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e.fondation
Google's Android platform is by far the most popular mobile operating system and also serves as a one-stop shop for the company's various services.
What if you want a smartphone experience without your data being captured by Google? Of course, you can probably wait for the next Huawei phones, but there are also / e / OS. The platform is an Android platform that focuses on privacy and open brands, including its own app store. And the Foundation has recently announced that it is now selling refurbished smartphones with preinstalled / e / OS.
These phones are the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, as well as the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus. The phones have an "indicative" starting price of 279 euros for the Galaxy S7. Gaël Duval of the foundation said Android Authority Reconditioners generally tend to offer Apple and Samsung phones, but they have also been open to finding other brands.
According to the foundation, 1,300 users have expressed interest in purchasing these refurbished phones after about two weeks. In fact, the Foundation / e / Foundation only expected to sell 500 to 1,000 per year. That does not mean that it has sold 1,300 units at the moment, because that only represents the number of people who have shown an interest, but it's still encouraging news.
You do not want to spend so much money? Well, you can also simply download the ROM / e / OS and flash it yourself. And if you do not know how to flash your device, Duval says the foundation is working on a plan allowing people to send their phones for it to be flashed.
"It will work around the world and the cost will be around $ 50 / $ (sic). We already have a lot of demands for this, "said Duval, noting that it should be available early June.
What distinguishes / e / OS?
Regarding the origins of / e / OS, Duval said the fork was based on LineageOS but included preconfigured online services (mail, search, cloud storage, for example). He also noted that his attractive interface was designed for "mom, dad and kids".
The platform's application installer also lists the permissions and traces for each application, says the founder. He also plans to add the option of disabling these traces, but points out that this could lead to unexpected behavior of the application.
"We will also provide users with the ability to simulate the information they send, such as their geolocation. And we also want to propose a score for energy consumption. "
A big question is why develop / e / OS while many ROMs and other alternative mobile platforms (eg Sailfish, BlackBerry 10) have been used over the years. We have even seen the BlackPhone privacy-focused series wane in recent years.
The founder said the effort was more about "unogogging" and confidentiality than about a pure security game.
"We do not design an unbreakable phone operating system. This is the first point that probably sets us apart from other initiatives, "said Duval, adding that application compatibility was another critical factor. The founder says he probably would not have started the project if microG was not available. This is essentially a free and open replacement for Google Play services.
What about updates? Duval claims to use the same OTA update system as LineageOS, offering "regular" updates. The founder of / e / OS did not guarantee the updates of the Android version, but he noted that Android Q would happen "probably" to high-end devices running the firmware. Do you want to use a ROM without Google? Give us your thoughts in the comments.
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