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  • RobynRedRobyn@mastodon.nz
    Jun 1, 2026, 4:41 AM

    Help!
    It looks like I need to replace my phone.
    Constraints
    -works on Aotearoa phone networks
    - need to be able to use some apps that are only available on play store/apple
    -I'm quite not tech savvy and have a hard time getting round to things
    -budget, lol

    Desires:
    -doesn't spy on me
    -Works without me needing skills I will struggle to learn

    From bits I've been hearing here and there I need a "sandbox" to keep that play store away from anything else I do
    Graphene OS is the only option for going that
    I'm going to need to buy a pixel phone to run it

    Questions:
    Is that my choice? A (second hand) pixel
    Or something Android and try to get better at knocking the AI and spying tendencies on the head

    How hard is it for a technophobe to run Graphene OS?

    💬 5🔄 11⭐ 13

Replies

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  • Imran Nazar ~ عمران نزرTwo9A@hachyderm.io
    Jun 1, 2026, 6:01 AM

    @RedRobyn Running Graphene on a Pixel 9a here, it's been going great. The web-based installer is perhaps the simplest install process I've ever come across, and it walks you through each step; be aware that the first step is to set up a throwaway Google account so you can get into your new Pixel and enable developer mode.

    I have to install the occasional app from the Aurora store, but the store allows me to set up an anonymous Google session to perform the download. Two caveats so far:

    Aurora doesn't update its UI when installing an app, so the Install button stays that way for like 30 seconds and suddenly changes to Open, which is a little weird;

    My bank's app doesn't run on Graphene, it thinks I'm a hacker who's rooted the phone, so I'm stuck using web login instead.

    Overall very happy.

    💬 1🔄 1⭐ 6
  • RobynRedRobyn@mastodon.nz
    Jun 1, 2026, 6:24 AM

    @Two9A
    I could just quit being part of the organisation I need a banking app for. Though being able to put a temporary block on my card is darned useful now I have it.- the web log in won't let you do that.

    💬 1🔄 0⭐ 4
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  • A-nom-nom-nom-aly BSC SSCAnomnomnomaly@beige.party
    Jun 1, 2026, 8:38 AM

    @RedRobyn

    It's not out yet, but I have heard that motorola are going to release a phone with graphene os on it.

    I've got a pixel 6 pro and keep meaning to install it... But I kinda need another phone first in case it doesn't work for me.

    💬 0🔄 0⭐ 1
  • CMDR Yojimbosan 🅅⁂yojimbo@masto.hackers.town
    Jun 1, 2026, 9:49 PM

    @RedRobyn This weekend I bought a new Samsung A17, used the stock Android and simply *didn't* log in to any Google account, or any Samsung account. Manually installed F-Droid via APK, then added Aurora Store and kept it in Anonymous mode.
    Also found and deleted the advertising ID number that I read about recently.

    A couple of apps don't work well, I haven't investigated sandboxing or anything else.

    This approach is less-than-perfect, I'm sure Google know it's me regardless ...

    💬 0🔄 0⭐ 1
  • Tim MakariosTMakarios@theres.life
    Jun 12, 2026, 11:22 PM

    @RedRobyn
    Not sure if you've already got your new phone, but when I was replacing mine less than a year ago, the cheapest Pixel per year of expected GrapheneOS support was the 8a, thanks to the jump in promised supported lifetimes between the 7th and 8th generation Pixels.

    💬 1🔄 0⭐ 0
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