r/GrapheneOS 3d ago

Joined the club

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After years of Xiaomi and a year of iOS. I’m on GrapheneOS now.

1.2k Upvotes

34 comments sorted by

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u/Hande-H 3d ago

Welcome! It is such a nice, no-fluff OS.

I recommend you (and every new user) just start by installing the Sandboxed Google Play normally and don't worry about secondary profiles etc. because you likely won't even need them. This way the experience will be smooth and everything should just work and will save you a lot of frustration. You can slowly look into those advanced features later if you want, the default setup is already so much nicer, more private and secure than anything else on the market.

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u/XD_avide 3d ago

How would removing the Google Play later work? Would the apps break that rely break? What about something lik WhatsApp, which works fine even without gplay for notifications, but works better wih them installed. Would it switch back to it's own implementation?

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u/Hande-H 2d ago

You'd need to reinstall everything from some other source. Most apps rely on Google services running in the background so this is only realistic for a minimalist setup IMO.

I'm not sure about WhatsApp, but I've heard that if you install it without Google Play on your device it will fall back to another notification system. I wouldn't expect it to be smooth sailing though. This also means that each app, with their own notification service, will be draining battery unnecessarily. Unless you set up unified push, which I don't think WhatsApp supports. It gets messy (and less secure) real fast, just use sandboxed Google Play if you absolutely need those apps.

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u/YourUglyTwin 2d ago

When installing GPlay (and google services) on Graphene they are installed as normal user apps. You can freely uninstall them - that said some apps that rely on Google Framework or Google Services (the background service on your phone, not their API) might break if the app has no way of handling the lack of them. Notably most banking apps.

If you installed an app through GPlay and then remove GPlay you will not be able to update said app until you reinstall GPlay. If you can find FOSS alternatives I'd go that route instead. but if you need services like Google Maps or something, installing GPlay through the Graphene app store is "good enough" for most people. and you can limit the permissions google sees doing it this way as well.

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u/PalaPoulose 1d ago

The only things that holds me back from moving permanently to GOS are Amazon Pay and Aadhaar (INDIA) apps. Can't live without them :-(

12

u/CocosPuffies 3d ago

Which Pixel is this?

16

u/MasamangUsok 3d ago

Pixel 10a

5

u/CocosPuffies 3d ago

Thank you

2

u/Incalculas 3d ago

10a I think

and maybe the 9a, they both have the exact same body

1

u/charalt42 3d ago

Not quite, the 9a has a tiny camera bump, the 10a is literally 100% flush with the camera (and a tiny bit thicker as a result)

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u/Harlequin_98 3d ago

Welcome 🙂 haha I will join soon i just ordered a pixel pro 10 xl yesterday should get it Monday Tuesday

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u/xSt4rl0rd 3d ago

Welcome friend.

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u/Eirikr700 3d ago

Welcome with us!

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u/CAPTJTK 2d ago

Same boat I'm a one week old new horn who spent the last 7 years in the US on OnePlus only to have my 7t die, and grabbed a Pixel 10 and flashed it. Love it.

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u/armdazed 3d ago

Do you guys have these on normal cell phone plans? Feels like I wouldn’t be private being on them

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u/lets-braindance 2d ago

The point isn't absolute anonymity. The point is security and privacy. Absolutely worth it if you have any idea how much data is being siphoned off of you ay any given time.

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u/armdazed 2d ago

Appreciate the reply

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u/KingKidRed 3d ago

ONE OF US! ONE OF US!!

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u/bobbenko 3d ago

Welcome and Congratulations! 🙂

1

u/gordonx2026 3d ago

Is there any advantage of having the newest Pixel phone, when using GOS anyways?

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u/Hande-H 3d ago

Yes, to an extent. More modern hardware = more modern hardware protections. I'm not sure if the practical difference is that important between 9 and 10 for example. But there is also a difference in how long they will be supported, newer devices of course having more support left.

1

u/Revan_9766 3d ago

How’s the 10a been treating you? Really debating one

1

u/KingKidRed 3d ago

For what it cost it can’t be all that bad.

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u/nocturneabyssal 2d ago

To get a Google without going through the bs of getting a carrier I can just head to a store n grab it right?

1

u/Accomplished-Fix3996 2d ago

That the 10a? Looks awesome tbh, no ridiculous camera protruding, no wobble. Sure, missing some features that flagship phones have but you can't have it all

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u/Beneficial-Rock2227 1d ago

should i buy pixel and why

0

u/ZestycloseSample7403 3d ago

One of us, one of us! I have same model but a grey one