Hello everybody,
first of all: I'm completely new to custom ROMs. I've just used some phones with CyanogenMod long ago.
Currently I have a Galaxy S8 with the default shipped Samsung OS.
I thought about buying the Huawei P20 Pro because people say it has a very good camera.
And I want to switch to custom ROMs because of privacy concerns.
Especially because I've read very bad things about Huawei collecting A LOT of my personal information and also its connection to the chinese government.
Obviously I want to install my OS without Google's services and also I want a ROM without bloatware.
I want a clean, stable and performant system.
I use the phone for surfing, chatting, mails, camera and music mainly.
Currently I'm only aware of LineageOS. Should I maybe consider another ROM too?
- How good is LineageOS in aspect of privacy?
- Does it work well on the Huawei P20?
- Is the camera as good as with Huawei's default OS?
Thank you in advance!
haressipar said:
Hello everybody,
first of all: I'm completely new to custom ROMs. I've just used some phones with CyanogenMod long ago.
Currently I have a Galaxy S8 with the default shipped Samsung OS.
I thought about buying the Huawei P20 Pro because people say it has a very good camera.
And I want to switch to custom ROMs because of privacy concerns.
Especially because I've read very bad things about Huawei collecting A LOT of my personal information and also its connection to the chinese government.
Obviously I want to install my OS without Google's services and also I want a ROM without bloatware.
I want a clean, stable and performant system.
I use the phone for surfing, chatting, mails, camera and music mainly.
Currently I'm only aware of LineageOS. Should I maybe consider another ROM too?
- How good is LineageOS in aspect of privacy?
- Does it work well on the Huawei P20?
- Is the camera as good as with Huawei's default OS?
Thank you in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First off. It is a great camera so you're right there.
However, so not buy the P20 Pro, the bootloader can no longer be unlocked, so custom ROMs for a late adopter is not possible.
My advice, keep hold of the S8, personally is root I and install one of the many ROMs you probably have available , here on the p20 pro we have 2, treble doesn't work without rebooting every ten minutes and the fingerprint doesn't work.
Doesn't sound great I know, but the phones so good and lineage is decent enough if the bootloader could be unlocked I'd recommend it.
But as it can't be, I can't recommend it.
Hi, I'm Simon, two things happened a few years ago: (1) I realised I'm not really a power user of my phone (2) my friends phones were all getting stuck on old Androids and they were throwing them away. So I learnt to install Lineage to see if I could give these phones a new life, mostly using this forum to do so. I now run an old Motorola Peregrine with Lineage 16, which works fine for me. The network operator abandoned it on Android 4 - it now runs Android 9 aka Lineage 16 seemingly just fine! On the way I learnt also about the privacy and free software concerns of GApps, and found out about things like /e/ foundation and microG, and am now quite an enthusiastic user of Lineage. I signed up mostly to say thanks to the person who maintains an unofficial Lineage build for the Peregrine.
sifriday said:
Hi, I'm Simon, two things happened a few years ago: (1) I realised I'm not really a power user of my phone (2) my friends phones were all getting stuck on old Androids and they were throwing them away. So I learnt to install Lineage to see if I could give these phones a new life, mostly using this forum to do so. I now run an old Motorola Peregrine with Lineage 16, which works fine for me. The network operator abandoned it on Android 4 - it now runs Android 9 aka Lineage 16 seemingly just fine! On the way I learnt also about the privacy and free software concerns of GApps, and found out about things like /e/ foundation and microG, and am now quite an enthusiastic user of Lineage. I signed up mostly to say thanks to the person who maintains an unofficial Lineage build for the Peregrine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welcome to XDA!
This is a prefect example on how the forums helps anyone who comes in. Knowledge and community in here are our best assets!
Hi folks, i need a rom that made for privacy purpose for my SM-N960F/DS Exynos, if anyone ask why for oreo or pie only! because android Q/11/12 become more closed source for example i cannot auto disable wifi for macro apps.
Privacy alone does not just depend on the, it depends on the user. To achieve the "Best" tag, you'll have to reconsider every app your phone will run.
Check every app settings, every information you're inputting, ...
One of the truly secure ROMs is GrapheneOS, follows CalyxOS. Unfortunately, it's only available on limited phones.
If you value your data so much, buy a recent Google Pixel device. Other than that, using LineageOS is your alternative.
Grapheneos and Calyxos is a big joke, why they only support google devices when we try to get off of this privacy violating company? you need to read this:
XDA member unknowingly bought a Pixel phone with an FBI backdoor
The FBI reportedly sold backdoored Pixel phones to criminals, and one of those phones found its way to an XDA member.
www.xda-developers.com
and of course i i don't trust samsung either, but it's a gift from someone and i want to put a privacy os on it, thats all.
Hello good people of XDA.
Over the past few months an interest in flashing custom ROMs onto smartphones turned into a hobby of refurbishing and deGoogling phones. Mostly Motorola models.
I've used this forum a few times when looking up information on a phone I'm trying to flash. Right now my favorite is LineageOS but I've been meaning to try out some others.
