I'm a complete and utter newbie to this. But, based on the discussion about "not needing a new phone" and the availability of alternatives in Canada, can anyone recommend what might act as a suitable alternative to Android and iPhone OS. Ideally, I can keep my phone and just use a different OS. But I have some problems and could use some foundational knowledge to start my research and make a decision:

1. I'm trying to keep my Samsung S21 Ultra as long as possible. I looked at Graphene and Lineage and both do not support it from what I can tell.
2. Internet, heavy data use is not an issue. I have wi-fi wherever I go.
3. I'd prefer not to buy a new phone. If I need to buy a used phone, I am leaning towards an older Pixel and Graphene OS. Is that a sound decision? If not, are there phones such as Fairphone (not in Canada...) to consider?

Full Install Lineage OS 23 Android 16 ROM on Any Android or Motorola Phone!

Have you looked into Lineage OS?

Also as someone who did cell sales ages ago, I've always been happy with the Moto G line. I generally recommend it to anyone who wants better value.

Apparently Motorola will start supporting GrapheneOS on future top line models but no word on when/if that will extend to midrange

Used Pixel for grapheneOS is how I would go.

Furi or Fairphone?

If OP can wait, GrapheneOS is partnering with Motorola, but those phones won’t be available until 2027.

Motorola is also involved in the surveillance industry, both with their own direct competitors to Flock cameras and as the owners of a company named Avigilon. 404media has reported on how both contibuted to surveillance in Alabama.

I wouldn't buy a Google phone in pursuit of privacy, and I wouldn't buy a Motorola one either. Sending money that direction defeats the purpose.

Unfortunately, there's no alternative to a GrapheneOS phone nowadays.

• Linux phones: good privacy and good customization, but poor security, poor hardware support and poorish software support (e.g. android apps that require play verification)
• iOS: good security, almost okayish privacy, but you basically don't own your phone
• Mainline Android: good compatibility, good hardware support, but poor to abysmal (depending on the make) security, poor to abysmal privacy, you almost don't own your phone
• Lineage OS / iodeOS / etc: goodish privacy, adequate support for a lot of hardware, control over your phone, but poorish security, poorish software support (e.g. android apps that require play verification), lack of hardware support (e.g. the very S21)
• Fairphone & similar — they fall somewhere in the middle between mainline Android and LineageOS stuff — better privacy than mainline, more flexibility than mainline, but still dependency on Google whims, and poorish security.

That said, IMO there are two directions:

• Pixel phone (or Motorola in the future) + GrapheneOS — good software but new meh hardware —
• Current phone, maximally decrapped (ideally, almost everything but very core services disabled, e.g. via universal debloater or manually via adb) — much more private than mainline Android, relatively stable and with at least some baseline security + critical security patches from the OEM

Great OS comparison (Android-based only): https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm

I am leaning towards an older Pixel and Graphene OS. Is that a sound decision?

Its the only decision, in my opinion. I realize that's a hot take but the alternative is running a malicious operating system that serves Google's interests (and some of Samsung's) and theyve both gone out of their way and continue to take malicious actions to make and keep it that way. And I have no respect for companies with such disdain for their own customers.

I wouldn't buy a Google phone in pursuit of privacy, and I wouldn't buy a Motorola one either.

So you just don't have a phone?

While there's no ethical consumption under capitalism yadda yadda there's still degrees of bad. I would not buy from a company who is actively building the infrastructure of the fascist surveillance state. By Google phone here I meant a Google brand phone, not a phone that comes with Google Android. Buying a Google Pixel second hand is obviously better than buying anything new.

Basically I think it's worth trying to avoid buying things from people who want to do you harm, and when compromises have to be made it's still worth settling for less evil. Motorola and Google are not that.

Basically I think it's worth trying to avoid buying things from people who want to do you harm

There is no option like that. The most ethical hardware option is probably Fairphone but they're still ultimately selling you spy devices that will phone all your data back to Google, which is far more harmful than even throwing a couple bucks back at Google directly for hardware that will probably end up costing them more money than it makes them when you remove all their spyware.

I use a degoogled Fairphone. No money going to Google when I bought it, no data going to Google while I use it. You can also buy Fairphones new without Google Android.

more harmful than even throwing a couple bucks back at Google directly for hardware that will probably end up costing them more money than it makes them when you remove all their spyware.

This seems delusional. Even if they don't run on huge profits from selling their devices you end up supporting their market dominance.

Fairphones are sold with /e/OS too. It's almost entirely deGoogled.

Even if they don't run on huge profits from selling their devices you end up supporting their market dominance.

This seems delusional. Google does not enjoy any hardware "market dominance". They make up just over 1% of the hardware market.

I agree. GrapheneOS is the best (unless Google hardware is backdoored - does anyone check microchips with a microscope?).

Lineage OS / iodeOS / etc:

/e/OS is very beginner-friendly (as was Mandrake Linux from the same guy) compared to GrapheneOS, and it has been translated to more languages. My newest opinion about /e/OS after 1.5 years of use:
https://piefed.social/post/2293825#comment_12563961

And yet they have the entire industry in the palm of their hand.

For me it's a no-brainer. I don't buy products from Google, Amazon, Musk, Zuckerberg, or anyone else who obviously want to do me harm. Any path towards a better world sold to me by the people who are busy destroying the current one will be treated with immense scepticism.

I don't see much point arguing further why I wouldn't buy my privacy respecting hardware from Google or de facto Flock. We probably have different priorities.

I don't buy products from Google, Amazon, Musk, Zuckerberg, or anyone else who obviously want to do me harm

So you live in a cabin in the woods?

We probably have different priorities.

Absolutely we do. I care more about privacy and security than I do about throwing a few bucks at Google's hardware division.

I care more about privacy and security than I do about throwing a few bucks at Google’s hardware division.

And I'm more worried about surveillance capitalism, the rise of fascism, attacks on software freedom, the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, and modern day slavery than I am about extremely targeted local security threats. But I also respect that others have different threat models. Some journalists and community organizers in [aspiring] dictatorships need higher security standards than I do, and they are only able to meet these standards because enthusiasts choose to make it a priority.

I live in Europe, and I don't find it very difficult to avoid overly evil shit. I wouldn't travel to the US, and if I did I wouldn't want to bring any personal electronics with me.

I live in Europe, and I don't find it very difficult to avoid overly evil shit

Then learn from Americans. Because that "overly evil shit" flew in overnight. God knows Europe has its share of evil shit in history.

Here we very much disagree in our understanding of American history, but that's another debate. :)

Used market doesn't send any money to Google and gets you access to grapheneOS. Seems like the perfect phone purchase.