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Recent changes in Google’s handling of AOSP have significantly impacted the ability of projects like GrapheneOS to maintain secure, private, sandboxed profiles and hardware support. Here's a summary of how this affects GrapheneOS versus non-AOSP-based OSes like Sailfish OS, PureOS, postmarketOS, and Ubuntu Touch:
PureOS, postmarketOS, Sailfish OS, and Ubuntu Touch are indeed not based on Google's Android Open Source Project (AOSP) in the typical sense used by mainstream Android devices, and therefore they are not directly subject to Google's policies and politics that affect AOSP-based systems.
PureOS is a Debian GNU/Linux derivative focused on privacy and freedom that does not use Android drivers or applications and is not compatible with Android or Windows smartphones without significant adaptation efforts. It's targeted mainly at Librem hardware and similar Linux-compatible devices, not typical Android phones, and manages its own kernel and software stack independent of AOSP.
Sailfish OS is a separate Linux-based mobile OS built around a different architecture and user interface, not based on AOSP, and focusing on privacy and control. It can run on certain devices and emphasize de-Googled experiences.
Ubuntu Touch is based on the Ubuntu Linux distribution but uses the Android Linux kernel and drivers where necessary for hardware compatibility. However, it does not use the Java-like Android framework or Google services, distinguishing it technically and politically from AOSP-based OSes controlled by Google. It uses containers to isolate such dependencies, avoiding direct reliance on Google’s ecosystem.
postmarketOS is another fully Linux-based OS designed for mobile devices usually supporting mainline Linux kernels and focusing on device longevity and openness, rather than any Android or AOSP codebase. It aims to work on many legacy devices but does not rely on AOSP or its ecosystem.
In summary, these operating systems operate outside of Google's direct influence and are not bound by the politics and restrictions Google imposes on the AOSP and Google Mobile Services ecosystem. They enable more control, privacy, and independence from Google’s Android ecosystem while potentially sacrificing compatibility with many Android apps or Google services.
How the Non-AOSP-Based OSes Compare
Sailfish OS: Offers app sandboxing through Sailjail profiles, isolating app data and permissions at install time. This feature is similar to GrapheneOS but implemented independently from AOSP. Because Sailfish is not based on AOSP or Pixel-specific drivers, it is unaffected by the recent Google policy changes.
PureOS & postmarketOS: These use standard Linux permission models and rely on mainline Linux kernels, not Android device trees or drivers. They do not offer GrapheneOS-style user profiles and sandboxes, but their development and support are insulated from Google’s political or technical decisions regarding Android/AOSP.
Ubuntu Touch: Does not offer advanced sandboxed profiles for apps or users. It may use some Android drivers for legacy hardware, but this is handled using Linux containers and is not impacted by AOSP policy changes. Its app isolation does not match GrapheneOS or Sailfish and remains traditional.
Comparison Table
GrapheneOS
Yes
Yes
Strongest sandboxing, struggling with hardware support due to Google
Sailfish OS
Yes (Sailjail)
No
Sandboxing based on Linux, not AOSP
PureOS
No (standard Linux)
No
Mainline Linux model, unaffected
postmarketOS
No (standard Linux)
No
Mainline Linux model, unaffected
Ubuntu Touch
No
No
No advanced sandboxing; traditional model
Sailfish OS remains the closest alternative to GrapheneOS in terms of sandboxed profiles, but without AOSP dependencies, while other Linux-based OSes do not offer similar sandboxing and are likewise immune to Google's shifting AOSP politics.
Why not Google AOSP?
The recent changes Google made to AOSP impacted projects like GrapheneOS and CalyxOS because Google stopped publishing device trees and kernel sources for new Pixel devices, which are critical for developing and maintaining custom ROMs on those devices.
GrapheneOS has managed to update to Android 16 and continues to provide support for existing Pixel devices, including Pixel 8a and potentially Pixel 9 series. The development for Android 16 is underway despite the challenges, though it is expected to be harder going forward due to Google’s reduced openness.
The Pixel versions currently not affected in terms of GrapheneOS support are the Pixel 8a and Pixel 10, which had their kernel sources released on launch day. Future Pixel devices, starting with newer ones beyond Pixel 10, may face serious support difficulties unless Google reverses its policy or partners manufacture devices specifically for GrapheneOS.
GrapheneOS stable releases are available up to Android 16 on Pixel 8a and Pixel 10.
These versions are the last known to have full kernel and device tree access.
Google's changes mainly affect future Pixels beyond these models, complicating custom ROM support.
CalyxOS faces similar challenges due to these changes
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