This is why I really like grapheneos. They've created scoped permissions, so the operating system tells the application Yes you can see this thing, but it's empty. Right now they've implemented scoped storage, and scoped contacts. So if it tries to extort you to see your entire contact list you can limit it to an empty list, a very limited list, or everything if you don't care
Yea, but it's a good phone to target, Pixels are one of the few remaining manufacturers that freely let you unlock the BL and probably one of the last that is carried by nearly all major US carriers. OnePlus used to be another but iirc they've stopped selling on all carriers stores
Yes yes yes, you can buy any frequency-compatible phone you'd like from like Amazon, AliExpress, Best Buy, manufacturer store etc but that's an expensive option for many as you have to front the entire purchase price with little exception.
So if you want a BL unlockable phone, purchased through a carrier to take advantage of the reduced financial load of payments instead of all up front, in the US...it's pretty much just Pixels
The unlockable bootloader is only a small part of the reason Graphene only works on Pixels. One of the main reasons is that Google actually maintains drivers and firmware updates for all of their components and releases them monthly (well, usually) unlike other vendors that are often one or more months behind. Many (most?) other phone brands simply don't provide the security guarantees that Graphene desires.
There are GrapheneOS ports for other devices, and ROMs that take GrapheneOS features, but none that I know of have the security that GrapheneOS has.
I was interested because everyone keeps talking about it and I wanted to try it myself but it's compatible only with pixels. I have a Samsung and I changed phone recently so I'm not going to buy it again. I don't want to spend 600+ for a new phone + 2/300? (100?) for the buds but my next phone will be a pixel🤔
Oof, yea Samshits are the worst of the worst. They're actively hostile to those who would dare want to use their phone how they see fit.
Even if the stars align and people are able to breakthrough the BL lockdown, Samshit phones are designed to blow an efuse and permanently lock the phone to 80% battery capacity just for a big ol fuck you
Would be pretty shitty if they artificially didnt worked. It think it's still an headphones that can be used even without the, I'm guessing, nice intégration with Samsung phone.
Yes, but it's far easier to obtain a SIM unlock than it is to unlock a BL from a manufacturer that just says "No" instead of "As long as it gets carrier unlocked"
I have a Pixel Fold purchased and (still) financed through T-Mobile that is BL unlocked and rooted. Most of the time they'll override their SIM unlock requirements if you've had an account for awhile. Unsure about ATT, I've heard they're 50/50. Verizon, ofc, are a bunch of bitches about it
Verizon are a bunch of bitches about it, they're as bad as Samshit. They're a match made in hell tbh.
Of the major 3 carriers, it's always been T-Mobile that's the "most friendly" to tinkerers. Technically, you can't unlock the BL until it's been carrier unlocked, which TMO is generally OK about overriding their requirements as long as you've had an account for awhile
But which version? Plus, I've learned todsy that Samshit locks the battery at 80% with unlocked BL... Even if I'm using it on my dev phone, 20% is A LOT
Charging the last 20% is really hard on the battery. Also, Samsung has a history with ahem exploding batteries they overcharged, and exploding earbuds would be quite a meme.