this post was submitted on 23 Mar 2024
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Privacy
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The problem is that GrapheneOS really, truly, actually is the only way to get even reasonable levels of privacy on a mobile device right now.
That sounds so much like a shill statement, and it seems that way from others too I'm sure. But its true. If you understand anything at all that happens under the hood of an operating system and android in general, GrapheneOS is the ONLY option for actual privacy and security. And the unfortunate part, is that only Pixels are supported by this.
I will read more into this, but it sounds reasonable. If I were to get a Pixel, is there any particular model I should get or does it not matter? Does Graphene support all models?
Read this: https://grapheneos.org/faq#device-support
Unlike others, Graphene has very strict requirements when it comes to devices to ensure you're safe.
As usual if you’re looking to have any security (Verified boot) GrapheneOS + Pixel phone is the only options. I really don’t get it how come people in places like this are okay with having a phone with all their personal data and logins without verified boot. Stolen / lost phone and game over.
Calyx, for instance, isn't as good as GrapheneOS, they do a lot of snitching on you (including to Google and Mozilla) and they overlook critical details such as this one allowing the OS to contact 3rd parties such as Qualcomm.
Other phone brands, let's say Fairphone just don't make thing right. Fairphone guys have been petitioned multiples times to open their platform and/or collaborate with projects such as GrapheneOS and CalyxOS so user can have private and secure phones but they don't care.
CalyxOS does support the Fairphone 4 however that's only due to the persistence and reverse engineering efforts of the CalyxOS project / community. If you decide to use it you won't have a secure bootloader anymore due to a bug in Fairphone's firmware that they choose not to fix. That's how "fair" the "Fairphone" really is.
Here is more relevant information for you from here:
Before you say this is the CPU's fault, it isn't, at least on its own. GrapheneOS also deals with this kind of stuff and has patches and options so you can block it.
That is certainly over dramatic for what is in that article. All they do with Google is trivial things like updating your systems internal clock. A large portion of what is in that article is able to be disabled and prevented by not using Micro-G.
There seems to be massive beef and drama between Calyx and Graphene communities, I have no idea what any of that is about, but this dramatization doesn’t help.
No it's not... https://calyxos.org/docs/guide/security/network-activity/ and even if it "only" updating your clock, don't you think that google adds that info to their database? I'm sure they'll at least log your IP and try to cross with your other google queries to know who you are. Mind that with the IP you get an approximate location. It also contacts SUPL for GPS and Remote Key Provisioning that opens the door for you to become hostage of Google in certain situations.
This is not dramatization, Calyx is good in some aspect, way better than everything else stock and whatnot, but they overlook important details as described before.
GrapheneOS supports recent Pixels. I think right now they are supporting the 5a and later, with legacy and extended support back to the 4.
In general, they stop providing updates when Google does. Check both to be sure, but newer is better if you want longer support.
I'm going Google will launch a Pixel 8a in a couple months so I can either get it or the 8 at a discount.
For posterity and nuance, here's the answer from their site: Which devices are supported? but you're right for the most part.
Grapehene has historically offered extended support, but for the longest support time the pixel 8 isnt a bad option. The 7a is also I think the king of budget phones right now but the 8 is on sale for a few hundred off the last I checked :)
Because unlike the Fairphone guys google actually plays fairly and builds a decent phone with security in mind.