I love my iPhone but care more about more about FOSS. All my computers and servers run Linux and I want my phone to as well. GrapheneOS sounds nice but I’m worried about switching from an iPhone. Before getting my first iPhone 7, androids would never last more than a year before they become slow and buggy (LG and Samsung flagships). I also worry about how trustworthy GrapheneOS is, I see them getting in random fights with users on Mastodon—that doesn’t exhibit a stable group to me.

TLDR really love FOSS, considering switching from iPhone but am unsure.

E1 found this on wiki lol

In a detailed review of GrapheneOS for Golem.de, Moritz Tremmel and Sebastian Grüner said they were able to use GrapheneOS similarly to other Android systems, while enjoying more freedom from Google, without noticing differences from “additional memory protection, but that’s the way it should be.” They concluded GrapheneOS cannot change how “Android devices become garbage after three years at the latest”, but “it can better secure the devices during their remaining life while protecting privacy.”

  • Decipher0771@lemmy.ca
    15·
    2 days ago

    I recently got a pixel 10 just to start testing out GrapheneOS. So far I’m liking it a lot; my primary phone is still my old iPhone 13 but I can see switching to GrapheneOS as my next phone.

    Full ability to decouple from both Google and Apple, yet maintain usability with restricted Play Store, and ability to customize for nerds like myself……where has this thing been all my life??

  • artyom@piefed.socialEnglish
    38·
    2 days ago

    I’m still running a several year old GOS Pixel 7. Not because I can’t afford to upgrade, but because I don’t care to (at least not until desktop mode becomes good enough to replace my laptop). Not slow or buggy. I don’t really hear about anyone else’s being such either.

    GOS accuses a new entity of “targeted harassment” pretty much every day of the week but it’s safe to ignore. I’m sure some of it is legitimate but I’m also sure all of it isn’t.

        • artyom@piefed.socialEnglish
          4·
          2 days ago

          If you’re looking to buy, I’d look at devices 1-2 years old (so P8x or P9x). These will offer steep discounts while also having tons of life left in them, since Google started offering 7 years of updates.

          Mine is still supported until October of next year!

          https://grapheneos.org/faq#device-lifetime

        • Goun@lemmy.ml
          4·
          2 days ago

          I’m not a hardcore phone user, but it’s still doing great!

          Sadly it doesn’t receive updates anymore, that’s the only problem with it. Other than that, I’m sticking to it for as long as possible.

    • fluxx@mander.xyz
      2·
      2 days ago

      I had pixel 7, broke a screen and got a pixel 8. Apart from desktop, which I dont use, I haven’t noticed almost any significant day to day difference between the two.

    • comrademiao@piefed.socialOPEnglish
      2·
      2 days ago

      That’s good to hear. I’m like you, running an iPhone 12 from five or so years ago.

      How’s your battery life doing? Do you like the photo quality?

      Wonder why they feel the need to do that, lol

  • rhythmisaprancer@piefed.socialEnglish
    31·
    2 days ago

    I use Graphene, and have been modding android ops since before the iPhone 7. I was issued an iphone 12 for work a few years ago and it DRIVES ME UP A WALL! Not sure how you can accept it while using Linux on your computer. Apple phones really are like the windows of mobile computing with enormous update files that take forever and settings you can’t really change.

    I think that, after an initial adjustment, you will really like using Graphene. It allows you to use google things if you choose, just as many Linux systems allow you to use wine and therefore windows. Or, you could just not 🙂 It works great either way.

  • rosco385@lemmy.wtf
    4·
    2 days ago

    I have a Pixel 8 Pro running GrapheneOS as my personal phone, and have an iPhone provided by work. I can see why people like iOS, but I absolutely prefer Android.

    It would be interesting to see a GrapheneOS version of iOS, but Apple will never allow that.

  • superglue@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    12·
    2 days ago

    What you need to realize is that big tech doesnt want you to use Graphene. Things work great right now, but recognize that Google can essentially break the play store or any apps that rely on it anytime they want. So if you switch, your going to want to slowly wean off big tech. You need to make the phone useable without the play store, because one day, Google is going to pull the plug and block Graphene from being able to use the play store.

  • vga@sopuli.xyz
    6·
    2 days ago

    It’s fine. I kinda dislike the devices themselves that are required to run it, though. Too big.

  • sem@piefed.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    14·
    2 days ago

    One thing these other comments are missing is the huge design philosophy difference between iOS and grapheneOS.

    On the iPhone, things are locked down to only what Apple wants you to do, but the UX is polished.

    With grapheneOS, you have so much user agency to do things your own way, but this comes with having to make many decisions, a steeper learning curve, and the opportunity to get yourself into trouble. Most users here don’t seem to mind that tradeoff, but for me, it made a big difference.

    • comrademiao@piefed.socialOPEnglish
      9·
      2 days ago

      On the iPhone, things are locked down to only what Apple wants you to do, but the UX is polished.

      I found this to be true until IOS 18. It’s so bad now.

      You make an interesting point. After I moved to iphone from android I realized I don’t want to customize everything if everything works well. Linux made me learn I care about privacy and FOSS. Wish I could get both!

  • inari@piefed.zipEnglish
    23·
    2 days ago

    Projects like GrapheneOS and Valetudo are one of those cases where you have to separate the author from the work and enjoy it as is

  • fuckwit_mcbumcrumble@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    4·
    2 days ago

    When was the last time you used stock android without gapps? It’s basically like that but what little apps come installed are replaced with more privacy focused ones.

