I believe it is still better due to raw material availability?

Do you have time to go to toilet?

In my case it is just for the present session. At least let me play Solitaire while the updates are running. And I always shutdown at the end of my day or end of updates hence uptime is not an issue for me.

They no longer allow local backup.

How did you use it? They no longer allow restoring from local backup AFAIK?

Volume Control (Simple volume control application without unnecessary features) https://f-droid.org/packages/com.punksta.apps.volumecontrol/

No it does not do it now. Only option is cloud restore. I have done it last week.

I think they do create a local backup for uploading to Google but do not restore from local backup.

Have you checked the official website of WhatsApp? You can only restore local backups if you are on older Android versions. On newer Androids it is only Google backup.

https://faq.whatsapp.com/6181521285295518/?helpref=hc_fnav&cms_platform=android Nowhere will you find reference to local backup other than this. And my experience confirms it.

You might have succeeded because you and I might have been part of A/B testing but this is going to be the future.

I feel like your ideas are on point. Please continue.