That’s exactly where I’m at too. And my requirements aren’t all that high, I just need:
all day battery life
reliable SMS and MMS
decent quality speakers and mic
I don’t even need app compatibility, just a decent browser, and those already exist in current phone projects. If you give me the above, I’ll switch and may even find time to help port desktop apps to the phone, or even develop some myself.
can run arbitrary Linux stuff - want LibreOffice? The UX sucks on mobile, but you do you. Want a Minecraft Srever? Why not?? I want to run podman containers, because why not?
can probably just plug into a monitor and use as a desktop (like a Steam Deck)
can use as a development environment - install a compiler and you can code on the go
The most practical is that I can get security updates as long as I want, since most security updates aren’t platform specific. With GrapheneOS, I get whatever Google and the GrapheneOS care to support. Pixel devices do go EOL, generic Linux still keeps on trucking.
That said, I currently do use GrapheneOS on my phone, but that’s because Linux phones aren’t daily driveable yet for me. I’m making it a point to avoid most of the Android ecosystem so I can eventually have a lower barrier to switching to a Linux phone, once one has decent support.
Those aren’t requirements, they’re nice side-effects of being Linux based. GrapheneOS meets my requirements, and Linux phones do not, hence why I use GrapheneOS instead of Linux phones. If both met my requirements, I’d switch to a Linux phone due to all the other nice features.
My requirements are pretty simple:
calls are a good experience - good enough audio, wakes up phone properly, etc
battery lasts all day, assuming relatively modest screen time
SMS/MMS works consistently - that’s what pretty much everyone in my family uses
a solid web browser, since that’s where 95% of my usage on my phone is
some form of TOTP option
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and 4G LTE (5G is very much appreciated though)
the possibility of getting Android apps to work - doesn’t need to support everything, I just want to give it a shot
The last one is pretty squishy, and I’m actually okay having a dedicated separate phone if I need a specific app. Basically, I need it to be at least as good as a dumb phone, while having a smart phone interface. I’ll help w/ development on everything else I need.
It works on Google Pixel phones only, so no, since those phones don’t go back that far. The oldest you could probably use is a Pixel 4, which is from 2019.
Or continue, cause I ain’t using those operating systems. All I need now is a proper linux phone.
That’s exactly where I’m at too. And my requirements aren’t all that high, I just need:
I don’t even need app compatibility, just a decent browser, and those already exist in current phone projects. If you give me the above, I’ll switch and may even find time to help port desktop apps to the phone, or even develop some myself.
Out of curiousity, what does that get you that Pixel+GrapheneOS wouldnt?
A ton, for example:
podmancontainers, because why not?The most practical is that I can get security updates as long as I want, since most security updates aren’t platform specific. With GrapheneOS, I get whatever Google and the GrapheneOS care to support. Pixel devices do go EOL, generic Linux still keeps on trucking.
That said, I currently do use GrapheneOS on my phone, but that’s because Linux phones aren’t daily driveable yet for me. I’m making it a point to avoid most of the Android ecosystem so I can eventually have a lower barrier to switching to a Linux phone, once one has decent support.
omg are you my product manager
😔
Those aren’t requirements, they’re nice side-effects of being Linux based. GrapheneOS meets my requirements, and Linux phones do not, hence why I use GrapheneOS instead of Linux phones. If both met my requirements, I’d switch to a Linux phone due to all the other nice features.
My requirements are pretty simple:
The last one is pretty squishy, and I’m actually okay having a dedicated separate phone if I need a specific app. Basically, I need it to be at least as good as a dumb phone, while having a smart phone interface. I’ll help w/ development on everything else I need.
I think of I heard of the OS, is GrapheneOS usable on older phones? 2010 era?
It works on Google Pixel phones only, so no, since those phones don’t go back that far. The oldest you could probably use is a Pixel 4, which is from 2019.
Here are the supported devices if you care to take a look.
Thank you for this.