What alternative OS you adopt depends on your phone and needs.
If you just want to mostly degoogle you phone, but aren’t that concerned about privacy or security, LineageOS is basically that. It’s as close to a stock android experience as you can get, minus the pre-installed google apps. It supports a wide range of android phones.
If you want more security and privacy, GrapheneOS is currently king, but the downside is it only works on Google Pixel phones, and it’s possible certain apps won’t work (banking apps can be hit or miss, and the Uber app I believe blocked it). It otherwise functions just like a regular android phone and can install sandboxed google play to use any app you could need, making it just as easy to daily drive. It’s the best choice if you’re an activist, journalist, or fear state actors. But even if you’re not, I’d say it’s the best choice if you already have a pixel phone.
CalyxOS has paused development, so not currently an option.
eOS has a bigger focus on security and privacy than LineageOS, but isn’t as secure as Graphene. The advantage is that it supports more phones than just the google pixel.
PostmarketOS is not based on Android, and instead is a real Linux Distro made for mobile. It’s still very much in an alpha stage, with varying levels of support for different phones, many of which cannot take calls or even use their camera properly. I would only recommend it to developers or people who want to tinker with a project phone.
For privacy, security, and usability, GrapheneOS is the best alternative mobile os by far. The only downsides are if you don’t like or can’t afford Pixel phones, and even GrapheneOS won’t have certain features you may need such as mobile device management, google wallet nfc payments, certain apps especially banking apps.
Ah, wasn’t aware they were so far behind, thanks for the heads up.
Hadn’t heard of IodeOS either until seeing that chart. They also seem a bit slower than Lineage for certain updates, but for more privacy minded, may be the best option for non-pixel folks.
ig, you could just buy used though or wait for their own device to be released via the upcoming OEM partnership. I wouldn’t be surprised if pixels are sold at a loss or break even point anyway, supplemented by surveillance capitalism and google play store revenue.
eos looks the most likely to me because of the partnership with murena; but i still hesitate because my sub-part experience using international brands within the united states and all of the lineage phones are either prohibitively ancient or international.
do you have any information on movement with any oems & graphene?
i loathe the idea of giving google more money, so lineage via eos & murena is most likely the path i’ll take. and also, none of my phones are compatible so i’ll have to get a new phone.
i learned the hard way through buying chinese brands that international phones are hit-&-miss with wireless android auto (wired android auto works fine) and all of murena’s offerings are international. plus some bands are also not supported w international phones so they sometimes get poor coverage in some places like underground parking garages in the united states.
that’s only reason why i haven’t pulled this trigger yet and i vacillate for a couple of reasons and i think that the second biggest is that i ultimately plan to stop using this car and wonder if it’s best to wait until wireless android auto stops being a requirement.
(banking apps can be hit or miss, and the Uber app I believe blocked it).
but this is still the biggest reason. personal testimonials show me if the apps i want to use are supported
Hadn’t heard of IodeOS either until seeing that chart. They also seem a bit slower than Lineage for certain updates, but for the more privacy minded, may be the best option for non-pixel folks.
the price points w iode are much better murena but that nothing phone looks really nice.
If you don’t mind used or open-box phones, you could pick up a used (and more critically, carrier unlocked) Pixel off ebay, if you want to deprive them of revenue.
Unfortunately some carriers like verizon will not automatically unlock the bootloader even after unlocking the carrier restriction, so buying a used one that wasn’t factory unlocked from Google could be a slight gamble.
i only buy factory unlocked phones and i’ve never had good luck buying used phones from others; there was also something wrong with them and some esoteric policy at the places i purchased them from wouldn’t let me get a refund, so i’ve stopped trying.
there was also something wrong with them and some esoteric policy at the places i purchased them from wouldn’t let me get a refund
Ebay has very good buyer protections - arguably too good, making things hard for small sellers. Virtually impossible to not get a refund within eBay’s 30 day return period.
I bought a phone from them and it got stolen because FedEx put the package outside the building (instead of inside like usual) and neither eBay, nor the seller, nor cash app will cover the loss so I’ve excised all 3 from my life permanently.
What alternative OS you adopt depends on your phone and needs.
