When it comes to secure operating systems without bloatware, it almost seems like we’re wandering in a desert. Android phones run the gamut from actually useful devices to bloatware slop devices. For instance, Google Pixel phones don’t have much bloatware, but then you’re in Google’s ecosystem giving away your data for free.
On the other hand, there’s iOS. It boasts a higher security level than the average Android phone, but you’re locked into the Apple ecosystem that offers almost no customizability.
Current Options on the Market
Android OS gives you a lot of freedom, but it has quite a few drawbacks. Android phones often come with bloatware preinstalled that is often hard and sometimes impossible to uninstall. Also, recently their OS has gotten a lot more restrictive with new limitations being added such as the inability to rollback updates with the pixel 10 and having to wait 24 hours to install apps that are not part of their official app store. Android devices also often have security vulnerabilities, making them not quite a 100% secure operating system. Due to the large number of different devices that use the android operating system, it often takes a while for security issues to be patched out for all the different devices.
Apple also has its own issues, for one you can’t even install applications outside of their own app store as they take a walled garden approach. This does have the benefit of apple devices having a shared experience with a similar level of security and performance, as apps and the operating system is optimized for one experience and set of devices in mind. It is quite a secure operating system, but it comes with the drawback of customization being severely limited.
You are also severely limited with customization options, for example if you hate the new iOS liquid glass interface and want to change back to a simpler cleaner interface? Too bad, you can’t change it. If you want to customize your phone outside of what apple wants, you must jailbreak your phone, which opens you up to security issues. Apple devices just lack the customization and freedom that devices with the android operating system has. Android may seem to be clearly better than apple in some ways, but they both have major privacy issues.
Privacy First
Both major two phone major phone operating systems also have one major drawback which is they are always tracking you, they track your location and apps such as TikTok often track user activity outside of the app. Your data is often sent to governments and companies to do whatever they wish to do with your data. Sure, you can turn off some of the tracking, but can you truly trust them to just stop completely because you asked nicely? There are alternative operating systems on the market that don’t stalk your every move and give you more customization and control over your device.
Alternative Operating Systems
So, you’re tired of your operating system spying on you and selling your data to the highest bidder. Where do you go from here?
Well, you have a bunch of options:
For people just getting into de-Googling, there’s LineageOS. It’s been around for a while and has only gotten bigger since CalyxOS’ developers disappeared. It requires you to install it on your device yourself, but it has the broadest compatibility of a non-android, non-Google OS. LineageOS does have a few issues around privacy (no sandboxing or virtualizing apps, no attestation mechanism), but for most people, these aren’t major issues.
There’s also /e/OS. It’s derived from LineageOS and aims to address the privacy concerns that LineageOS has yet to address. It comes pre-installed on Fairphones and phones made by the parent company, Murena, making it one of the most accessible options for people who aren’t tech savvy (yet). However, it’s limited in the types of devices that can support it and has more bloatware than something like LineageOS.
Murena also offers an entire workspace that’s a 1:1 equivalent to Google, so you don’t have to worry about which email provider to switch to.
For more tech-savvy people, the most secure operating system is GrapheneOS. Often called the Fort Knox of operating systems, the folks at GrapheneOS are dedicated to ensuring the highest-level security for every user.
The downsides? You have to unlock the bootloader on your phone, which can be intimidating to people who’ve never done it before. Missing a step with the bootloader unlocked can cause your phone to never properly boot up, functionally bricking your device. It’s also only available for Google Pixel devices, which defeats the purpose of de-Googling your life.
The Pros: Why the Pulze OS is a Good Alternative
We want to provide a good mix of privacy, security, and daily usability. PulzeOS has all the same security benefits as LineageOS without the hassle of installing it yourself. Unlike Fairphone, you can also buy this right here in the USA. No messing with a bootloader, no worrying about whether or not your USB cable is up to the task. Just simple charge-and-go functionality right out of the box.
Because our phones come with PulzeOS installed, you don’t have to mess with unlocking and relocking the bootloader, which leaves verified boot enabled and increases security. We also ship our phones in user/release mode, making our stock devices as secure as a Google Pixel.
The Cons: Why This Still Might not be Enough
We lack the GKI support of GrapheneOS and don’t sandbox Google Play Services, which is a concern for the most privacy-focused users out there. While we do focus on privacy more than something like LineageOS, our focus is still on people new to de-Googling who still want / need some of the creature comforts they’re accustomed to.
Balancing concerns around data privacy while also providing high usability is a difficult task. Critics might say that we need to focus more on hardening PulzeOS against hacking attempts, and we might very well agree. However, people looking for more secure operating systems can find them in GrapheneOS. We want to provide a seamless transition to people looking to gradually remove Google and other major corporations from their lives one step at a time.
If you’re interested in seeing what else Pulze has to offer, click here to learn more.
