RetroFed Forum
Your home away from modern life.
Should you DeGoogle your smartphone?
Post Reply
AuthorMessage
Sunshine piefed.ca Sunshine@piefed.ca
Joined: 2025-06-07
(edited) Quote

The experience of using a degoogled phone, both from the AOSP and Linux side of things.

I had to update to description since people kept thinking that I made the video.

177   Original
Sunshine Moderator Sunshine@piefed.ca
Joined: 2025-06-07
#2 · Quote Reply

Great video to introduce new folks into the topic!

8:58 lemmy spotted.

36
softotteep pawb.social solxix@pawb.social
Joined: 2025-12-03
#3 · Quote Reply

Great video to introduce new folks into the topic! 8:58 lemmy spotted.

Did you forget to switch accounts?

-23
Sunshine (she/her) Moderator Sunshine@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2024-09-16
#4 · Quote Reply

Did you forget to switch accounts?

Nah, I thought it would please the 9/10 upvoters on this post who are lemmings to be represented in the video.

This the third pedantic comment I received today.

24
softotteep pawb.social solxix@pawb.social
Joined: 2025-12-03
#5 · Quote Reply

Nah, I thought it would please the 9/10 upvoters on this post who are lemmings to be represented in the video. This the third pedantic comment I received today.

My bad, I was making a joke because it looked like a comment that someone else would make. I didn't mean for it to be taken negatively.

15
mrnngglry sh.itjust.works mrnngglry@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2026-02-17
#6 · Quote Reply

My bad, I was making a joke because it looked like a comment that someone else would make. I didn't mean for it to be taken negatively.

Nah, you’re right. It did seem that way.

16
fizzle quokk.au fizzle@quokk.au
Joined: 2025-11-21
#7 · Quote Reply

Did you forget to switch accounts?

There's an Australian politician that commented on their own post. "Fantastic, great move, well done Angus".

He's now the leader of what was a major political party, not so much anymore.

6
vatlark lemmy.world vatlark@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-11
#8 · Quote Reply

Yay peertube!

12
Hxrmit thelemmy.club Hxrmit@thelemmy.club
Joined: 2026-06-27
#9 · Quote Reply

Do not mention Ubuntu or E/os

3
vatlark lemmy.world vatlark@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-11
#10 · (edited) Quote Reply

Do not mention Ubuntu or E/os

I just watched it, and it mentions ubuntu touch and /e/os.

Edit: oh you are saying people shouldn't mention those?

6
Tore piefed.world Tore@piefed.world
Joined: 2026-03-12
#11 · Quote Reply

Do not mention Ubuntu or E/os

Why not mention Ubuntu or e/Os? I've used both on my Fairphone 3+.

Used Ubuntu Touch for years and I've got e/OS installed right now.

5
Sunshine (she/her) Moderator Sunshine@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2024-09-16
#12 · Quote Reply

There's an Australian politician that commented on their own post. "Fantastic, great move, well done Angus". He's now the leader of what was a major political party, not so much anymore.

I wasn’t the one who made the video..

9
kepix lemmy.world kepix@lemmy.world
Joined: 2024-01-06
#13 · Quote Reply

you have not answered the video title question. the answer is not yes, the answer is HOW.

  • also lineage gapps is not treated as system apps. you can disable them in the app list.
  • you havent talked about the endless struggle of spoofing
  • you havent talked about eos being just a glorified and outdated microg lineage
  • you havent talked about where people can ask about their ticket, banking, gov app compatibility, cause this is the most important thing.
  • ypu did not talk about debloat without changing from stock, using custom dns stuff

sorry, but this is even far from the tip of the iceberg. also why would you put black logos in front of a black background...

28
Sunshine (she/her) Moderator Sunshine@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2024-09-16
#14 · Quote Reply

you have not answered the video title question. the answer is not yes, the answer is HOW. also lineage gapps is not treated as system apps. you can disable them in the app list. you havent talked about the endless struggle of spoofing you havent talked about eos being just a glorified and outdated microg lineage you havent talked about where people can ask about their ticket, banking, gov app c...

I didn’t make the video. It’s a quote from their description.

