I was thinking about using graphene OS, but I’ve read some lemmy users dislike this OS due to perceived misleading advertising and the pixel 7a you’re supposed to install graphene on because it’s from google (an advertising company).
Another option would be lineage OS, but there is so much false information about this OS, namely compatible phones that simply don’t work with this OS and no support.
what works for you? I want a phone with no google, that doesn’t force me to use the manufacturer’s ecosystem and that won’t show the apps I don’t want or need (on an asus I own you cannot neither get rid nor hide bloatware)
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I am on a pixel 7 with graphene OS. Been great. Ive been using this phone for about a year or so now.
Also posting from a Pixel 7 running Graphene for abouta year. No issues, I use Fdroid for most apps and Aurora when I have too. Only bummer is I haven’t found a good FOSS keyboard with swipe. Really miss gboard for that and gif insertion.
Have you tried Heliboard? You’ll need to download a (proprietary?) library for it though. https://github.com/Helium314/HeliBoard
I use proprietary AOSP because I require online banking :(
Couldn’t you use the website?
Not sure why GrapheneOS is getting down voted so much here, did I miss something recent that happened?
I’ve been using GrapheneOS on my Pixel 6a for around 2 years and really like it.
If I couldn’t use GOS though, I would probably go with DivestOS. I haven’t looked deep into other alternative Android ROMs.
The reason why GrapheneOS is hated here is because one single user who spreads constantly misinfo about the project.
I’ve read some lemmy users dislike this OS due to perceived misleading advertising and the pixel 7a you’re supposed to install graphene on because it’s from google
There is no misleading advertisement. Go with Graphene if you own a Pixel (from Pixel 5 up) or you can find a cheap second-hand one.
there is so much false information about this OS, namely compatible phones that simply don’t work
Care to share which devices are you talking about? If a device is officially supported by the latest LineageOS version, it works.
There isn’t any Foss phone. Graphene os and everything else requires proprietary software for the modem to operate at a minimum.
If you are ok with some proprietary software go with Lineage OS.
For devices that support Lineage OS go here: https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/
Stuck on a relatively new Galaxy rn, but if I could install a custom ROM, it would be GNOME shell mobile
GrapheneOS is perfect. Pixel phones are Google hardware yes, but works like a dream once GOS is installed. NO MORE GOOGLE !!! Frequent OS updates, love it
I loved it too until I forgot my wallet one day. It’s the one thing I had to go back to stock Android for because I forget everything but my phone constantly.
You can’t pay with the phone with GrapheneOS?
I’m afraid not. You can have Google Wallet installed but you can’t have bank cards on it on GrapheneOS.
Edit: this link for more context
Ty. Saving others some time:
Contactless payments work fine on GrapheneOS. It’s not like there’s something fundamentally incompatible about them. It just so happens that the most prevalent implementation (Gpay) requires a Google certified OS. The options right now are as follows:
People find alternatives (such as their bank) which provide this without using Gpay and don’t require a certified OS themselves.
This is implemented, which would at least temporarily allow people to use apps that require a certified OS on GrapheneOS: https://github.com/GrapheneOS/os-issue-tracker/issues/1986
Apps currently requiring a Google certified OS whitelist it as per https://grapheneos.org/articles/attestation-compatibility-guide (though it is of course very unlikely that Google themselves would do this)
But:
Barclays in the UK is only one example of contactless payments working without Google Pay, there are other banks in France for example for which we’ve had reports of similar contactless payment systems working. They exist; though I’m under no illusions that they’re prevalent, since I imagine from their POV, implementing Google Pay is much easier and maintainable.
On the spoofing CTS checks thing, I did not mean to insinuate that you or some other user would be the one to implement this. When I said “an option is for this to be implemented”, I meant the development team adding it to GrapheneOS. The issue is currently open and was opened by someone on the development team, so it’s not a feature that the team has ruled out. As with everything on GrapheneOS, though, the best way to approach it has to be determined, which can take time.
