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The choice is between GrapheneOS + Sandboxed Google play vs LineageOS + MicroG. If you care too much about privacy, GrapheneOS is the way to go. If you want a

The choice is between GrapheneOS + Sandboxed Google play vs LineageOS + MicroG. If you care too much about privacy, GrapheneOS is the way to go. If you want a balance between privacy and usability, LineageOS is the way to go. Also, GrapheneOS only supports Pixel phones. I have tried CalyxOS but there are too many issues.

mikece 5y ago
By "sandboxed Google Play" do you mean using the Aurora app? Coming from iPhone, something I keep forgetting is the full support for PWA apps on Graphene OS. I wish there were PWA versions of apps like Signal, Wire, ProtonMail, and more; so much cleaner to update the app through a deliberate refresh than going through a middle-man service like F-Droid.
- tie_ 4y ago
  Word! PWAs are awesome (for a lot of usecases), and I don't quite get how they are not becoming a center pillar of mobile development.
- tortasaur 5y ago
  They support actual Google Play Services in a sandbox: https://grapheneos.org/faq#google-services https://grapheneos.org/faq#google-services
dtx1 5y ago
> If you care too much about privacy, GrapheneOS is the way to go Not so sure about that. If you care about SECURITY than GrapheneOS is pretty much the best choice on the market, comparable only to iOS or bare Android on Pixel Phones. Everyone else isn't even reasonable to compare against it. But wether it's more private with sandboxed Google Play Services vs Lineage OS and MicroG or iOS is not such an obvious choice to me.
- emteycz 5y ago
  If you want privacy, don't install anything Google or microG. Surprisingly many apps from Play store (via Aurora or sideloaded) still work (not all features though) - but if you want privacy, don't even use Play store via Aurora.
  - hef19898 4y ago
    Not using Aurora and micro made banking impossible in my case... Well, I almost completely de-googled so I don't complain too much. Maybe keeping my old phone for banking only and using a pinephone for everything else would work, I have to investigate that!
    - emteycz 4y ago
      I just use the web version of internet banking. One of my banks doesn't have responsive website, but for sending money and setting card limits it's still more than enough.
      - dtx1 4y ago
        Lots of banks require their particular 2FA Apps
        emteycz 4y ago
        Yeah, I went to the local branch, pulled out my old Nokia 3310 and asked them to install the app. They promptly switched me back to SMS auth.
0rdinant 5y ago
Sanboxed Play Services nets more app compatibility than LineageOS+MicroG, I don't understand your usability argument.
toastercat 5y ago
What issues have you experienced with CalyxOS? Asking as a daily user of CalyxOS. I have not had any real issues, but I also don't install many apps on my phone.
- throwing4321 4y ago
  For one, they recently were unable to give monthly security updates for 3 months or so.
0xdeadb00f 4y ago
The "usability" thing is quite frankly, bullshit. Sandboxed play services is quite literally play services you're allowed to deny permissions to, it offers way more compatibility than microg which replaces play services with it's own thing

mikece 5y ago

By "sandboxed Google Play" do you mean using the Aurora app? Coming from iPhone, something I keep forgetting is the full support for PWA apps on Graphene OS. I wish there were PWA versions of apps like Signal, Wire, ProtonMail, and more; so much cleaner to update the app through a deliberate refresh than going through a middle-man service like F-Droid.

tie_ 4y ago
Word! PWAs are awesome (for a lot of usecases), and I don't quite get how they are not becoming a center pillar of mobile development.
tortasaur 5y ago
They support actual Google Play Services in a sandbox: https://grapheneos.org/faq#google-services https://grapheneos.org/faq#google-services

dtx1 5y ago

> If you care too much about privacy, GrapheneOS is the way to go Not so sure about that. If you care about SECURITY than GrapheneOS is pretty much the best choice on the market, comparable only to iOS or bare Android on Pixel Phones. Everyone else isn't even reasonable to compare against it. But wether it's more private with sandboxed Google Play Services vs Lineage OS and MicroG or iOS is not such an obvious choice to me.

emteycz 5y ago
If you want privacy, don't install anything Google or microG. Surprisingly many apps from Play store (via Aurora or sideloaded) still work (not all features though) - but if you want privacy, don't even use Play store via Aurora.
- hef19898 4y ago
  Not using Aurora and micro made banking impossible in my case... Well, I almost completely de-googled so I don't complain too much. Maybe keeping my old phone for banking only and using a pinephone for everything else would work, I have to investigate that!
  - emteycz 4y ago
    I just use the web version of internet banking. One of my banks doesn't have responsive website, but for sending money and setting card limits it's still more than enough.
    - dtx1 4y ago
      Lots of banks require their particular 2FA Apps
      - emteycz 4y ago
        Yeah, I went to the local branch, pulled out my old Nokia 3310 and asked them to install the app. They promptly switched me back to SMS auth.

0rdinant 5y ago

Sanboxed Play Services nets more app compatibility than LineageOS+MicroG, I don't understand your usability argument.

toastercat 5y ago

What issues have you experienced with CalyxOS? Asking as a daily user of CalyxOS. I have not had any real issues, but I also don't install many apps on my phone.

throwing4321 4y ago
For one, they recently were unable to give monthly security updates for 3 months or so.

0xdeadb00f 4y ago

The "usability" thing is quite frankly, bullshit. Sandboxed play services is quite literally play services you're allowed to deny permissions to, it offers way more compatibility than microg which replaces play services with it's own thing