7
Hxrmit thelemmy.club Hxrmit@thelemmy.club
Joined: 2026-06-27
#15 · Quote Reply

Why not mention Ubuntu or e/Os? I've used both on my Fairphone 3+. Used Ubuntu Touch for years and I've got e/OS installed right now.

Both are backed by corporations. E/OS also relies on hidden google services, it is also a more bloated lineageOS having worse security than EOL grapheneOS.

5
Left as Center jlai.lu leftascenter@jlai.lu
Joined: 2024-05-17
#16 · Quote Reply

Both are backed by corporations. E/OS also relies on hidden google services, it is also a more bloated lineageOS having worse security than EOL grapheneOS.

AFAIK ubports has split from Ubuntu in the form of a German foundation.

8
valar lemmy.ca valar@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2026-04-02
#17 · Quote Reply

you have not answered the video title question. the answer is not yes, the answer is HOW. also lineage gapps is not treated as system apps. you can disable them in the app list. you havent talked about the endless struggle of spoofing you havent talked about eos being just a glorified and outdated microg lineage you havent talked about where people can ask about their ticket, banking, gov app c...

How:

  1. Get a pixel (or soon a Motorola)
  2. Install GrapheneOS
  3. Everything just works
  4. Profit
22
Hxrmit thelemmy.club Hxrmit@thelemmy.club
Joined: 2026-06-27
#18 · Quote Reply

AFAIK ubports has split from Ubuntu in the form of a German foundation.

Canonical, a UK-based software company mantains it though, the snap packages are also proprietary

0
Sasquatch lemmy.ml Sasquatch@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2023-08-12
#19 · Quote Reply

How: Get a pixel (or soon a Motorola) Install GrapheneOS Everything just works Profit

paypal doesn't work.

Google wallet doesn't work

7
altphoto lemmy.today altphoto@lemmy.today
Joined: 2025-04-14
#20 · Quote Reply

paypal doesn't work. Google wallet doesn't work

Sold if you can't get YouTube to work.

1
bthest lemmy.world bold_atlas@lemmy.world
Joined: 2025-03-31
#21 · (edited) Quote Reply

paypal doesn't work. Google wallet doesn't work

OK now I'm even more sold on getting GrapheneOS.

22
machine2918 lemmy.world machine2918@lemmy.world
Joined: 2025-09-04
#22 · Quote Reply

paypal doesn't work. Google wallet doesn't work

Google Wallet is a huge part against switching for me, what are my options? I have issues getting Curve registration accepted due to unknown issues and have so far had no luck with their support..

3
valar lemmy.ca valar@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2026-04-02
#23 · (edited) Quote Reply

paypal doesn't work. Google wallet doesn't work

Google wallet is not something a "deGoogled" phone needs to worry about

I don't use PayPal much, but is there anything about it you can't just do in a web browser?

12
decapitae sh.itjust.works decapitae@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2025-02-15
#24 · Quote Reply

Why is a pixel able to 'de google'? Is, possibly, the hardware designed to do the snooping despite the OS? 🤔 Work harder to degoogle older phones!

6
Madzielle lemmy.dbzer0.com Madzielle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
Joined: 2024-08-11
#25 · Quote Reply

Google Wallet is a huge part against switching for me, what are my options? I have issues getting Curve registration accepted due to unknown issues and have so far had no luck with their support..

you type your card # in everytime?

2
machine2918 lemmy.world machine2918@lemmy.world
Joined: 2025-09-04
#26 · Quote Reply

you type your card # in everytime?

Only if the price is really high, can't remember the last time, I'm talking must be years ago. Do have to approve every purchase with biometrics of course.

2
naeap sopuli.xyz naeap@sopuli.xyz
Joined: 2023-06-03
#27 · (edited) Quote Reply

Sold if you can't get YouTube to work.

