Want to Know More about deGoogled Phone Operating Systems?
- What is the Easiest To Use deGoogled Phone?
- What is the Most Privacy Friendly Smartphone?
- Which is the most Secure Smartphone?
To answer those questions, we MUST discuss the different operating systems. It’s ALL ABOUT the OS folks. For example, some people really like using Windows. Some are die-hard Mac. For phones, some people are Android only and some are Apple IOS only. The same goes for deGoogled Phones.
Also, one of the operating systems called GrapheneOS can only go on the Google Pixels. This is what’s used on the Ghost phone and the Above Phone that Mike Adams promotes. But, some people don’t like the Google Pixel phones and that’s why Get Privacy Freedom offers several different brands for degoogled phones, THUS we need a few different operating systems to work with.
Here we will give a basic overview of the Operating Systems that GetPrivacyFreedom flashes on our ROM’s. If you want a quick answer, just go to the CONCLUSION. As of June 2024, we deGoogle with GrapheneOS, DivestOS , CalyxOS, e/OS, and LineageOS on some tablets if requested. Here is also a very detailed techy Comparison of Android ROMs if you so choose to dive deeper.
deGoogled Phone Basics:
The deGoogled Phone Operating Systems are all based on AOSP (Android Operating System Project).
All are Open-Source code which provides auditable privacy, unlike Google and Apple “closed-source” where the code is proprietary and spyware can be hidden.
All of them are Pro-Privacy, deGoogled, unGoogled, google-free, google-less phone operating systems in which the purpose is;
…to remove or disable any feature or code that is sending data to Google servers, to sever your identity from your device helping you to maintain PRIVACY, and keeping your data safe from hackers and resellers or any entity that wants to weaponize your data against you.
All OS’s have capabilities of APP Tracker management, Location faking, and IP address faking.
GrapheneOS
Heavy OS-focus and is the most SECURE and PRIVATE Operating System, while still VERY user friendly. It is NOT “out-of-the-box” ready to go for a non-techy person, BUT is when the right Apps are added. We do by default add a few favorite basic Apps tom the phones we sell to help one get started.
USER FRIENDLINESS – GrapheneOS is simple to use. It basically CAN HAVE all of the features, bells and whistles that anyone is used to with a normie Google or IOS device. But it does take some learning, time, patience, the right APPs. Don’t expect to pull it out of the box and simply transfer Google data over to it and start rocking.
PRIVACY & SECURITY – GrapheneOS improves the privacy and security of the OS from the bottom up. It deploys technologies to mitigate whole classes of vulnerabilities and make exploiting the most common sources of vulnerabilities substantially more difficult. It improves the security of both the OS and the apps running on it. The app sandbox and other security boundaries are fortified.
GrapheneOS WILL NEVER include either Google Play services or another implementation of Google services like microG, which /e/OS, Calyx, and Lineage use. It’s possible to install Play services as a set of fully sandboxed apps without special privileges via the “sandboxed Google Play compatibility layer.” To quickly learn HOW-TO-USE this awesomeness, check out this video. Koodos to Side of Burritos for his work! Please “buy-him-a-coffee” if you find his video helpful!
CAMERA – By default, EXIF metadata is stripped for captured images and only includes the orientation. On “normie” phones, metadata like timestamp, phone model, exposure configuration and location tagging are in every photo taken and data that can VIOLATE PRIVACY, especially when photos are put on a cloud or sent to others. /e/OS or Lineage may not have this feature, but a simple App like Scrambled Exif can be added. As far as camera speed, I find it just bit delayed, while the other OS’s perform quickly. The photo quality is superb. There is always the option to install the Pixel Camera as well which doesn’t share your data with Google.
Regarding SUPL, by default, GrapheneOS overrides the carrier/fallback SUPL server and uses the supl.grapheneos.org proxy. GrapheneOS adds a toggle for configuring SUPL in Settings > Location where you can choose between the default GrapheneOS proxy supl.grapheneos.org, the Standard server (carrier/fallback) or turning it Off completely. GrapheneOS also disables sending IMSI and phone number as part of SUPL. You can read more about DNS and SUPL here.
SUPPORT – GrapheneOS has a very active community primarily based around the official chat rooms on Matrix. There is an official Twitter community for GrapheneOS discussions. The official Twitter account for the project is @GrapheneOS which is used for official announcements. You can also contact contact@grapheneos.org for topics related to GrapheneOS. Personally, I have only contacted them one time ever to confirm some OS release dates. Point is, their OS rocks!
ON WHAT PHONES? ONLY available on the Google Pixel phones. Also check out this Exclusive Interview With A GrapheneOS Developer and see What exactly Graphene OS is, How it provides privacy and security, and Why only on Pixel devices.
