If I didn’t have access to a Pixel I would look at LineageOS or some other degoogled operating system. XDA Developers All forums by manufacturer | XDA Forums have guides on how to do the flashing (installing an alternative operating system) along with any issues found. Devices | LineageOS Wiki also have the install procedure and issues found.
Should be plenty private at the expense of security.
DO NOTHING CRITICAL ON THE PHONE as you will not get frequent updates or be sent out for as many years as a Pixel gets. The bootloader will likely be unlocked which introduces several other security issues.
With a stock unmodded phone with Google Play Services, there is very little that can be done. Little privacy but you keep your security. XDA does have guides on removing some stock apps but I think I would block them instead either with NextDNS or a firewall app such as Tracker Control. Neither option are perfect.
This is going to continue to be ignored at PG, because the falsity that “You´d be better off using Android stock or iOS than any other degoogled alternative” continues to be repeated ad nauseum by grapheneOS. And so people at PG repeat it without reflection. Since GOS are the best at what they do and have the best technical project (and are the best funded alternative), people also think they must be right. But far from always right, the person tweeting at GOS is often simply trolling, and the community needs to remember that the biggest enemies of privacy and security continue to be FAANG and the technofascists who’ve taken power in the US, and Israel (the 51st state). Attacking fellow projects that put more focus on privacy than security, or mindlessly repeating “There is no privacy without security” just helps the enemy. And buying a pixel or an iphone just makes the enemy richer and more powerful.
It’s a respectable opinion, but I don’t agree with lumping all free software projects into the same bag. The ROMs you mention use marketing and lies to attract citizens legitimately concerned about the situation you’re describing. They label themselves as secure proposals, they’re not honest about the absence of security patches, nor about the drawbacks of using microG, etc.
In fairness to lineageos for one case they never claimed they’re secure nor private, and with it being a volunteer project, yeah I wouldn’t expect to have timely security updates and stuff but it is valid concern with also the concern of the lack of bootloader lock support.
and in also fairness to iodé, they do actually have the capability of locking the bootloader as per the official support:
of course that’s if you’re not getting a samsung or motorola (some models of motorola do allow it) and sticking to pixels and fairphone to have bootloader locking (but at that point on pixels just use GrapheneOS). But I do have to agree that they have to do some step up in rolling timely security updates snd explaining the MicroG implementation properly.
I think we really lack the understanding and nuance about this. I think objectively we’re still absolutistic about the subject. Especially as for me. I’ve yet been unable to use GOS due to my pixel 7’s battery swelling in which I am basically using a relatively debloated A52s for the time being
Absolutely not. This communities moto is creating and addressing your own personal threat model. In fact, we (or maybe just me) often give an eye brow raise to those who are over compensating with their strictness, as these takes often seem to root in FUD or misinformation, and can lead to exhaustion and burnout. I’m arguably more lax than others, but that doesn’t mean I expect others to be more or less than myself.
Anyways, I don’t see it linked here, but PG has several pages and recommendations for Android. If these are not sufficient, or you feel as though you’re missing something, post what you are trying to secure against (surveillance capitalism, boycotting specific orgs, or whatever), and more tailored recommendations can be provided!
It’s a company and as such they seek to make money.
What is iodé’s business model? Where does iodé’s income come from? iodé’s income comes exclusively from:
Smartphone sales
Premium subscriptions
Donations
Moreover, I see that they make references to security, without any type of warning:
We asked our community what they value most and the answer was: continue to develop and improve our main added value: the iodé blocker. Because your privacy and security are our main concern, we want to ensure that everyone can enjoy an open source operating system without Google trackers, benefiting from monthly updates and a permanent protection against malicious recipients of applications.
Additionally, apart from selling Google phones, they sell some as old as the Pixel 3:
Framing it as “a person who doesn’t have access to an iPhone or a Pixel” implies some made their decision based on unavailabiltiy whether due to cost, regional access or such. For myself it was a very conscious decision to not hand over yet more money to the very beasts we try to slay. A decision, years later, I’m extremely proud of
Have tried e/OS, iodeOS, and LineageOS running Rethink. Found all to be amazing
Perhaps the biggest part of any de-bigtech journey is as one educates themself and using that new found knowledge to make better decisions & give onself better online habits altogether. Each of these OS has tools to help one make better decisions with the knowledge imparted