Motorola phones are my favorite because so many of their models seem to be moddable. The LG v20 I picked up has a too recent version of android to try rolling back for a firmware flash, so when I have some extra cash I plan on buying an unused one from a chinese vendor and hoping it has the old android version 7.
My favorite phones are ones with IR blasters. Mostly because of how much you can control anything with a remote using your phone, I really don't understand why this feature isn't more common, but I suspect it's because of how mischievous they can be if misused.
Personally I don't have much IT experience professionally, I just recently got a CompTIA A+ certificate and am looking for my first helpdeks job to get into the field, but I'm really interested in getting into computer security. As of right now my big fascination is trying to remove as much of Google and as much tracking from a smartphone as possible while keeping app functionality.
Mobile development is something I never really thought I'd get into but I've found is extremely interesting to me. Hope I can contribute as the time comes
zennok said:
Hello good people of XDA.
Over the past few months an interest in flashing custom ROMs onto smartphones turned into a hobby of refurbishing and deGoogling phones. Mostly Motorola models.
I've used this forum a few times when looking up information on a phone I'm trying to flash. Right now my favorite is LineageOS but I've been meaning to try out some others.
Motorola phones are my favorite because so many of their models seem to be moddable. The LG v20 I picked up has a too recent version of android to try rolling back for a firmware flash, so when I have some extra cash I plan on buying an unused one from a chinese vendor and hoping it has the old android version 7.
My favorite phones are ones with IR blasters. Mostly because of how much you can control anything with a remote using your phone, I really don't understand why this feature isn't more common, but I suspect it's because of how mischievous they can be if misused.
Personally I don't have much IT experience professionally, I just recently got a CompTIA A+ certificate and am looking for my first helpdeks job to get into the field, but I'm really interested in getting into computer security. As of right now my big fascination is trying to remove as much of Google and as much tracking from a smartphone as possible while keeping app functionality.
Mobile development is something I never really thought I'd get into but I've found is extremely interesting to me. Hope I can contribute as the time comes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice intro, welcome to XDA!
Hello
A bit of a beginner question.
I am looking for an option to avoid personal data leaks to corporations (paranoid version ). It makes me uncomfortable that every single word I say or text I write is being sent to the servers, being analysed by the online algorithms, etc. I believe that a phone is a personal device, and this is not acceptable.
Which is why I am looking for a phone that would allow to clean up the bloatware and telemetry modules, by either removing them from the stock firmware, setting up restrictive firewall rules, or by installing something like LineageOS or similar.
My question is whether it is reasonable to get the new Pixel 7 (in my area it costs around $600) or would you recommend looking into other models, some chinese models, for a similar price?
I am considering Pixel, as it is known to be one of the best phones in its price range (but as I understand mostly because of the software part, which I would like to meddle with).
Thanks for your opinions!
Yes, the pixel is a great phone. Paranoid Android (privacy ROM) supports it. The pixel is very easy to work with.
thetraveller1 said:
Hello
A bit of a beginner question.
I am looking for an option to avoid personal data leaks to corporations (paranoid version ). It makes me uncomfortable that every single word I say or text I write is being sent to the servers, being analysed by the online algorithms, etc. I believe that a phone is a personal device, and this is not acceptable.
Which is why I am looking for a phone that would allow to clean up the bloatware and telemetry modules, by either removing them from the stock firmware, setting up restrictive firewall rules, or by installing something like LineageOS or similar.
My question is whether it is reasonable to get the new Pixel 7 (in my area it costs around $600) or would you recommend looking into other models, some chinese models, for a similar price?
I am considering Pixel, as it is known to be one of the best phones in its price range (but as I understand mostly because of the software part, which I would like to meddle with).
Thanks for your opinions!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Pixel is, at it's core, developed by Google (which is primarily an advertising company, which is why they have so many great "free" apps, which you pay for with your data), as is Android itself. When you buy a new Android phone, it will come preloaded with multiple proprietary Google apps, which you can not easily uninstall. If you really want a privacy oriented phone, the Pixel with a custom ROM might work. Personally, I use Lineage OS, also for the extra privacy, as it is open-source. Lineage OS does not have any Google apps installed by default, although you can install them if you wish. If you look at Lineage OS's website and click on "GET LINEAGEOS" you can see devices that are supported. Since creating a custom ROM takes time, most of the supported devices are over three years old (yes, the Pixel 7 is not officialy supported). However, certain newer devices are supported, as is my Samsung Galaxy A52 4G (2021), which I run Lineage OS on. You could get the Pixel 7 and run this unofficial build of Lineage OS on it, but if your only getting it because the camera software is good, don't, because your going to remove that software and replace it. Another thing to keep in mind is sometimes the camera support isn't really great with custom ROMs, so do you research to make sure the phone you get has good camera support with whatever ROM you choose. Lineage OS did just develop a much better camera app for it's 20th release, though. Hope this helps, and if you have any questions let me know!
Hi, =)
if privacy is a concern for you, using a Google Pixel device may not be the best option as Google is known to collect user data for targeted advertising and other purposes. You may want to consider other options that prioritize privacy such as phones running on the Android-based LineageOS, or the privacy-focused /e/OS, or a device from a vendor known to prioritize privacy, such as Fairphone or Purism. You may also want to consider alternative operating systems such as iOS or Ubuntu Touch. Ultimately, the best option for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences, so consider your budget and requirements before making a decision.
