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Feedback on CalyxOS (lemmy.today)

submitted 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) by heygooberman@lemmy.today to c/foss@beehaw.org

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UPDATE Thank you for your feedback! Based on what you all provided, I'm going to postpone installing any de-Googled Android OS for the time. It seems there's still a lot that needs to be worked on in terms of device and application support, and I don't have the time to work out the kinks and issues that might show up here and there.

That being said, it seems CalyxOS and GrapheneOS are both very good options. Maybe when Google ends support for the Pixel 6, I'll make the jump over to one of them.

ORIGINAL Hi folks! I'm interested in trying out a de-Googled Android OS, and CalyxOS seems like a good one to start. I decided upon CalyxOS because it supports my current Pixel device, and it comes with MicroG, which allows some download of Google Play apps. However, before I make the jump, I'd like to hear if anyone else in this community has tried CalyxOS and how it has worked out for them, especially when it comes to Google Play apps.

For example, I need to have Android Auto because my car supports that app, and I use that for navigation when driving. I also need to have some of Microsoft's apps, like Outlook and Teams. And finally, although I don't game much on my phone, there is one game that I play a lot (Romancing SaGa Re;univerSe), and I want to be able to continue with that game after moving to CalyxOS.

Greatly appreciate your feedback on this topic!

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[–] beezkneez@beehaw.org 0 points 2 years ago

I run Calyx on a Fairphone 4. I am very satisfied with it. I have a single app that breaks (a banking app - doesn't pass SafetyNet I presume, but I don't get any help understanding the problem other than a generic "Something went wrong" error). All other Google Play apps I have installed has worked, and have been installed through Aurora Store. This has had some ups and downs in terms of performance - there was an issue some time back where their accounts were rate limited to the point the store was unusable for some time. So if you are very dependent on accessing Google Play store, you should keep that in mind. I try to find FOSS apps I get through F-Droid when I can and only use apps from Google Play when I have no other choice. Mind you, I have not logged in to a Google account to access any paid apps through the Play Store, so I don't know how well that works.

Android Auto I don't think you will get to work though.

[–] cooopsspace@infosec.pub 0 points 2 years ago

The other issue with Calyx is that MicroG has had an open bug report for years that when a Google Work account checks for a passcode lock it can't. Thus you can't use Google Work addresses on your phone.

I get that you shouldn't be using google at all, but I have a job and need money. I don't have the ability to not use work Gmail.

[–] H3wastooshort@lemmy.blahaj.zone 0 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I dont think Andoid Auto works on MicroG, but the other apps will probably work or can atleast be made to with some prodding

[–] heygooberman@lemmy.today 0 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Why does it not work? And, is there an alternative?

[–] H3wastooshort@lemmy.blahaj.zone 0 points 2 years ago

its part of the google services that microg does not replicate. there is a reason why there is a 100x-ish difference between microg and gapps packages

[–] PleasantAura@lemmy.one 0 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Android Auto is a proprietary standard that's basically glorified spyware - if one thing isn't being fed to it 24/7 exactly as Google wants it so they can sell it, it breaks. It's basically just that there are a lot of dependencies that it would need that are fundamentally incompatible with privacy.

[–] Penguincoder@beehaw.org 0 points 2 years ago

There really is no reason to use CalyxOS vs Graphene these days. GrapheneOS offers sandboxed play services with the standard SELinux policies for unprivileged Android software.

GrapheneOS also has hardened_malloc, which seems to have the best design for malloc hardening out of any alternatives I'm aware of.

MicroG requires very strong privileges and weakens the comprehensive privsep you'd otherwise have. Calyx shouldn't be considered much more secure than Android Open Source Project (AOSP).