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  • Long time iPhone user thinking about making the switch - good idea?

Thanks for getting back to me! So, is there a way to get RCS without using Google's messaging app? I'm guessing if I do use it, Google will be able to snoop on my messages or at least collect some data/metadata? If I do decide to try out Graphene, I was thinking of attempting to do it without Google Play Services too. I came across a blog post or forum thread a while back where someone suggested giving it a shot without Play Services first, just to see if you can make do without it.

I like the idea of testing it out on a cheaper or older device, but at the same time, I want to make sure I'm giving Graphene a fair shot. If I go from my relatively new iPhone 14 Pro to a few-year-old Pixel, I might end up not loving Graphene just because of the hardware downgrade. I want to be able to judge it on its own merits, not just because I'm using it on an older phone.

    hesitantapplegal
    I did this same switch, but prior to the switch spent months deep diving into how I would get it done. I went on the extreme side of all (privacy, security and anonymity) when I switched, for reasons.

    Like you, I owned an iphone for more than a decade. I will say when I transferred the UI differences were very notable. If you didn't love it when you tried your ex's Samsung, you will probably have a similar experience until you get used to it. If you are determined to learn another interface you will be able to get comfortable with the switch. I was and I picked it up fast.

    You can make your device as you see fit. The switch alone will give you incredible security and privacy benefits over IOS no matter what apps you decide to use. If you can't seem to break away from some of the brand name platforms like WhatsApp, that won't be a problem. You can use Google Play services and still be better off. You could also segment all Google Play services in an additional profile or private space, whatever you decide fits your needs best.

    You won't have access to iMessage and FaceTime, but GOS has SMS and phone apps that work similarly. Or use platforms like Signal or WhatsApp. I do know that and iphone (using iMessage) messaging and android (SMS native to android) you will have issues sending pictures and videos. They don't send well across each other.

    iMessage, FaceTime and Whatsapp are encrypted.

    I recommend figuring out whether the contacts you have in iMessage can switch to another platform, because maybe they at least have Whatsapp. If they refuse to use another platform, then you will have to decide how to proceed.

    Something to consider: since you said your threat level isn't that high, stock GOS SMS messaging to iMessage may not be a critical factor. You'll be on a more private device away from big tech.

      hesitantapplegal collect some data/metadata

      that is correct. There are other RCS implementations depending on your carrier that might be available, but I haven't researched this in detail. I see RCS as a bandaid and don't use it personally. I have been able to migrate all of my regular contacts to Signal, some are on Telegram, the rest I almost never talk to can use SMS.

      I was thinking of attempting to do it without Google Play Services too

      That is commendable, but I fear that you will dislike GOS mostly because of some apps not working that rely on Play Services. Usually I would agree, but for new users this might be very off-putting.

      I like the idea of testing it out on a cheaper or older device, but at the same time, I want to make sure I'm giving Graphene a fair shot. If I go from my relatively new iPhone 14 Pro to a few-year-old Pixel, I might end up not loving Graphene just because of the hardware downgrade. I want to be able to judge it on its own merits, not just because I'm using it on an older phone.

      The software is identical on all supported Pixel devices. The only things you may not like would be the camera, display or maybe cell service. In that case you can always remind yourself that this is a hardware limitation and can be fixed with a more up-to-date and more premium device. I daily a 9 Pro XL and it's mostly on par with my previous 14 Pro Max except for slightly weaker speakers - that's about it. Apart from that, it's a superb phone for Graphene.

        I am not an iPhone user and never have been. I do have an s23 Ultra but I really don't like Samsing's take on Android. I have heavily customized my device though to make it feel more like my own. Privacy wise though. I hate ads and being data mined for someone else's gain. I also don't like having a device bloated full of apps I will never use. Like Facebook and other fos. of social media. I was easily able to rove those with ADB on my s23 Ultra.

        In August, I bought my first Pixel ever, which is a Pixel 9 Pro XL. I bought it solely to try GrapheneOS. Even as an Android user. it does take some getting used to. It's just learning a different way of doing things. So far though, I like it. I like having control over my device, the apps installed, being able to stop apps I use from mining my contacts and other app data. I see a massive difference just in browsing the web alone when I see an ad on the very rare occasion.

