More De-Googling?

So I can’t start using my new Fairphone 6 until I agree to google’s T&C. How much of the google OS remains after I agree (which I have to do if I want to use the phone.) And if there is much of it left, what do I need to do to get rid of it. I plan to use e/OS. Thanks!

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Just to avoid a misunderstanding: Do you refer to the T&C that are displayed on the first start of AppLounge? If you do not want to agree, you may directly install F-Droid and use Aurora Store for Play Store apps, which is also available on F-Droid.
I do not however remember whether you have to agree to the T&C of Google for Aurora Store, too… (If yes, this may not to be possible to be avoided because, well, you access infrastructure of Google.)

You may also take a look at Connections made by /e/OS where you find possible connections to third-party servers, e.g. for Google push messaging when microG is enabled.

Unfortunately, it’s too late, Google is everywhere and unavoidable, more de-googling is just impossible. The only way to totally avoid it is getting rid of your phone or tablet, your pc and live an “analog life”.
Also the problem with using apps downloaded from FDroid and aurora is that the official ones, the ones you are nowadays forced to use (banking apps for example) flat out won’t work either totally (my Proton apps for example) or partially.
I’m afraid E Foundation won’t be able to do better. Sorry. :slight_smile:

Let me guess - your FairPhone came with Google-Android and you want to switch to /e/OS now?

If yes, and if you just unboxed your FairPhone, just proceed without inserting SIM-Card, without activating WLAN, skip everything possible. Then flash /e/OS manually, not through the Installer. You will be as save as anyhow possible :wink:

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Could be also interpreted as that :thinking: hats off :ok_hand::ok_hand:.

@NewFair You will need internet at one point to unlock the bootloader.
Before you flash, read the instructions more than once and watch out for security patch level (rollback protection)

I don’t know about the Fairphone 6, but I have always just skipped anything to do with Google when setting up a new Android, even before I had a degoogled OS.

It’s not too late. There are numerous ways to block Google (and others: Meta, TikTok et al) tracking, on devices (tracker-blocking apps, VPN), in browsers (privacy extensions and settings, private search engine, VPN), on home wifi networks (Pi-hole application, VPN), and most importantly by not using their (dis)services in the first place. If you’re forced to use their reCAPTCHA now and then, enable it temporarily, then block it again.

I don’t bank on mobile devices, so you may be right about some or most banking apps, but you can always log in at your bank’s website using a protected browser instead of a privacy-abusing app.

Proton Mail and Proton VPN work just fine on degoogled OSes, by the way. Proton VPN is available from F-Droid, and Proton Mail apk can be downloaded and verified directly from Proton’s website. AirVPN works, too, as, probably, does every other VPN.

There is also anonymous login available with App Lounge (or Aurora app), if there’s any need to download something from the Play store. But yeah, some apps from there won’t work if they’re prevented from collecting your personal data.

That’s incorrrect.

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You are making illusions. Blocking stuff is good but it won’t change anything to the GAFAM ruling our world.

There’s absolutely no reason to make it easier for them, though.

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Thanks, your description is exactly what happened. I turned on the phone and there was google android. I thought I had bought a fairphone 6 that already had e/OS installed because that’s what I got when I bought my fairphone 4. I haven’t been able to find a fast installer for e/OS for the FF6. I’m not a coder (I can follow instructions though.) But if the install process is complicated I’ll have to figure out what OS might be easier to load.

You don’t need to be a coder to follow Install /e/OS on a Fairphone The Fairphone (Gen. 6) - “FP6” (there is a web installer too [1]) but have you considered asking the seller to exchange your phone for the Murena version you expected?

[1] Info about Fairphone The Fairphone (Gen. 6) - FP6 eosinstaller

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Basically the installation of the Custom ROMs follows the same logic. But here at /e/OS you will end up with the most comfortable result. So, go for it, the steps to take are less complicated than it looks at the first glance…

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Hi - I had no choice when I turned on the FF6. Accept google or the phone was inoperable, so I did. I haven’t loaded a SIM (I did a system update for FF app that showed up at the bottom of the welcome screen) but didn’t have to log in to do that.) Thanks to those of you who have sent replies. I’m still reading the guides and advice. It’s a bit overwhelming, especially those comments coming from people who have bricked their devices. Does anyone offer a (paid) service (hopefully reasonably priced) for getting e/OS onto my FF6? Thanks!

Have your ordered a FP6 with /e/OS on it, e.g. from Fairphone or from Murena? If yes, you should contact them so that they send you a phone with /e/OS. If not, are you still in the deadline for returning goods and can get a refund? You may then directly order a FP6 with /e/OS.

If you decide to keep your current phone and to install /e/OS on it, there are many Fairphone communities in Europe, hopefully one nearby, that can help you. I think that you may find the corresponding links by searching here or in the Fairphone forums.

Thanks for the suggestion. I thought I was outside the window to return the phone but it turns out I have a couple of weeks left, so I’m hoping they’ll take it back.

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Hi - isn’t the dependency on Google the core issue for all custom ROMs in that perspective.
And Google owning the original project is quite threading, strategically spoken as they can do anything they want at any given time?
If thats true (what I don’t know) the best way out for Custom ROMs would be to move to a linux based system in order to get out of the dependency chain. But the huge issue on that would be that commonly used apps, will stop working as they are not build for linux.

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It’s possible to run some android apps on linux mobile phones using waydro.id