Questions on GrapheneOS

Privacy Questions
#1

So I’ve been thinking about getting a pixel phone for a while now and installing GrapheneOS on it but still have questions about the whole thing.

  • What do or don’t you like about it?
  • Is there a list of bank apps that will or will not work even in sandboxed google play?
  • Can you unlock the bootloader on any pixel phone or are there restrictions for different models? (like samsung phones you can’t unlock the bootloader on american variants)

Thanks!

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#2
  1. See Android - Privacy Guides and Should You Use GrapheneOS or CalyxOS? - Privacy Guides
  2. PrivSec has a list of banking apps at Banking Applications Compatibility with GrapheneOS | PrivSec - A practical approach to Privacy and Security. Not sure about any GrapheneOS-specific lists, you could try looking up an app on https://plexus.techlore.tech/ to see whether it works without Google Play Services in general.
  3. Verizon models in the US do not support bootloader unlocking at all. Some other carriers (I know T-Mobile for sure) do not allow bootloader unlocking until the device is carrier unlocked (i.e. paid off). To be completely sure, you should buy the fully unlocked model from the Google Store directly.
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#3

AOSP apps are old and ugly, no dark mode for sms and contacts.
That’s the only thing I don’t like about GrapheneOS, and it’s not from them.

For the list of banking apps:

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#4

What do or don’t you like about it?

For some reason, I expected the user-experience to suffer because of GrapheneOS’s security measures. It doesn’t: it’s great.

@Illustrious-Ebb7620’s note about SMS and contacts is probably as far as my criticisms of the UI goes, since they don’t have Google’s fresh coat-of-paint.

Also, Vanadium. :+1:

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#5

The cool thing with Google Pixel, is that even without using GrapheneOS, it is still the best choice in terms of privacy and security. So you don’t “have to” install it, it’s ok if you don’t.

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#7

I can also testify in favor of GrapheneOS.
Used on a Pixel 5a and now in a Pixel 6.
Everything works and it is very easy to use!