Want More Details? Visit Grapheneos.org
DivestOS
Our radar picked up on DivestOS late 2023. It is a soft-fork of lineage with a lot of extra Pro-Privacy protocols added to it and inherits many supported devices from LineageOS. It has signed builds, making it possible to have verified boot on some non-Pixel devices. After testing it for a few months it has become a favorite.
USER FRIENDLINESS – Fdroid comes pre-install so even a non-techy person can begin finding and installing Open Source apps without having to go find Fdroid, download the APK, and then install it. Overall this was as easy to use as Graphene and the others.
DivestOS has an optional GmapsWV wrapper app for only accessing google maps with web view. I find this extremely helpful, since some of the Open Source Maps are not as intuitive.
One downside is that some push-notifications will not work, i.e. from Protonmail, because the new ‘push notification reveals location’ law/act, that was passed in court from apple putting/pushing it in. The legislation allows all notifications to reveal the location of both apple & android phones when notifications appear. So obviously Divest will NOT support this invasion of your Privacy Freedom. THOUGH, you can install/enable MicroG by the instructions from Divest.
PRIVACY & SECURITY – Divest does extremely well in this area by providing DNS options, the Mulch System WebView, using the Graphene OS Camera, and having their own Repository of Apps which helps provide secure Apps for your device.
- Bootloader relocking is restored and has been tested working on 23 devices and is available for 26 more. Verified boot is also restored on 36 of those devices and is enforcing once locked.
- Powerful Tracker Blocker – A custom wildcard-optimized hosts file created by analyzing over 180 million domains is included that blocks over 900,000 advertising and tracking servers.
- DivestOS removes as many proprietary blobs as possible. Over 700 proprietary blobs are removed during build time. Removal of these proprietary blobs increase security by reducing attack surface and increase privacy by removing untrusted code.
- Privacy Oriented Browser – Mull is a browser based on Mozilla technology that is hardened against fingerprinting techniques thanks to the Tor uplift project and arkenfox-user.js project.
- There is also a recommended list of about 100 Apps here, and on IzzyOnFdroid Repo there are about 1100 Apps to look through. This is super important, because every App requires some type of PERMISSIONS to network, camera, microphone, storage, etc. So… it is nice to have some Pro-Privacy Apps to choose from and check what permissions they need on your device. Also, default Browser is MULL, a browser hardened against trackers by default. Replaces AOSP Browser/LineageOS Jelly. Here are some more Technical Details regarding DNS, GPS SUPL, etc.
SUPPORT – The Community and Support page speaks for itself. There are support forums on Reddit, F-Droid Forum, Fairphone Forum, XDA Forum and XDA Forum. DivestOS has also been around since 2017 and working on Android ROMs since 2013. They have a great track record.
ON WHAT PHONES? Currently on these models.
Want more info? Check out the DivestOS website.
CalyxOS
This Operating System pretty much makes your phone out-of-the-box privacy ready. They focus heavily on enhanced OS privacy features while making the phone very user friendly by including an array of useful pro-privacy Apps that surely helps with deGoogling journey.
USER FRIENDLINESS – CalyxOS Comes with many default Apps at first boot-up that help with secure messaging, browsing, weather, maps, a synchronization client, and add Fdroid and Aurora store by default for getting all other Apps that are needed. https://calyxos.org/docs/guide/apps/
I also like that they include a very useful and extensive USER’S GUIDE https://calyxos.org/docs/guide/getting-started/. A lot can be gleaned here even for general privacy DO’s and DON’Ts. Well done CalyxOS!
PRIVACY & SECURITY – CalyxOS states their core principle is Privacy By Design. This is a values-driven design and development process that centers the needs of users above all else. What does this mean in practice? Some ideas in Privacy By Design include:
- Good Defaults: There are many cases in which Android allows the user control over their data, but the options are buried deep in the settings and can be confusing to the user. CalyxOS ensures that the default option is always the option that puts privacy first.
- End-to-end Security: Whenever possible, they promote tools and approaches that ensure full encryption of all data for its entire life, so that no one other than you ever has access to potentially sensitive information.
Here are a few examples of ways in which this approach makes it into CalyxOS:
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- The default search engine and web browsers block advertising and behavior trackers.
- As already mentioned, many security-focused apps by default, such as Signal for secure messaging and Tor Browser for fully anonymous web browsing.
- Includes built-in free VPN services from trusted organizations protect your network traffic and IP address.
- ✌️ microG replaces some functions of Google Play Services while maintaining much more anonymity and privacy. Completely Optional.
- 🗺️ Mozilla Location Services (and Dejavu) available as default location services.
- 📍 Nominatim available as default geocoding service, if you care about the geeky good stuff.
- Re-lockable Bootloader – CalyxOS is meant to be run with a locked bootloader after installation, which makes sure that the OS cannot be tampered without your knowledge. For some this is bonus. You can read more here.
