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[–] -3 points 1 year ago (8 children)

Do you see the irony associated with buying hardware from the same company who's software you actively want to remove?

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  • [–] 10 points 1 year ago* (7 children)

    I can see how there would appear to be irony if someone doesn't distinguish software from hardware.

    You don't need Google software to use a Pixel and Google's software is the privacy/security concern. Their hardware isn't bad and it has unique features that make it the best consumer device for security.

    I won't buy an ATV from Yamaha, but I would buy a Yamaha Saxophone. Because they're two completely distinct things, made by completely different groups of people despite being under the same company name.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Technically all Android is Google software but yeah

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    The separation between software and hardware is not nearly as distinct as your comment suggests. Beyond (sometimes replaceable) firmware there's microcode and embedded systems with their own software inside modules like the modem that allows your phone to actually talk to the network.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Those things are technically true but largely irrelevant.

    The concern about Google's software is that the software that they produce which is targeted at consumers binds the user with a restrictive TOS which allows them access to all of your personal data. Their Play Services gives Google very low level access to the operating system and their cloud services are being constantly enshittified.

    So I avoid that software and those services.

    That doesn't mean that every piece of software that Google produces is implicated. The teams writing low level firmware for optical fingerprint readers are not the ones developing consumer spyware.

    I'm concerned about security, I'm not an anti-Google zealot.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    That said, I personally would love to see the day that fairphone or another company is able to support graphene.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    Oh definitely.

    I don't WANT to support Google, but unfortunately their hardware is superior for this purpose.

    The GrapheneOS devs have a public list of hardware requirements for any manufacturer that wants to support real security, so far only the Pixel checks all the boxes

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