NewPipe & Co works on my current GrapheneOS

Edit: not sure if that now is an anti feature for you ;⁠-⁠)

5
naeap sopuli.xyz naeap@sopuli.xyz
Joined: 2023-06-03
#28 · Quote Reply

paypal doesn't work. Google wallet doesn't work

Haven't tried Google wallet, but why should PayPal not work?
I'm paying in my browser anyway

Haven't used PayPal much in the last..phew...2? years, but as I'm ordering in a browser and then get to PayPal or usually just done credit card screen, I didn't had any problems - besides PayPal changing rules like underwear and I'm a bit fed up with it

7
Madzielle lemmy.dbzer0.com Madzielle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
Joined: 2024-08-11
#29 · Quote Reply

Only if the price is really high, can't remember the last time, I'm talking must be years ago. Do have to approve every purchase with biometrics of course.

now ur trollin lol

1
machine2918 lemmy.world machine2918@lemmy.world
Joined: 2025-09-04
#30 · Quote Reply

now ur trollin lol

What do u mean lol

1
mastod0n lemmy.world mastod0n@lemmy.world
Joined: 2024-02-08
#31 · Quote Reply

Why is a pixel able to 'de google'? Is, possibly, the hardware designed to do the snooping despite the OS? 🤔 Work harder to degoogle older phones!

If you have evidencefor this claim I would love to read it

3
decapitae sh.itjust.works decapitae@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2025-02-15
#32 · Quote Reply

No, sadly, just speculation as to why there seems to be an OS to get away from a company, but it's specifically for that companies phone and doesn't convey to different manufacturers phones- an oddity to me

3
Trilogy3452 lemmy.world Trilogy3452@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-08
#33 · Quote Reply

If you have evidencefor this claim I would love to read it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyirQOCUUK8

2:36

Though not necessarily access the OS data if the OS somehow manages to encrypt the data

3
sulgoth lemmy.ca sulgoth@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2026-01-24
#34 · Quote Reply

No, sadly, just speculation as to why there seems to be an OS to get away from a company, but it's specifically for that companies phone and doesn't convey to different manufacturers phones- an oddity to me

Easier to support an OS when you only have like 4 devices to deal with.

1
BCsven lemmy.ca BCsven@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2023-06-17
#35 · Quote Reply

Why is a pixel able to 'de google'? Is, possibly, the hardware designed to do the snooping despite the OS? 🤔 Work harder to degoogle older phones!

You can degoogle other phones, but the GrapheneOS chose the Pixel because of the security provided by the hardware

12
swelter_spark reddthat.com swelter_spark@reddthat.com
Joined: 2025-03-06
#36 · Quote Reply

Are there Linux phones that need to be deGoogled?

5
MinnesotaGoddam lemmy.world HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-27
#37 · Quote Reply

paypal doesn't work. Google wallet doesn't work

Do other wallets work? The convenience of being able to pay when I've lost my wallet again again is what got me to do it in the first place.

1
Sasquatch lemmy.ml Sasquatch@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2023-08-12
#38 · Quote Reply

Do other wallets work? The convenience of being able to pay when I've lost my wallet again again is what got me to do it in the first place.

I don't know of any others

2
Sasquatch lemmy.ml Sasquatch@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2023-08-12
#39 · Quote Reply

Haven't tried Google wallet, but why should PayPal not work? I'm paying in my browser anyway Haven't used PayPal much in the last..phew...2? years, but as I'm ordering in a browser and then get to PayPal or usually just done credit card screen, I didn't had any problems - besides PayPal changing rules like underwear and I'm a bit fed up with it

The app won't let you log in. Come to think of it, Same with the Wells Fargo app

0
ArmchairAce1944 lemmy.ca ArmchairAce1944@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2025-10-16
#40 · Quote Reply

I have GrapheneOS. It is sandboxed.

4
TotalSonic lemmy.world TotalSonic@lemmy.world
Joined: 2024-02-13
#41 · Quote Reply

For those new to the process, the best general resource for instructions on how to unlock your phone’s bootloader and flash alternate AOSP ROM’s or non-Android OS’s is https://xdaforums.com/
Please note that not all carriers and oem’s allow you to unlock the bootloader though, so choose your device carefully for this.

You will also most likely need a PC (desktop or laptop) with adb & fastboot on it. These are apps used in the terminal, but you only need to copy and paste a few commands into them to use it.

