4 ms·

So I still need to buy a Google phone to get it? No thank you.

by mvdtnz 4mo ago

Cider9986 4mo ago
To get a sense of the project and its goals I recommend reading this post[1]. Buying a used Pixel is economical, environmental, and likely doesn't support Google. Pixels are the only secure and open android devices that could work for the project and meet the extensive requirements[2]. This is because GrapheneOS takes real steps to protect user privacy and security, not features that degrade security and don't increase privacy. You are going to be doing much more against Google by using GrapheneOS because it comes with 0 google services by default and takes advanced steps to protect you from all apps and services you install. If you are still not willing or able to purchase a Pixel, GrapheneOS has a partnership with Motorola to help them create compatible devices which will be available soon[3]. [1] Privacy and security on computing devices need to become far stronger to protect people from pervasive violations of their rights. https://xcancel.com/GrapheneOS/status/2044440381803069778#m https://xcancel.com/GrapheneOS/status/2044440381803069778#m [2] https://grapheneos.org/faq#future-devices https://grapheneos.org/faq#future-devices [3] https://xcancel.com/GrapheneOS/status/2028448871374803007#m https://xcancel.com/GrapheneOS/status/2028448871374803007#m
- mvdtnz 4mo ago
  [flagged]
  - kQq9oHeAz6wLLS 4mo ago
    > The Pixel was never sold in my country Okay, see, that's an important thing to add to your original post. Saves everyone a lot of time. If they don't sell them in your country, it's not "no thank you" as you said, it's "this doesn't apply to me".
    - mvdtnz 4mo ago
      I don't see how it's relevant. I couldn't possibly have made it any more clear I would not buy a Google device, new or used, because I don't like Google.
      - prmoustache 4mo ago
        I am not sure why you even consider an android based OS then.
        okanat 4mo ago
        Because AOSP is open source and can be built without Google Play running at the background unlike the other alternative: giving up privacy to yet another big tech Apple. Graphene adds many privacy features on top of regular AOSP. But it only works on phones that has good security features that are not woefully outdated or completely closed-off. Google has complete control over Pixel supply chain and they can make their phones with all bells and whistles for their ends and they behave a bit benevolently and expose the interfaces to the user too. Most Android phones use Qualcomm which doesn't give a flying fuck about giving control or privacy to the users.
        prmoustache 4mo ago
        Opensource or not if someone says they hate so much google they do not want to touch a google device with a 10ft pole even if they didn't gave money or personal data to google to access it, I don't see how that person can accept running code from them.
        okanat 4mo ago
        Because average people are not just zealot crazies. Compromises and spectrums exist. AOSP is still the best Linux-based environment for consumer use case from many aspects. It handles hardware better than GNU-based desktops, it is more secure, it supports things like HiDPI screens better and it has a stable API to write applications against and many people and organizations did so (you can still use Android 4 apps). AOSP has strong Google influence but it is possible to use it without feeding data to Google.
  - subscribed 4mo ago
    > Wake me up. Motorola announced it on 2nd of March 2026.
- 725686 4mo ago
  Motorola is not mentioned in any of the links.
  - Cider9986 4mo ago
    third link
  - troyvit 4mo ago
    https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47214645 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47214645
- driverdan 4mo ago
  It makes sense that an open source project would focus on one series of phones since their time and resources are limited. That said, Google's hardware is behind their competitors and they've had a lot of problems in the past few years. The Pixel 8 Pro has hardware WiFi problems, the 9 and 10 are both minor updates with prices that are far too high, the 10 is eSIM only, etc.
  - lucb1e 4mo ago