On your 3rd point, lobbying Google to whitelist GrapheneOS by using that guide is realistically never going to happen. Other OEMs that have to go through certification and pass CTS (compatibility test suite) which GrapheneOS doesn’t (because it adds things like new permissions which deviate from the compatibility goals that Android has set) would be outraged if that ever happened. In fact, I would wager that it would be a much more realistic scenario for someone to invest millions into funding a company that provides an alternative to Google Pay without puttng it behind a CTS check, rather than Google ever whitelisting GrapheneOS.
When someone says “contactless payments don’t work on GrapheneOS”, it’s not immediately clear to everyone that what is meant by that is “there aren’t good options for people to use right now” and I wouldn’t want someone to think that contactless payments are fundamentally incompatible with GrapheneOS, or that it breaks them somehow. Contactless payments via Gpay on GrapheneOS don’t work as of right now for the exact same reason why the McDonalds app in some countries (I kid you not) doesn’t. SafetyNet / Play Integrity API and their ctsProfileMatch and MEETS_DEVICE_INTEGRITY checks accordingly.
I’ve used Lineage on multiple devices, Calyx, and Graphene. Graphene by far has the least issues (basically none), and the best compatibility in my experiences. Being able to relock the boot loader is perfect for a mobile device too.
just so everyone is aware grapheneos only support’s pixels because it is specifically designed for taking advantage of the hardware security features found in google’s tensor and titan chips. and thus installing it on another phone would kinda miss the point (and vastly increase the scope of the project)
google is also basically the best company when it comes to phones for custom roms, as they provide stock images, a simple bootloader unlocking process (that doesn’t void your warranty as far as i can tell), and generally the aosp and software support that comes from being the phone of the developer of android.
I’m using /e/ os for more than 3 years on different devices (with some customizations) and it works like a charm. An important aspect is that you can install e on any phone that has the bootloader unlock and supports GSIs - theoreticaly any device that runs Android > 9
/e/ has a gsi image which is neat!
I don’t use nor promote any banking apps or other G**gle/proprietary dependendent apps.
Why nobody talks more about e.foundation /e/ OS?
Enlighten me please 🙂
Any chance to use Whatsapp on /e/ ?
You can, but the question is why would you contribute to their data collection? Try: signal.org
I use Signal, but I’m unable to force everybody to do the same.
Not need to force anyone to use anything mate!
Here is my personal example: I made my choices a long time ago…
I ditched ANY:
- M$ related product/service;
- ALL Meta (as in Wazaaap);
- closed source apps;
- i have 0 IoTs around my ass, but a nice computer infrastructure built in more than a few decades;
- no friends around with i Phones …
AND still I need to do so much about privacy and my life in general and I continue to learn & apply as much as I can…
Also, I kindly invited and explained others why I choose to ditch products/software/companies/people that do not respect Humans in general and consider all of as as being just dumb “assets”…
Indeed it feels lonely sometimes, but i prefer the silence rather than noise/propaganda/parotting/or really any kind of bullshit.
Peace!
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I like grapheneos, very close to stock android without google shit
- you got bonus settings like the sensors toggle
Lineage is kinda bad privacy and security wise, from the little I know its not fully degoogled
Lineage is kinda bad privacy and security wise, from the little I know its not fully degoogled
My understanding is kinda the opposite:
- GrapheneOS ships with a sandboxed, FOSS Google Play Services which can optionally do a bunch of Google things (use their APIs, login to Google etc.) plus they have some hosted services that can substitute Google services (like geolocation).
- LineageOS basically doesn’t ship with any Google Play style API/frameworks at all. It’s a pure AOSP experience. Any apps on F-Droid work but third party apps (like ones found on Google Play) are hit and miss. If you can just use F-Droid for all of your apps then LineageOS is probably a much more private and secure offering.
- LineageOS for microG is an unofficial fork of LineageOS which includes a FOSS Google Play Services compatibility layer, a bit like GrapheneOS. As far as I know it doesn’t have the same level of sandboxing as Sandboxed Google Play on GrapheneOS.
Both GrapheneOS and LineageOS publish monthly updates with upstream security patches for all supported devices.
Both GrapheneOS use network-provided DNS by default.