If you want a device that protects your privacy out of the box with no modification, the Pixel series is not for you. In fact I'm not aware of any OEM Android device that is privacy oriented - Google services by nature depend largely on telemetry and user data for targeted advertising.
That being said, if you want a platform that can easily support a privacy oriented OS, the Pixel is honestly one of the best choices, due to the ease of which you can unlock the bootloader and flash a new OS such as LineageOS, CalyxOS, or others. This means you'll need to familiarize yourself with the concepts of ADB, flashing, bootloaders, etc.
ChristianMorris said:
Hi, =)
if privacy is a concern for you, using a Google Pixel device may not be the best option as Google is known to collect user data for targeted advertising and other purposes. You may want to consider other options that prioritize privacy such as phones running on the Android-based LineageOS, or the privacy-focused /e/OS, or a device from a vendor known to prioritize privacy, such as Fairphone or Purism. You may also want to consider alternative operating systems such as iOS or Ubuntu Touch. Ultimately, the best option for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences, so consider your budget and requirements before making a decision.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I happen to have the Librem 5 phone, developed by Purism. Frankly, although it is extremely security and privacy oriented, it currently has many downfalls: high price (starts at $1,999), not many apps (Linux smartphones are pretty new), and the battery lasts less than 24 hours on a full charge (due to not having a good suspend mode, I assume)
V0latyle said:
If you want a device that protects your privacy out of the box with no modification, the Pixel series is not for you. In fact I'm not aware of any OEM Android device that is privacy oriented - Google services by nature depend largely on telemetry and user data for targeted advertising.
That being said, if you want a platform that can easily support a privacy oriented OS, the Pixel is honestly one of the best choices, due to the ease of which you can unlock the bootloader and flash a new OS such as LineageOS, CalyxOS, or others. This means you'll need to familiarize yourself with the concepts of ADB, flashing, bootloaders, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lmao remember “freedom phone” what a joke.
I wonder if even a rooted android phone will not give away all kinds of info. Some roms I presume will mitigate that somewhat, but I feel you are tracked everywhere you go in this world. How about a decent burner or 3? Use it for a week or so then destroy it. And then buy a pixel 7 for the features when you don't care who's looking. And don't forget your paid (forget free) VPN.
@thetraveller1 flash Graphene, relock the bootloader, and you'll basically have state of the art privacy and security on your Pixel 7.
GrapheneOS: the private and secure mobile OS
GrapheneOS is a security and privacy focused mobile OS with Android app compatibility.
grapheneos.org
Thanks everybody for the replies!
As I understand, Pixel remains the most widely supported device by various Custom ROMs, and getting a Chinese smartphone or Samsung would mean I would be limiting the choice of the available/pre-built ROMs as well as future support with security patches?
ethical_haquer said:
You could get the Pixel 7 and run this unofficial build of Lineage OS on it, but if your only getting it because the camera software is good, don't, because your going to remove that software and replace it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand that unofficial means it wasn't built by the LineageOS team, rather by a 3rd party. And it probably means that some functionality may be missing/not working and it's not promised to be getting regular updates as new versions of Android come out (including applying official google security updates) unless I learn to make firmware builds myself?
thetraveller1 said:
Thanks everybody for the replies!
As I understand, Pixel remains the most widely supported device by various Custom ROMs, and getting a Chinese smartphone or Samsung would mean I would be limiting the choice of the available/pre-built ROMs as well as future support with security patches?
I understand that unofficial means it wasn't built by the LineageOS team, rather by a 3rd party. And it probably means that some functionality may be missing/not working and it's not promised to be getting regular updates as new versions of Android come out (including applying official google security updates) unless I learn to make firmware builds myself?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One of the reasons people use custom ROMs is because they often support devices longer then the stock ROM. For example, a device that was only supported by the manufacture till Android 11 could be running a custom ROM on Android 13. Lineage OS official builds get weekly updates; unofficial builds typically still get updates, but not as often. In either case, it is up to the individual that developed the build to provide support, and the more popular a build is, the more likely it is that it will be supported for many years. To answer your questions: no, getting a non-google phone will not necessarily limit custom ROM options, or updates; and getting an unofficial build doesn't mean it wont get updates, but installing updates on unofficial builds requires flashing the new builds manually, which can be a hassle.
thetraveller1 said:
Thanks everybody for the replies!
As I understand, Pixel remains the most widely supported device by various Custom ROMs, and getting a Chinese smartphone or Samsung would mean I would be limiting the choice of the available/pre-built ROMs as well as future support with security patches?
I understand that unofficial means it wasn't built by the LineageOS team, rather by a 3rd party. And it probably means that some functionality may be missing/not working and it's not promised to be getting regular updates as new versions of Android come out (including applying official google security updates) unless I learn to make firmware builds myself?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Take a look at Shizuku and the apps that use it like FreezeYou!. MySudo and Insular are another couple to check. You may find a solution without having to switch ROMs.