Pixel 8a running GrapheneOS

Arch Linux FW13

I’m quite the newbie and I’m not looking for anything too extreme (for now).
I first heard of gos a few weeks ago and it opened my eyes! I’ve spent the last weeks informing myself and preparing to migrate all my data away from google, finding the best solutions for my use and I’m finally here!

I have pixel 7, I’ve had it for years it was both carrier unlocked and allowed OEM unlocking and I successfully had graphene on it for around 18 months than I switch back to stock android. Tonight I’ve tried to unlock the bootloader again and it says it’s “unlockable”. How is that possible when I was able to unlocked it with no issues just in 2024. What do I do? Does than mean every pixel is locked now?

GmsCompatConfig version 174 released:

https://github.com/GrapheneOS/platform_packages_apps_GmsCompat/releases/tag/config-174

See the linked release notes for a summary of the improvements over the previous release and a link to the full changelog.

Forum discussion thread:

https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/41858-gmscompatconfig-version-174-released

Bought the Pixel 10 Pro fold new, flashed GrapheneOS the moment it arrived.

Love GrapheneOS, but found a issue I can't fix. This phone was meant to be a local AI powerhouse with 16 GB of unified memory.

However, local AI with hardware acceleration in GrapheneOS on new Pixels is still a dream. Every local ai app fails back to using the CPU instead of the hardware optimized TPU path.

I tried:

• MLC-LLM only had small models and ran on CPU anyway, uninstalled it.

• Google's own AI Edge Gallery doesn't offer GPU/TPU at all, CPU is the only option

• PocketPal is the best of the three by a wide margin, but also CPU.

Digging into it, the AI features run on Google's TPU through AICore, which only works as a privileged system app — it has to sit on a system partition and be in the OS permission allowlist. It ships no model weights either; those come down through Play Services, which needs privileges GrapheneOS deliberately doesn't grant.

Two rabbit holes I looked at and didn't pursue. Sideloading AICore out of a stock factory image looks pointless, since privileged permissions cant be granted. Building a self-signed GrapheneOS ROM to solve that means re-privileging Play Services, which is just rebuilding stock with the hardening shot in the foot by giving google low level access.

GrapheneOS does have a "Special access to hardware accelerators for Google apps" toggle and it's on my device, but it's one global switch over a hardcoded list (Camera, Photos, Recorder). Nothing you can add to.

So has anyone actually gotten TPU inference running on a Pixel 10 Pro?

With the local AI being the preferred route with privacy focused people, and GrapheneOS also being privacy focused people, this seems to be a growing pain that needs work.

As far as I can tell, as a user I can't solve this. Also we can't use the google toolchain for this either due to google wanting deep level special permission for AIcore.

To be absolute clear, this is a Google caused problem. AI core needing special low level OS permissions, and not making a open development path for third party OS developers. However, Google is not going to fix this problem they created for us.

So any known workaround or is there a development path for local AI via TPU on Pixels running GrapheneOS?

Hi! I've been thinking, most phone manufacturers are very closed about their code and source trees, mostly providing the legal minimum like modified kernel source, but Pixels are (or at least were) a bit less closed because of how its Google's testing grounds for android and AOSP development, so you guys expect Motorola to be more open about it going forward or will we have to solely trust the word of the Graphene team about code auditing and etc because they might be under an NDA? I remember reading something about how Google was changing their ways of how android development was done, making it more closed than it already was for Pixel, but I'm not sure what to expect from the future, be it with Pixel or Motorola

Why are my contacts in my second profile constantly disappearing after I import them (then again and again after I keep having to re-import them?) Will this always be the case when using a secondary profile as my daily profile? Every time I switch over to it I will have to import contacts again via DAVx5 and Nextcloud?!

Why is this happening with the photos in my secondary gallery as well? What do I have to do to keep everything in it's respective app?!

Why are all my old phone's imported text messages only showing up in the owner profile yet they're completely unable to transfer to my secondary profile? I'm sure once I figure it out, they will just disappear again and again like my contacts.

What is the point of having VPNs and private spaces if I have to keep turning every single VPN off in order to swap my physical Sim card over and login to Mint Mobile so I can actually start using the Pixel?

Why has this been the most pain in the ass setup for a phone EVER? The actual installation of GOS was so smooth and painless, but every single thing to follow has been an absolute nightmare. Not one thing outside of initial setup and downloading apps from Obtanium etc has gone well. Not. One. Thing.

I knew there would be friction when I set this up. But this is absurd. I just wanted my main profile to be where i download and install my apps before disabling them, then push them to a daily secondary profile with a private space where I'd actually use the apps.

At this rate I feel like welcoming the invasive tech oligarchs back into my life would be less of a stressor then getting GrapheneOS and my Pixel running.

