My current phone is 7 years old, does not support recent android versions, and battery life is becoming atrocious. This feels like right time to change my phone.
Currently, I know of & am considering 3 options:
- Google Pixel
- iPhone
- Samsung Galaxy
I heard that Pixel is the best choice for privacy, despite it being Google^TM. Should I go with it, and install Graphene OS or similar options? The very fact that the name “Google” is attached makes me nervous. Also, I don’t think I can trust android, so I would have to install Graphene OS or the like. In the case, app support would be lacking, though.
I am considering iPhone as well, since it has “reputation” of being secure. Of course, Apple can access my data, but that might be a good enough compromise? Honestly, I don’t know. It’s the best supported option as well - lots of apps support iPhone.
Galaxy is just the one that I am the most familiar with (my current one is Galaxy S8). I don’t trust it, though. Do they even make good hardware nowadays?
EDIT: Turns out, Pixel phones are poorly supported by local telecomm companies. It is relatively cheap though. Still worth it?
EDIT2: I heard that data & message is fine, but the call quality is impacted by lack of VoLTE compatibility.
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Nokia 3310
Also, I don’t think I can trust android,
Yes. Google’s framework service seems to be spyware.
so I would have to install Graphene OS or the like.
GrapheneOS does seem to be the best way to address the privacy concerns with Android. There’s also LineageOS and others.
In the case, app support would be lacking, though.
Uh…Android is the single most popular operating system in the history of operating systems. The app support is quite good.
If you mean because many apps require Google Farmwork Services, and GrapheneOS replaces it - I find that to be a largely solved problem. The GrapheneOS neutered rebuild of Google Framework Services now fools most apps into working.
It’s been years since I encountered an app that actually couldn’t run on GrapheneOS, unless the app was aggressively trying to spy on me.
The remaining issue tends to be bank and credit union apps, which aggressively spy on their users “for security”. I work around this by using my credit union’s mobile website, instead. It has all of the same features without the spying, anyway.
Just for clarity, Graphene doesn’t provide a “neutered” version of play services - the version of play services which runs is the same code as provided by Google, with the only difference being that it runs in a sandbox which only grants it the same level of permission as normal apps (which you can choose to grant or not) rather than running as effectively root on your device like it does on most android phones.
My old phone is on its last leg, but I’m holding out for a Huawei or VIVO with HarmonyNextOS. I so want to end everything Google.
shift
Out of the options you mentioned, Pixel with a custom rom (GrapheneOS, CalyxOS, etc.) is probably the best bet. Seconded by any Samsung that could run a custom rom, though I agree with others here that the hardware is better on the Pixels. Plus they have extra security hardware features that will be better. Of course, if things are weird with your telecom, that might effect things (trust me, been there with an Ubuntu Touch phone before.)
Another option you could look at depending on where you are is Murena’s phones. They have a bunch of options pre-flashed with their de-Googled rom /e/ os. Not my favorite rom, but still not bad! And of course those can be flashed with another rom if you want as well!
I owned 4 Samsungs: S8, S10e, S22 and S24 Ultra. Their products got worse. An example is the recent One Ui 7 update, it is just terrible: My notification area that works perfectly fine before, is now changed; my battery life got worse…etc.
Even if I ignore the update, Samsung products are just not great anymore. Remember when a Galaxy can take really great photos? Those days are gone. My S24 Ultra takes the worst pictures in comparison to a Xiaomi or Huawei. Heck, even the controversial Asus Zenfone 10 takes better picture. Sure the Galaxy has better Megapixels, but the AI bullshit makes it so the colors are all wrong.
With that said, you want to go for Pixel + GrapheneOS. Anything that is close to stock Android should be ok. Oh, and stay away from anything with a lot of AI.
If you swipe down on the notifs twice, you can edit them to be similar to the previous style.