    > The Pixel 8 Pro has hardware WiFi problems, the 9 and 10 are both minor updates The prime difference between P8 pro and P9 pro is that the newer one is nearly a usable size (just about fits in a pocket now). The battery also got substantially better in two ways: on mobile data (when you're on someone's WiFi, odds are you're also near a charger) you get 33% longer use time on all variants of the P9 and 55% on the P10 and P10p (9 to 12 and 14 hours, respectively), and hours of use per 30 minutes of charging went up from 4.6 for the P8 to 6.3 for the P9(p) and 6.2 or 7 for the P10 and P10p, respectively The rest is indeed relatively minor but it's not an unwelcome upgrade. Prices didn't change much when buying second-hand 1.5 years after release, when the newest devices are out and nobody cares about the generation-before-last despite >5 years of updates remaining (plus however long you think it's fine without updates)
  - microtonal 4mo ago
    The Pixel 9 had a vastly improved modem and the 10 switched to TSMC for their Tensor SoC, resulting in better performance and better battery life/less heat. It's true that the SoCs are not that great for an expensive flagship phone, but the trick is buying a Pixel halfway the cycle, when the prices go to mid-range. For instance, currently in my country: - Pixel 10 is 350 Euro off (currently 549 Euro). - Pixel 10 Pro is 360 Euro off (currently 739 Euro). - Pixel 10 Pro XL is 360 Euro off (currently 939 Euro). - The Pixel A series are less interesting currently, because it's still early in the cycle, but the 9a is 200 Euro off (349) and the 10a is 120 Euro off (428). It's a shame that they switched to last-gen SoCs and modems now on the A-series now. I know that the Pixel 100 is coming soon-ish, but the 10 series have floated around those price points since 5-6 months after the release. the 10 is eSIM only Looking at my P10P with physical SIM. I guess you are in the US?
- jesterson 4mo ago
  > Buying a used Pixel is economical, environmental, and likely doesn't support Google Interesting. What do you think are reasons for google to run Pixel then? Not being sarcastic here, but what links you shared (thank you) say imply there are almost no benefits for Google to run Pixels and as we all know, Google is not a company doing charities.
  - Cider9986 4mo ago
    > What do you think are reasons for google to run Pixel then? Get millions of users using their services. The average person who buys a Pixel will likely go all in with the Google ecosystem giving Google every word they type, every message to a loved one, every search. It's a data gold mine. I doubt they sell Pixels at a loss, but even if they did they could make up for it like how Amazon does with kindles. https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2026/04/28/price-of-free-gmail-how-much-your-google-account-is-worth/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2026/04/28/price-of-... I think they also use pixels for testing android and such which is why they keep it secure and open.
  - subscribed 4mo ago
    Pixels used to be a reference devices for AOSP. Maybe they're proving that ultimately they have the skill and capabilities to provide good solutions?
jordand 4mo ago
Only silver lining to this is they run a lot of discounts and promotions on them, and it's possible to buy them at a significant discount. Got my first Pixel 10 on a very cheap contract with trade-in promos on top, and got a second Pixel 10 at a 70% discount from the RRP.
- mvdtnz 4mo ago
  It's not possible to buy them at all where I live, even if I wanted to funnel money to Google - which I do not. I have gone to great lengths to de-Google my life.
  - boldlybold 4mo ago
    Ebay? A friend to ship it? I agree on the de-google part but putting graphene on a used pixel is aligned!
    - drnick1 4mo ago
      Absolutely, and it is irrational to refuse to buy hardware from Google (which, with Graphene, is under your control) when the alternative is to either run a Google OS on a third party phone (and give up control of the software), or Apple (equally bad), or some impractical and less secure alternative like a Linux phone incompatible with Android apps.
      - preisschild 4mo ago
        Agreed. I dislike most of Google's products, but their Pixels have secure hardware and are very open (compared to other modern smartphones). In short - a good product for people wanting to run free software on modern-ish smartphones. If a product is good, why not buy it?
  - drnick1 4mo ago
    Soon, there will be compatible Motorola phones.
- 4mo ago
nosioptar 4mo ago
If you buy used, you save a bundle and google gets no money from you. I still don't want a pixel, so I went with a used ebay phone and installed lineageos.
subscribed 4mo ago
They have no choice at the moment, this is the ONLY hardware secure enough to even make effort in hardening the OS. Everything else is meh, bad, or atrocious. Next year we'll have Motorola flagship(s) to choose from. Can't wait.

