My current phone is starting to annoy me after 7 years of usage (Xiaomi Note 8 Pro) and I’m thinking of finally getting a new one. With that in mind, I’m considering setting up a De-Googled OS as well, but there are a few things that I cannot compromise on:

  • Google Maps (I need the live traffic data when in a hurry, otherwise CoMaps is very nice)
  • Banking Apps (I’ve checked them in the GrapheneOS list and they do seem to work)
  • Instagram (it sucks I know, but I like not being a hermit)
  • Company Portal & Teams (absolute garbage, but I need it for work)

If any one of these aren’t guaranteed to work, then it’s not an option for me right now.

If they do work, which De-Googled OS should I go for? GrapheneOS does seem like the most private one and maybe the most likely to remain worked on and supported for a long time, but it means that I’m going to have to buy a Pixel, probably a refurbished one.

Lastly, if I install another OS and regret it, is it possible to install the stock OS again?

Edit: Also, what happens after Google’s “Unverified App” decision has passed, will this affect these alternative OS?

  • BananaLama@lemmy.mlEnglish
    4·
    2 天前

    Nice thing about graphene is that you can put Instagram and the like in a different user but for some reason I can’t figure out how to get my sim to work while I’m using the other user profiles

    • Anna@lemmy.ml
      3·
      2 天前

      Go to user settings/manage usersthere you can enable SMS and calls

  • Anna@lemmy.ml
    3·
    2 天前

    GrapheneOS but check banking apps again because for me they were working till last year but then Google started enforcing Play integrity check instead of SafetyNet checks. I was able to do almost everything from website so there’s that

  • Autonomous@lemmy.world
    9·
    2 天前

    GrapheneOS devs have a very “I will tell you what to like, and you will like it!” attitude, which results in UI and navigation choices that bug the crap out of me.

    But I have to admit that for security and privacy it ranks at the top.

    • iByteABit@lemmy.mlOP
      2·
      1 天前

      Currently only Google Pixels are supported, but I would also like to know model recommendations. Is it worth getting a 9 and going beyond budget or is a 8 Pro second hand still good for its price?

  • N0t_5ure@lemmy.world
    3·
    3 天前

    I’ve been running GrapheneOS for several years now and I love it, and currently run it on a Pixel 9 Pro XL. Super easy to install and use. With respect to the things you can’t compromise on, you should be fine if you run the sandboxed Google Play services. I will say that my banking app updated a while back and now will not work with GrapheneOS, saying something about a lack of security, which I assume is because they probably added checks for stock android, so YMMV. If you buy a used Pixel, make sure you get one with an unlockable bootloader. Carrier phones have locked bootloaders, along with carrier locking, and when they unlock them they just unlock the carrier aspect so that you can use them on other carriers, and the bootloaders remain locked so you can’t wipe the OS and install another, so you have to make sure you get one with an unlockable bootloader. Some ebay sellers advertise this, making it easy to find what you need. If you ever want to revert to stock android, it is an easy change. Google’s “unverified app” decision does not affect GrapheneOS’ ability to sideload apps, as it is a completely different OS.

  • doodoo_wizard@lemmy.ml
    2·
    2 天前

    Yes the unverified apps thing will affect you no matter what. It’s not getting better any time soon. There are a lot of reasons for that.

    You can’t “de-google” if you are 100% married to googles navigation service. It’s gonna become much harder to avoid play services (the google play store and all its telemetry) if you need a banking app and teams even if they seem to work now because the “reasons” above.

    Other people have said that “privacy is a spectrum” in response to the following unconventional advice, and that’s true! Your conception of privacy may simply be getting away from the default apps and keeping the play store! Just keep that in mind:

    If you’re actually gonna do any of the things we consider phone stuff on your phone, in terms of privacy and security it goes graphene > appropriately configured ios > a big gap > everything else.

    Maybe consider switching. There isn’t a big cost difference anymore.

    Speaking from experience with both android and ios platfoms including many custom roms and the alternative repos/app stores, it’s much, much easier to stay as private and secure as possible on ios.

  • eldavi@lemmy.mlEnglish
    31·
    3 天前

    my list is the same as yours (minus android auto) and i’ve been wondering the same thing so i have decided to offload the capabilities that i need on my current phone while tethering it to my new lineage or graphene phone.

    it seems that graphene is more secure, but i hate google with a fiery passion so i refuse to support them in any way including supporting their second hand market. i’ve also NEVER had good luck buying second hand personal electronics so it would be foolish for me to do it again. also: my goal is to de-google and my privacy threat is the local police and ice; not the cia, nsa, the rest of homeland security or mossad; so that makes both graphene and lineage work for me.

    on the other hand: lineage supports more devices, but i looked the other day at the most recently released phone models and pixels top that list too; so it seems that going w a pixel opens to door to letting you use both graphene and lineage if you decide that you like one more than the other.

    i was going to purchase an e/os device from murena up until a few weeks ago until its ceo showed his stripes in public and made he clear that he’s thinks that only criminals was this sort of security.

      • eldavi@lemmy.mlEnglish
        1·
        2 天前

        the last phone i purchased like this from ebay never showed up and the seller, shipper and my credit card company all refused to take take responsibility nor would they re-imburse me.

        the previous phone’s speaker didn’t work, so i tried to use the manufacturer’s warranty to fix it, but they refused since i wasn’t the original buyer and the person who sold it to me on amazon refused to refund me because it took the manufacturer weeks to respond. amazon also refused because of the time limit.

        the previous phone kept overheating and shutting off randomly and the seller ghosted me and everyone else by shutting down shop so there was no one file a grievance against.

        and that’s only phones, i’ve had similar problems with laptops, ear-buds/head-phones, tablets, etc. so i refuse to buy any used personal electronics now.

  • utopiah@lemmy.ml
    32·
    3 天前

    "considering setting up a De-Googled OS as well, but there are a few things that I cannot compromise on:

    • Google Maps"

    Sorry but … is this a joke?

  • MaddestMax@lemmy.world
    12·
    1 天前

    ☝🏻This. BUT, if you can’t wait until Samsung Motorola drops their GOS model, you might get longer life out of it. But GOS support window is pretty broad. Can’t remember exactly, but I think it’s 5 years. So getting a Pixel wouldn’t be horrible.

    EDIT: second time I made that mistake today. Must have Samsung on the mind. Love the fact that people down vote the reply even though the error doesn’t change the message. Never change, basement dwellers.