I’m happy with /e/ and I’m sticking with it.
If I were you, I’d wait until v 1.0, which hopefully will be ready in February, on time for the Mobile Congress in Barcelona, and then decide.
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Hi @jonath08, as @Anonyme said in the end it is up to you to decide what you want. Your privacy on one side and using apps which totally depend on Google Services to function. From its side Google will also ensure that apps that bypass its services do not work properly. We are trying to optimize MicroG but that project will take time even though we now have dedicated resources working on it.
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Hello @jonath08
There is alternatives to actual apps. The PWA version.
That’s the way I use twitter, Instagram, and many other services.
It might be helpful for some dating apps and your Freebox app.
Regarding Yuka, I can only suggest you to use OpenFoodFacts. Yuka is actually based on it. The main difference is that OFFacts has nothing to do with any business of any form. It’s a free open source app that gives you the infos without collecting anything or promoting anything.
Anyway, I feel you. I have the same thoughts about /e/. And I have two devices indeed. My Oneplus 6t for the daily life and a Onepls One to check with /e/ evolution and updates.
Let’s not forget /e/ 1.0 version is not out yet. We’re all running “beta” versions. Imperfect, in need of improvements. 14 months into the project, it’s looking like it has a bright future if you ask me.
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Depending on the everyday use /e/ OS is not yet suitable for all activities, so I also use another device with “Pure”-Android.
But I will definitely follow the development stage Beta → Release Candidate → Release 1.0 of /e/ OS actively.
For this I primarily use a LG G3 - with rechargeable battery. This is a “feature” that is no longer found in most newer smartphones.
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It’s been a long time since I used it, actually it doesn’t work but before that it worked…
I think it’s device specific problem. My Xiaomi Mido GPS works very fine with official (Nougat) and unoffical (Pie) /e/
try APK pure
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If you use “Device only” location mode, it won’t use Mozilla services. So your location should be accurate. If not, it’s a device issue or you live in a city with a lot of buildings.
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@jonath08, here’s my two cents on this subject.
I’m using /e/ on a Moto G 2014 for the past 6 months and I’m not completely satisfied. What I don’t like:
- I cannot remove default apps but this will be changed with the 1.0v so I’ll wait;
- The App Store lack some new versions like Nextcloud Talk (same in F-Droid) so I have to use Aurora Store. Since Aurora has the annonymous login problem you mentioned, I have to download the apk file from APK Pure. I don’t know why the App Store does not have the newer versions of some apps but I’m fine doing this way;
- Sometimes a new system update affects the battery usage. Since this is a wide-ranging subject I understand it as acceptable; some phones will work better than others.
- The location subject is not a huge concern to me but the Magic Earth app does not work very well where I live (Brazil). I have to use Waze which is a battery sucker but I use it on my car so my phone is always plugged.
Some things I have done to protect my privacy beyond using /e/:
- I don’t use facebook or instagram;
- I can’t erase my gmail but I forward every message to my account/domain and I don’t have it stored on my /e/ phone;
- I use my Protonmail account for Twitter;
- I use New Pipe to watch YouTube videos;
One thing I could not find a satisfying solution yet: WhatsApp.
Here in Brazil is the most used app for communication; if I’m no mistaken, Brazil is the third country in WhatsApp usage in the world.
All my friends are old people 
, on their fifties or above so they won’t change because of privacy matter and they too use it for working so…
I’m trying to use the Matrix solution with Mautrix bridge but Riot sucks and I couldn’t make it work propperly yet. The Wire solution is not my thing because I want to host my own server like I do with Nextcloud which hosts my calendar, contacts and files (including photos) and it’s installed in my own server back home.
I’m trying the Nextcloud Talk app for audio/video calls but this will only work with my wife and kids. For the rest of the family and friends and business contacts I’ll have to stick with WhatsApp and the only way I could find to not have it installed in my phone is the one I mentioned before (Matrix: https://matrix.org/docs/guides/whatsapp-bridging-mautrix-whatsapp).
Finally, I’m pretty much satisfied and, for me, is a not going back way.