        You should definitely give it a try for few months on the Pixel 9 series. If you don't like it, you can always restore stock Android and use the device as a high value trade-in towards an iPhone 16 or even the 17 when those come out next year.

        hesitantapplegal
        Iphone is already plenty secure compared to 99% of android phones. It's also fairly private IF you trust Apple. Beware, switching to GOS will provide you with a stock android experience, not the famous "Pixel experience". You WILL miss "cool" features you used in your iPhone. If you think the tradeoff is worth it, then basically this is the most secure and private android OS you'll find.

            someone27281 Compared to Android in general, yes. Compared to GrapheneOS, hell no. Secure? Okay. Private? Not so much. Think before you blurt. I hope I haven't earned mysef another ban, pretty please. (In any case every ban makes me think about it more, maybe one day I will get there.)

                DeletedUser69 I literally said IF you trust apple, A.K.A privacy from apple is not included. Also I do believe iPhone is fairly secure even compared to GOS (yes, it is less secure, but not like my a mile). In fact GOS devs recommend iPhone if you can't run GOS on a Pixel for some reason.

                    someone27281 they don't recommend it (merely saying it's the second best option [but definitely not from a privacy standpoint] and you can run GrapheneOS on every supported Pixel (even the ones you don't update), so what was the comment about?

                        Hi, I'm also a long-time iPhone user and have been trying GrapheneOS on a Pixel 8a for a week now.
                        The world is getting crazier and crazier, and I would like to keep my data private and not tell any tech company all the time where I am and what I'm doing there. In my opinion, switching to GOS is easier than expected.

                          nanoq Attaboy! In order to connect to a new platform you should disconnect from the old one to remove bias.

                            DeletedUser69 the comment is supposed to mean that if for some reason you cannot use GrapheneOS on a Pixel, it's best to go for an iPhone bith from security and privacy standpoint. But you'll have to trust apple.

                                hesitantapplegal I switched from GrapheneOS to the iPhone because my wife also took an iPhone and an iPad. You change if you want according to your threat model but I just say one thing: on iPhone you have Spotlight and AirDrop and it's true that it simplifies life

                                  DeletedUser69 but you can use GrapheneOS on every supported Pixel!

                                  Pixels are not easily available in all countries, and hardware support (repair stores) may also not be reliable in some countries where it is possible to buy a Pixel via secondary channels.

                                      de0u should I switch to iPhone for that reason? You know the answer. On the margin (again): I hate AOSP keyoboard.

                                      • de0u replied to this.

                                          DeletedUser69 should I switch to iPhone for that reason?

                                          If you are already using GrapheneOS on a Pixel, presumably availability of Pixels is not a barrier for you. I am unaware of your circumstances with respect to the availability of Pixel hardware support or iPhone hardware support.

                                            Thanks for all the encouragement, guys! I just went ahead and ordered a Pixel 9 Pro, so I'm all in now!

                                            Okay, so I've got a few other questions for when I set everything up. I've heard people mention using profiles, and I'm not totally sure if I need separate ones or not. But I do like the idea of having a main profile that's totally Google Play Services-free, and maybe keeping GPS on a secondary profile just for specific apps that need it. For example, I'm planning to use a VOIP service like MySudo for phone calls, and it seems like that needs GPS to work.

                                            Does it make sense to keep that app in a secondary profile that's always running in the background? And if I'm in my main profile, will my phone still ring if a call comes in from the secondary profile? I'm also a little worried that keeping multiple profiles open at the same time will drain my battery a lot...

                                              hesitantapplegal My main profile (usually referred to as 'owner' here) is also Play Services free. Some people utilize secondary user profiles in a completely different way. They use the owner just for management purposes and offload their daily usage to other profiles. I personally don't have that in my threat model, so I use a secondary user for some rarely used spyware apps. Shopping and smart home management mostly. The rest of my stuff is spread across owner (all FOSS apps, except GCam), work profile (with Play Services for Maps and some apps that rely on timely notifications or Play Services in the first place to even run) and Private Space (also non-FOSS apps, that don't need Play Services and are there for convenience).
                                              You should ask yourself if it will be beneficial for you to compartmentalize the phone to an extreme extent or keep it simple. I don't know how reliable secondary user profiles will be for something like VOIP, I don't think you'll be able to take calls if you need to switch profiles first. And yes, running profiles in background will have more impact on battery life. Since I run my main tasks in owner, I have most things shut down during the day. Secondary user, work profile and Private Space are all disabled, location services are off, camera access off. Gives me some peace of mind at least. And a good 2 days of battery life.