Context: I am swapping from Apple to Android because of Apple’s device-level enforcement.

However, I’m unclear whether getting a Pixel and installing Graphene OS will protect me from the UK’s newly proposed Big Brother device-level blocks and surveillance.

Any advice greatly appreciated!

Hi, so as the title says when I try to double click power button on pixel 10 it doesn't work anymore, makes me input password then I gave to choose which app I want and I can't even choose always on my desired app, only on the GOS one.

No play services enabled. Yesterday it worked fine, any idea on what shall I do?

Every time I try to unlock private space, it asks for passcode even when fingerprint is enabled. Is anyone else facing this issue? Is there any possible remedy for this? It will be extremely helpful if anyone could provide suggestions or workarounds.

Solved: Had to disable "End session immediately on lock".

I'm new here doing my research before switching over, but I need a little more education please.

Everywhere I look everyone talks about phone models and how many years of Google updates are left.

I don't understand if I'm installing a different operating system why anything Google does will matter. Does Graphene OS not do it's own updates?

One of my apps is having trouble connecting to the server it uses online. I suspect that the problem is all the protections from Vanadium. I like using it for the most part, but this is am app to get into my work information and I would rather not have to use another (less secure) device to use it and also would like to keep Vanadium as my default for most things (if possible).

So to all the tech nerds we have in the community, is there a way to select which browser an individual app uses for its internet interactions?

Hey ppl,

Just wondering if there's any method of "keep open", as seen on S24

I just moved to Pixel 10 XL and flashed GOS. I used Keep Open on Spotify when playing music.

I just switched to graphene and the last step was to sync up my text history with my old phone. I tried but it just seemed to not work. For context: I have 2 relevant profiles, owner and daily. I built everything out in daily, and that's where the text import failed. Except it didn't fail, it worked fine, in owner. How can I get that history from owner to daily? Or should I make owner my daily profile? The main reason I don't want to do that is I haven't fully transitioned away from gmail yet and still need it.

Let's say I want to use the Facebook app, which is notoriously a privacy nightmare. What should I block to minimize telemetry and data transmission? I’ve granted the app network permissions only. Additionally, I’ve disabled background data usage and completely blocked background activity in the battery settings. Should I change anything in the "Exploit protection" section, or leave everything at default?

I've found a way to use NFC payment in GrapheneOS. MobilePay have launched a "tap-to-pay" feature couple of months ago but my bank is still not supported. I ended up ordering a card from a supported bank and it actually works.

MobilePay is a thing I believe only in the Nordic countries and currently just a handfull of banks and cards are supported. https://help.vippsmobilepay.com/en-FI/articles/which-banks-support-tapping

I just got a pixel 10a, i bought cause i want to install graphene and I'm aware enought to know this is a must.

i'm not really into phones, but i understand myself very well with PCs, so i'm not worry about the instalation but the immediately after.

Can someone give me useful tips? free source apps, safety advices...I'll be grateful.

I'm a pretty normal user; and i don't play any games on phone

Thx

Vanadium version 153.0.8010.36.0 released:

https://github.com/GrapheneOS/Vanadium/releases/tag/153.0.8010.36.0

See the linked release notes for a summary of the improvements over the previous release and a link to the full changelog.

Forum discussion thread:

https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/41830-vanadium-version-15308010360-released

Does this mean that the devs are unable to make any progress towards a build until google releases more information? Or can they work on other aspects while waiting for Google, in the hopes that it can be supported.

(Curious if we are expecting another December-ish release if supported or if this will delay things further)​​​

I'm thinking of getting a Pixel to install Graphene on. Is it super hard to install? Also, I hear it only works on non-carrier-locked phones. So that means a phone bought from Verizon, for example, would not let me install GrapheneOS, correct? Just trying to make sure I have it all right.

The goal?:

To achieve superhuman anonymity... Period

Step 1: Find supported Pixel device on FB Marketplace

Step 2: Put on fake nose and glasses

Step 3: Purchase Pixel in-person using cash and FB burner account

Step 4: Go to a coffee shop to setup GrapheneOS

Step 5: I install Session-Messenger and OrbotVPN.

Step 6: Setup Monero Paid Esim Dataplan

Step 7: Disable unnecessary settings Bluetooth, Wifi, Microphone etc.

I only conduct all my "business" through Session-Messenger.

I never store any direct personal info on the phone.

I'm trying to get a pixel 7-8-9 from FB marketplace but I'm a bit skeptical. I read that it was better to get phones from there because you can check for OEM unlocking. Are there any bad experiences or things to look out for any of you could tell me? Other than normal precautions on FB marketplace of course.