Graphene in it’s early days supported some non-google phones. The reason they went with Pixels is because it has better hardware and an open bootloader. Nothing to do with supporting google, just the path of least resistance.
Comment on Funny how android used to be what we now call FOSS
Sisyphe@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I don’t get GrapheneOS apologists. If you hate Google so much, how come you all have Pixel phones?
blargh513@sh.itjust.works 14 hours ago
cm0002@lemy.lol 1 day ago
how come you all have Pixel phones?
Because they’re one of the very few (And if you’re in the US, the only) phones with decent specs that allows you to unlock the BL
If you’re in the US and want a privacy OS > Pixel
If you’re outside the US and want a privacy OS but don’t want the crap tier specs that have been offered thus far by the specialty phones > Pixel or maybe a Chinese brand phone
If you’re in or outside the US, want a privacy OS and want or need to finance the phone through your carrier so you don’t have to spend $6-800+ out of pocket > Pixel
DisgruntledGorillaGang@reddthat.com 19 hours ago
Because the irony is that it gives you the most freed fr Google and big tech.
glitchdx@lemmy.world 20 hours ago
What’s your solution then?
No really, I’m seriously asking. I want to get rid of google everything, but I’m not going to apple either.
Sisyphe@lemmy.world 20 hours ago
I don’t have one. But if I want to degoogle, I’m not giving them my money from the get-go. Are there no more phones with unlockable bootloaders on the market? No more custom ROMs?
oatscoop@midwest.social 16 hours ago
I just bought a pixel 8 off of eBay for $100 to address “Google getting my money”.
And in the USA our options are limited when it comes to a modern, decent smartphone with an unlocked bootloader. The relevant consumer protection laws the rest of the world has don’t exist here because our politicians are bought and paid for by the telecoms.
glitchdx@lemmy.world 20 hours ago
linux phones theoretically exist. There’s pinephone, but the casual research I did couldn’t tell me if they were still in business or not.
This is a case of technology following politics. I wish for a viable third party and they don’t meaningfully exist.
Sisyphe@lemmy.world 19 hours ago
You and me both.
I don’t hold my breath for Linux phones ever taking off. They’d need a major player backing them to break the duopoly. Apple and Google won’t let a third player enter the market. Samsung tired at least 2 times and failed. Microsoft was squeezed out. If they couldn’t do it, no one can. We can only hope that one of the big two does something really stupid one day and basically dig their own grave.