Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.
In this community everyone is welcome to post links and discuss topics related to privacy.
[Matrix/Element]Dead
much thanks to @gary_host_laptop for the logo design :)
If nothing works out; look into Android Debug Bridge (ADB) and use these package names to remove all the google bloat. Perhaps it's a bit too involved, but AFAIK this is the easiest way to gain a semblance of privacy on your phone. I don't screw about with custom roms either.
LMK if you do try to use it, I can provide some guidance if you need.
So you're posting on the privacy community. Point 4 makes things very difficult, as every smartphone by default ships with either Google apps or Apple apps pre-installed, both of which collect data and send them to their respective companies.
What is your threat model?
The only way to get away from Google or Apple is to install a custom ROM, and OnePlus currently has the best phones for that at the moment, not including Google or Fairphone phones, since they offer unlockable bootloaders. The 12R currently has an AOSP port for it, and the 12 has a WIP port that has yet to be released to the public (but can be compiled from source).
Warranties are practically useless, or I should say I find better value buying a 2 year old phone for a fraction of new. I can own three or four Pixel 5/6 for the cost of a new Pixel.
I prefer having a spare around. One dies, just swap Sim and move on.
Custom roms are significantly easier today, and you can buy phones with them pre-installed, e.g. Graphene, /e/, and Lineage. I'd look at those 3, noting that /e/ also provides some google-like convenience.
100%. I've only had one problem with my Pixel phones. A pixel 5A, out of five total pixels I've owned. And that phone I got repaired at a local repair shop for $30....
Asus zen phone had received great reviews. You can use it as stock Android or with Asus' slight customizations. It's on the smaller side but it's a good price.
You make it sound being small is bad when it's the reason I bought it haha love not having a tablet for a phone!
If you can get a Blu phone shipped in, that would be exactly what you're looking for. All Blu phones come unlocked by default, they're about a third the price of name brands with the same specs, and while they have minimal bloatware to begin with, their apps are all unprotected so you can uninstall everything that isn't a core system.
Bonus perks that aren't relevant to your question, every phone they make is made with gorilla glass, so they're ridiculously hard to crack or scratch. They come with a case, screen protector, charger block, cable, headphones, Sim key, and sticker in every box. Lastly, to put into perspective how bafflingly reliable these things are, I've bought 3 of them in 10 years. I'm replying to you from one I bought two years ago that has been a 6% decay in battery life and still has no issues running anything I use it for.
Never heard of them, I'm gonna check them.
For you fellow lemmies, here are the links:
I don't have hands-on experience with any of the brands listed so sadly can't give specific recommendations
Would a second-hand Google Pixel work fine for you, or do you definitely want to buy new? Mobile devices are really reliable nowadays, I doubt you'll need to worry about a warranty (which would not cover accidental damage, like a cracked screen)
I've noticed most countries outside of the US and Europe (making that assumption based on inability to get a Google Pixel or a Fairphone) typically have some locally used apps preinstalled regardless; usually a social networking and mobile e-payment app. I'd expect it to be possible to remove these using ADB if you have access to a computer.
Are you buying direct from manufacturer, or via a carrier? Do note that carriers may have customized the apps installed on your device if you buy one through them. For the least preinstalled bloat, buying direct is ideal
Pixel phones from Google are the cleanest.
Edit: the cleanest you can get out of the box
Pixel phones ship the entire Google garbase.
Anyway, OP said can't get a Pixel phone.
I appreciate OP has requirements. But as this discussion reaches a wider audience, it is absolutely necessary to indicate that pixel phones are the cleanest out of the box phone experience you can get. For all of the people who are not OP who are reading this.
The absolute cleanest experience is a pixel phone loaded with grapheneos, which isn't hard to install - they have a website that does it all for you.
The cleanest out of the box would be a brand shipping AOSP or something closest to it. Maybe Nokia, I'm not sure.
Pixel phones do not ship third party apps other than Google apps.
If you want to install pure AOSP, the only pure AOSP builds I'm aware of are for Pixel phones. And you can install them here, clean without any Google proprietary stuff, just AOSP pure and simple.
Http://flash.android.com
From the docs:
https://source.android.com/docs/setup/test/flash#device-requirements
Pixel 2 and newer
DragonBoard RB3 (also known as db845c)
HiKey 960
HiKey
This is a bit of a pickle. Apart from Google, I think only Motorola and Nokia have stock-ish android. But they don't have stellar software upgrade promises. Oh and Sony makes some very good phones with clean android
There is a German manufacturer called GigaSet which does stock. I am rather happy with their GS5 phone and they even have a senior option if you want a not as smart smartphone for a parent.
General-mobile only makes phones with 10 years old hardware afaik. Asus is probably what you're looking for. Huawei has fake ad icons on home screen by default which are not installed apps but still I don't recommend them because they don't have Play Store. Everything else will give you a lot of preinstalled 3rd party bloatware apps I think. Google Pixel or custom ROMs are the ways to go for lowest amount of pre-installed apps
I'm going against every one of your requirements by suggesting a pixel 6 or onwards used on eBay and install graphene os, it has the least amount of bullshit and is stupidly easy to install even for someone who's never heard of a custom ROM
Stupidly easy is an understatement, you can accidently install it its that easy!
If you didn't read the post, the OP doesn't have Pixels available in their country and they want warranty so used phones are not an option either
He also said he can't bring it in for lack of warranty.
Well, ignoring warranty, used pixels are so cheap you can own 2 or 3 for the cost of one new one with a warranty. Basically eliminates the warranty concern.
I've replaced exactly one phone under warranty (well, the expensive extended warranty bullshit), and since then I only buy used phones and just keep spares. It's a far better value in my opinion, and I can switch phones nearly instantly.
They clearly read and understood the post. That's why they said I'm going to go against every one of your requirements.