Apparently both GrapheneOS and LineageOS connect to connectivitytest.gstatic.com via http as a Captive Portal test by default,althoughh this was as of 2019-2020 and both might have changed since then.
GrapheneOS ships with a sandboxed, FOSS Google Play Services which can optionally do a bunch of Google things (use their APIs, login to Google etc.) plus they have some hosted services that can substitute Google services (like geolocation).
GrapheneOS doesn’t ship with any Google services by default. We do provide an easy and safe way to install the Google Play components if desired, they are run under the same sandbox and constraints as any other ordinary app you install. Because they expect privileged access that they don’t get on GrapheneOS, we add a compatibility layer that essentially teaches them to work under the normal circumstances that is the sandbox. If you don’t want them you don’t have to do anything, they are not present in that case.
LineageOS basically doesn’t ship with any Google Play style API/frameworks at all. It’s a pure AOSP experience. Any apps on F-Droid work but third party apps (like ones found on Google Play) are hit and miss. If you can just use F-Droid for all of your apps then LineageOS is probably a much more private and secure offering.
LineageOS does make connections to Google by default, as does AOSP. GrapheneOS changes those connections while LineageOS doesn’t. They can be viewed here:
https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm
Keep in mind, that table isn’t exhaustive. It lists the regular connections AOSP makes and how each OS handles them, but doesn’t include information on any additional connections that occur.
You can absolutely download apps from F-Droid on GrapheneOS, what makes you think you can’t, and how did you conclude that LineageOS is more private and secure?
Both GrapheneOS and LineageOS publish monthly updates with upstream security patches for all supported devices.
LineageOS is pretty commonly behind on updates. As an example, it seems that LineageOS 21 (based on Android 14 QPR1) came out in February of this year.
https://9to5google.com/2024/03/12/lineageos-21-review/
You cannot ship the full security patches without being on the latest version of Android, which is Android 14 QPR3 now. Of course, if the device is EOL, that’s doubtly the case, and no OS can fix that.
Apparently both GrapheneOS and LineageOS connect to connectivitytest.gstatic.com via http as a Captive Portal test by default,althoughh this was as of 2019-2020 and both might have changed since then.
I don’t know if this was the case in 2019, but it certainly isn’t the case now. On GrapheneOS, you have the choice of using the GrapheneOS server for the internet connectivity check, changing it to Google’s server or even disabling it altogether.
Most of this is right, but needs some things corrected.
LOS is kept up by individual maintainers of the devices, and so it can cover more of them. But that also means you expand your attack surface to lineage, maintainer, microg, etc. And that’s just on supported devices. Unofficial devices are even more wild-west, having much delayed releases, OS updates, security updates, everything.
Not only that, but Lineage requires that you unlock your bootloader and often have your phone rooted to be able to do everything. This introduces special points of insecurity and possible issues in the future.
GOS is from a single source, for a single line of phones, and uses a designed method to load cryptographically signed ROMs onto the device, and then validate updates using the same method. The Play Services are sandboxed and disabled by default, so you can just never use them if you want. Overall, this makes for a more cohesive device. One that is more private and more secure. Especially so, when you can buy a new Pixel device and have guaranteed updates for as long as Google will do so for the same device.
the play services are not installed by default*
Thank you, I missed that
Used pixels are surprisingly cheap for how well they hold up over time, and graphene works well.
I totally agree. Used pixels are superb with grapheneos. Syncthing is what i use ad a backup. I think the problemi is that google stops releasing updates after 5 yearss old units don’t get updates I think. I have the 5th June build and it reports a security update of December 2023.
If you don’t live in the EU. Here you get a better new phone from xiaomi/motorola/oneplus than a pixel for the same price. Yes, I get grapheneos and relockable bootloader, but used things are too expensive here. If you need a cheap phone, buy a cheap phone (fuck EU’s import regulations).
I don’t know what you are on about, but if brand-new Pixels are too expensive for you (although their price is uniformed to the US one), you can easily find them second-hand.
