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Wanted to get a new phone since my S20 is starting to show its age. And with all the enshitification of Android lately I thought it'd be good to try a different phone OS.

However, I don't really want to buy a Google Pixel so GrapheneOS is a no go. I was really interested in the Fold 7 but it seems that will not be possible to get without Android. Thought DivestOS was good but it looks like support ended in 2024.

What other phone OS are people using?

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[-] monovergent@lemmy.ml 29 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

I sorely miss DivestOS for this purpose, but I'd consider CalyxOS (development sadly on pause) ~~and iodeOS~~ as runners-up. /e/OS got caught sending voice-to-text data to OpenAI, so I'd stay away for the time being.

edit: sad to see that iode has a freemium model on some of its features. see replies for more nuance on the /e/OS situation.

LineageOS will get the most years of support out of the most devices. While leagues ahead of Android for privacy, bear in mind that it still isn't airtight with regard to the occasional piece of telemetry data sent back to Google. It's about the only thing that can keep one of my older Pixels somewhat up-to-date.

LeOS is like LineageOS with all Google telemetry stripped out, but only in GSI form (no builds optimized for specific devices), so YMMV with hardware compatibility. I have this on my Samsung tablet.

I've also heard about Volla Phones (with VollaOS) and Brax Phones (with iodeOS or Ubuntu Touch), but haven't taken a serious look since the screen sizes offered are too big for me.

I might try out a Linux phone next, but the relative lack of battery optimizations and edge-case issues leave me a bit hesitant. Also, check out detailed comparison of the common Android ROMs with regard to privacy and security: https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm

[-] utopiah@lemmy.ml 9 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

/e/OS got caught sending voice-to-text data to OpenAI

To clarify it's an optional STT service, not on by default if one is not using Murena services, which before sending data proxy it so it's not associated with a specific user account, for anonymization. It even says so in the screenshot of the links post, for premium Murena service users. FUD from https://lemmy.ml/post/35472063?scrollToComments=true seems to already be working out, sadly.

Details https://doc.e.foundation/murena-voice-to-text including "This feature is exclusively available to Murena Workspace Premium users."

[-] traceur201@piefed.social 14 points 3 months ago

The developers' response to the threads bringing this up with them were absolutely abysmal. They wouldn't even answer the question "does e send data to third parties when this feature is turned off" directly

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[-] krolden@lemmy.ml 7 points 3 months ago

Do you work for them or something

[-] utopiah@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 months ago

No, why do you suggest that? If one were to say something incorrect about Google or Meta, even though not only I do not work for them but even spend quite a bit of resource to get away from them, I would still say it aloud.

Here I said, multiple times, that the post that sparked this is not correct... because it simply is not true. Nothing more, nothing less.

[-] krolden@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 months ago

Ok but why use it over lineage without installing gapps?

[-] utopiah@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Everybody has different reason but what Murena does is sell phones with /e/OS pre-installed, so if one is specifically looking for a deGoogled phone because they don't have one that already supports LineageOS and/or do not know how to install LineageOS then it's very convenient. It's like going to an Apple store and leaving with a phone, not downloading a ROM then installing it on a device one already has. I'm again not saying one is better or worst than the other, solely that if one is looking for a deGoogled device and they don't have one already, it's an easier path.

PS: note also that I didn't compare /e/OS itself to LineageOS, I'm highlighting precisely how there is some value for some people.

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[-] impudentmortal@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

Thanks for all of the options! May look more into LineageOS

[-] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 20 points 3 months ago

5132

GrapheneOS is the only one cellebrite admits it has trouble with, I can't recommend another OS, but I can say that being resistant to the government hacking your phone has recently become more important and it might be worth reconsidering.

[-] MajorMajormajormajor@lemmy.ca 20 points 3 months ago

LineageOS and the companion microg for LineageOS is a good alternative. They offer a wide variety of phones (and some tablets) that are supported. Been using microg for LOS for over 5 years now with no major issues.

[-] impudentmortal@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

Good to know, thanks!

[-] berty@feddit.org 14 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Why not install LineageOS on your S20?

[-] impudentmortal@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

Thought since my phone couldn't be rooted I wouldn't be able to change the OS. It's the SM-G981U model

[-] eleitl@lemmy.zip 10 points 3 months ago

You could buy a used Pixel, if you don't want to support Google.

[-] DrunkAnRoot@sh.itjust.works 7 points 3 months ago

pinephone or a H.A.M radio

[-] Valmond@lemmy.world 7 points 3 months ago

Sad that there are no Linux phone versions for the Xiaomi brands, they're good, resilient and powerful for their price IMO.

[-] 0x0@lemmy.zip 3 points 3 months ago
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[-] utopiah@lemmy.ml 7 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

If you want a new phone consider /e/OS as you can directly buy a phone from Murena (who maintains /e/OS) and thus get something working from day 1, no tinkering.