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@jonath08 I am loving the way what /e/ has to offer and the way it works. Personally, the level of frustration and displeasure to have your data recorded at Google/IOS will let you decide which path you would prefer proceeding. Moving on to /e/, if you would still reminiscence about Google and it’s services then you can not simply decide. Of course /e/ is in progressing stage and product isn’t yet finalized, comparing /e/ with Google/IOS is absolutely unfair since they have a matured product. I have observed few OS glitches with continuous use of Maps app yet I am happy to have it restarted with no complain. Listening to music while having headphones on and taking phone calls in the middle will cease Music app and doesn’t respond when the call is over yet I don’t complain and have the app restarted in no time. Double tap to wake up function isn’t working in my phone and I have also informed the community about it but it seems to have a bug in my phone, specifically…yet I don’t complain and use fingerprint option to unlock my phone. So it only takes to improvise when you have your data at stake rather than having unfair expectations, benchmark and comparison with biggest data thieves out there. Sum up, give /e/ some time to reach to a stage where we will have less request for rectifications and more comfort…and I am sure they surely will reach up to it. Till then, use /e/ on an average less expensive phone, refurbished perhaps but one thing is for sure…/e/ is satisfaction.
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If I don’t use “high accuracy”, I simply don’t have my position. And to be honest, I think it’s been the case even before installing /e/. With the stock LG ROM I remember only High Accuracy has worked correctly
Trick I use with Aurora, When I occasionally check it for updates, get new apps etc, I first always go into settings>account then log out of whatever anonymous account Im currently logged into and re-login with anonymous login again. Then it works perfectly till the next time I open it and then I just repeat this process… Not too much hassle really.
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Other Problem I forgot : I have bugs with Snapchat : audio messages can be silent and/or they restart in loop after 2 seconds, video can be totally black or they freeze…
So you’ve found a/the trick to login into Snapchat even without passing the SafetyNet I presume.
I don’t see why this issue would be related to /e/ though.
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What trick ? I can login to Snap without doing something special.
I think it’s /e/ related because sound/video problèmes are here since the first days with /e/
If you’ve login a few mounths ago then yes there was no issue. But Google changed the way SafetyNet worked and MicroG isn’t able to fool SafetyNet anymore so you can’t login to Snapchat. Don’t logout 
(Or you’re really able to login and there is something else I’m not aware of)
An honest question, what’s the difference between /e/ and LineageOS? The latter is also free and open source and you don’t have to install GAPPS if you want a Google free phone. It’s established and has much better support than /e/. I wanted to like /e/ but there were just too many issues with it and switched back to LineageOS. Why reinvent the wheel?
Hi @turboron you can check the differences here
It is a matter of personal choice. If after reading the FAQ you still feel that lineage OS without GAPPS is good for your requirements you should use it.
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@jonath08 :
To improve your location accuracy, I recommend you install Déjà Vu (https://f-droid.org/fr/packages/org.fitchfamily.android.dejavu/) in addition to Mozilla Location Service, activate it in MicroG settings, then go out with high accuracy location and wifi on : Déjà Vu will “train” your phone into recognizing its location (pretty much like an on-device MLS), and your next positionings should be quicker.
Please send me a PM if you need more information : I have spent weeks tweaking and evaluating positioning tools.
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Hey @turboron correct me if I am wrong, there isn’t an independent app market in lineage OS while we have one in /e/ and installing GApps will end up having same Google enabled cellphones with Google silent intrusion of our data which we love to run away from, right? Like there are popular text messaging apps I can install from /e/ App store while being away from Google, which doesn’t seem to be the case in lineage OS.
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Why is Mozilla Location Service lacking precision in your area? Therefore, it lacks location samples, and it was enough to install Mozilla Stumbler and travel around your own area to collect information for this service to improve the quality. Google collects this information and most don’t even know it, which is why even without using GPS alone, after wifi, bt, and cell stations it is able to locate your position much more accurately.
@szmehdi - You are correct. There isn’t an independent app market built in Lineage, but from what I’ve read, the /e/ version doesn’t work very well. Like I said, you don’t have to install GApps, but if you want to use apps that require Google services, you at least need MicroG. There are many app store alternatives that work great already like F-Droid, Aurora Store, APKPure or download the APK directly from a trusted source like apkmirror. You can install whatever apps you want with any of these.
Also, Lineage is stable and available for a lot more phones than /e/. /e/ has been in beta for over a year now and shows little sign of getting better. Devices are left hanging with issues for months on end with no resolution or some devices aren’t supported because they’re focusing on other devices. Maybe it’s because it’s a super small team of devs working on this. I don’t know. I just know that I’ve tried it, had issues and was told that support was being directed towards other devices. If my device isn’t being supported by /e/ anymore but is being supported by Lineage, it’s a no brainer which OS I’m going to use.
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