For those unfamiliar, GrapheneOS is a privacy and security enhanced custom ROM endorsed by Snowden. Despite these big names, plenty of people give it backlash
Even @TheAnonymouseJoker@lemmy.ml gives it backlash despite being a moderator of Lemmy's biggest privacy community. A quote here: "grapheneOS trolls are downvoting every single post and comment of mine, and committing vote manipulation on Lemmy. They are using 5-6 accounts." That was in response to downvotes on a comment posted in the c/WorldNews community, which is entirely unrelated to technology.
One of the reasons is that GrapheneOS can only be installed on Google Pixels due to security compatibility, which makes complete sense considering Android should be most compatible with Google's own devices. GrapheneOS even lists the exact reasons they chose Pixels, and encourage people to step up and manufacture a different supported device.
One year ago, Louis Rossmann posted this video outlining his reasons for deleting GrapheneOS. Mainly, he had multiple bad experiences with Daniel Micay (the founder and main developer of GrapheneOS) which put his distrust in the GrapheneOS project. Since then, he has stepped down and will no longer be actively contributing to the project.
So, I am here to learn why exactly people still do not like GrapheneOS.
because you NEED a pixel.
For a good reason. Pixels are currently the only phones besides iPhones with proper hardware security. Only Pixels support hardware memory tagging, have a secure element (Titan M2) that supports the Android StrongBox and Weaver API, insider attack resistance and hardware key attestation. They also have a programmable USB controller, that allows you to fully disable any USB data connections while the OS is running. The GrapheneOS team maintains a list with hardware requirements at https://grapheneos.org/faq#future-devices
Why is ur comment showing up blank for me?
Because Lemmy.ml mods are morons
Yea, my main issue is that because of the price, you're locked to phones that are either out or almost out of support, or secondhand. Even the last generation's cheapest model is $300! Though very tempted to try to save that anyway.
Plus they are not officially sold here, so always a bit of a gamble.
You don't need to give money to Google, it's trivial to find a second-hand.
not in my country, they are expensive and unavailable. and you have to be ok with their form factor and features over the other options.
overall needing to have one specific phone can get very restrictive.
Is it a reason to hate the GrapheneOS project? Pixel phones are simply the best Android devices for security. You should hate other phone manufacturers that don't care at all.
i don't hate graphene in and of itself, i simply can't use it. and its not much use to most people when most people don't own pixels.
we should hate most phone manufacturers because they are pretty much all shitty.
Sad to see so many people fall for this blatant scheme for buying pixels