I’m a complete and utter newbie to this. But, based on the discussion about “not needing a new phone” and the availability of alternatives in Canada, can anyone recommend what might act as a suitable alternative to Android and iPhone OS. Ideally, I can keep my phone and just use a different OS. But I have some problems and could use some foundational knowledge to start my research and make a decision:
- I’m trying to keep my Samsung S21 Ultra as long as possible. I looked at Graphene and Lineage and both do not support it from what I can tell.
- Internet, heavy data use is not an issue. I have wi-fi wherever I go.
- I’d prefer not to buy a new phone. If I need to buy a used phone, I am leaning towards an older Pixel and Graphene OS. Is that a sound decision? If not, are there phones such as Fairphone (not in Canada…) to consider?
Used Pixel for grapheneOS is how I would go.
If OP can wait, GrapheneOS is partnering with Motorola, but those phones won’t be available until 2027.
Motorola is also involved in the surveillance industry, both with their own direct competitors to Flock cameras and as the owners of a company named Avigilon. 404media has reported on how both contibuted to surveillance in Alabama.
I wouldn’t buy a Google phone in pursuit of privacy, and I wouldn’t buy a Motorola one either. Sending money that direction defeats the purpose.
I wouldn’t buy a Google phone in pursuit of privacy, and I wouldn’t buy a Motorola one either.
So you just don’t have a phone?
While there’s no ethical consumption under capitalism yadda yadda there’s still degrees of bad. I would not buy from a company who is actively building the infrastructure of the fascist surveillance state. By Google phone here I meant a Google brand phone, not a phone that comes with Google Android. Buying a Google Pixel second hand is obviously better than buying anything new.
Basically I think it’s worth trying to avoid buying things from people who want to do you harm, and when compromises have to be made it’s still worth settling for less evil. Motorola and Google are not that.
Basically I think it’s worth trying to avoid buying things from people who want to do you harm
There is no option like that. The most ethical hardware option is probably Fairphone but they’re still ultimately selling you spy devices that will phone all your data back to Google, which is far more harmful than even throwing a couple bucks back at Google directly for hardware that will probably end up costing them more money than it makes them when you remove all their spyware.
I use a degoogled Fairphone. No money going to Google when I bought it, no data going to Google while I use it. You can also buy Fairphones new without Google Android.
more harmful than even throwing a couple bucks back at Google directly for hardware that will probably end up costing them more money than it makes them when you remove all their spyware.
This seems delusional. Even if they don’t run on huge profits from selling their devices you end up supporting their market dominance.
Even if they don’t run on huge profits from selling their devices you end up supporting their market dominance.
This seems delusional. Google does not enjoy any hardware “market dominance”. They make up just over 1% of the hardware market.
Fairphones are sold with /e/OS too. It’s almost entirely deGoogled.
Used market doesn’t send any money to Google and gets you access to grapheneOS. Seems like the perfect phone purchase.
Full Install Lineage OS 23 Android 16 ROM on Any Android or Motorola Phone!
Have you looked into Lineage OS?
Also as someone who did cell sales ages ago, I’ve always been happy with the Moto G line. I generally recommend it to anyone who wants better value.
Apparently Motorola will start supporting GrapheneOS on future top line models but no word on when/if that will extend to midrange
Unfortunately, there’s no alternative to a GrapheneOS phone nowadays.
- Linux phones: good privacy and good customization, but poor security, poor hardware support and poorish software support (e.g. android apps that require play verification)
- iOS: good security, almost okayish privacy, but you basically don’t own your phone
- Mainline Android: good compatibility, good hardware support, but poor to abysmal (depending on the make) security, poor to abysmal privacy, you almost don’t own your phone
- Lineage OS / iodeOS / etc: goodish privacy, adequate support for a lot of hardware, control over your phone, but poorish security, poorish software support (e.g. android apps that require play verification), lack of hardware support (e.g. the very S21)
- Fairphone & similar — they fall somewhere in the middle between mainline Android and LineageOS stuff — better privacy than mainline, more flexibility than mainline, but still dependency on Google whims, and poorish security.
That said, IMO there are two directions:
- Pixel phone (or Motorola in the future) + GrapheneOS — good software but new meh hardware —
- Current phone, maximally decrapped (ideally, almost everything but very core services disabled, e.g. via universal debloater or manually via adb) — much more private than mainline Android, relatively stable and with at least some baseline security + critical security patches from the OEM
Great OS comparison (Android-based only): https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm
I agree. GrapheneOS is the best (unless Google hardware is backdoored - does anyone check microchips with a microscope?).
Lineage OS / iodeOS / etc:
/e/OS is very beginner-friendly (as was Mandrake Linux from the same guy) compared to GrapheneOS, and it has been translated to more languages. My newest opinion about /e/OS after 1.5 years of use: https://piefed.social/post/2293825#comment_12563961
Amusingly LineageOS seems to support the S20 and the S22 but not yours!
I’ve been buying cheap used Pixels for the past few years (as in getting one, putting GrapheneOS on it, using it until it starts nagging me that it’s really definitely absolutely going to stop giving me security updates soon, and then looking around for deals on a newer old Pixel). GrapheneOS seems pretty good as something that gives you some good privacy and security while actually being usable as a daily driver, plus its absolutely trivial to install. If you’re feeling decadent you could wait for the supposed Motorola GrapheneOS phone next year instead, but there’s very little known about that.
Furi or Fairphone?
I am leaning towards an older Pixel and Graphene OS. Is that a sound decision?
Its the only decision, in my opinion. I realize that’s a hot take but the alternative is running a malicious operating system that serves Google’s interests (and some of Samsung’s) and theyve both gone out of their way and continue to take malicious actions to make and keep it that way. And I have no respect for companies with such disdain for their own customers.
