I cannot use a custom ROM as I need apps that sadly enforce the Google Play Integrity API, and no GrapheneOS with Google Play Services dose not passes this check.

I am stuck between an iPhone and a Google Pixel.

I have government apps and a work app on my phone that I do not want to route through a VPN or any other type of proxy(All apps are in the Android privet spaces). The only thing I need to go through a VPN/proxy is my browser (I know brave have a VPN in their browser but I don’t want to use or pay for it and the DuckDuckGo vpn is system wide and the Firefox vpn does not have a Firefox exstention on iOS or android). I need to be able to change countries myself (I don’t think you can do that with Apple’s Private Relay), as I live in the EU and ID checks for social media, other things, and maybe even Wikipedia are coming soon. Android support split tunneling but iOS don’t.

I need to have Facebook Messenger installed on my phone and active all the time (I cannot put it into the private space feature on Android).

I use another service for mail and backup, so iCloud end-to-end encryption is not a plus for me.

I don’t communicate much over SMS, but I would be able to chat over iMessage instead of Facebook Messenger with some contacts.

    • sun@slrpnk.netOP
      3·
      28 days ago

      Sorry for the long response.

      I will think about switching to GrapheneOS anyway and just have tow devices it would be possible and mabye not as annoying as i first thougt.

      I don’t have the money to switch to an iPhone if the apps I need for my day-to-day life on the go begin requiring the Google Play Integrity API (I think some of the apps may do so in the future, like the app used to send money in my country).

      Btw, thanks for pointing out the work app. I might actually be able to use it in a browser (didn’t think about it because I hade it in Android private spaces).

      Yes it’s proton. It sounds like you have an iOS device. What’s your experience with Proton on that, if you have the apps installed?

      Facebook Messenger is also cross-platform, but not great for privacy. Unfortunately, I need it at the moment - not so much for close friends. Less close friends I still want to stay in contact with and groups for activity’s if you join a socker team the communications is gonna be on Facebook messenger.

      And also, I heard that GrapheneOS (and other ROMs) will only receive non-critical security fixes every 3 months, which sounds like a long time. And looks like Google will do more and more to kill custom Roms. The thing I fear is google will require google play integty api to use Google play services.

        • sun@slrpnk.netOP
          1·
          28 days ago

          Thanks for thanking the time to response and give a detailed response.

          I sadly need to receive notifications from Facebook Messenger (I don’t give it access to anything other than notifications, but I know it can still collect a lot of data) on my phone. Notfiactions only works properly if you have Google Play Services :-(. Facebook Messenger is like Imessage in the US or WhatsApp in most of the rest of the world.

          Do you have Google Play Services installed? If not, how do you deal with notifications? And can you buy things from the Google Play Store? I need AltStore (I know it’s a super privacy-invasive app but i need it).

          But i think you are right about them not killing customs roms android will probably continue to stay open source.

          Maybe it’s just me overthinking the thing with Google Play Integrity API, because as of now, I have two apps that use it, and I can easily have them on a second device. But if Google Play Services got restricted in the same way, I would not be able to use the device and would need to get back to stock Android. I have tried daily driving GrapheneOS without Google Play Services, but it was not feasible.

          Just cureise do you make music (“My producer”)?

      • Lfrith@lemmy.ca
        3·
        28 days ago

        Is buying two used phones not an option? Older models whether it is Pixel or iPhone should continue to function for their intended purpose. Iphones get long updates and Pixel has moved in that direction too. Its not a good idea to use a work device for personal use and not one of the areas to save on.

        I’d focus on just trying to get two cheap phones within your budget before even diving into selecting based on privacy to keep work hardware separate.