So, I have a question on Motorola Mobility. The company is Chinese-owned, but US-based. This means it’s subject to the invasive CLOUD Act, and that US kangaroo courts even can require parent companies to provide that data.
Android also would lock down Android from september 2026, meaning that vendor-independent downloading (sometimes falsely named ‘sideloading’) would be rendered impossible, and all apps must be from verified developers, for which they’d have to give identification, iirc.
So how would a custom OS like e/ or GOS be affected by this? How would the latter ensure it’s not subject to the CLOUD Act? Or not affected at all downstream due to the locking down?
Sure, Motorola would qualify for the hardware specs needed for GOS, but legally considering, aren’t there issues? I’m considering to get a new phone that would be good privacywise, but I don’t like the thought of depending on the USA or China. It almost feels like a fed honeypot that way. Ethics is important to me.
I’ve thought about getting a Jolla phone with Sailfish instead, since that’s practically Linux. Or a Fairphone with e/, but from what I hear there are concerns surrounding privacy.
So I’ve no idea what to do. My ideal would’ve been a Fairphone with hardware suitable for GOS, and then having GOS on it, but alas. If there’s another option for phones also, I’d like to know.
Whatever the choice, there will be trade-offs. From a technical standpoint, there shouldn’t be anything wrong with the upcoming Motorola phone with GrapheneOS as long as the bootloader is still unlockable and relockable so that the user can install a known good copy of GOS instead of trusting what Motorola put on it.
Don’t buy motorola. They had recently a scandal doing amazon affiliate hijacking (like honey) but on the os level. The company can not be trusted, worst combination of usa and china.
Then what is the next best?
Honestly, buy fairphone 5 second hand and install iodéOS or CalyxOS if they are back by that time or simply LineageOS (or if you are ok with clean android?). Some recommend eOS but they started integrating AI from I think openAI. I think it’s anonymized but a) you can’t opt out and b) it supports big tech company, that is a no go. If you don’t want fairphone, and you are willing to try some of the linux phones go for it. If you want normal phone brand with android the only Chinese company that would be imo somewhat ok would be nothing phone Their ceo was behind good old one plus phones like legendary one plus 6 that are still used by many (including me) with postmarket os (for fun not as a daily driver because calling is not really supported on pmOS most of the times). Then there is korean samsung which have issues with bloat but is not china and you can remove bloat via adb. Asus but they have short support. Nokia is finnish again, they have some models with swappable battery too. I know their phones are maybe a bit more expensive for the performance that they offer but they have some good conservative phones, though I am not sure about the length of support again. Always check before buying if bootloader can be unlocked because that gives you good chance there will be at least LineageoOS which essentially gives you extended support.
CalyxOS was founded by someone who worked for the feds through Raytheon, no? I’m doubtful… granted, he got threatened by the FBI, so there’s that.
LineageOS or iodéOS are options, the latter being better if what this summary says is true..
Unfortunately, iodé doesn’t sandbox apps, nor has per-app storage & contact scopes, which are pretty big things. Verified boot is also not thorough, excluding app updates.
And doesn’t Nothing have a privacy policy where the data that they transfer and store, can be outside the EEA/UK? See point 9 there.
Samsung is too big tech for me, so that’s out of the question. Asus would be an option, but the short support is indeed questionable.
Nokia is a possibility, but they got into the AIslop.
It really depends a lot on your threat model tbh. Personally I am on iodé and its fine. I use almost exclusively open source apps through f-droid. For those few exceptions I have them in either work profile or in private space - yes you can have both at the same time. The private space offer some level of separation of the apps in between them while work space allows for apps run in background if you need that but still giving you different “userspace”. The founder of Calyx is gone btw. But imho Calyx offered (and hopefully will offer again after the freeze) the best balance between private/secure and device support. Nothing and samsung I put there if you wanted stock android but somewhat the least worst of the bigger one. I would not personally buy them. What I dont like about gos is how they depend on google. I mean I know all depends on google, but they depend on their hardware and even-though sandboxed they depend on google services/play store. I prefer trying to gut android as much as possible and get as clean of google as possible without going to apple.
Does iodé allow for an iOS-like look? A minor thing for me, but nonetheless…
It depends on a launcher right? What do you mean by “allow”? If there is a launcher that looks like ios just install it. Though I wouldn’t unless it is open source.
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I bought a motorola G in 2022, it’s fine, I rarely use apps outside of a browser tho, and i dont buy things off amazon
Isnt GrapheneOS partnering with Motorola or something? I read about it a few months ago i think
I thought that Motorola and GrapheneOS were collaborating on a new phone. Which makes you wonder seeing as you stated that Motorola is a Chinese company based jn the USA how that would work.
They are, yes. But it feels all very paradoxical.
A company owned by a country with pervasive surveillance, set in a country with pervasive surveillance laws, cooperating with a OS developer for anti-surveillance measures.
Granted, I could see that from places with pervasive surveillance, a need arises for something that removes all that surveillance. But then, would governments not be harsh on that?
Yeah, it seems like a baazar relationship. Much like religion and government. I’m not sure who this will work with GrapheneOS and Motorola being bed fellows. That said GrapheneOS currently runs in Pixel phones and it’s open source (I believe) so it would work.
Fairphone with e/ - you can also flash ubuntu touch onto the fairphone 4 & 5 if you wish
I am not certain there is a provider in the US that will support Ubuntu. You can get Fairphone support through Murena, who uses T-Mobile towers. I think Mint might also support unofficially.
I have not heard of Ubuntu support, but would like to know if it exists. I gave up on Canonical ages ago due to shady practices, but it’s still a good sign.
I cant say about US providers, but Ubuntu touch isnt ran by Canonical - its a group of volunteer devs called UBports:
As far as daily drivers go and if your threat model would say your risk is low, I think Fairphone with e/ is a great choice, yeah. I was thinking of the Fairphone 6 for that case, actually.
But if your threat model is higher, or if you want to support people with higher threat models, or want to prioritise security, I think GOS seems better. My worry is primarily about the ethics of a Motorola or Pixel, considering where Motorola is based and who owns it.
if you have a high threat model, I strongly recommend Graphene. since you’re considering ethics, have you thought about a used pixel?