So I still need to buy a Google phone to get it? No thank you.

by mvdtnz 4mo ago

So I still need to buy a Google phone to get it? No thank you.

To get a sense of the project and its goals I recommend reading this post[1]. Buying a used Pixel is economical, environmental, and likely doesn't support Google. Pixels are the only secure and open android devices that could work for the project and meet the extensive requirements[2]. This is because GrapheneOS takes real steps to protect user privacy and security, not features that degrade security and don't increase privacy. You are going to be doing much more against Google by using GrapheneOS because it comes with 0 google services by default and takes advanced steps to protect you from all apps and services you install. If you are still not willing or able to purchase a Pixel, GrapheneOS has a partnership with Motorola to help them create compatible devices which will be available soon[3]. [1] Privacy and security on computing devices need to become far stronger to protect people from pervasive violations of their rights. https://xcancel.com/GrapheneOS/status/2044440381803069778#m https://xcancel.com/GrapheneOS/status/2044440381803069778#m [2] https://grapheneos.org/faq#future-devices https://grapheneos.org/faq#future-devices [3] https://xcancel.com/GrapheneOS/status/2028448871374803007#m https://xcancel.com/GrapheneOS/status/2028448871374803007#m

mvdtnz 4mo ago
[flagged]
- kQq9oHeAz6wLLS 4mo ago
  > The Pixel was never sold in my country Okay, see, that's an important thing to add to your original post. Saves everyone a lot of time. If they don't sell them in your country, it's not "no thank you" as you said, it's "this doesn't apply to me".
  - mvdtnz 4mo ago
    I don't see how it's relevant. I couldn't possibly have made it any more clear I would not buy a Google device, new or used, because I don't like Google.
    - prmoustache 4mo ago
      I am not sure why you even consider an android based OS then.
      - okanat 4mo ago
        Because AOSP is open source and can be built without Google Play running at the background unlike the other alternative: giving up privacy to yet another big tech Apple. Graphene adds many privacy features on top of regular AOSP. But it only works on phones that has good security features that are not woefully outdated or completely closed-off. Google has complete control over Pixel supply chain and they can make their phones with all bells and whistles for their ends and they behave a bit benevolently and expose the interfaces to the user too. Most Android phones use Qualcomm which doesn't give a flying fuck about giving control or privacy to the users.
        prmoustache 4mo ago
        Opensource or not if someone says they hate so much google they do not want to touch a google device with a 10ft pole even if they didn't gave money or personal data to google to access it, I don't see how that person can accept running code from them.
        okanat 4mo ago
        Because average people are not just zealot crazies. Compromises and spectrums exist. AOSP is still the best Linux-based environment for consumer use case from many aspects. It handles hardware better than GNU-based desktops, it is more secure, it supports things like HiDPI screens better and it has a stable API to write applications against and many people and organizations did so (you can still use Android 4 apps). AOSP has strong Google influence but it is possible to use it without feeding data to Google.
- subscribed 4mo ago
  > Wake me up. Motorola announced it on 2nd of March 2026.
725686 4mo ago
Motorola is not mentioned in any of the links.
- Cider9986 4mo ago
  third link
- troyvit 4mo ago
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47214645 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47214645
driverdan 4mo ago
It makes sense that an open source project would focus on one series of phones since their time and resources are limited. That said, Google's hardware is behind their competitors and they've had a lot of problems in the past few years. The Pixel 8 Pro has hardware WiFi problems, the 9 and 10 are both minor updates with prices that are far too high, the 10 is eSIM only, etc.
- lucb1e 4mo ago
  > The Pixel 8 Pro has hardware WiFi problems, the 9 and 10 are both minor updates The prime difference between P8 pro and P9 pro is that the newer one is nearly a usable size (just about fits in a pocket now). The battery also got substantially better in two ways: on mobile data (when you're on someone's WiFi, odds are you're also near a charger) you get 33% longer use time on all variants of the P9 and 55% on the P10 and P10p (9 to 12 and 14 hours, respectively), and hours of use per 30 minutes of charging went up from 4.6 for the P8 to 6.3 for the P9(p) and 6.2 or 7 for the P10 and P10p, respectively The rest is indeed relatively minor but it's not an unwelcome upgrade. Prices didn't change much when buying second-hand 1.5 years after release, when the newest devices are out and nobody cares about the generation-before-last despite >5 years of updates remaining (plus however long you think it's fine without updates)
- microtonal 4mo ago
  The Pixel 9 had a vastly improved modem and the 10 switched to TSMC for their Tensor SoC, resulting in better performance and better battery life/less heat. It's true that the SoCs are not that great for an expensive flagship phone, but the trick is buying a Pixel halfway the cycle, when the prices go to mid-range. For instance, currently in my country: - Pixel 10 is 350 Euro off (currently 549 Euro). - Pixel 10 Pro is 360 Euro off (currently 739 Euro). - Pixel 10 Pro XL is 360 Euro off (currently 939 Euro). - The Pixel A series are less interesting currently, because it's still early in the cycle, but the 9a is 200 Euro off (349) and the 10a is 120 Euro off (428). It's a shame that they switched to last-gen SoCs and modems now on the A-series now. I know that the Pixel 100 is coming soon-ish, but the 10 series have floated around those price points since 5-6 months after the release. the 10 is eSIM only Looking at my P10P with physical SIM. I guess you are in the US?
jesterson 4mo ago
> Buying a used Pixel is economical, environmental, and likely doesn't support Google Interesting. What do you think are reasons for google to run Pixel then? Not being sarcastic here, but what links you shared (thank you) say imply there are almost no benefits for Google to run Pixels and as we all know, Google is not a company doing charities.
- Cider9986 4mo ago
  > What do you think are reasons for google to run Pixel then? Get millions of users using their services. The average person who buys a Pixel will likely go all in with the Google ecosystem giving Google every word they type, every message to a loved one, every search. It's a data gold mine. I doubt they sell Pixels at a loss, but even if they did they could make up for it like how Amazon does with kindles. https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2026/04/28/price-of-free-gmail-how-much-your-google-account-is-worth/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2026/04/28/price-of-... I think they also use pixels for testing android and such which is why they keep it secure and open.
- subscribed 4mo ago
  Pixels used to be a reference devices for AOSP. Maybe they're proving that ultimately they have the skill and capabilities to provide good solutions?