On topic of your post, fuuuuck everything about their forcing AI, but my biggest gripe is how they moved the audio display (from, like, Spotify or audiobook readers/podcast apps) to the bottom of the lock screen as a tiny bar on the bottom instead of showing me all the info as it did before. It’s super annoying when I swipe to unlock and pause what I’m listening to.
yeh the other day I accidentally swiped down and touched the Media section. It automatically played my music, eventhough the music app was off lol. Luckily it didnt play any “videos”…
This! I even installed an AOSP Rom to get rid of this shit.
On a Samsung Galaxy? I have one and am also similarly frustrated with the changes, but it seems like the support for custom roms is poor.
I am considering iPhone as well, since it has “reputation” of being secure.
Which doesn’t mean private.
Pixel+Graphene is a common suggestion.
For real privacy you can’t beat these.
Pinephone. It is what I use.
I’ve been rocking a Pixel 8 pro with Graphene OS for a year and change and it was a great experience after being an iPhone user for 8 years aproximately.
The install process is great, automatic and foolproof, you just need the phone, usb cable (probably came with your phone) and a computer with a Chromium-based browser.
App support hasn’t been a problem for me, you can reach for Aurora Store (anonymous Play Store client) if you really need something from there. Otherwise you have F-droid and the usual suspects and also Accrescent, which Graphene offers through its own app store, but barely has anything as of today.
I setup Shelter to have some apps more isolated and being able to just not see them if I want, namely some Microsoft apps I need for work and some that depend o Google’s services. Shelter is recommended by privacyguides.org, so you should be fine using it.
I think Pixel/Graphene is probably your best option for security if you need it. Privacy I guess you can achieve many other ways.
Any inconveniences you’ve noticed with Graphene? For example I’ve heard tap to pay functionality doesn’t work.
I guess there are some tradeoffs, for sure. I’ve encountered a couple things:
- Bad location functionality. The phone is most likely to blame for this, but I can’t say with certainty. GOS uses a custom proxy server for location related operations, so maybe that’s the reason, or maybe I fiddled too much with settings and messed something up.
- Very ocasional crashes due to exploit protection. This almost never happens, but can be annoying. Some app may have a bug that would be overlooked by another OS or try to access some feature that is considered exploitable and the system will kill it, letting you know why with a notification. You can fine-tune these protections at the system or app level to make it work for you though (at your own risk).
- If “tap to pay” refers to NFC payments through some app like Google Pay, I think they do work. You just have to enable NFC (you can even enable it only if the device is unlocked, which is cool), and configure contactless payments with your payment app. I don’t use this feature though, so I’m not speaking from personal experience.
I think that’s it, really. I found the actual user experience to be quite breezy.
- The location functionality has significantly improved recently since it no longer relies solely on GPS, but yeah, it could still be improved.
- Generally, I’ve found the apps that tend to have problems with exploit protection are games, VPNs, and banking apps (which is probably the sort of app you’d most want exploit protection on…). I’m not sure if I’ve ever had an actual problem with other apps honestly.
- While NFC works, Google Pay does not. Google needs to basically certify the OS for it to work, and they refuse to do so (monopoly gonna monopoly). Basically, this means if you’re in the US or some other country where Google Pay is pretty much the only payment option on Android, NFC payments don’t work. Some places in Europe at least have NFC payments available through banking apps though, so if you happen to reside in one of those countries and your bank has one of those apps with payment support, you should be fine.
Tanks for your clarification!
- Pixel, and immediately install GrapheneOS.
- A Linux based phone, like the PinePhone or Purism 5, and run your Android apps (if desired) inside Waydroid.
- Pixel, and immediately install GrapheneOS.
I am surprised Google still allows to open the bootloader, with all the bitching they have been doing towards sideloading apps, play integrity BS and making android more similar to iOS in general terms…
Googles devices have always been able to have custom ROMs, I even had a Nexus 2 long ago and that was moddable.
Yeah, but you need to concede that their efforts to block “unofficial” users have strengthened as of lately… That’s why I think they might do a Xiaomi move sooner or later.
I didn’t realize that Purism phones don’t have internationally compatible modems. As someone who travels a lot, that’s unfortunately a dealbreaker.
