Only if you have Google hardware…
Buy it used. The hardware by itself doesn’t call home.
I looked it up at a local refurbished phone dealer. A pixel 9a with 256GB storage in “excellent” condition (the second best condition) is 500€.
Who in their right mind pays that for a phone? New or not, that’s just insane. My current android has twice the storage, 50% more memory, waaay better display, and a larger battery that can charge faster, and it was just 200€ with no contract. only downside is that I can’t get a different ROM for it.
I bought a used 9 XL Pro with 512 for approximately $400 USD. I sold my 8 Pro right afterward for $350.
I’m not sure if I was in my “right mind,” but I don’t expect to replace this for a long time. I only replaced the 8 Pro because after a screen replacement, the thumbprint sensor would not work again. Known issue with screen-based sensors.
In any case, I run at the trailing edge of tech on these devices. It’s worth it to me to have better privacy.
I’m with you on this. As much as I care about privacy, buying a phone for that price that isn’t even very good is not worthwhile. Google hardware exclusivity pretty much rules out Graphene for me.
I’m commenting from a pixel 6 I picked up for nothing to learn on. Check out Swappa, I’ve had nothing but good luck with them. You can pickup a Pixel 8 or 9 for a good price
GrapheneOS is partenered with a major OEM to release compatible devices in 2027. The OEM will publicly announce this partnership in March 2026.
lineage is similar and works on many more phones
been using it for almost 10 years
Ubuntu touch seems like a more viable option at this point
As well as postmarketOS, but unfortunately neither of them are in a usable state for the average person. I’d definitely suggest donating to Mobile Linux projects if possible to get them polished up and viable, as Android is clearly going to make the life of Graphene and LineageOS more and more difficult over time.
They have partnered with a (secret for now) hardware vendor so we should have other options in the future.
Great idea in theory, but you need a Pixel phone to do this.
Android proper pushes proprietary Google Play into practically everything as a perpetually privileged process and prevents you from properly wiping it completely.
Literally loving the alliteration.
Yay privacy. Just give Google a shit ton of money first. Can we please get a Linux phone. Made with modern hardware and useable in the us.
I bought mine refurbished for like $150. Now Google isn’t making money off me by selling my data. It is also possible to build it though, it’s open source, so put it on whatever you want
They’re working with a vendor to make a phone that meets GrapheneOS’s security standards.
Once I get some time I’m moving off GrapheneOS to Lineage OS. This is because GrapheneOS isn’t primarily privacy focused, but security focused. Its security model assumes you will use the OS as-is without customization, including root.
This prevents a privacy minded user from doing things like poking around in apps or modifying them to suit your needs. Or hell, even editing the hosts file. So be sure about the reason you switch before you do.
Does anyone use this outside the US? Curious how it works across different sims
I do have a friend that uses it (we’re European) and it works fine
AFAIK it is as compatible as the stock android that comes on your phone regarding different carriers.
It works well for me. I did hear that there was bad support for baking apps but they seem to work fine.
I have had trouble with ride hailing apps as they seem to use googles integrity API.
*banking. My baking apps work fine.
My banking app also works fine, but others may be more strict. And no one can add a payment card for tap to pay until Google certifies grapheneos.
Now I’m kinda curious what baking apps there are, i use a multi-timer for different bread rising stages but that’s all I’ve got
Australia here. Works fine.
Works with sim cards from Holland and Belgium ,weve got two pixel phone switched to grapheneos installed by my daughter .
German here, bought a pixel specifically for it. Works just fine
Is bricking your phone as much of a risk as it used to be or that we were told it was? That always held me back
I’m not sure about Graphene specifically, but as long as there’s an established procedure documented, I’ve done like fifty installs of custom Recovery and various ROMs, such as Lineage, crDroid, Resurrection, Havoc, Cyanogen, AOSP, AOKP, ASPCA [:-)], WKRP [:-)], etc. and dozens of other less well-known ones, and I have not bricked one yet. So, as long as you don’t do anything blatantly foolish, should be ok.
I’d never heard of it being brick-prone. I suppose it’s possible in the sense that updating a PC’s BIOS could brick it if it loses power during the update, but I’ve never heard of Graphene’s install process being particularly brick-prone.
I’ve personally flashed 4 pixels (friend’s and family’s as well as mine), a couple of them multiple times (I tried CalyxOS before Graphene with my first pixels), and it’s always been a super smooth process, never had anything go wrong.
does pixel 10 support this or do I need 9?
Pixel 10 is supported :)
thank you :)