SUPPORT – Nice community and support forums, matrix etc. https://calyxos.org/community/. The Main Support channels are CalyxOS: #CalyxOS:matrix.org. Calyx Institute channel: #calyx:matrix.org
It’s easy to get support and stay up-to-date at Mastadon, X, or Reddit.
ON WHAT PHONES? – Like Graphene, CalyxOS is mainly focused on the Pixel phones, but also available for a few a Moto’s; G32, G42, G52 and the SHIFTmq, but these Global phones, and not necessarily for USA.
Get Privacy Freedom offers CalyxOS on the older Pixel phones or if requested on new Pixels.
Want more details? Visit https://calyxos.org/
/e/OS
/e/OS is a fork of LineageOS and Heavy on the USER experience, while still providing excellent Security and Privacy. This is a great OS for newbies and non-techies, but is still fully customizable for whatever APPS the user desires.
USER FRIENDLINESS – This Operating System allows the phone to be pretty much out-of-the-box privacy-ready. /e/OS focuses more on apps and online services which are crucial components of our everyday experience. The online services, including search engine, email platform, cloud storage, and other online tools, create a unique privacy enhanced environment.
It also features a basic App-Package already installed which of course are Open Source and spyware free. They include; Music, Calculator, Calendar, Maps, Notes, and Email, Phone, Messenger, and App store in which any other Apps can be added easily.
What’s really convenient is that the App Lounge is compatible with all your favorite Android Apps. This is really helpful for those needed Apps like Door Dash Driver or Uber Driver for example. These CANNOT be found on Fdroid or Aurora Store which is used for Lineage or Graphene.
BUT this could be detrimental if adding Privacy-Violators like anything Google or other Big-Tech Apps. See our blog about how Big-Tech Apps spy on you. One has to use great discernment for what is really needed on the phone. A viable option is to simply use websites for banking, weather, etc.
One other thing to note is that the App icons are much like that of IOS IPhones and Ipads in how they look, feel and function. This may be a Pro for some. I personally do not like it, but surely not a deal breaker for Android fans.
PRIVACY & SECURITY – /e/OS how done a spectacular job with their “Advanced Privacy” module that offers the following features:
- Tracker management: users know in real time the number of active trackers used by installed applications. All trackers’ activities can be cut, with some granularity by application.
- Location faking: /e/OS users can choose to have their location faked for applications that use location. Faking goes from “random plausible locations” to a specific, chosen location.
- IP address faking: /e/OS users can choose to fake their IP address, for all application, or specific applications. This is made possible by redirecting the internet traffic through the TOR network.
- Also, a “hide my email” address alias is provided to each user, for user who don’t want to disclose their real email address.
What is also noteworthy is that the App Lounge provides a PRIVACY ANALYSIS showing Permissions required of your device and the Trackers attached to the App. This an awesome feature!
Other noteworthy’s: Google search engine has been replaced with alternatives such as DuckDuckGo. Google Services have been replaced by microG framework. Alternative default apps are used instead of Google Apps. Connectivity check against Google servers is removed. NTP servers have been replaced with the standard NTP service: pool.ntp.orgs. DNS default servers are replaced by 9.9.9.9 and can be edited to user’s choice. Geolocation is using Mozilla Location Services on top of GPS.
SUPPORT – /e/OS is growing fast. They sell their own “Murena” phones as well which helps with resolving bugs quickly. Their support group is fairly large as well, and the support forum is active with quick responses to device problems.
ON WHAT PHONES? – The device list is constantly growing. Here are all of the e/OS devices we offer.
There is a slew more to say about /e/OS but you can find More Details here if you wish.
Here is my /e/OS review VIDEO as well and the OS running on a deGoogled Oneplus 6T.
Lineage OS
USER FRIENDLINESS – This OS pushes for user Personalization and Preference and is as simple to use as any other OS. I will admit I like the complete control I have on App placement on the home-screens vs /e/OS, which is a bit rigid. But I am the kind of guy that wears flip-flops for complete toe freedom even when doing construction. I loathe shoes and socks that try to make my toes compliant!
PRIVACY & SECURITY – It is not as Secure as Graphene, but features monthly security updates to every supported device, enhance existing privacy touchpoints around the OS and keeps you informed of how the system shares your data. Optional MicroG replaces Google services.
Con: This OS by default uses Google’s DNS server which should be changed to Cloudfare or some other Private DNS. This is simply changed in “settings”. It’s WebView System Implementation is standard Chromium which is not a deal-breaker, but the other OS’s are more secure by using their own hardened Chromium WebView or other. Those concerned with supl.google, gps.conf is only fallback values and in some cases a debug config, actual values are set in framework overlays. Changing it likely wouldn’t do anything. Furthermore, your carrier or SIM call overrides the SUPL server. And it can also be overridden during an emergency call.