For example at a time where my Pixel 7 was available for 500$ (466€) in the USA + 100$ trade in (93€) for my Galaxy S8 = 400$ = 373€ it still was 620€ in Austria on Amazon, the only way to buy it because Google did not offer it through their Google store here and normal stores didn’t go below 650€. I could’ve gotten 20€ trade in for my old phone = 600€. 60% more than in the USA at the same time.
Used market basically didn’t exist because Pixels generally were a bit overpriced
GrapheneOS is probably the best option out there.
As you said, it’s only for Pixels currently, because
- They are more secure than most other phones. They have some kind of chip built in that makes them superior. I don’t know the specifics, but other commentators might add some information if needed. Something with encryption if I remember correctly. The GrapheneOS team is a bit …picky… when it comes to security, and most other phones don’t reach their requirements for a secure device.
- Google is one major contributor to Android, and their phones are fine tuned to work perfectly with it. Other manufacturers’ phones feel less polished.
- It’s easier to maintain one line of devices that are very similar, instead of keeping hundred phones up to date and secure. Pixels are similar to iPhones, they get updated almost simultaneously and are similar. If you now add a phone from a different line, e.g. a Fairphone or Nothing Phone, things get more complicated. If you look at Calyx (more onto that later), the FP4 caused quite some headaches for the dev team.
Pixels are cheap(ish) for what you get, and I believe Google makes them so cheap because 99% of users don’t care which ROM/OS is installed. Those are the advertisment-cows that will get milked. If you buy a Pixel and install a custom ROM on it, they will loose money.
My experience with GrapheneOS has been great. My Pixel 5 hit EOL a while ago and still gets maintenance updates almost weekly.
Many security additions are overkill for me, but quite some make a lot of sense.I used CalyxOS for a year too, but now that I don’t get full updates anymore, I don’t feel safe anymore with it.
I think GrapheneOS is technically superior to Calyx, especially due to the sandboxing they do. MicroG has full root privileges and can do with your phone what it wants, while also breaking some apps due to missing dependencies. If you choose to enable Play Services on GrapheneOS, they are user level and heavily restricted, and only you decide how much access you want to give them.
Regarding Calyx, since they don’t limit themselves as much in terms of security, they also offer a ROM for the Fairphone. Maybe check that out too.
DivestOS also seems to be a good option. AFAIK it’s based on LineageOS and supports a lot of devices, while being more secure than LOS.
Regarding Linux phones, I don’t have any experience with them. I tried Phosh (Mobile Gnome) on an exhibition a while ago, and it felt great and interesting, but from what I’ve heard, they are nowhere as good as Android.
My personal ranking:
- GrapheneOS on a Pixel. Get an used/ refurbished device if you don’t want to support Google. Best price-performance ratio, great OS, and very good hardware (battery life, camera, etc.)
- CalyxOS on a Fairphobe. Modular device with good repairability. Nowhere near as good in terms of what you’ll get for your money. Better security than 95% of other phone ROMs, oh, and you can just swap your battery in seconds if you want that :D
- DivestOS on a random supported phone, e.g. a China device. Nowhere near as sustainable (short lived update support, no spare parts, etc.)
- Linux phone. Only a good option for a tinkering device right now imo.
Also, as for reasoning for choosing a Pixel, Pixels are not really a product for Google but rather a device for Google employees to test things on but as a consequence can be sold as well. This makes them perfect for hacking
- Linux phone. Only a goof option for a tinkering device right now imo.
Honestly not sure if you mean “good” or actually meant “goof” there lol
Great synopsis!
The cool thing about GrapheneOS: It provides basically all the comforts and usability as any Android (stock) ROM minus some compatibility issues with a portion of Google Apps and services (Google Pay doesn’t and probably will never work, for example) while providing state-of-the-art security and privacy if you choose to utilize those features. A modern Pixel with up-to-date GrapheneOS, configured the right way, is literally the most secure and private smartphone you can get today.
Same here, I have an old Pixel 4a that still gets security updates from GrapheneOS. Banking apps and Amazon don’t seem to like it, but I don’t mind just doing those on my laptop anyway.
Banking apps and Amazon don’t seem to like it
Try going into the app’s settings and toggle Exploit protection compatibility mode. That let me use my banking apps that didn’t work before.
