Is it worth installed even when using Google apps?

Xoxochippelxo

So I'm thinking about a switch. Unfortunately I still need a few Google apps which I can not replace by FOSS alternatives. I wonder if Grapheneos is still an OS for me even when I still using Google apps (Playstore logged in or Aurora store logged in cuz anonymous is slow) and other Google apps.

newbie24689

Xoxochippelxo
Yes!
Even if you just use your GOS Pixel as most folks use their off-the-shelf Pixels you will receive significantly improved hardening against various potential malware attacks.

88dotorg

Xoxochippelxo

I think yes, the reason why, is same a persons threat model, different from others.
Just give it a try and see how YOU like it. If not you can switch back to OEM Google Pixel any way without any lost or problems.

Sifer

I run the playstore on GOS (their distribution by way of Apps [Apps is an app within GOS to distribute their own apps and their implementation of playstore and its sub-services]) and it works fine. I'm logged in as I need some app that I've paid for years ago and rely on and these works fine.

Now, will everything work dandy with whatever apps you use, that I do not know. Perhaps you can list them and some people that use them can confirm.

Xoxochippelxo

Thanks. Do apps receive auto updates? Do I need to have Play Store for this to be installed?

Sifer

Xoxochippelxo

Apps is a GOS system app. Apps is GOS own "app store" which only updates the apps that it distributes and itself. One of the apps (and its dependencies) distributed via GOS Apps is the play store. This is how you will get and install the google play store.

The apps you install from the play store are updated via the play store itself. And yes, they do receive update and yes you do need to have the play store installed.

If you worry about privacy and security in regards to google play store read this

https://grapheneos.org/usage#sandboxed-google-play

You also have the option to create a secondary user-profile and install and run the play store and the apps you get from it on that profile.

[deleted]

Quite a few people here think that switching to GOS while keeping their old habits will miraculously cure their privacy and security concerns as if swallowing a magic pill. This is not the case. While GOS brings a plethora of improvements on the PrivSec side, the final result depends entirely on your choices, on what you decide to add to it to make your world work. Let's not get lazy here, let's not give in to world's largest ad company who don't mind paying vast penalties since they know what's in it for them. But you don't.

spring-onion

Yes. You don't defy the project's spirit by installing google on your phone, in fact, support for the play store is continuously worked on. GrapheneOS aims to improve privacy and security while retaining usability. It puts you into the driver's seat when it comes to what you install and what happens on your phone. Installing the play store and its respective components doesn't have nearly the same privacy implications as on stock, google is leashed to the normal app sandbox so you still benefit there.

Read this: https://grapheneos.org/usage#sandboxed-google-play