I’m not sure what the GrapheneOS stock camera app does under the hood, but if it’s not enough for you, you have the option of installing Google’s Pixel Camera app from the Play/Aurora store if you want to compare. I don’t imagine it would require Google Play Services to run on devices older than 8 since they don’t have the AI integration, but I could be wrong. You can easily deny the app network permissions to ensure that the app isn’t sending your photos to Google. As far as the AI features go on newer devices, I could see those requiring Google Services installed to work, but again, they’re available through a Graphene mirror, run sandboxed for privacy, and can be denied network permissions. I’m satisfied with how my pictures turn out (7 Pro), but I may try Pixel Camera out just to see what the difference is.

It’s been a couple years since I tried the graphene camera, but (at the time) it’s essentially trash in comparison to the Google camera. I just use the gCam without internet permissions and call it a day.

But I’m not hardcore tin-foil ‘the NSA will use your office mirrors reflection to precisely heat up a 2mm space on the side of your phone that somehow enables Bluetooth and with that the G + glowy bois will exfiltrate your data at 10Kb/s’. I want additional security hardening and some privacy additions, but I also use the play services and store, like a typical user. Yada yada threat model yada yada - I just want my phone to simply function at the end of the day. Middle of the road, if you will, between stock os users and the guy that’s now boarding up all his windows because of the 2mm Bluetooth mystery vulnerability.

Unknown about the claimed AI features - my 8 pro is in transit. But I can check in a few days, if interested.

It’s not supported. According to the devs rooting defeats the purpose of Graphene OS.

It looks like the verified boot security feature of Graphene effectively prevents rooting the OS. I understand wanting root access, it does provide some nice features, but I don’t have any need for it. I don’t have any bloatware embedded to remove, and I don’t need to mod any system apps, so I haven’t looked into it much. I know the dev says it isn’t planned because it massively increases attack surface, which I personally agree with, but it would be nice to have the option via a separate version of the OS or something. If you need root access, I would suggest looking into LineageOS. It’s similar in privacy to Graphene and last I knew could be rooted. Graphene is very focused on security as well as privacy, and for me is a best of both worlds, but if you want to modify the system for various power-user type features, it might not be for you.

You can root on GrapheneOS. You do it exactly the same way you’d do it for the stock Google ROM:

1. Have an unlocked bootloader. Yes, this means that it “”“defeats the purpose of GrapheneOS”“”, if the purpose of GrapheneOS isn’t for you to avoid Google’s privacy nightmare. I use GrapheneOS for privacy moreso than security, and not being able to block ads properly is irritating.
2. Install the Magisk app.
3. Extract the boot.img from the GrapheneOS image and patch within Magisk.
4. Flash the patched boot image in the bootloader.

The main annoyance with this is that you’ll have to do that dance every month when a security patch gets released, but for me, it’s better than vomiting from exposure to ads on mobile.

Why? By default gapps doesn’t come with ROMs. Its usually more work to install gapps.

GrapheneOS, a privacy/security focused operating system is compatible with a limited amount of devices. The pixel series is part of those compatible devices.

They use Graphene. That’s the point. Pixels are unfortunately the only supported devices. That’s why I won’t use Graphene as I would never support google. A pity, many do

People or rather I didn’t buy pixel as its more privacy friendly but its the only one available here that let’s me install another ROM on day 1 without voiding warranty. And grapheneos being one of the best privacy focused ROM only available for pixel and that pretty much every ROM is available on pixel is another reason. I was basically forced into buying a google product as everyone else void warranty on unlocking boot loader or they don’t have much of a custom ROM scene.

old phones have batteries that are meant to last

Not killing, but degrades in performance because batteries have a limited amount of charge cycles. The more intensive you use your phone, the faster the battery degrades

And if your bootloader is unlocked, VZ is likely to lock you out of VoLTE/HD Voice/WiFi calling/etc.

I mean, you could go to T-Mobile who don’t currently play these specific games with devices, but then you’re trading coverage for features/freedom.

All carriers, wired and wireless, need to be regulated as DUMB PIPES. Title 2 for everyone. That’s what we’re paying for: Not “the Verizon experience” or “the pride and accomplishment of being an AT&T customer.” Let me buy a phone, and do with it whatever it is technologically capable of doing on your network. The network provider doesn’t need to provide any Android/iOS tech support if they keep it simple and stay out of the customer-fuckery business.

You dont have to buy straight from Google, just literally from anywhere else than Verizon.

Nope. Honestly, I stopped tinkering with that stuff altogether ages ago. It’s a candybar that gives me text messages and takes photos, I don’t need to make it my own.

Addition:

• several unsolved (hardware) issues in the past
• security patches are far too late
• 8 years support
• Using the promoted /e/ results in loss of support (you habe to flash back FairphoneOS). Maybe this has changed as they are sellig phones with preinstalled /e/ by themselves
• Screws in the FP4 where very low in quality
• above-average batterie drain

• no bloatware

Does it come without GApps? Most people don’t need half of those

Well, the only viable alternative then seems to be some sort of Linux phone, then.

The bottom line is that GrapheneOS is the most security-focused mobile operating system available, and the Google Pixel is pretty well the only mainstream phone with an unlockable bootloader.

If Alphabet were to ever lock down the Pixel’s bootloader, the GOS devs would undoubtedly jump ship to a lesser available platform in order to continue the project. But until then, no other hardware comes close with respect to embedded security.

Buy a pixel off marketplace then. You can brag about saving e-waste.

Google isn’t a bad company, just a product of poor regulation. They have amazing engineers and produce valuable hardware and that should be praised.

Its the business side of things which needs massive regulation and an ethics check.

As cool as the technology is, I wouldn’t trust Starlink to handle my breakfast order. It’s leadership is corrupt, arrogant, and evil. You can find all sorts of news stories about it online.

I have never heard of phone updates installing bloatware. The only time bloatware is present is when you first use the phone

GrapheneOS is built to work with a locked bootloader, in fact, relocking the bootloader is a step in the installation guide. It’s not rooted by default and the GOS team highly recommends against rooting, all apps should work as long as they only require SafetyNet basic integrity. If they require full integrity, they won’t work on GrapheneOS because the OS has to be manually whitelisted by Google in order to pass the full integrity check. Most apps (including banking or government apps) only mandate basic integrity though, full integrity is rarely required. It should definitely work better than LineageOS.

I don’t think that’s true. From XDA forums, you can choose to disable the app or completely remove it. I have completely destroyed the system from uninstalling critical apps. I have had to do a complete factory reset due to uninstalling core apps. No root whatsoever.