My pixel 5 is currently running on grapheneOS and will be unsupported soon so I’m looking to switch over to CalyxOS for an extended support. Are there any other deGoogled OS’s you guys recommend?
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CalyxOS helped prolonging the life of my Pixel 3 for almost two years
eould recommendI’d definitely try CalyxOS first, as it’ll be the closer experience to what you’ve had in GOS. There’s also DivestOS as well, but you’re gonna be more limited there since it won’t have MicroG (be default, not sure if it can be added in?) So it won’t have any real access to play store apps. You’ll probably get another 2-3 years out of CalyxOS on your pixel 5 if I had to guess. All depends on how long they can keep the security updates going for it.
LineageOS is a fantastic option, and eventually even when CalyxOS stops getting updates, LOS is absolutely a good choice to continue in using your device for long after the official support window. Just make sure you go with the version with MicroG so Play store apps mostly work as they should.
Calyx offers fully automated install scripts. If you’ve never installed an Android ROM before and don’t know anything about it, they really make installing CalyxOS a breeze.
LineageOS is less obvious, but no more difficult to install than any other ROM if you know how it’s done.
Your options in aftermarket OS fall in to 3 categories imao
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those that support relocking the bootloader (grapheme,calyx,divest, other smaller projects maybe)
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vanilla roms with signature spoofing permission so that you can have microg on them. Some even come with microg preinstalled (/e/,lode,Los4mg) And some are gmscomat compatible (voltage,awaken,spark). There are plenty but they don’t care about signed images and relocking.
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some unofficial build from any of the above from a maintainer that cares to sign his own images so that you can relock your BL as your device supports it.
Honestly, with FBE, I wouldn’t bother with bootloader relocking
You get all the disadvantages of a locked bootloader with none of the advantages(strong integrity or widevine L1 certification)
Instead, FBE allows you to wipe data but not access it without pin, or whatever
If your recovery doesn’t have support for decryption, it just doesn’t access data!
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I would recommend DivestOS. If you need MicroG, there is also iodeOS. I would recommend this over /e/OS because system apps can also be selected or uninstalled.
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Didn’t realize lineageos doesn’t relock bootloader. That’s a big no no for me then. I might stick with calyx or divest
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Why is relocking bootloader important?
Huge security risk for tampering
Calyx and LOS are almost the same, but Calyx is slightly better in terms of community and automated upgrades.
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My handwavy rec is:
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CalyxOS
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LineageOS - microG (the one releaswd by the microg people)
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LineageOS stock
It’s a shame GrapheneOS doesn’t offer longer support. The best option is probably to get a newer pixel like the 7a but that costs money of course.
The reason that Graphene doesn’t do this is because the device is no longer receiving upstream security patches for firmware, bootloader, etc. If all you care about is privacy and simply having a deGoogled device, then by all means. But, security-wise, you are potentially running a vulnerable device. ROMs like Lineage and Calyx continue to roll the security patch counter, but aren’t actually able to apply patches to those components. Security-wise, microG is also not an implementation I would recommend. Thus, Graphene is probably the only one I would recommend.
Yeah this is why getting a new pixel is probably best from a security perspective. Planned obsolescence is frustrating and expensive, though, so not everyone can reasonably buy a new phone every 3 years.
Yeah, updating every 3 years is not something that everyone can afford. Newer Pixels are up to 5 years of security updates, though. Hopefully they can keep pushing this limit.
Indeed! Also at least the price point of the 7a isn’t terrible.
Understandably so. But I don’t really like the design choices of the newer pixels. I hope there’s a phone in development that still has a fingerprint sensor at least. Audio jack and sd card seems less and less likely.
Yeah, I totally hear that as well.
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manually de googling the stock rom