jordand 4mo ago

Only silver lining to this is they run a lot of discounts and promotions on them, and it's possible to buy them at a significant discount. Got my first Pixel 10 on a very cheap contract with trade-in promos on top, and got a second Pixel 10 at a 70% discount from the RRP.

mvdtnz 4mo ago
It's not possible to buy them at all where I live, even if I wanted to funnel money to Google - which I do not. I have gone to great lengths to de-Google my life.
- boldlybold 4mo ago
  Ebay? A friend to ship it? I agree on the de-google part but putting graphene on a used pixel is aligned!
  - drnick1 4mo ago
    Absolutely, and it is irrational to refuse to buy hardware from Google (which, with Graphene, is under your control) when the alternative is to either run a Google OS on a third party phone (and give up control of the software), or Apple (equally bad), or some impractical and less secure alternative like a Linux phone incompatible with Android apps.
    - preisschild 4mo ago
      Agreed. I dislike most of Google's products, but their Pixels have secure hardware and are very open (compared to other modern smartphones). In short - a good product for people wanting to run free software on modern-ish smartphones. If a product is good, why not buy it?
- drnick1 4mo ago
  Soon, there will be compatible Motorola phones.
4mo ago

nosioptar 4mo ago

If you buy used, you save a bundle and google gets no money from you. I still don't want a pixel, so I went with a used ebay phone and installed lineageos.

subscribed 4mo ago

They have no choice at the moment, this is the ONLY hardware secure enough to even make effort in hardening the OS. Everything else is meh, bad, or atrocious. Next year we'll have Motorola flagship(s) to choose from. Can't wait.