After extensive testing, it’s finally here: the new SHIFTphone 8.1 with iodéOS is now available at NovaCustom! It’s a privacy-friendly phone that’s not only user-friendly and secure, but also sustainable and fully modular. This smartphone stands for privacy, security, freedom of choice, and repairability: values that perfectly align with NovaCustom’s mission.
Why NovaCustom and SHIFTphone are the perfect match
At NovaCustom, we believe that users should have control over their own hardware and software. The SHIFTphone is perfect for this in terms of hardware: it has a modular design and is easy to repair. In terms of software, the original product is less than ideal: it comes with Google software as standard. NovaCustom replaces that software with iodéOS by default. This is an operating system without Google services (only microG, but it can also work without it!). This gives you a privacy-friendly phone with maximum control over your data.
Fully modular and customizable
NovaCustom launches the SHIFTphone 8.1 Whether you want to replace a screen, insert a new battery, or simply tinker with your smartphone yourself, the SHIFTphone makes it possible. No glue, no frustration, just pure freedom. NovaCustom has been supporting this principle for years with configurable laptops, and now we are bringing that same idea to smartphones.
Disgusting.
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A hot topic within the community is our choice of iodéOS over GrapheneOS. Although GrapheneOS is known for its strong security, it also has a number of significant drawbacks. Ironically, this operating system only supports Google Pixel devices, and installing Play Store apps is only possible via complicated workarounds, which still require you to sign in with a Google account.
iodéOS is different. It is open source at well, but more minimalistic. In addition, it is technically less complex. microG and the Aurora Store are pre-installed as standard. This allows you to install Play Store apps anonymously, while blocking Big Tech tracking as much as possible.
iodéOS offers the perfect balance between privacy, security, and user-friendliness. And that is exactly what we value at NovaCustom.
What the hell are they talking about with “and installing Play Store apps is only possible via complicated workarounds”? The video they linked shows how easy it actually is.
Looks like they accidentally added an extra “F” in the product name.
870 EUR for the 256 GB version
Its because privacy is a spectrum. Clearly, the makers of this device don’t think the level of privacy and security provided by Graphene is warranted or needed or even user friendly.
You are getting a worse device and OS for the same price as buying a new pixel
I know. But here we are. It’s an alternative. Folks who won’t know better won’t benefit as much as they could with Graphene and Pixel. And hopefully, another OEM soon.
They are outright wrong though.
installing Play Store apps is only possible via complicated workarounds, which still require you to sign in with a Google account.
First of all you can absolutely install play store apps without an account on GrapheneOS using Aurora store just as you can on Iode. The only difference is Aurora is preinstalled on Iode. I wouldn’t really call installing an app a “complicated workaround.” Installing the google play store on GrapheneOS is even easier. You go to the app store and click install. Not exactly rocket science.
Yes, I know.
False information. We can only spread awareness for the misinformation they have about what they are trying to say in an effort to claim their product superiority for what it is.
So, its good we’re talking about it here.
Buying a pixel is more money for google. And buying Shiftphone or NovaCustom is more money to develop alternatives. Only GrapheneOS monopoly in alternative space is not desirable.
NovaCustom is great company who don’t go on an easy path, but works to advance privacy and security (their previous product also took many years to advance it to this stage: Finally! True Privacy in a Laptop: NovaCustom Review - Techlore.TV - Digital Rights For All ).
Shiftphone and iodeOS may not be perfect, but a right step. They plan to invest in iodeOS development like they do (example NovaCustom contributes 10 000 USD to Heads firmware - NovaCustom ), and shiftphone also great to support alternative phone makers.
I can all but guarantee that they make more from users data over the lifetime of the device than from the device sale.
At cost of inferior user privacy & security. Do you or can you really justify this?
Yes, I agree, for their computers. Smartphone is different and I don’t like their approach here.
I wouldn’t be surprised at all if they sell the hardware at a loss or break even, especially for the a series.
GrapheneOS is working with an OEM so you can avoid giving money to google and still have good hardware and OS.
Why should we support a worse device just for existing? Should everything that isn’t coming from big tech be supported even when it isn’t great?
Old school linux distributions are not most secure ( Secureblue: Is This the Most Secure Linux Distro? - Neat.Tube ), but I still use it and trust it, and recommend for others.
Same with phones, personally I would be buying NovaCustom phone. And will be recommending it to others. I want to support development of alternatives. GrapheneOS I use, because it is secure, but I don’t trust it (for example GrapheneOS: Documenting Numerous Attacks Against CalyxOS, Seth Simmons, Techlore, & More - Techlore.TV - Digital Rights For All )
great job they’re doing by selling an overpiced phone with an outdated and insecure and not-private OS.
Not overpriced if I can support development of alternatives. They need money to invest.
Is the operating system attacking other people online? What does the OS and how it performs (which can be objectively evaluated given its open source nature) have to do with how the makers of the project may react to others online?
I mean, I guess I can see your reason if you don’t like the devs of the project enough to not trust it but you should clarify it has nothing to do with the quality of the OS though (because that is still top notch).
So NovaCustom already revealed a while ago that they were looking to release a smartphone with CalyxOS preinstalled: Option to have sensors removed in the coming smartphone? - NovaCustom Community. Of course, following the events at Calyx it is understandable that they pivoted to something like iodeOS instead.
I don’t know how well the SHIFTphone products fair for repairability in general, but I know they are one of the known brands for it in Europe behind Fairphone. Hardware longevity and repairability are strongly supported niches in the smartphone space, so there is no real surprise.
Ironically, this operating system only supports Google Pixel devices
I don’t think NovaCustom’s founder/team are available to comment, but I think it is important to start framing this fact in a more nuanced way. GrapheneOS only supports hardware that: provides full support for hardware/firmware security features with an alternative OS, has at least five years of full monthly security support for the OS and firmware stack, class leading hardware security features, reliable A/B updates with automatic rollback for the firmware/OS, FBFDE key derivation throttling via secure element. You can head off all arguments and complaints by just explaining why none of those are important to your product or project.
installing Play Store apps is only possible via complicated workarounds, which still require you to sign in with a Google account.
I would say that a more mainstream friendly approach would be an in-OS tutorial/wizard (as well as a startup one) that makes installing Google Play services as frictionless as reasonable. You cannot download apps without a Google Play account.
minimalistic
microG and the Aurora Store are pre-installed as standard.
Possible contradiction. I understand minimalistic to be less featureful.
We contribute financially to the continued existence and improvement of iodéOS. See the Investments in iodéOS tab on the product page for an overview of the investments we have made and will make.
Transparency is always appreciated.
I think it only really needs to be rewritten a bit for clarity and accuracy. I don’t think they need to justify their choice of iodeOS over GrapheneOS beyond disclosing their financial interest.
I use it myself, does it need more clarification. But I strongly want more strong alternatives to develop.
Perhaps these other projects then should actually try instead of making empty platitudes.