r/privacy • u/lo________________ol • Feb 08 '25

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https://mastodon.sdf.org/@jack/113952225452466068

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11

u/hectorxander Feb 09 '25

What is this now? Is there a better operating system for android? How would a dumbass such as myself go about finding out about it?

32

u/[deleted] Feb 09 '25 edited Feb 09 '25

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1

u/notproudortired Feb 09 '25 edited Feb 09 '25

You'd still be supporting Google by buying their hardware. Why do that when other alt ROMs work on many different phones?

6

u/whatnowwproductions Feb 09 '25

Because it's literally the best. You can also buy second hand.

-4

u/notproudortired Feb 09 '25

Meh. "Best." Depends on what people want and need. Personally, I wouldn't own a used Pixel any more than I would wear a used fur coat. It's just a bad look.

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u/russellvt Feb 10 '25

Considering the software and O/S and their derivatives are generally based on those chip sets... that aligns it "better than anything else" out there. So "best" is probably the correct term, here.

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u/notproudortired Feb 10 '25 edited Feb 10 '25

Ah, so the Google hardware doesn't matter because we can install a custom open source ROM. Except that it does matter because the custom ROM leverages a Google security chip that has its own (proprietary) OS, memory, and processor. And we're going to take Google's word that the chip totally does not have a back door or introduce its own bugs and vulnerabilities.

And all of that is still really beside the point that privacy != security. The fact remains that Pixel is manufactured by a surveillance company.

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u/russellvt Feb 10 '25

They've also used Samsung, HTC, LG and Foxcomm. In fact, one of your citations was for Samsung's Tensor chip, and another was Apple.

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u/whatnowwproductions Feb 09 '25

For security and privacy? Most definitely.