    Unless you install some other App Store there’s very few apps. If you’re cool with what’s on the FOSS app stores then great. But some apps I need aren’t on there so the first thing I did was install google play.

    Graphene is also fairly hostile towards rooting. So if you want root you gotta fight the OS a little bit.

    I have Graphene OS on my pixel, but I could never switch back to android at this point. Sure I’d like more privacy. But I don’t want to hate my phone in order to get it. And I detest androids UI/UX with a burning passion.

    Oh also be aware that almost no banking apps will work on it. Many of them will falsely identify your phone as rooted (even when it isn’t) and the isolated GP I think is what trips up the rest.

    • Noxy@pawb.socialEnglish
      3·
      2 days ago

      Oh also be aware that almost no banking apps will work on it. Many of them will falsely identify your phone as rooted (even when it isn’t) and the isolated GP I think is what trips up the rest.

      “almost no” is a wild exaggeration. Many do. All mine work perfectly fine. Sure, some do pull this shit, but it’s very much not an “almost no” situation

  • anamethatisnt@sopuli.xyz
    15·
    2 days ago

    Prepare yourself for having to relearn a lot of “muscle memory”. I don’t use GrapheneOS myself as I don’t have a Pixel but I can answer regarding android phones longevity:
    My Sony Xperia IV 10 from 2022 is a midrange phone I bought on sale for below 300 euro and it works well for me still. I think I might get through the AI memory crisis without switching phone.

    Personally I’m looking forward to the Motorola offering that has been announced and would probably look at a pixel 9 pro refurbished if I wanted to buy now and not wait for the Motorola one. https://itsfoss.com/news/motorola-grapheneos-team-up/

    • 13igTyme@piefed.socialEnglish
      10·
      2 days ago

      My last few phones have all been Motorola. Granted these are running android, but I really look forward to what they do with GrapheneOS.

      • atropa@piefed.socialEnglish
        3·
        2 days ago

        I bought a pixel 8 pro, immediately when the device was delivered at home, the operating system was replaced by graphene os, so far no negative experience.

        My old motorola edge 30 is now equipped with a custom rom namely lineage and is used as a spare phone, will certainly never go back.

    • matsdis@piefed.socialEnglish
      17·
      2 days ago

      You don’t have to live with the developers. You don’t examine Google or Apple with that kind of scrutiny either, as a user. In fact you can’t, because Google and Apple developers have NDAs and PR to prevent any internal human drama from leaking to the public. Doesn’t mean there is less of it.

      With community-driven open source projects, almost everything happens in public, so you can dig up all that, and drama gets amplified through social media. If you want the illusion of something free of imperfect humans, better stick to the corporate stuff, I guess.

    • gjoel@programming.dev
      14·
      2 days ago

      If you don’t want arrogant developers being involved in your software you might as well move to a cottage in the woods and forsake modern society. Actually, that might be a good idea either way.

      • smeg@feddit.ukEnglish
        18·
        2 days ago

        Copy paste of my own comment:

        The paranoid security-obsessed developer who is focused on making the best software to the point of being rude and isolationist is not the kind of person I’d want to hang out with but kind of is the person I want doing security work for the device I have all my personal info on. Sure it would be nicer if they weren’t so abrasive but I’d rather they channel an angry Linus Torvalds than some slick weasel-wordy Steve Jobs.

        • gianni@lemmy.caEnglish
          4·
          2 days ago

          Steve Jobs was more of an angry asshole than Linus Torvalds. Jobs’ rants were to people’s faces rather than on mailing lists. They are both uncompromising visionaries, however.

          • smeg@feddit.ukEnglish
            2·
            2 days ago

            I just picked him because he’s probably the most well known bullshit-merchant “face” of a tech company, feel free to swap him out for someone even worse!

            • gianni@lemmy.caEnglish
              1·
              20 hours ago

              I would argue that Jobs was not a “bullshit merchant”. Under his direction, Apple changed the personal computing landscape—multiple times. There was certainly an element of showmanship and marketing behind these innovations. But I wouldn’t classify them as bullshit.

              When I hear bullshit merchant, I immediately think Steve Ballmer and Larry Ellison.

            • TehPers@beehaw.orgEnglish
              3·
              2 days ago

              If you need a different example, you’re always free to use Elon “full self driving in two years” Musk.

  • Noxy@pawb.socialEnglish
    3·
    2 days ago

    Yes. I switched from iPhone five years ago and never looked back. Do it.

  • CrypticCoffee@lemmy.ml
    7·
    2 days ago

    I have GOS on Pixel 6a. Good, but battery now starting to show it’s age. But this was at 3 years, rather than the 1.5 years I’m used to.

    Definitely would recommend.

    • dudesss@lemmy.ca
      4·
      2 days ago

      I keep my phone turned off at nighttime now. It’s been helping

      Also have dark theme and a plain dark background.

  • punkisundead [they/them]@slrpnk.netEnglish
    2·
    2 days ago

    I think it would be a great experience for you. If you are super worried you could try on a used device or be open to switch back, as both iPhones and Pixels ahve decent reselling value.

    You sound like you are not relying on the Apple ecosystem, so you shouldnt lose out as much as others with lots of other Apple devices/services.

    Also GrapheneOS has been the best Android experience I had, because it taught me not tl rely on Google services, embracing FOSS alternatives and actually caring about hoe my phone works / what data my apps can access.

  • Cherry@piefed.socialEnglish
    8·
    2 days ago

    Are there any foss or moving away from macOS and Android phone communities? I know there’s dumbphone, but that’s not quite the same.

    I’m trying to find a way out too. I want to not just move away I also want a phone that acts less like an entertainment device.