the other trash and pointless changes that they included with Windows 8+ just confirmed my decision to leave the Windows ecosystem.

But Microsoft don't want you to block ads either, so they'd never do that anyway.

I prefer headphones that don't magically become e-waste when the inbuilt battery wears out.

Plenty of phones with a removable battery are slim.