A question for the guild about smartphones 📦

5    08 Mar 2021 15:52 by u/None

Correct me if I'm wrong please, but it seems that if I want a smartphone I'm stuck with either Google (android) or apple (iphone). I've heard of phones running linux, is it a viable option? Are windows phones still a thing? My question is; what is the best option for a 'smart phone' in 2021 if one cares about privacy and censorship? Is there really any point to switching between iphone and android if you have one of the two? Thanks in advance for any insight offered.

9 comments

5 u/None [OP] 08 Mar 2021 15:58
I mean it depends what level of privacy you're ultimately going for. Apple is slightly better than android on this front, but you can still get MITM'd through cell tower spoofing if you're concerned about that (and who knows what else). If you want to be an autismo [PinePhone](https://www.pine64.org/pinephone/) is sort of a thing. The point is, the only way to actually stay completely anonymous and untrackable is to use a burner phone, bought with cash, and your phone at home (location data cannot be traced to the point of purchase). It's how it's been done for ages.
4 u/VILLAIN 08 Mar 2021 16:13
Other alternatives: * Librem 5 * [KaiOS](https://www.kaiostech.com/) * [/e/](https://e.foundation/) * [iode](https://iode.tech/en/)
5 u/konrad 08 Mar 2021 16:00
+LinuxPhones I'm not an expert on these, I'm getting my first tomorrow hopefully, but people there will help you for sure. You can look up fairphones, pinephones, rob braixman phones (whatever they're called) if you want some linux pre-installed. https://odysee.com/@TheLinuxExperiment:e/android-without-google-the-e-project:e I watched this today, worth a watch
3 u/sigilstone17 08 Mar 2021 16:20
If you care abut privacy and censorship: don't get a smartphone.
2 u/None [OP] 08 Mar 2021 16:21
This is the answer I was expecting. And I fear it's the most correct answer.
4 u/LiquidAurum 08 Mar 2021 16:53
And I"ll probably get downvoted, but I rely too much on my smart phone to just do away with it.
3 u/LiquidAurum 08 Mar 2021 16:52
Personally, I went with iPhone. Apple has shown more care towards privacy then Google. I could've gone all in on privacy into Linux based phone which would've been better privacy wise, but I just don't have the time to be tinkering and what not for all the stuff I do. It also helps make things easier for managing things with my wife and mom
3 u/NWOBHM 08 Mar 2021 17:55
Look into degoogling phones. You can install custom roms like LineageOS. You need to make sure your phone model is support. Ironically, I've heard that the Google Pixel3 is one of the easiest phones to do this with
2 u/None [OP] 08 Mar 2021 17:10
https://ruqqus.com/+Privacy/post/7cfg/looking-for-phone/pw51