SUPPORT – Lineage OS has been around for a long time and extends the functionality and lifespan of mobile devices from more than 20 different manufacturers thanks to the open-source community of contributors from all around the world. You can expect support for newer devices sooner, along with a wide range of old devices, when compared to other custom Android ROMs.
ON WHAT PHONES? – Available on the Motorolas, Samsung Galaxy S10’s, OnePlus’s and some Pixel’s., but I would recommend mainly for the Motorolas and Tablets since there are no alternative OS’s for those.
Conclusion
All of these deGoogled Phone Operating Systems are exceptional and I have personally used all of them.
GrapheneOS is the favorite because of their exceptional Security and in the end making one of the most Secure and Privacy Friendly Smartphones with the Google Pixels. My wife, son, mother and other extended family of all ages and non-techies use Graphene OS. Here are the Privacy Smartphones with Graphene OS we sell. But Graphene is not out-of-the-box ready to use unless there are some good trusted Apps added to it. Yes, we can add those on our phones before they ship out. One very useful features of Graphene is that Google Play services can be installed as a set of fully sandboxed apps without special privileges via the “sandboxed Google Play compatibility layer. This feature helps remove some inconveniences when entering the de-googling world. Graphene is offered on all newer Pixel’s.
DivestOS makes GREAT efforts in Privacy and Security. The Mulch hardened Chromium WebView is included with features like control-flow integrity and network state. It includes a Privacy Oriented Browser, Mull, which is a browser based on Mozilla technology. Over 700 proprietary blobs are removed during build time. It uses the Graphene OS Camera, and has their own Repository of Apps which helps provide secure Apps for your device. Divest also has many extras like; Hypatia, a real-time malware scanner, a Robocall Blocker Carrion that automatically blocks all calls with spoofed caller ID, and much more.
It’s NOT out-of-the-box ready and not quite as user friendly as Calyx or e/OS in the beginning, but shouldn’t deter one away, as it’s easy to add Pro-Privacy Apps that can get one started right away. Here our a helpful Blog of recommended Apps. One downside is that some push-notifications will not work, i.e. from Protonmail, because the new ‘push notification reveals location’ law/act. This legislation allows all notifications to reveal the location of both apple & android phones when notifications appear. So obviously Divest will NOT support this invasion of your Privacy Freedom. Calyx and e/OS uses MicroG to allow ‘push-notifications’ to function, which obviously is not as Private/Secure. THOUGH, you can install/enable MicroG by the instructions from Divest.
CalyxOS has been around for quite some time now and many are using it. I like that it’s out-of-the-box ready with many pro-privacy Apps even when the phone boots for the first time. Overall, I would rate it right up there with e/OS for an alternative to Graphene or Divest. CalyxOS supports older Pixels, currently to the Pixel 3 which is great for those who don’t want or need a new big Pixel phone. I also like that he default search engine and web browsers block advertising and behavior trackers and that there are many default options that put privacy first.
/e/OS offers a lot of security/privacy features out-of-the-box and a whole realm of user-friendliness with the App Lounge and creating an Operating System for “Everyone”. Therefore, it makes one the Easiest to Use deGoogled phones. With their ecloud storage and emails, you can’t go wrong here. I highly recommend /e/OS as it is evolving into a Top-Notch degoogled phone system. Their Device compatibility list is growing fast so expect to see a lot more phone options from us running /e/OS. Here are the Privacy Smartphones with e/OS we sell.
I do NOT like the IOS screen layout and function. It feels constrictive to many Android users, but a great choice for Iphone users!
LineageOS comes in last, but I still love Lineage because of their compatibility with so many phones and devices. If you don’t like the Pixel phones, or supporting Google, then there are many more phone models here that may be to your liking. Lineage default browser is setup as Google, SO CHANGE THAT FIRST THING if getting a Lineage OS phone. The DNS settings should also be changed to Cloudflare or some other Private DNS provider. (We change this as part of deGoogling your phone). There are some concerns regarding the Chromium WebView System. We currently only use Lineage on Samsung Tablets as alternative to e/OS.
Want another opinion? This review by It’s FOSS is very helpful as well.
What deGoogled Phone Operating System do I Use?
As of 2024, I currently use DivestOS on my OnePlus 6 dual sim “work phone” and Graphene on my Pixel 7 as my super-secret “batphone”. But, I tend to switch back-n-forth between different phone models and Operating Systems which helps reveal pro’s and con’s that I can relay to users in various ways. BTW, 5G can be turned off on deGoogled phones so not worried about that.
DON’T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE DETAILS. You won’t go wrong with choosing and using any of the deGoogled Phone Operating Systems. Just make the decision to Get Privacy Freedom and join the Privacy Revolution.
Please NOTE there could be A LOT more to say about all of the Operating Systems…but this blog is meant to be a condensed version with not too long of a read that is easy comprehension to hopefully provide some insight and help with decision making.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Jonny