Por que no los e/OS with a Morena phone?
e/OS/ is often behind on Android monthly security patches by a month or more. Insecure and not very deblobbed of proprietary blobs, especially when compared to GrapheneOS.
e/OS is miles behind GrapheneOS and even CalyxOS. I see no reason to go that route if you’ll be much better served by any modestly modern Pixel phone and GrapheneOS.
Does GrapheneOS support inTune Company Portal and work profiles? I would love to switch but my work requires these to install teams and outlook
GrapheneOS affords you the ability to have completely isolated and distinct phone profiles, where you can install all your required work apps. They are installed separate from your main profile, kind of like second or third phone. No need for a completely different device.
GrapheneOS instantiates an improved version of this feature that Android already offers. It’s a great way to keep things separate. I do the same. Who wants to stuff their pockets or bags with more phones?
The best solution in that situation is to have a work phone and a personal phone. If your own private phone cannot install the work apps then it’s up to your employer to ensure you have the tools you need for your work.
From an IT Security perspective that is what your employer should want too as that allows them to confiscate the phone if letting you go.If your own private phone cannot install the work apps then it’s up to your employer to ensure you have the tools you need for your work.
Tell me you don’t work in a non-union job in the USA without telling me you don’t work in a non-union job in the USA.
Well, you couldn’t pay me to be in the USA
Edit: salty, aren’t we.
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Please note: You must buy the “Unlocked - Works with any carrier” version of the Pixel via Googles website (or from a reputable source that ensures it is/was not carrier locked). Anything else will have a permanently locked boot loader and no way to install Graphene.
Depends on the carrier and the specific deal. I have a Pixel 7 Pro from T-Mobile. And it was able to be unlocked after one year of service in good standing. T-Mobile has traditionally been pretty good about that, though that kind of thing often shifts once companies have major mergers. And the Sprint merger screwed them up in a lot of ways that are still working their way down to customers losing services and features.
Oh my, that sounds difficult. What does “permanently locked bootloader” mean? I was just going to buy at local phone shop…
EDIT: Turns out, local phone shop does not sell Google Pixel. Gotta buy from official google store…
Actually, if you buy a Pixel, you need to get the “google edition” version, which google sells directly. If you’re buying used, specifically search for the “google edition” version. I have a Pixel 6 Pro running Graphine OS and I love it. It’s not difficult to install.
I usually just buy them used.
You have to look for the unlocked version though. They usually sell for a little bit more but it’s worth paying the extra.
Where can the seller check if it is the unlocked one?
Setting --> About Phone --> Software information --> Tap Build Number 7 times, type pin if prompted. --> Back to Main Settings menu --> Developer Options --> Look for a “Allow Bootloader to be Unlocked” or similar wording. If you can check the box, it should be bootloader unlockable. (I’ve never tried it myself, I just dig around settings a lot through curiosity)
“Permanently locked bootloader” means you can’t unlock the bootloader so you can flash a different OS. If you can’t unlock the bootloader, you can’t flash. A lot of phones are like this, like Samsung’s galaxy series. I got really fucked by Samsung with the S10 because of this. You need to buy a specific type of phone and security patch if you want to flash. I went with the Pixel bought unlocked from Google so I could use GrapheneOS. It was very easy to unlock the bootloader and then relock it back. I noticed you said the pixel does not have good reception in your country, I would look more into this before going with it if this is the case.
I got my Pixel 7 from T-Mobile… The OEM unlocking toggle shows up in developer settings. An internet search implies I have a unicorn.
best choice for privacy […] “reputation” of being secure
Disentangling privacy and security, and potentially other priorities, e.g. secrecy, anonymity, etc might be important before making suggestion.
Another way to help deciding what is the best choice for you, not necessarily anybody else, is what is your threat model?
An analogy I thought recently is “Are you putting a very tough lock on your door but leaving the windows opened?” or “Are you locking your car but walking outside naked?”. The point here is not to imply that people do obvious mistakes but rather that, truly there are people who go to parades naked AND lock their cars. The concerns can be orthogonal and thus must be considered individually. For that I believe thinking about “who the enemy is” as a way to discover your threat model is interesting, namely :
Are you worried by :
- government getting your private data without your consent?
