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Android Central: Fairphone (Gen. 6+) with /e/OS (www.androidcentral.com)
submitted 1 week ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] 10 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (13 children)

I never used /e/ but I used iode (https://iode.tech/) and it worked really well. Main differences:

  • Graphene doesn't support pattern unlock because they claim PIN is more secure. This is stupid because you can just as easily see what PIN someone typed as the pattern. Since PIN is less convenient most people will use finger print unlock which means you can be easily forced to unlock your phone against your will

  • iode has support for shortcuts when using 3 button navigation, Graphene doesn't for some reason

  • iode has really nice tracker blocker which can run next to a VPN, Graphene doesn't

  • Graphene let's you install Google Services in a separate work profile and separate apps that have access to them from other apps. In iode you will have microG installed system wide

For me that were the biggest differences. When it comes to app support they worked pretty much the same. I'm on Graphene now and it would be too much work to change now but for my next phone I will most likely go with iode.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 week ago* (4 children)

    In defense of Graphene for the first point:

    Graphene has a pin scrambler, so the numbers are in a different position everytime you have to enter them.

    It isn't hard at all to get used to it, and it circumvents the pattern recognition bit.

    Fingerprint unlock...that's a different discussion especially with biometrics not being protected under the law, but for first unlock you always have to enter in a pin

    Quickly looking at my phone, you can enter in a passphrase (though personally I think that's too cumbersome). There's also a swipe option, I THINK that might be pattern, but I'm not sure. I can't test it, because it means deleting the already in place measures, and I don't wnat to do that at the moment.

    I don't know enough about other points to comment on it.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 week ago (3 children)

    Graphene has a pin scrambler, so the numbers are in a different position everytime you have to enter them.

    It doesn't matter. When I'm inserting my PIN on a bus or while standing or line with people behind me or something I know that anyone interested can clearly see my screen and learn my PIN, scrambler or not. Also, scrambler is not mandatory (I don't have it enabled) so Graphene OS devs explanation that "we will not enable patter ulock because it's not secure" while normal PIN can be enabled still doesn't hold.

    This is actually a broader problem with Graphene OS. The devs often fixate on some minor security issues that don't impact 99% of their users at all and refuse to introduce features that they request. It's exactly the same with supporting phones other than Pixel. 99% of users would be completely fine using Graphene on a different phone (CIA is not going to hack them) but the devs prefer to directly reject all those users.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 week ago (2 children)

    They aren’t looking at you entering the pin. They are looking at smudges left on your screen. With pattern unlock, the path is repeatable and has fewer possibilities than disconnected fingerprints on the glass. With pin scrambling, the smudges on the glass are meaningless.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 week ago (1 child)

    Also, scrambler is not mandatory (I don’t have it enabled) so Graphene OS devs explanation that “we will not enable patter ulock because it’s not secure” while normal PIN can be enabled still doesn’t hold.

    Also, who are "they"? Yes, someone in some situation can figure out the patter from smudges. In other situations someone can see your PIN. If Grapehene dev are so worried about screen unlock security they should implement the system BlackBerry had which was super convenient and impossible to figure out even when looking directly at someone's screen.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 week ago (5 children)

    Couldn't a guy with a gun force me to enter my pin?

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  • [–] 1 point 1 week ago (4 children)

    Would police threaten to kill you if you don't unlock your phone? Not likely. Would they just use your finger and say you agreed to unlock it? More likely.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    Would police threaten to kill you if you don’t unlock your phone? Not likely.

    "If you don't enter your PIN in the next 10 seconds we'll 'accidentally' deport your daughter".

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  • [–] 1 point 1 week ago

    Yes, agencies with more power will have more ways to force you. CIA will be able to fly to a dark site and put a car battery to your balls until you give them the PIN. Normal cops during a traffic stop will not have much ways to influence you beyond detaining/arresting you but any cop will be able to take your hand and forcefully place your thumb on a fingerprint reader. And courts say it's legal.

    https://reason.com/2024/04/19/appeals-court-rules-that-cops-can-physically-make-you-unlock-your-phone/

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  • [–] 1 point 1 week ago (1 child)

    Police werent the first people that came to mind. Someone making you unlock your phone to steal your money was what I was thinking. However....

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  • [–] 1 point 1 week ago*

    Yes, steel pipe to the knee will work equally well against all unlock methods. Graphene OS is supposed to be extra secure to better protect you against tools used by government agencies and law enforcement. It's used by activists and such. IMHO using fingerprint on Graphene OS makes all this extra security meaningless because police can just force you to unlock and it will be legal:

    https://www.techtimes.com/articles/303768/20240418/court-rules-thumbprint-phone-unlocks-used-police-force.htm

    Police would not be able to unlock this phone if the guy used pattern unlock.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 week ago

    Thank you, I was curious as well. Bit I did notice Graphine has pin scramble, so as annoying as it is sometime couldn't use your finger pattern for your code. Assuming they didn't see what numbers you were hitting and just your fingers.

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