Sotokinzo The biggest problem with iPhone is that they don't let you install alternative OSs without jailbreaking, which greatly harms security. So unless Apple provides a way for GrapheneOS to install their OS within the security model of the device, then iPhone is off the table.

Sotokinzo Do you think one day we would be able to install GrapheneOS on an Apple device?

Due to the hardware being intentionally locked down, it is difficult to get any useful OS on an iPhone. I'm not even sure how successfully a modern iPhone can even be jailbroken anymore.

Just for the sake of argument, even if installing GrapheneOS on an iPhone were technically possible, I still don't think it would be a supported device because Apple isn't fulfilling some of the baseline requirements for supporting the hardware in a way that aligns with the GrapheneOS project's expectations. This is from the FAQ:

Devices are carefully chosen based on their merits rather than the project aiming to have broad device support. Broad device support is counter to the aims of the project, and the project will eventually be engaging in hardware and firmware level improvements rather than only offering suggestions and bug reports upstream for those areas. Much of the work on the project involves changes that are specific to different devices, and officially supported devices are the ones targeted by most of this ongoing work.

Devices need to be meeting the standards of the project in order to be considered as potential targets. In addition to support for installing other operating systems, standard hardware-based security features like the hardware-backed keystores, verified boot, attestation and various hardware-based exploit mitigations need to be available. Devices also need to have decent integration of IOMMUs for isolating components such as the GPU, radios (NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Cellular), media decode / encode, image processor, etc., because if the hardware / firmware support is missing or broken, there's not much that the OS can do to provide an alternative. Devices with support for alternative operating systems as an afterthought will not be considered. Devices need to have proper ongoing support for their firmware and software specific to the hardware like drivers in order to provide proper full security updates too. Devices that are end-of-life and no longer receiving these updates will not be supported.

In order to support a device, the appropriate resources also need to be available and dedicated towards it. Releases for each supported device need to be robust and stable, with all standard functionality working properly and testing for each of the releases.

Hardware, firmware and software specific to devices like drivers play a huge role in the overall security of a device. The goal of the project is not to slightly improve some aspects of insecure devices and supporting a broad set of devices would be directly counter to the values of the project. A lot of the low-level work also ends up being fairly tied to the hardware.

Piwepil iPhones are the best you can get

Best for what, please? Certainly not privacy from everything I've read this past week.
I switched to GrapheneOS from iOS because I increasingly did not trust apple (and I'm not a fan of their walls).

Then I discovered exactly how bad Apple has been for tracking.

They are like Google. Google touts that your gmails are encrypted - except on their servers, where they scan them.

Apple is unstrustworthy and invasive too.

I am delighted to see the rapidly increasing number of private and government lawsuits and directives against these two corporations, even if they come a decade too late.

    ve3jlg if you want privacy and security then iPhone devices are the second best choice after Pixel phones.

    Sotokinzo Very unlikely. Considering iPhone won't let you even install a genuine 3rd party browser on an iphone, it's very difficult to see them ever releasing a device that allows you to install an entirely different operating system on it. The level of control Apple maintains over a smartphone you pay €1000+ for is mindboggling.

      I think anyone who uses native Apple or Google is making a big mistake, which is okay, as long as you are aware of what you are doing.

      Yust my opinion.

      The question of Google Pixel against iPhone in terms of better hardware is still interesting. Like BluishHumility said, new iPhones can't be easily jailbroken, so do they have better hardware than Google Pixel (more secured against hacking and modifications)?
      If one day we can install GrapheneOS on iPhone, then if the hardware is better, iPhone is the winner

      • [deleted]

      Kingofbongo78 so the firefox I have installed and set as my default browser is not in fact a genuine 3rd party browser. Care to elaborate or are you just making things up. I am by no means defending Apple but your comment makes no sense.

        • [deleted]

        I don't know why you guys won't stop fantasising about something like running GOS on IPhone which WILL remain closed-source. Pixels are Android reference devices, that is open to user customization and what IOS can never aspire to be.

        • [deleted]

        spiral Thank you for this information! More fuel to sell this device, only have 8 more days before I can sim unlock it and be done. Sell that bad boy and then move to my P7 Pro with graphene fulltime.

        I'm also surprised to see so many Apple fanbois on here. Could not be happier to have that device perma switched off and stored in a faraday bag. Want to get rid off it entirely, but my conscience bites at me knowing that the new owner ends up with n "iPhone". It's like selling someone a house with hidden black mold permeated within all walls, but scrubbed off the surface to give an impression nothing's wrong with it. I too deserve all the mockery in the world for having fallen for the propaganda when I originally acquired mine :/

          nosferatu
          Stop the madness. Nobody is an Apple fanboy in here. But there are a lot of Android stans here. Putting Apple and their devices down with biased opinions and non-sense.

          Pixel device with GrapheneOS is superior for privacy and security but some people have their lifes too and for some of them stock Pixel or iOS device is better than GrapheneOS. They can chosse to trust their data to Apple or Google and I would say that I would pick Apple.

          Saying things like "I don't want to sell my phone because someone will have an Apple device" is straight up disgusting. The bias is absolutely insane.

          The only phones that could be recommended from technical privacy and security aspects without any BIAS are Pixel devices and Apple devices. Someone could argue that Samsung is a good choice too but the only thing that they offer is decent hardware and 4 years of updates which is more than other options.

            Give people good technical advice and let them choose for themselves if they want to go with a Pixel or iPhone instead of spreading biased opinions

            Rant over.

            ve3jlg
            If you want the most secure and private phone then get a Pixel 6a, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro or upcoming Pixel 7a then flash GrapheneOS on it. If for some reason you don't like it or for example very important apps and features don't work with GrapheneOS or you think that you need features/convienience offered by stock OS or iPhones then choose between those too. Compare their privacy policies, how they handle your data, what they share your data with and what kind of scandals they had in the past.

            Just make a technical, fact based and informed choice because it is up to you what phone and OS you will use.

            guerrillas Saying things like "I don't want to sell my phone because someone will have an Apple device" is straight up disgusting. The bias is absolutely insane.

            No. It's just responsible.

            I feel the same way.

            • [deleted]

            ve3jlg It's all about safety. Your privacy depends on your usage.

            nosferatu I'm also surprised, how many people trust apple. But when you look at that from consumer view, what choices do you have, when you want smart phone? Android phones with google & chinese spyware and bloatware loaded, samsung with locked boot loader and their spyware with google's, or pixel with "just" google spyware. Apple at least don't make living from gathering and selling personal data as google does. Or it is not their primary source of income. I used keyphone before I found e/OS/ and later Graphene, but how many people can install alternate os, or buy new phones by their support for another OS? I'm happy I have some choices, but there are so few of them. When graphene decides to stop support for pixel 4 XL, I will have to go with e/OS/, or buy new phone.

            Maybe this thread should start with:
            Was there ANY custom OS for the iPhone, let alone GOS?

            Since 2007, was there any OS that was actually usable on an Apple phone device?
            Unlike Macs, iPhones are only meant to run iOS.

            I find this topic quite stupid to begin with. Can we colonize Alpha B?
            Did we colonize Mars first? No.