Some questions before I get into Graphene OS.

Hello

Hello,
I have never used Graphene OS, or any pixel device. I have a few questions:
1) I am thinking to buy Pixel 6a External link to flipkart.com (Indian online store) . Do you think this is a good device? ( I mostly only watch videos, use browser, etc.). It doesn't say it is locked or anything, so I should be able to flash Graphene right?
2) For work, I have to use whatsapp on my device. Currently I use a vanilla custom rom, and use the app "shelter" from f-droid, and install whatsapp in that app. This way whatsapp can't scan my gallery and other files on user profile. I heard that there are some isolating features in Graphene, can someone please tell me how will I be able to use whatsapp as privately as possible?
3) I also saw that you can install google framework and services in Graphene. Can someone please explain what is google framework and services? I was only aware of google services. And why not use micro g, that randomizes the id, and doesn't require logging in?
4) Which maps is the best? I am aware of organic maps from f-droid.
5) Does location work without google framework/services?
6) I'm not going to use it, but just out of curiosity, how do e-sim and physical sim compare? Especially with respect to privacy and security.
7) And finally, Accessories:
a) I use wired earphones, so will any usb c to 3.5 mm audio jack cable work?
b) The phone doesn't come with any adapter (for charging the phone), so any recommendations?

Thank you! If you can answer any questions, I would greatly appreciate it! Kudos to the Graphene team for all the work they have done!

unwat

Hello

Pretty much the same responses as intelligence, but here goes:

users on here seem to be happy with their 6a phones
use another profile or use storage scopes (https://grapheneos.org/features#storage-scopes). Another profile is better if you want to hide personal contacts, but it's more annoying. Shelter also works, from what I've read here but I've never used it.
For "Sandboxed Google Play" to work, you'd have to install all three of the following apps: Google Services Framework, Google Play Services, and Google Play. They're different apps, but pretty much rely on the others to work correctly. I can't speak for others, but I use Google Play stuff because I believe GrapheneOS's GMS compatibility layer is a better answer to the Google privacy problem than microg.
I don't know. I just use Google Maps.
Yes

6, 7a: no clue

7b: my phone came with a cable, just no charging brick. I use an Anker one. Their products are of a good quality, from what I've read.

intelligence

1) If it meets your needs, go for it. There's really not all that much difference between all the 6's and 7's beyond what is listed in the spec sheets.
2) Create a separate profile and install it in there.
3) Just more or less detail in describing it is all. If you're aiming for higher compatibility, uG isn't as great. GrapheneOS devs also just don't seem to like uG for various reasons and attempt to imply a security problem with it, which is pretty hilarious for software developers, since both projects are open source. If there is a security concern with uG, it could be solved by contributing to the project to solve them. Personally, I don't use either as any connection to gooble is unjustifiable.
4) Try them all out and decide for yourself. What I like has no bearing on what you like.
5) Yes, location works of course.
6) Same thing, different delivery.
7a) Yes, any standards compliant USB-C DAC will work fine.
7b) Any USB power source will charge it.

Hello

Thanks a lot for your reply!
Regarding point 2, if I create different profile, I wont get any notification/be notified from work profile while I am in my user profile. This is important as I have to reply to my colleague and boss ASAP.
How is different profiles different from what the app "shelter" does?

tastazardo

Graphite r

Hello Regarding point 2, if I create different profile, I wont get any notification/be notified from work profile while I am in my user profile. This is important as I have to reply to my colleague and boss ASAP.

If you enable the 'Send notifications to current user' under the Profile > User Settings, you will receive notifications from your WhatsApp profile, to your main profile, as long as the profile session is running. Only catch is that it will inform you there is a notification from WA. It will not show what or who it is from.

Hope this helps.

Hello

I currently power off my phone every night, and turn it on in the morning, for battery. So what consumes more battery, phone idle all night, or phone powering off and on?

Graphite

Hello So what consumes more battery, phone idle all night, or phone powering off and on?

Idle power consumption depends greatly on what processes/services are running. If there is a running app that is actively polling over the network, if you have radios on, or something monitoring the sensor. Push notifications through Google consolidate many app's need for notification into a single persistent network connection, so it could save power compared to a dozen apps waiting on notifications separately.

The power consumption for powering on or off, is negligible. It's not like a car engine that can have poor efficiency when first started because of a cold engine. It takes a minute to boot up, and the power consumption during that time is not really different from a minute of any other use with the screen on.

intelligence

Graphite Push notifications through Google consolidate many app's need for notification into a single persistent network connection, so it could save power compared to a dozen apps waiting on notifications separately.

That's actually misleading. It doesn't actually cost ANY power to maintain a connection with a server for push notifications, since all it is, is a routing path that is established between the two endpoints of the connection. If the server wants to push a message, all it has to do is send data along the existing path. The network hardware on the phone will wake up the CPU, allowing it to process the incoming message.

The only time when listening for push messages costs battery is when it is poorly or incorrectly implemented. Yes, there is a chance that any particular implementation that you come across may be poorly implemented.

Thyself8991

7 a: Not all USB-C - 3.5 mm cables work. People seem to have good experiences with the Apple one - I have one too and it works ok.

7 b: Get a charger that is PD -compatible. That way your phone can communicate with the charger. This ensures fast charging and maintaining good battery health over the years.

Hello

tastazardo Wow, thank you! Definitely helps! I wonder what would happen if someone tried to whatsapp call though...
How does this compare to using "shelter"? as I imagine, running another profile in background would consume a lot more battery.

tastazardo

Hello what would happen if someone tried to whatsapp call though...

Unfortunately, I don't use WA (too intrusive, and untrustworthy), so I cannot clarify that point. :(

Graphite

intelligence

TCP connections still consume power. It's just a route pathway, but it is still maintained open. Just that isn't only one and it's very efficient. Way better than polling at the application layer.

And the SoC contains the CPU and the network stack. There's always a wake lock. But again, it's very efficient compared to polling.

It's incorrect to suggest ZERO power consumption. The "idle" power consumption may be insignificant, and imperceptible, but it's non zero and displayed in the battery usage screen.

[deleted]

All I can tell you is: presume everyone is an enemy.