GrapheneOS: the private and secure mobile OS
grapheneos.org
GrapheneOS is a security and privacy focused mobile OS with Android app compatibility.

After using LineageOS for long time, I have finally moved to GrapheneOS. I use a lot of banking and financial apps which I never felt comfortable using on LineageOS due to lack of proper sandboxing, unlocked bootloader etc.

GrapheneOS works flawlessly just like Android. You don’t even notice there’s hardening underneath. Also it protects from Google’s evil location tracking using WiFi/Bluetooth or even when the Location is turned off. I don’t understand how people in general are comfortable with Google tracking all the time. You can use Google Play and Play Services in a sandbox that works just like regular installation, but without deep tracking.

If you haven’t tried GrapheneOS, try it. You won’t go back to regular Android.

  • @RubberElectrons
    7•4 months ago

    There’s also CalyxOS if you don’t want to run anything Google on your phone at all, but still have functional apps and such.

    • @[email protected]
      6•4 months ago

      I mean, Graphene does that too, by default. It just has the app store available to be installed in their apps updater. If you don’t go there to install it by yourself, it’s a Google-less device by default.

      • @RubberElectrons
        2•4 months ago

        Functional apps is the important bit, use of microG allows apps to provide push messaging etc without knowing Google services aren’t installed. There’s still some communication with Google as a result, but it’s fully sanitized.

        I invite you to try installing common apps like Strava or Pokemon go without any Google services at all.

        • @[email protected]
          5•4 months ago

          I was under the impression you could use microG instead of google services as well if you installed it manually?

          • @RubberElectrons
            2•4 months ago

            I haven’t run graphene, so I can’t speak for it. But on any other android variant, microG is a system-app, so that it can spoof Google’s services properly. That means patching the system.