The aesthetic could also use a revamp. Nothing tailored to smartphone usage (blech), but maybe something that fills the screen by default, and improves readability?

I don't get this. old.reddit, whilst functional is dated. People use it because they're used to it - but I wouldn't characterise it as an amazing design.

new.reddit is appalling. Piefed and Lemmy are by no means perfect. No site is. I think people really overstate the necessity of having an amazing aesthetic or user-interface.