Technology

Yeah I was going to say there is very little alternative from iOS and Android or its derivatives. There used to be Windows Phones very breifly, but they're gone now.

Anthing else has to emulate the other OS to run mobile apps.

Aww, and I here I was hoping multiple vendors were FINALLY going to contribute to mobile linux.

Honestly, I think a person in either nation should consider using the opposing nation's stuff. Harder for the US to backdoor Chinese encryption, or for Chinese to backdoor into an American phone. Play the bastards off each other.

Odds are, that the Trump Regime will use American apps and phones to identify and track targets for ICE traffickers. China probably does the same to Uighurs. The less attack surfaces they have, the better for their respective peoples.

Indded but as an Australian, if I have to have an anal probe i'd rather it from the CCP as they wont share it with my Government.

I mean judging by the current American government id much rather my data is going to the CCP then the American Government via Google as a proxy.

US telemetry == CCP telemetry, I can't see how CCP will be more damaging to regular person.

I would love getting a Pixel but the 100% price premium and no official support is making it hard.

I really want to get to a point I can transition to using this or another mobile Linux distro. My phone is fairly (hehe, it's a Fairphone) well supported, but my impression is that basic phone features are still not functioning properly making it more of a pocket computer and less of a phone. I still need phone features. As for mobile apps, I don't have many needs and I think Waydroid will get me far.

Gurl let me spill the tea, there's word floating round in China that some bde powa playas be considering maybe kinda putting something together.

Fuschia? That was a Google alternative to Linux that never panned out. It was weird with streams instead of files.

If you're looking at getting a new (used) phone, I would suggest GrapheneOS (the most secure/private de-googled rom afaik).

You need a Pixel phone, the newer you get the longer you will keep getting software updates for the future (if you keep the phone past these many years of support, then I believe switching to a other rom will be required for security patches etc. Each phone is supported until Google stops supporting them I believe). You said you don't care about updates because you can keep it from connecting to the internet, but it's a plus anyways.

If you plan on never touching a google service, GrapheneOS allows for that (nothing google by default), but on the other hand, if you need google play, etc for banking apps or whatnot, they have that covered with Sandboxed Google Services (which you can run solely in another user profile on your phone for added privacy).

Anyways, I think GrapheneOS in a great option & their website has much more info if you'd like to continue hearing about it:

https://grapheneos.org/

p.s. you can check their website for how long different pixels will have continued support before (if) you get one (incase anyone else is reading this).

You have to be careful to get a phone and model supported by one of the projects. Check all compatibility and install instructions before buying a phone. And if you need a manufacturer supplied unlock code, make sure the manufacturer still gives them out . Some will discontinue that service after a few years.

For graphene os you need one of the gogle devices - i've never tried it but i think its the one most people like.

lineageos supports more devices usually older.

I recently got lineageos working on sony experia xa2 - very happy with it. But to get there i had to go try like 6 computers before one of them sucessfully sent the bootloader unlock code over the ADB. For some reason usb is temperamental when doing stuff like that

It is a lot easier on really old stuff like samsung galaxy s3 or s4 if you can tolerate something that old. Maybe you'll lso end upon an old version of lineage.

Once you get the bootloader unlocked it is generally straightforward. but modern phones make that fist part awkward.

Ironically, pixels are best for de-googling (stock android that can be easily un- and re-locked)