(Please when answering, assume I’m not a beginner at privacy/programming :) I know where the good stuff at)

First off, shameful confession: I’m writing this on a dying yellow iPhone XR I bought second-hand three years ago (189€). I absolutely love the look of it: the screen, build quality, are all amazing. The only problem was the locked ecosystem (sideloading Spotify/Torrent client was sooo hard).

I saw the android phone of my mother dying really fast. She currently has a Xiaomi phone that’s ridiculously big for my hands, there’s advertisements in the stocks apps (?!!), the UX is janky and everything. It looks like a bloat, privacy nightmare.

So… because it’s impossible to find a jailbreakable phone nowadays I need to buy an android and ideally I would want:

  • Good screen (vivid colors)
  • Good build quality (not shitty plastic)
  • Don’t care about the camera (I don’t want those ridiculously big cameras they make nowadays)
  • Would want to install either GrapheneOS/LineageOS

The things that scare me off:

  • I really need my bank app and I need it updated so I have to use Google Play Services but I don’t want it to plague my phone with privacy bullshit (I want to be degoogled)

The things that excite me:

  • Customization possibilities
  • Learning experience
  • Even more privacy than a de-googled IOS phone :)
  • F-Droid!! (Maybe I’ll find a beautiful IRC client)
  • More choices for Mastodon & Lemmy clients
  • Freedom of free software.
  • client for open-source git providers :)

But to get all of that, I don’t want Google, I need shitty apps (non-free software) I have to install:

  • Instagram (for non-technical friends)
  • GitHub (job & open-source)
  • No-Ad Modded Spotify from Balatan
  • Discord (gamer friends)
  • Telegram (cryptobros friends)
  • Steam (because I still love gaming)

Any advices? Phone ideas? I’m so lost in this ocean of choice (freedom ✨)

My current phone:

  • JustMarkov@lemmy.mlEnglish
    22·
    2 months ago

    GrapheneOS

    Google Pixels are the only options with this one.

    No-Ad Modded Spotify from Balatan

    Have you tried Spotube? It is a no ads YouTube Music client, that fetches your library from Spotify.

    I can’t recommend you a specific device, but can suggest a Bootloader Unlock: Wall of Shame, which can help you choose a device, as you are planning to install a custom ROM, like Lineage. Best of luck with your device search!

      • tetris11@lemmy.ml
        11·
        2 months ago

        eh, it equates region lock with racism and feels more like an anti-corpo rant than a comprehensive view of locked/unlocked devices.

        A better link would be the lineageOS devices page, or the postmarketOS devices page. These will tell you explicitly which chipsets and models are open and worth getting

    • toastal@lemmy.ml
      3·
      2 months ago

      Missing from the list: ASUS lost a lawsuit in the UK after lying about saying their unlock servers being down would come back up for Zenfones. While they have a headphone jack, offer good price/performance, & used to fall in the ‘small phone’ category, you can no longer unlock bootloaders with final statement being they won’t be allowing it going forward.

      (I would contribute to the upstream, but I only use proprietary Microsoft GitHub when absolutely required—keep this in mind Privacy fam when setting up any unmirrored Git repository)

  • loganb@lemmy.world
    18·
    2 months ago

    You sound like the ideal candidate for a refurbished Pixel 7 / 8 from amazon.

    Test its hardware thoroughly on the stock os in case you need to return it.

    Install GrapheneOS using the Web installer.

    Install Droid-ify into your main profile from the f-droid web page. It looks much better than the official f-droid client and actually has a working auto-update

    Create a work profile. I use an app called Shelter as the work profile admin app. This allows you to auto freeze your big-tech apps to help with battery life / privacy. Install google services from the built-in GrapheneOS app store.

    Enjoy.

  • Earth Walker@lemmy.world
    151·
    2 months ago

    Get a Pixel 7 or newer and put Graphene OS on it. Pixels are excellent phones and have good support for custom ROMs. The Pixel 6 has a lot of weird issues that the others don’t have, so avoid it. Graphene is the best ROM for privacy AND security, and it is also relatively user-friendly.

    Or, if you want an older phone, try a Pixel 3, 4 or 5. They are good phones with an older design style that may appeal to you.

    /e/OS (also known as Murena) is also a good ROM for privacy, and supports a broader range of devices.

    • codenul@lemmy.ml
      3·
      2 months ago

      Typing this up on /e/os on OnePlus6t. Love it for ~2 years now. Signed up and support the project now with their ecosystem (64gb option).

      • Earth Walker@lemmy.world
        2·
        2 months ago

        I’ve heard a lot of people complain about software glitches and minor hardware issues. These issues may be due to the fact that the Pixel 6 was the first Pixel to use Google’s own Tensor chips.

