this post was submitted on 12 Oct 2023
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Installed grapheneOS on my pixel (finally) the other day. Actually was loving stock, until it got corrupted due to a bug. Had to factory reset to boot up again. Anyway, used that opportunity to install GOS.

NGL I do miss adaptive features and now playing, but I am liking GOS more and more day by day. Better battery life despite not having adaptive features, more security options like sensor permission and scopes, auto reboot if not unlocked feature and all that.

I use GPay and my bank app on a secondary profile. works seamlessly. Some UI improvements and adaptive features and it will be on par with the stock pixel experience itself.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I use GPay and my bank app on a secondary profile.

How does that work?

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

You can create multiple user profiles in which you can install different apps. Each profile behaves as an independent phone installation in a way. That allows you to install google services to a specific user profile (with all the GrapheneOS sandboxing, controlling all permissions). Once you have google services, you can install google services dependent apps which basically work as they would normally.

There are some few banking apps which depend on something called "native code debugging" (a security feature). Normally it is advised to disable it for security but some banking apps need it enabled to be able to self inspect and verify integrity, from what I understand.

Edit: you can read more about GOS user profiles here: https://grapheneos.org/features#improved-user-profiles

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Great! Another Google phone without Google. Sounds terribe but it's the best phone you can currently have.

I thought GPay doesn't work on GOS. Personally I never checked because I don't use GPay.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

There are very few apps which don't work with GrapheneOS assuming you install google services. There's hardly anything specific about grapheneOS which makes it incompatible, its just that some apps don't like when google services are not available. But the combination of user profiles and compatibility layer with Google services makes the vast majority of the apps work.

Edit: user profiles are not necessary but they are what can help isolate google services from all other apps for instance.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I know, I use GrapheneOS with 6 profiles (only 2 have Google services), but some apps like Android Auto require tight integration with OS which is not possible with GrapheneOS. I thought GPay was one of them.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I just tried it, technically the app works but disallows contactless payments, which is like 97% of the reason for the app, so...

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Hey welcome

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Gos is perfect

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Great to hear! I still have one with stock ROM and I like it less and less every day. Slowly getting everything across to the GOS one.

I too have noticed significant difference in battery life between the two, stock ROM always runs out first, even if at idle.

The only adaptive feature I want is for charging, I want to be able to have the phone stop charging at a percentage determined either by me or the device for the battery health. To expand, my tablet has a battery protection feature, where if it is left plugged in, holds the battery between 40-60% for long times on the charger. The device draws until it's down to 40% and then charges back up to 60%.

I only ever charge my pixels to 80%+/- and their batteries are still going an entire day with reasonably heavy use inc. Gps

I hope to see GOS continue to do great things.

(Posted from my GOS Pixel)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You could do the charging stuff with magisk modules (acc is the most known) if you are willing to root. What is your SOT? My battery seems to be quite bad having to charge twice a day.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

SOT for stock OS from last charge was 4h52m, SOT for GOS was 4h36m.

Battery curve shows sharper dips on the stock rom, though at times it's usage (for work due to needing maps) is understandable.

Battery curve on the GOS has more gentle dips, but more consistently. Surprisingly at the same percentage of charge, the projected 0% is different by close to an hour between the two.

I have been using the stock ROM for a couple years now, whereas the GOS ROM has only been in use 6-8mths. So I expect there's a level of learning occuring over time based on usage, as well as a likely (small) loss in capacity for the older handset.

I do often find both are surprisingly accurate at predicting with a reasonable accuracy when to expect to charge.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Figured I should let you know. GOS is an Operating System, which is different from ROM which is short for Read Only Memory. It's like calling windows on your PC a ROM instead of an OS. It makes no sense.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Thanks for the correction.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

You're welcome. Thank you for your kind comment.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Check this out if you want the now playing back. It's not as good but I've heard it's more than decent!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Not gonna root my phone circumventing all that protection GOS offers

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Shizuku is non root 🤷

Edit: also, GOS is not focused on root prevention or anything. It's part of it sure but not the main focus..

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Lol, for a second I thought you mean Greenbone OS when reading the title.