I upgraded from a Pixel 4a (running Calyxos) to a 8a, only because at some point Whatsapp videos broke on the 4a and friends got videos with some green encoding. Otherwise, I had no reason to upgrade.
I hate my new phone. I could use the 4a with one hand comfortably, but that is not the case with the 8a. My thumb does not reach the top of the screen like before. I have to hold it in diagonal position just to be able to do the gestures Android -by design- expects.
The fingerprint sensor moved from the back to the front. That design helped having the phone in the right direction when taking it out of my pocket. Now it comes half of the time upside down. The fingerprint sensor is bad. Half of the time does not work and I have to use the pin. On the 4a was flawless.
Camera is better. Yes.
Agree with you on everything. Moving the fingerprint sensor to underneath the screen is unbelievably stupid, even dumber than the Touch Bar. The Pixel leadership favored shipping something that looks cool to a few idiots to (I assume?) drive sales, over shipping something that works well and is ergonomic.
And even the idiots realize 0 seconds into using the new fingerprint sensor that it's a massive downgrade.
I fantasize about Apple releasing a phone with a fingerprint reader on the back just to teach the Pixel folks a lesson and force them to move the reader back to the back.