HN Explorer

Ask HN: Where can I find smartphones with FOSS OS

8 points by dmichulke ↗ HN
I have to buy a new phone and I want to have full control (or at least full transparency) over it, ruling out basically all phones with a MS / Apple / Google OS.

However, it seems incredibly difficult to find such phones. Typically, sites refer you to low end phones (with Firefox OS) or the Oneplus phones (with OxygenOS).

Still, you cannot find any reasonable comparison between these from a security or usability perspective and the mid-tier phones are completely missing.

So what phones do you use or where do you look for this type of phones?

10 comments

[ 4.4 ms ] story [ 21.7 ms ] thread
detaro
Flash a Cynaogenmod or other open android variant on a mid-tier phone you like?
dmichulke
As far as I understand, it's getting harder each time. Besides, I thought there might be flashed phones to buy already because I don't want to invest a few hours until it works.

But you're right, I suppose that's my fallback strategy.

minthd
Don't the cyanogenmod installer supposed to offer an easy install experience ?
Tomte
Yes. When I tried it about a year ago, it took me about three clicks in a Windows installer program. Without any research into Cyanogen and its installation whatsoever.

Only downside: Cyanogen had a different ring tone as default, and later that day I was in a restaurant. It took me about fifteen seconds to relize this was indeed my mobile phone ringing.

dmichulke
OK, I checked a few sites and cross checked it with the cyanogenmod supported devices but I can't determine whether the one on the "vendor site" is the same as on the cyanogenmod site.
erkose
You might also look into https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jolla
henrixd
Jolla has quit doing mobile devices. Market was too fast evolving for a small company. They are purely in OS business now. Supported hardware coverage is not too wide yet though.
bkovacev
Oneplus is a low end phone? You might want to do some more research.
uberneo
Look for openmoko GTA04