TL;DR
- Efforts like Graphene OS face increasing pressure from apps that refuse to run on non-standard Android.
- The custom ROM project characterizes Google’s approach to device attestation as incomplete and flawed.
- Graphene OS is prepared to take legal action if Google won’t let it pass Play Integrity checks.
I plan on doing the same thing, any tips on finding cheap recent-ish Pixels?
The Pixel 6a is really cheap on the used market, and it still gets updates for at least 3 years.
The 7a isn’t that expensive either. I recommend staying away from Fairphones, Murena or /e/OS as these are highly insecure, and the companies behind them have repeatedly proven that they don’t give even the slightest fuck about the security of their users. They don’t publish important Android security patches on time, and Fairphone even managed to fully break Android Verified Boot, by signing their ROM with the publicly available (!!!) AOSP test private signing keys. It should have been impossible to pass verification, but the vendor conducting the verification seems to be just as incompetent.
A used Pixel with GrapheneOS is your best option, while still being affordable.
A brand new Murena Fairphone 4 (North America) is about $600 brand new, IIRC. I’ve been on one for the last 6 months and it’s excellent.
I’m planning on flashing my One Plus 9 Pro with Murena’s ROM. I’m working on getting de-googlefied.
Perhaps consider DivestOS as well if it’s supported, seems to be a way tidier package when it comes to security and privacy.
Stay away from both Fairphone and /e/OS/Murena. Fairphone fails hardware security in the most miserable way, and fundamentally breaks Android Verified Boot, while /e/OS is based on the highly insecure LineageOS, and it further rolls back security, while also repeatedly missing important security patches.
Also, 600 dollars is absolutely not cheap for a smartphone, and it’s especially not with it considering that both the hardware and software are highly insecure.
A Pixel can be purchased for much less, while being superior in every way.
I’m in an unsupported region so I’m afraid I can’t help much :(
In my case I just looked around a local eBay-like site and went with a reputable enough seller, fairly standard procedure there.
Where I am, Pixels are not sold officially either. I got a 7a for around $300. I picked a store with a physical office and made an order not through the site, but through said office. And at least could inspect the phone before buying.
Ah, that’s a nice way to go about it! I’d have loved to inspect mine beforehand as well but the only real way to grab one around here is importing yourself and paying 60%+ import fees on the damn thing or purchasing a preowned one. My living in a remote area also means there are none close by.
I would recommend buying a used phone from the most recent generation. I had my pixel 5 die on me about 7 months after I got it used due to a major Android update. Phone crashed hard and bricked, so don’t get a 5 (even though it was my favorite design of the pixels). I have an 8 right now I bought it refurbished on Amazon. It works great and I know it will last a while being the most recent model. Also check FB marketplace if you have a Facebook account. People in my area are selling phones often.