If you just want to mostly degoogle you phone, but aren’t that concerned about privacy or security, LineageOS is basically that. It’s as close to a stock android experience as you can get, minus the pre-installed google apps. It supports a wide range of android phones.
If you want more security and privacy, GrapheneOS is currently king, but the downside is it only works on Google Pixel phones, and it’s possible certain apps won’t work (banking apps can be hit or miss, and the Uber app I believe blocked it). It otherwise functions just like a regular android phone and can install sandboxed google play to use any app you could need, making it just as easy to daily drive. It’s the best choice if you’re an activist, journalist, or fear state actors. But even if you’re not, I’d say it’s the best choice if you already have a pixel phone.
CalyxOS has paused development, so not currently an option.
eOS has a bigger focus on
security andprivacy than LineageOS, but isn’t as secure as Graphene. The advantage is that it supports more phones than just the google pixel.PostmarketOS is not based on Android, and instead is a real Linux Distro made for mobile. It’s still very much in an alpha stage, with varying levels of support for different phones, many of which cannot take calls or even use their camera properly. I would only recommend it to developers or people who want to tinker with a project phone.
/e/ OS is not more secure than lineage. It tends to lag behind on security updates by months.
https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm
For privacy, security, and usability, GrapheneOS is the best alternative mobile os by far. The only downsides are if you don’t like or can’t afford Pixel phones, and even GrapheneOS won’t have certain features you may need such as mobile device management, google wallet nfc payments, certain apps especially banking apps.
Ah, wasn’t aware they were so far behind, thanks for the heads up.
Hadn’t heard of IodeOS either until seeing that chart. They also seem a bit slower than Lineage for certain updates, but for more privacy minded, may be the best option for non-pixel folks.
are you aware of any lists for this like other one you shared?
Banking apps yes
https://privsec.dev/posts/android/banking-applications-compatibility-with-grapheneos/
thanks graphene is a non-starter for me since i refuse to give google anything more than i (unwittingly) already have.
ig, you could just buy used though or wait for their own device to be released via the upcoming OEM partnership. I wouldn’t be surprised if pixels are sold at a loss or break even point anyway, supplemented by surveillance capitalism and google play store revenue.
eos looks the most likely to me because of the partnership with murena; but i still hesitate because my sub-part experience using international brands within the united states and all of the lineage phones are either prohibitively ancient or international.
do you have any information on movement with any oems & graphene?
They’ve confirmed it’s happening but likely not until later this year or 2027
Don’t use eos if mobile security matters at all to you. It’s also not nearly as private as GrapheneOS and frequently phones home to Google.
i loathe the idea of giving google more money, so lineage via eos & murena is most likely the path i’ll take. and also, none of my phones are compatible so i’ll have to get a new phone.
i learned the hard way through buying chinese brands that international phones are hit-&-miss with wireless android auto (wired android auto works fine) and all of murena’s offerings are international. plus some bands are also not supported w international phones so they sometimes get poor coverage in some places like underground parking garages in the united states.
that’s only reason why i haven’t pulled this trigger yet and i vacillate for a couple of reasons and i think that the second biggest is that i ultimately plan to stop using this car and wonder if it’s best to wait until wireless android auto stops being a requirement.
but this is still the biggest reason. personal testimonials show me if the apps i want to use are supported
the price points w iode are much better murena but that nothing phone looks really nice.
If you don’t mind used or open-box phones, you could pick up a used (and more critically, carrier unlocked) Pixel off ebay, if you want to deprive them of revenue.
Unfortunately some carriers like verizon will not automatically unlock the bootloader even after unlocking the carrier restriction, so buying a used one that wasn’t factory unlocked from Google could be a slight gamble.
i only buy factory unlocked phones and i’ve never had good luck buying used phones from others; there was also something wrong with them and some esoteric policy at the places i purchased them from wouldn’t let me get a refund, so i’ve stopped trying.
Ebay has very good buyer protections - arguably too good, making things hard for small sellers. Virtually impossible to not get a refund within eBay’s 30 day return period.
eBay was the final straw for me. Lol
I bought a phone from them and it got stolen because FedEx put the package outside the building (instead of inside like usual) and neither eBay, nor the seller, nor cash app will cover the loss so I’ve excised all 3 from my life permanently.