• General

  • Why is GOS only available for Pixel phones?

From what I've picked up Samsung devices tend to be pretty high up there, some may even fulfill the security requirements. However, they are downright malicious to 3rd party operating systems so they fall out. Fairphone's security track record is a dumpster fire so they aren't suitable either. As of yet google's pixel line is the only one that supports it all without compromises.

If you want to learn about why Fairphone is terrible security wise, check out this post from the official GrapheneOS account on reddit. It's from january this year, but if anything significant had changed that could have swayed support for their devices you would know already.

Libreddit: https://libreddit.nullnet.services/r/GrapheneOS/comments/10b5x4n/comment/j67pbny/

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/GrapheneOS/comments/10b5x4n/comment/j67pbny/

adidas423 Not sure why this is ironic? They all run Android anyway - which is google. Samsung has so much additional software sitting on top of Android - what a mess... For value - the pixel seems to be a better solution than Samsung. I'd be more interested in a small device but no one seems to be making one these days (just because they want us to keep those devices in-hand).

    • [deleted]

    • Post #6

    adidas423 Isn't it ironic that in order to have degoogled, privacy-friendly phone you have to pay Google few hundred dollars?

    The goal of GrapheneOS isn't "degoogling", but security, privacy and maybe even usability. If you wish to have an device that's only "degoogled", consider looking into other Operating systems.

    adidas423 Isn't it ironic

    It is not. Hardware/Firmware security also matters.

          [deleted] Well I'm not so sure this is entirely accurate? If I want to truly 'degoogle' then I can do so from an 'app' and 'account' standpoint... but doing it on top of GOS also removes me from information harvested by Android - to Google... ??

          As an example - I like to use 'Beeper' for my messaging. It allows me to keep my Signal and SMS messaging all in one place. However - they are going to dump SMS for Google Messages. At that point then Beeper stops working for me also :(

              • [deleted]

              • Post #8

              lcalamar Well I'm not so sure this is entirely accurate?

              It is accurate. Daniel as well as the developers have stated numerous times in the past that "deGoogling" isn't the goal of GrapheneOS.

                  [deleted] Understood... all I'm saying is it is easier to de-google on GOS. So while it may not be the intent of GOS - it certainly enables degoogling at a level I can't do on a stock android device. Not sure why wanting to degoogle on GOS would create any debate at all?

                      • [deleted]

                      • Post #10

                      lcalamar If I want to truly 'degoogle' then I can do so from an 'app' and 'account' standpoint... but doing it on top of GOS also removes me from information harvested by Android - to Google... ??

                      I am not sure what you mean.

                        • [deleted]

                        • Post #11

                        lcalamar Not sure why wanting to degoogle on GOS would create any debate at all?

                        No one's debating anything. I was just clarifying something.

                          3 months later

                          [deleted] The goal of GrapheneOS isn't "degoogling", but security, privacy and maybe even usability.

                          Hi, I am new here, trying to learn more about options for achieving privacy on my phone (currently customizing my LineageOS phone). I see a lot of positive user reviews of GOS and am considering getting a Pixel phone just to try it but have one nagging (and maybe a totally silly) question.

                          I've read that some phones may have privacy-defeating firmware baked in. Since Google's goal is to collect data, I am a bit suspicious of their hardware. Has anyone here ever tested a Pixel phone from this angle? i.e. spyware on a chip, operating beyond the reach of the OS? (yes, I am slightly paranoid about my privacy and hope such info is out there).

                          Thanks!

                              krankyrandy7 If you are really scared about spyware on firmware/hardware level, best to throw your devices in a river and live Amish IMO.

                              However, the devices data collection aspects are really only done at a software level, mostly by google services. So if you are really nervous about data harvesting then I would just avoid using any google services when using GOS.

                              Other than that, I am pretty sure GOS only makes network calls to very select places out of the box (networking testing, time server, etc.)

                                  raccoondad best to throw your devices in a river and live Amish IMO.

                                  Not a bad idea on its own merits but I would still very much like to know about Pixel hardware having been examined and deemed safe.

                                      krankyrandy7

                                      I see, well hardware wise a network stack has to be established from the operating system for any data collection to be possible. Most data collection is done using Google services, which GrapheneOS does not come with out of the box.

                                      Forgot where it is, but GrapheneOS has documentation detailing what out of the box network calls it does. Its simple stuff like network strength and timeserver stuff. So overall, not a lot of information is being transmitted out of the box.

                                      You can check this for yourself with any packet analysis software using a custom proxy.