To my understanding there are only two real choices:
- Pixel with Graphene / Calyx
- Linux Phone
Are you running a sovereign phone setup?
What is your device, how is it configured, and what would you say are the best / worst parts of the experience?
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I would probably try to tune the phone myself, from a pine or some unix like phone.
I would not buy anything privacy focused as a mobile phone or service, because of the risk of a backdoor. There have been so many cases like that (phantom secure, sky global, encrochat, anom)
I used a pine phone for a few months when it first came out. It was a struggle in the state it was in at the time -- it could do light browsing and IM, but ironically the patchy bits were phone calls and the camera. Plus, if the Linux app you wanted to use didn't have a UI optimized for mobile it was very hit and miss.
Since then, the Pinephone Pro has launched. Haven't tried it but will give it a go, if only just to support the best stab so far at a phone on mainline Linux
I want a "linux blackberry" semi-dumb phone. That is....a device that does the following:
I don't want anything else....I feel this market was a missed opportunity by the likes of Ubuntu / etc. They naively have been trying to complete feature for feature against newest iOS / Android, when in fact they should have instead focused on "minimally viable product".
Totally! That phone is much needed, one that may not have it all but that could go fast and stable for the basic functionality. One that could get all its libraries installed by the user. Then the user will compile all the apps himself. Like in a raspberry pi. With an open source vpn as an opt in for all types of communications (calls, sms, internet) then there would be no one put pressure on to reveal or implement a backdoor.
I really like the idea of a unix phone.. paired with a separate wifi / 5g vpn dongle
No phone. Just buy an iphone to hide in pseudonimity in the masses.
To get privacy & sovereignty you need a second identity and Tor Browser on a computer.
If you get a phone with an eSIM you can buy data and/or voice/SMS service with lightning from https://silent.link/
Its working for me!
https://divestos.org/pages/faq#recommendPhone
There is also the “hiding in plain sight” strategy.
I remember reading an article about browser privacy and how a default chrome install with no extensions or anything is the most “invisible” in terms of fingerprinting lol
I just carry a satellite phone and my Linux laptop.
How does the laptop work with the phone? It picks up the signal?
I tested some months ago a Pixel 4a + Graphene. Absolutely smooth experience, no problems at all.
Can confirm
Does it allow push notifications for normal PlayStore apps? I thought for that you needed Google Firebase?
It depends by the app implementation, Google FCM use is not mandatory: https://grapheneos.org/faq#notifications
First option.
Regardless of the setup, for me the most important thing is to depend on your phone as little as possible. That means:
Pixel with Graphene
The irony is that the best option is to buy pixel google phones. Why ? Because there is no added code to make work android on other hardware supplier (Samsung etc whatever you want)
That allows you to flash privacy focused os that don't use Google services which are privacy nightmares :
GrapheneOS CalyxOS CopperheadOS
DYOR !
DivestOS is great for non-pixel phones
Pixel + Graphene seems like a great idea....however I'm not sure how much faith I have that there isn't a large amount of backdoors built into the silicon....
a nokia 225 or the plum rugged
Why is it so hard to design an open-source smartphone? #1257807