To clarify, because there is constant FUD around /e/OS (I think the deGoogled Android crowd is VERY passionate and invests a lot of effort into picking the "right" ROM for them leading to a kind of "holy war" which tends to lose focus on what actually matters, namely leave Google!) so to clarify

  • /e/OS is not Murena
  • Murena is the French company that sells phones, including refurbished, running /e/OS
  • /e/OS is open source https://gitlab.e.foundation/e/os/
  • services from Murena are optional, including STT (which is a premium service) and anything cloud based requires Murena accounts
  • one can buy a phone from Murena and not using any of their service, it's as straightforward as NOT creating an account when booting the phone the first time, or not using an account, that's it.

Honestly I recommend this solution if you want a good compromise because IMHO

  • Linux phones, e.g. PinePhones (I have 2, cf post history for details) aren't daily drivers yet for most
  • it works, simple as that
  • it's quite affordable, you don't need a flagship to run /e/OS
  • it is actually deGoogled Android, which is IMHO the whole point
  • depending on your bank you might be able to use their banking app

Feel free to ask questions, happy to clarify.

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[-] TheLeadenSea@sh.itjust.works 6 points 3 months ago

The Furi phone runs a version of Linux and has decent specs

[-] BlameTheAntifa@lemmy.world 6 points 3 months ago

Check out UBports/Ubuntu Touch, it’s a linux-based OS with a neat desktop mode when docked.

[-] PanArab@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 months ago

Suggesting a non-Android-derived mobile OS shouldn't get you downvoted. While I too risking going against the grain, I recommend OpenHarmony. It is available on laptops and should become available on smartphones eventually.

[-] EpicFailGuy@lemmy.world 6 points 3 months ago

No one else knows about iode os?

https://iode.tech/iodeos/

[-] kylian0087@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 3 months ago

I am curious to why no google Pixel?

[-] Garbagio@lemmy.zip 20 points 3 months ago

Eh. I don't fault anyone for not wanting to give google the money. I love my pixel, I love my graphene, but at the end of the day privacy is the first, last and only priority.

[-] bruzzard@lemmy.world 9 points 3 months ago

Get your Pixel secondhand. That way you are not contributing to their profit margins and have more flexibility on the Pixel version you want without having to break the bank.

And I also agree with the comment that Pixels are not the most robust phones. They are good, but not the most robust thing you could own. Power but to issue across Pixel devices is a real thing. I had two of the power buttons on separate phones fall out. Good thing is that you can get them online cheaply and manually replace them yourself.

BUT Pixels are gorgeous phones and a real delight to use as well. Lovely screens, decent battery, good camera and is buttery smooth with Graphene.

I am on these Pixels because if Graphene.

The hardware shortcomings I can live with and work around. I mostly have great experiences with Pixels with the occasional hardware issue to slove.

I use the on-screen Accessibility Menu shortcut to adjust audio volume, screen brightness and un/locking the phone.

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[-] piyuv@lemmy.world 5 points 3 months ago

Pixels are very well made though, google is not a hardware company; data and ads is their business. So, buying a pixel and starving them of your data is actually bad business for them

[-] synapse1278@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago

I have a Pixel 7 and my wife has the Pixel 6a, I don't find them particularly well made. My pixel 7 is already show signs of wear with the power button getting stuck after about 2 years of use, with a case pretty much always on. My former phone, Huawei P20 worked flawlessly and was like new after 5 years of use. In the end I wanted to run GrapheneOS and decided for the Pixel. But at this price, I am quite disappointed with the hardware quality.

[-] JamesBoeing737MAX@sopuli.xyz 2 points 3 months ago

To be fair, Huawei hardware (in my experience) lasts way longer than any other, if you take care of the devices.

[-] krolden@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 months ago
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[-] bootloop@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago

Would anyone know of a custom ROM for an Oppo Reno 4 Pro? Looked everywhere, can't find one.

[-] Telorand@reddthat.com 3 points 3 months ago

/e/OS has similar goals as Graphene (not exactly), but it supports many more models than Pixels. Check their list and see if it fits your needs.

[-] Skorp@sh.itjust.works 5 points 3 months ago

The goals are completely different, and the actual implementations are miles apart. They aren't comparable apart from a common AOSP ancestor.

[-] Canrith6696@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 months ago
[-] turbowafflz@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

Isn't it partially closed source though?

[-] utopiah@lemmy.ml 5 points 3 months ago

If something is missing from https://gitlab.e.foundation/e/os/ open an issue. It is open source.

[-] Telorand@reddthat.com 2 points 3 months ago

No idea, honestly. I've never had a device that was supported, so my knowledge of it is limited.

[-] chottomatte@lemdro.id 2 points 3 months ago

CalyxOS , though updates are temporarily paused for unknown period , you can get Fairphone 4 or Fairphone 5 , if privacy is your main concern and you don't mind downgrading

[-] bobbyfiend@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 months ago

I just saw that 2024 Moto G models (or at least one of them?) is supported. This makes me happy.

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this post was submitted on 03 Sep 2025
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