  • muix@lemmy.sdf.org
    9·
    2 months ago

    Why not use most of the web versions of the non-free apps you mentioned? No Google needed.

  • kali@fedia.io
    8·
    2 months ago

    I’d go either with a Fairphone 5 (or maybe wait for the 6 to release) with CalyxOS or a Google Pixel with GrapheneOS.

    • cyberwolfie@lemmy.ml
      3·
      2 months ago

      I’m on Fairphone 4 with CalyxOS, and I am happy with that. I would not expect them to release a Fairphone 6 anytime soon, so unless OP has all the time in the world, the Fairphone 5 should be good if they want to go this route.

  • chi-chan~@lemmy.world
    6·
    2 months ago

    Banking apps work great on second profile (user), you can use Shelter/Insular (accessible from the main user), or Android’s ‘Multiple Users’ (which means to switch user).

    E: double space

      • toastal@lemmy.ml
        1·
        2 months ago

        This project makes it so much less painful to get microG up & running. It all just works. If only they were the default for these unofficial LineageOS builds as it would seem like the tinkering types are more likely to be interested in takinga privacy step with microG than those that want Google Play.

      • gomp@lemmy.ml
        1·
        2 months ago

        Lineage OS is not designed to relock the bootloader.

        I don’t understand why so many people worry about that… doesn’t it only ensure that data is wiped if some agent secretly installs a rootkit or sorts on your phone before giving back the device to you?

        To me, bootloader locking is mostly a way for phone manufacturers to make it harder to run anything but the ROM they have chosen (and it’s a PITA and the most laborious part of installing a ROM).

        • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
          2·
          2 months ago

          It prevents a random guy from picking up your phone and flashing a different (probably more malicious) custom rom

  • Quik@infosec.pub
    4·
    2 months ago

    This is crazy. I’m in exactly the same situation and have been thinking about getting a mobile plan with a Pixel 8 (where I would install GrapheneOS on) as those are getting cheaper with the Pixel 9 out not.

  • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
    4·
    2 months ago

    Calyx OS, Graphene OS or Lineage OS with MicroG. All of those will work fine for your use case. Just aim to get as many of your apps off of F-droid as possible. F-droid is a marketplace of free software and all apps in the main repo must meet certain requirements.

    I would recommend eliminating your non free apps especially the dark pattern ones like Instagram and Discord. These apps are not private and you can’t make them private. They are designed to get you hooked to the point where you can not leave. Also Targeted advertising has its own dark patterns which are harmful on so many levels. I realize it is hard to move but you can be the change you want to see. Maybe make it a long term goal to try to get people to move somewhere else. You can do some research and come up with an alternative.

  • EherNicht@feddit.orgEnglish
    51·
    2 months ago

    Buy a used Pixel that fits your budget. The Pixel 6 sometimes has problems with the battery so maybe rather choose between 7, 8 or 9. But you could send it to Google to get a new one but then you have to deal with them so yeah. Ifixit also has first party replacement batteries if you would choose the Pixel 6 and you would get this problem. Still I would recommend 7 lineup. Just take a look at grapheneos.org for length of support. Also 9 will be hard to find 2nd-hand I recon ;^)

  • MangoPenguin@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    3·
    2 months ago

    Google Pixel of some kind.

    One of the only phone lineups with easy bootloader unlock, and also the only ones supported by GrapheneOS.

    You can also use it as-is if needed without going crazy from ads and notifications everywhere like other brands tend to have.

    • Cris16228@lemmy.today
      5·
      2 months ago

      You can also use it as-is if needed without going crazy from ads and notifications everywhere like other brands tend to have.

      Isn’t it bad since Google == Far from privacy?

  • a Kendrick fan@lemmy.ml
    3·
    2 months ago

    everyone keeps mentioning Pixel Devices, but I’d personally never use one for the same reason I won’t wear branded clothes

    you should check out OnePlus devices, the bootloaders are easily unlocked and they’ve major LineageOS support, the phones also have a high quality build, if you like the form of your XR, definitely check out the OnePlus 8/8 pro or 9/9 pro

    another option is if you can get any of the Samsung S10 models with an exynos chip, they also have strong build and are supported by lineageOS as well

  • youmaynotknow@lemmy.ml
    3·
    2 months ago

    Your “ideally would want” pretty much locks you to a Pixel phone. The 7 has serious radio issues, the 8 works great (I had the 7 Pro now have the 8 Pro, no always on GrapheneOS) and don’t know about the 9, but other that all the AI bullshit they are pushing with it, I don’t really see that the specs justify those prices, specially since you’re looking at installing GrapheneOS on it.