The separation between software and hardware is not nearly as distinct as your comment suggests. Beyond (sometimes replaceable) firmware there’s microcode and embedded systems with their own software inside modules like the modem that allows your phone to actually talk to the network.
Those things are technically true but largely irrelevant.
The concern about Google’s software is that the software that they produce which is targeted at consumers binds the user with a restrictive TOS which allows them access to all of your personal data. Their Play Services gives Google very low level access to the operating system and their cloud services are being constantly enshittified.
So I avoid that software and those services.
That doesn’t mean that every piece of software that Google produces is implicated. The teams writing low level firmware for optical fingerprint readers are not the ones developing consumer spyware.
I’m concerned about security, I’m not an anti-Google zealot.
I don’t WANT to support Google, but unfortunately their hardware is superior for this purpose.
The GrapheneOS devs have a public list of hardware requirements for any manufacturer that wants to support real security, so far only the Pixel checks all the boxes
The separation between software and hardware is not nearly as distinct as your comment suggests. Beyond (sometimes replaceable) firmware there’s microcode and embedded systems with their own software inside modules like the modem that allows your phone to actually talk to the network.
Those things are technically true but largely irrelevant.
The concern about Google’s software is that the software that they produce which is targeted at consumers binds the user with a restrictive TOS which allows them access to all of your personal data. Their Play Services gives Google very low level access to the operating system and their cloud services are being constantly enshittified.
So I avoid that software and those services.
That doesn’t mean that every piece of software that Google produces is implicated. The teams writing low level firmware for optical fingerprint readers are not the ones developing consumer spyware.
I’m concerned about security, I’m not an anti-Google zealot.
That said, I personally would love to see the day that fairphone or another company is able to support graphene.
Oh definitely.
I don’t WANT to support Google, but unfortunately their hardware is superior for this purpose.
The GrapheneOS devs have a public list of hardware requirements for any manufacturer that wants to support real security, so far only the Pixel checks all the boxes