- government doing so automatically and cheaply through intermediaries e.g. platforms?
- government doing so via extremely costly individual security attacks e.g. 0-days, with a “legit” hacker manually doing it?
- small private companies?
- platforms?
- your actual neighbor?
The answer to those questions will then provide you a more limited set of options. Basically I would argue only the 3rd option ties tightly with security but that’s up to a certain extent and companies like Pegasus shows that it can also be done at scale, for profit. Still, AFAICT it wasn’t done for a random person BUT that was few years ago.
Anyway one you go through options, e.g. iPhone vs Android vs deGoogled Android vs Linux phone vs dumb phone you will see your usage itself will have to change. This is not necessarily a bad thing but it is not something most people will think about initially.
I suggest then to… try. I know it’s not the answer you want but what you are asking for, I believe, is genuine change. It is about the technology, yes, but it also is about your habits. Consequently it is a process with some success, failures, cascading changes and thus IMHO must be iterated on.
It is worth it though.
Using a Pixel 6 with Graphene here with google services in their sandbox. It’s pretty neat, especially with apps like Firefox+uBlock and GrayJay, which let me also block 99% of ads, which was very important to me. I have not had trouble with any banking apps either.
In my opinion, the Google Pixel with GrapheneOS is considered the gold standard in terms of security and privacy. While I am not fully knowledgeable about its capabilities, it offers a comprehensive suite of security features.
The iPhone is also a viable option. You can easily swap between iCloud to a more secure encrypted provider for both cloud storage and photo backups. Additionally, any notes application can be replaced with a more secure alternative.
Samsung phones can support a range of operating system images that can be flashed, including LineageOS. However, I am not fully aware of all the available options.
The iPhone is also a viable option
🤭
iPhone 15 (the most recent model without AI) is perfectly adequate for most people.
lol idk what you find amusing about that but okay
Just to let you know, GrapheneOS uses AOSP (the base Android system) and sandboxed Google Play Services, making it compatible with 90% of all Android applications. From what I’ve heard (don’t take my word for it), the apps that have the least compatibility / more breakage are banking ones.
The banking app thing is unfortunate, but then I kinda realized that I don’t really need them anyway. I have all the features I need in browser, and text notifications set up for when I spend money.
The wallet not working REALLY sucks, but if I look on the bright side that’s one less thing Google knows about me and my spending.
It does not “use” AOSP, it’s built on AOSP, like every Android device.
AOSP is like the foundation of any Android OS.
Yes, that was a poor choice of words on my part; I do apologize about that.
While this tends to be true, the vast majority of the banking app incompatibilities are overcome with a simple app-specific toggle.
Which toggle is that and does it work with cash app?
The other answers are correct but I have not gotten cashapp to work. I use an old phone connected to my current phone via hotspot on the rare occasion I need cashapp.
I still recommend GrapheneOS regardless, almost everything else works with nothing more than minor tweaks. If you want something that “just works”, you’ll run into some hangups. Privacy unfortunately has a cost.
Yeah I’ve been using graphene for about a year without many issues, cash app is the only one I still can’t get working.
Dude the exploit protection compatibility mode worked. I’m logged in
Great! 👍
Exploit Protection Compatibility Mode. It’s a setting that relaxes this particular security enhancement for a given app.
It’s worth knowing that NFC payments do not work with Graphene currently.
Oh shit, this is working.
Oh I didn’t know NFC payments were not working. No workaround?
Not currently. It will require Google to’allow’ tap-to-pay on Graphene. Other NFC functions work fine.
For my use, it’s not a big deal. Tapping my card is easy enough
Thanks for the explanation. Unfortunately this is a major feature for me. I just don’t carry cards anymore
That’s fair. Privacy and security generally come at some cost of convenience. Everyone has their own personal balance.
Yeah, the problem is with the one banking app I frequent.
