Alternatives to Android

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We want to talk about a topic as important as it is complicated like the one relating to smartphone operating systems. Today we will therefore go in search of alternatives to Android. It took us a long time to write this article because of alternatives to Android there are many, but they are too often complicated and imply essential technical knowledge. In short, changing the operating system may not be as simple as changing Search engine, or Browsers.

Alternatives to Android for everyone

From the beginning we decided instead of propose easy-to-use alternatives for everyonewithout having to do complicated operations. We believe that privacy is a right for everyone and not just for those who know mess around with your cell phone. Let's start with the fundamentals. Android and the operating system developed by Google which still holds the most of the market of smartphones settling around 70% on the total. The only real competitor left to Android, after the demise of Windows Phone, it is obviously the Apple. The majority of the alternatives we found are based on Android operating systems. But, as we will see, not all.

We want to give priority to operating systems sold together with smartphones, therefore suitable for people who know little or nothing about IT and who could really use them in common use. Given the particularity of the topic of this article, unlike all the others, we will rarely be able to talk about tests carried out firsthand. So if any of you are users, we invite you to share your experience on ours subreddit.

The Plexus project

Using a smartphone like those from e.foundation will go almost all applications thanks to the collaboration with microG. However, it is not certain that they will all work, so before buying them it is always better to ask someone who already uses it or check on the site Plexus.

/And/ – The best alternative to Android?

The first alternative we would like to talk to you about has a very particular name. Is called /And/ and it is an operating system based on LineageOS + microG. What does it mean? We will talk about LineageOS a little further down, but know in the meantime that it is an operating system based on Android born from the ashes of CyanogenMod which you can install almost anywhere if you are capable of root your smartphone. We also did a review of it, if you're interested click here.

Lineage+microG

What did those of /And/? Took LineageOS, they modified parts of the system, they removed any part related to Google (for example Google is no longer the Search engine default). Finally they have integrated microG, which is, to put it briefly, a kind of excellent replacement Open source for the services of Google Play Services. They put all this together and made it a project Open source.

The thing that differentiates them from LineageOS is that they also set up a system of online shop where you can buy great cell phones like the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S9 at good prices and with their operating system already installed. Since a very short time it has also been possible buy a Fairphone with the /e/ operating system pre-installed. So even if you don't know anything about computers you can buy a smartphone /e/, a mobile phone without Google or Android that will truly respect your privacy. Find it shop at the address e.foundation.

Fairphone

Ok let's cheat a little because in reality the Fairphone it's at in all respects an Android mobile phone. But it's not long ago purchasable a de-Googled version of the operating system /And/ on the Fairphone 3! But what is Fairphone? It is the first, unique and true fair trade telephone. The raw materials used for the Fairphone they do not come from exploited labor. Considering that it is thesingle cell phone you can understand who does something like this the importance of such a project and how much it is important to finance it. Its cell phones also work very well, they compete with the most famous medium-high range cell phones and are easily repairable. You can have all this for only €450. Do good for yourself, for our planet and for those who work with the raw materials used to build smartphones. More information at fairphone.com.

iode

There you reported on the our Telegram group this French company. Very similar to the project /And/ they sell new smartphones ¹ and, above all, refurbished at very attractive prices ². Again it is a Fork Of LineageOS with pre-installed microG and some essential applications such as F-Droid And Aurora Store. It is a new project, take this into account if you decide to purchase it.

However it looks very interesting and promising!
Let's add a note on your report. The project iode it's not quite there yet Open source (even if it will become so according to the developers). And their pre-installed application that monitors all your traffic and protects you from advertising and malware is not yet Open source ³⁴. To date, however, there are no reasons to think badly and not to believe that it will soon become so.

Sailfish OS

More or less similar speech to that of Finnish company Jolla which distributes the operating system Sailfish OS. Unlike /e/ which is based on a Fork Of Lineage, Sailfish OS it is instead a project with a proprietary interface and part of the code Not Open source but under copyright Jolla. We can say for all intents and purposes that it is one Linux distribution which adapts perfectly to smartphones. In this case the operations to obtain it are slightly more complicated than in the previous case /And/. You can get it for free for supported devices, or you can opt for the "complete” with updates and support for only €49. To see which cell phones this version is compatible with all-in-one check out their site: shop.jolla.com. Also, if you like the idea, the Italian community of Jolla exists at the address jollacommunity.it where you can have it tips and information about Jolla And Sailfish OS.

Librem 5

Maybe the only one real complete alternative to Android and Apple. Librem is a project Open source totally focused on privacy. In fact, it is not based on Android (like the others we talked about) but on PureOs, one Linux distribution specialized in privacy And safety. The idea, explained briefly, is that the vast majority of applications can now be run via the web with the so-called web app. It is not yet certain, in fact, that Librem 5 can easily run Android apps but, thanks to web apps, this problem it might not even arise for the daily use of many people. It is currently still in the development phase pre-production, you can find out more about the his site or if you are really already interested, you can even do it already pre-order.

F(x)tec

The F(x)tec Pro¹ it is another very interesting smartphone. It has a built-in real QWERTY keyboard and comes with an open bootloader so it can be easily installed LineageOS or Sailfish. The price, unfortunately, is not at all friendly.

The Light Phone

Before getting to the inevitable apple, we offer you a not very smart cell phone. The Light Phone it is in fact a light mobile phone that is very simple to use. Without social media, without advertising, news or emails of any kind. It is the perfect mobile phone for those who want to detoxify a little from technology.

Apple

Could perhaps be missing from this listonly real competitor of Android? Apple has stood out over the years for one greater attention to privacy of its users. The vast majority of Google's earnings comes from advertising (watch this graph of 2015). Apple instead earn with the products. This can make a difference when it comes to privacy. Google searches for our data obsessively because, with these, we live. Apple, on the other hand, makes money with its products And if you are looking for privacy And easy to use probably one Apple smartphones it could be the one for you. Unfortunately, however, Apple, as often happens to large multinationals, seems to be Don't be too against censorship, to finding tricks to pay less taxes and to pay your employees little and much more ⁵⁶. In short ethically we are just not there, despite their many proclamations that seem more like corporate propaganda than anything else.

The world Open sourceFurthermore, it is currently not very prolific in the world Apple so consider carefully how much to compromise. For more information go to apple.com.

More alternatives to Android

We have given priority to simple solutions to replace Android. We don't want to make a guide for the most complicated solutions because there are sites, forums and communities more suitable for this purpose. If you are interested, we still want to point you in the right direction.

• You can search for something on Lineage OS which we talked about above. An excellent operating system above all in combination with microG: find the combo LineageOS+microG at the address lineage.microg.org. If you want to know if your smartphone is supported you can visit lineageos-device-finder.org;

• you can also take a look at Ubuntu Touch, which is a version of Ubuntu for smartphones;

• GrapheneOS, a project Open source however valid only for mobile phones Google Pixel. Where it is not even possible to install microG;

• always for cell phones Google Pixel (and so does Xiaomi Mi A2) people speak very well about the project CalyxOS. Same security principle as GrapheneOS but with the possibility of installing microG;

• PinePhone, a mobile phone with Linux suited to developers only;

• it also exists Mobile Plasma;

• and finally Replicant.

1. iodé new smartphones[↩]
2. iodé refurbished smartphones[↩]
3. iodé review – youtube link[↩]
4. iodé review – invidious link[↩]
5. Reasons not to use Apple[↩]
6. Censorship, Surveillance and Profits: A Hard Bargain for Apple in China[↩]

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