I updated my iPhone yesterday (IOS 14.3) and the EAS is still toggled to enabled. It did try to set auto updates to on, but I toggled it back off.
I’m not going to stop updating my laptop. I run Linux anyway, specifically Kubuntu with KDE Plasma desktop. If we ever decide to get a second cell phone, I may get this; https://pine64.com/product/pinephone-community-edition-kde-plasma-mobile-with-convergence-package-limited-edition-linux-smartphone/?v=0446c16e2e66
Then I’d basically have the same OS on my phone that I run on my laptop, KDE Plasma. I already have KDE Connect on my laptop & phone which will connect them. I can get phone notifications on my laptop or visa versa, ring the phone if I can’t find it, use the phone as a touchpad/keyboard, synchronize contacts, share a clipboard, receive and reply to text messages via laptop, peruse files. Having KDE Plasma on both ought to make them super connected.