this post was submitted on 18 Sep 2024
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7 Things You Should Know Before Switching to GrapheneOS (www.howtogeek.com)
submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Nice write up.

I feel like everyone under-sells the speed difference, though. I haven't seen performance differences this impressive from an OS switch in many years.

For those that know the feeling of switching a tired old x86 to Linux and getting a peppy performant device - this is better.

Maybe it just feels better from being a pocket device, or maybe my last phone was more deeply bogged down with vendor crap than I can fathom.

Either way, my affordable older Pixel is running GrapheneOS substantially more responsive for daily tasks than the most expensive phones I have ever bought before.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (3 children)

That Sounds Great! But Will It Work on My Phone? Currently, GrapheneOS is supported on Google Pixel devices only...

Aaaaaand, you lost me.

I've got so many spare phones that I'd love to install this on. Not a single one is from Google. They screwed me once with their hardware (Pixelbook), and I don't feel like giving them any more money.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Yeah it only being supported on pixel is what made me lose interest too but there is a good reason why it's specifically pixel phones, it's one of the only phones that doesn't have a bootlocker/ you can disable it. GrapheneOS can't operate on phones with a bootlocker. I could be a little off on this explanation but that's the gist I remember.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

I would flash custom roms all the time years ago, then I just... lost interest since most of the features I liked came bundled with Samsung phones. But Samsung phones are now (apparently) hard to flash decent custom roms on, so I do guess you're stuck with a pixel.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Yeah, that's the main blocker for me, too.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

A was annoyed too, so I ended up buy a used one so I wouldn't give Google any of my money directly. Saved a lot and it works fine.

That said, I wish I could just throw it on my old phone, which still works fine, but the mfg stopped supporting w/ updates.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Is dual booting possible? I'd love a Google boot for when maps/pay/etc are needed, then switch back for the rest

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Google Maps works just fine on GrapheneOS, the only thing that doesn't work is GPay.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I meant Android auto 🫠

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Works fine in GrapheneOS...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Nice! I didn't know play services worked (I'm asking genuinely), and therefore pay and auto and some other pure Google stuff didn't work

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

You can installed Google Play Services if you choose, and it'll run sandboxed (i.e. like any other app). I personally don't use Google Play at all on my main profile, and I have a dedicated profile for when I do need it.

That said, some apps just won't work regardless, like some banking apps (it'll fail the bootloader check). But everything I need works, and I have mostly replaced the Google-specific apps w/ alternatives (e.g. Organic Maps instead of Google Maps). My car isn't new enough to support Android Auto, so I have no experience with any limitations there.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Got it.

Could you run the other apps sandboxed too?

Like, install chase banking from play store, and run the app from the sandbox?

Also what about Microsoft authenticator

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Apps already run in a sandbox in regular Android, and GrapheneOS gives you a few more options (e.g. storage scopes and whatnot). What GrapheneOS does differently is force Google Play Services to also run in that same sandbox, so it behaves like a regular app instead of a privileged system service.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

I think those should work, but if you're entirely degoogled, maybe running a container would work?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You can use different user profiles in Graphene for this purpose.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Thank you I'll read about this.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Need Google Pay...I don't even know the pin for my debit card anymore..

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Maybe now is a good time to fix that? Do you really want Google to be a part of your everyday transactions?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

If I can find an alternative that works everywhere like Google Pay does where I live then sure, I would switch in a heartbeat. But no.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah, I wish there was a FOSS solution for this. It really shouldn't be that complicated tech-wise, but everything w/ payments is super locked down.

I just carry 2-3 cards w/ me and it works well for me.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

Chime is good with it? I've got no worries then!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

"Imagine browsing without trackers following you everywhere or your phone’s performance lagging because of ads. That's the kind of freedom GrapheneOS promises."

It's hard to take the sales pitch seriously after such disingenuous statements such as this. The OS itself doesn't serve ads, but rather the apps you install and the web pages you visit. As well, as soon as you browse the web or install one of your most loved popular apps, you're being tracked. For the average user, the one that wants to use the same apps on the gOS OS that they do on stock android, they will be faced with basically the same ads and the same tracking.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The OS itself doesn’t serve ads, but rather the apps you install and the web pages you visit.

I don't know what phone you use, but a stock Samsung phone absolutely serves ads and tracks like crazy. You can monitor the activity with something like Adguard. Not to mention the bloat like Facebook will call home even when you aren't using it.

So yeah, it would be nice if the OS itself wasn't an open door for this type of crap.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

"So just uninstall Facebook."

You literally can't on the last two Samsung phones I've owned.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Were your last 2 samsung phones purchased from your carrier at a discounted rate? Like an $800 phone for $50? Or did you purchase them not from a carrier?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

From a carrier, but unlocked.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

I bought my pixel, because there was an alternate os for when they stop supporting it, outright and there is only the Google bloat with no fb or carrier apps. For your next phone this might be an option? Haven't used Samsung in a few years but still a suggestion.