Mastodawn

DM54 2d ago

@EdTheDev I mean I don't even know what pinephone is, but I'm happy to hear about any alts to andriod/google or Apple. Graphene os on my next phone was gonna be my first toe in water.

#grapheneos #pinephone #linuxmobile #privacy #devops #floss

@davidmaddock Cool!

For full disclosure, I should mention that I still run GrapheneOS as my daily driver phone.

My PinePhone journey is very early:

I am the current target audience for the PinePhone - a full time professional software developer.

And I am still deciding what packages I will need to hand compile and test, and hopefully contribute back to the community - to get to a dialy workflow that works for me.

There's so much great Linux software, but I suspect that very little of it has been tested on phone hardware.

But if you have questions about ny experiences with either GrapheneOS or PinePhone, feel free to ask!

@EdTheDev @davidmaddock PinePhone devices are poor choices for privacy, security, and practical functionality. Their operating systems are far less private and secure than AOSP-based systems, while also lacking the app compatibility and basic features most users rely on.

@EdTheDev @davidmaddock The hardware is a low-end ARM platform built around closed-source components, including the SoC, radios, firmware, and other critical parts. Its cellular modem is especially problematic.

@EdTheDev @davidmaddock it combines an outdated Qualcomm baseband with an additional CPU running a proprietary fork of an old Android, originally intended for Windows-oriented use cases. Replacing that Android fork has often been misrepresented as “open-source baseband firmware,” but it’s not. Even after replacement, the radio is not meaningfully more open than mainstream alternatives and still contains more closed-source hardware and firmware than a typical modem.

@EdTheDev @davidmaddock The traditional desktop software stack used by GNU/Linux, FreeBSD, and similar systems remains far behind iOS and AOSP in privacy and security. It lacks modern app sandboxing, granular app permissions, strong access control, exploit mitigations, and widespread use of memory-safe languages.

@EdTheDev @davidmaddock https://xcancel.com/search?f=tweets&q=From%3AGrapheneOS+PinePhone

@a53bdb @davidmaddock Agreed on all points. I was aware of these concerns, but I appreciate discussing them publicly for anyone reading along.

@a53bdb @davidmaddock I was not aware of the specific closed hardware issues.

I'm always looking for more openness in my hardware, so I appreciate the heads up.

I still use plenty of closed hardware - I haven't learned about good enough options to get away from it.

But I appreciate the support staying aware of the trade-offs I am accepting.

gemmy 2d ago

@EdTheDev @davidmaddock

I am more inclined to get a Commodore Callback 8020 than a PinePhone, because it's the only phone with simultaneously: minimalism, open-source, Signal. Taking this into account, do you have any comments or suggestions?

@gemmy @davidmaddock
First, I'm a Commodore super fan, so I am very biased.

But I have a couple thoughts:

1. The PinePhone is still very early. I got it as a cheap way to start contributing (as a developer) to the Linux mobile ecosystem. So far, I am delighted with the device and progress, but nothing about the experience, so far, makes me suggest it to anyone as their daily driver. There's similar disclaimers on the PinePhone purchase pages.

2. My reservation about the Commodore Flip is that it is likely to be a very small production batch. I trust them to make a working phone. But I doubt that so many of them end up in the hands of hobbyists that a robust app ecosystem takes off. I would love to be wrong about that, though!

3. If Motorola delivers on releasing a phone that ships with GrapheneOS pre-installed, many people will be very pleased, myself included. GrapheneOS is the best option I have experience with, for privacy respecting mobile computing.

4. My controversial take: LineageOS is a huge privacy upgrade and a great starting point for anyone with an older Android device sitting around to try it out.

@gemmy @davidmaddock To give a simpler answer, I would 100% choose the Commodore Callback over the PinePhone today.

And I'm just so happy that we have multiple Linux phones to discuss, this way!

Also, do consider the replies earlier in this thread - as others have pointed out, the Android ecosystem is legitimately more secure for mobile use than Linux, today.

Personally, as a Cybersecurity professional, I wouldn't hesitate to use the Commodore Callback as a daily driver for simple communication - if the early reviews are positive.

But I also won't be doing any of my sensitive professional work on one any time soon.

Paul Giulan 1d ago

@EdTheDev How is the app store different from the one on iOS? What are the tradeoffs with switching to Graphene in terms of apps?

EdTheDev 1d ago

@pgiulan For context, I last ran iOS in around 2010.

GrapheneOS has access to the Google Play Store, but Google Play Integrity Check feels targeted to make as many apps as possible fail to run on de-Googled GrapheneOS.

Keep in mind that fully Googled GrapheneOS is possible. I just don't see the point in it. Part of my purpose in moving to GrapheneOs was to not have any single for profit company control a huge portion of my digital identity, anymore.

That said, I use F-Droid, and I find the app ecosystem robust. In 2010, iOS and Google Play we're full of small free ad-free (open source) utility apps and games by passionate hobbyists.

In 2026, F-Droid is the only place I am able to find those apps. When I started using F-Droid, I was delighted to discover where all those small no nonsense productivity apps had gone off to, as I felt they had been missing on Google Play for at least a few years.

Pro-tip: F-Droid works on any Android phone, so you may be able to preview the app ecosystem.

The worst part of F-Droid is the same as Mastodon: there's no algorithm and search can be hit and miss. So I tend to rely on web searches or recommendations on Mastodon to find the best apps.

EdTheDev 1d ago

@pgiulan I should also mention - GrapheneOS gets a bad reputation for compatibility, because apps that are spyware won't run, by default.

But many don't understand that it's entirely up to the owner of the phone.

GrapheneOS has a variety of settings to allow spyware behaviors from trusted apps, that can be set on a per-app basis.

So whatever I want to run, I can run.

I do often stop and find a more privacy respecting app, because I'm now fully aware of each privacy choice I'm making.

Paul Giulan 1d ago

@davidmaddock waiting for one from Motorola?

DM54 1d ago

@pgiulan waiting to pay off the holiday I'm on right now. 😂 But yes, leaning the way of moto, would prefer not to give Google money for a pixel.