Hello community,
as a die hard iPhone user for 15 years I’m about freeing myself out of the Apple cosmos.
Now I have to find my new OS for the Pixel 8pro that will be delivered tomorrow.
In the jar left is iodè and graphene.
So I do have a couple of questions and I hope you can help me.
- Is it possible to have completely separated profiles on iodé (work, privat etc.) which ca switched on and off?
- are here users who have tried iodé AND graphene? How is the balance between usability and security / privacy compared?
- in my region whatsapp is the most popular messenger by far and i fear i still have to use it. Will iodé give me a plus on privacy when using whatsapp?
- what do you like most on iodé?
Many thanks in advance!
Best
I have both running… and if you want an honest answer… take the right one out of your pot 
They are always up to date with security updates… and that’s all I want to say
Thanks a lot for your honest answer!
If I just would know, which one is the right one for me. 
I think iodé is more easy to use and graphene is even more secure?
Just one question: is it possible to have 2 or more separate profiles on iodé?
yes, multiple profiles (users) also work with iode… but I’ve never used it… only tested it once… and unfortunately there’s a bug… which I don’t want to go into in more detail…
sorry
You like to talk in enigmas, right?
1 Like
no… actually not at all… but I don’t want to share my experiences with iode (positive and negative) publicly here… that’s why I’m staying neutral.
and since I’m new to the forum… I don’t have the option to send a PM
To me, the biggest advantages of iodèOS are its availability for other phones the the Pixel line as well as the system-wide adblocking.
I wouldn’t expect a big difference in security (the only clear advantage of GrapheneOS being the locked bootloader, but since my threat model doesn’t regard three-letter-agencies, I’m not concerned about that)
I’m in the same boat with Whatsapp, but I simply run it with minimal permissions granted
I run iodéOS on a Fairphone 4 and therefore the bootloader is locked. I installed a work profile via Shelter and there runs WhatsApp, so it can only access the contacts stored in the work profile contacts app.
I like the systemwide ad-blocking without occuypying the VPN.
in terms of security, nothing comes close to GOS. That is indisputable.
Nor in terms of up-to-dateness and fixing time. That is also indisputable.
GOS does not use microG, but sandboxed play services. this also offers some advantages.
it doesn’t have a system-wide adblocker, that’s true. but there are ways and means of doing this, which can be disadvantageous.
GOS is only available for pixel devices, which is also correct, but has its reasons due to point one above.
it may also be relevant for some people how active the community and the developers are. there are also serious differences here.
in the end, it depends on the use case and threat model of the individual as to which system they choose. this can also change over time.
1 Like
in terms of user-friendliness and learning curve, it doesn’t matter what you choose.
It should also be mentioned that GOS is based on AOSP and that the GOS developers have made little or no changes to it.
iode is based on LOS and all the LOS-specific extensions and features are not available in GOS. This can be a problem for some, or even a show stopper, for others it may be a liberating blow.
Last but not least, it must be mentioned that the documentation from GOS is exemplary (even if not everyone reads it and starts asking questions). At iode, this has always been and continues to be criticized. That the documentation is partly non-existent and the changelogs leave a lot to be desired.
These are all facts that are undisputed, but GOS or alternatively DOS may not be the best choice for everyone.
You have to test it and then decide.
All available custom ROMs are justified. (I personally only make one exception here and that is /e/OS).
I switched back from from GOS after getteing a fairphone to replace my pixel. Repairability is king for me. My pixel ended with a broken camera, usb port screen and dead battery.
But not only…
- I don’t really care about security. Minimizing data leaks to mass surveilance sure but not security against targeted attacks. For the longest time I used to root my primary device.
- I can’t stand switching between GOS profiles. You just loose too much time and never have the correct app in the correct profile. Also I can’t be bothered setting up permission/storage spaces per app…
- The above implied running google on my main profile as I need many non FOSS apps.
- My main goal for custom ROMs was not privacy per se but getting as far from google as possible specifically and increased control and customization. I much prefer minimal services that prentend to be google but spoof your data (aurora, microG) over the actual thing even if in sandboxed mode. I loathe the play store and its auto updates for example even if it would be better for security.
- As a non-IT expert I feel like for my personal data leaks are already 95% covered by microG (not tied to a profile) and dns filtering.
1 Like
This all sound great to me and I will give iode a try.
But can anyone help me to install it using an iMac?
Pretty much the same as installing using Linux: run the Terminal app and execute the necessary commands.
You will need fastboot and adb tools installed: get them from here
1 Like