If you have a Google Pixel then best option is Graphene - https://grapheneos.org/

For other devices you can use a “degoogled” Android ROM and get apps from the open source F-Droid app store - https://f-droid.org/
Some choices for this are:
Lineage - https://lineageos.org/
crDroid - https://crdroid.net/
/e/os - https://e.foundation/e-os/
Iode - https://iode.tech/iodeos/

OR use a a true alternative mobile OS. Options for this are:
Ubuntu Touch - https://www.ubuntu-touch.io/
Sailfish OS - https://sailfishos.org/
Mobian - https://mobian-project.org/
Postmarket OS - https://postmarketos.org/
Plasma Mobile - https://plasma-mobile.org/
Droidian - https://droidian.org/

You can also purchase devices with alternative OS’s already preinstalled from:
Volla - https://volla.online/en/devices/
Jolla - https://jolla.com/
Fairphone - https://fairphone.com/
Murena - https://murena.com/
Furilabs - https://furilabs.com/
Brax - https://www.braxtech.net/

14
TotalSonic lemmy.world TotalSonic@lemmy.world
Joined: 2024-02-13
#42 · Quote Reply

Both are backed by corporations. E/OS also relies on hidden google services, it is also a more bloated lineageOS having worse security than EOL grapheneOS.

in the case of Ubuntu Touch this simply is not true. Canonical stopped maintaining the code for it in 2017, and since then it has been overseen by the non-profit foundation UBports, which has a few core developers that depend on contributions from a volunteer community as well. Yes, it uses an Ubuntu base and some of the Ubuntu repositories (as do many other Linux distros), and it has an agreement with Canonical to be able to use the name and logos for Ubuntu for no charge, but is otherwise completely independent of Canonical. https://ubports.com/
(posting this from a Poco X3 NFC running Ubuntu Touch 24.04.2)

5
TotalSonic lemmy.world TotalSonic@lemmy.world
Joined: 2024-02-13
#43 · Quote Reply

Canonical, a UK-based software company mantains it though, the snap packages are also proprietary

Ubuntu Touch uses deb and its own fully open source package format called click - none of the system or system apps is installed as snap. It has support for installing snap packages though, although there are still some bugs in using these.

3
naeap sopuli.xyz naeap@sopuli.xyz
Joined: 2023-06-03
#44 · Quote Reply

The app won't let you log in. Come to think of it, Same with the Wells Fargo app

Never used the PayPal app
And never needed it for any payment

Can't you do this all just by browser?

4
MinnesotaGoddam lemmy.world HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-27
#45 · Quote Reply

I don't know of any others

Yeah, me either.

1
Vittelius feddit.org Vittelius@feddit.org
Joined: 2024-07-21
#46 · (edited) Quote Reply

Canonical, a UK-based software company mantains it though, the snap packages are also proprietary

"They" maintain it in the same way that they "maintain" Linux Mint. Which is to say technically they operate the repository that the OS is built from. But that's misleading as the main OS is built by the German foundation as an immutable OS. That means that the OS packages are tested by the foundation and you can't install everything else from the repo. Additional software comes in the form of click packages, which as you might have noticed, isn't snap. Snap support is very much in development at the moment, but only as an additional package manager. Snaps are also mostly open source. The client, the thing that runs on your hardware is free software. It's the server that's proprietary.

3
Sunshine (she/her) Moderator Sunshine@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2024-09-16
#47 · Quote Reply

Yay peertube!

It’s got 1% the views of the YouTube video with 11k

3
maam feddit.uk maam@feddit.uk
Joined: 2024-11-20
#48 · Quote Reply

Both are backed by corporations. E/OS also relies on hidden google services, it is also a more bloated lineageOS having worse security than EOL grapheneOS.

Ubuntu Touch is ran by the UBports Foundation after Canonical gave up on it.

1
whatyousaidontwitter sh.itjust.works whatyousaidontwitter@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2023-06-13
#49 · Quote Reply

How: Get a pixel (or soon a Motorola) Install GrapheneOS Everything just works Profit

But pixels are not sold in my country :(

1
Unreliable lemmy.ml Unreliable@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2023-06-02
#50 · Quote Reply

The app won't let you log in. Come to think of it, Same with the Wells Fargo app

Wells Fargo let's you log in. I use it on a daily basis on my Pixel 8 Pro with GOS.

2
Post Reply
Back to top