I assume it not completely locked down, but does it mean Google doesn’t have access to everything like I assume it does with Android?
I assume it not completely locked down, but does it mean Google doesn’t have access to everything like I assume it does with Android?
Lineage OS is android. Android is open source, but phones come with proprietary google and other software preinstalled, to grant phone it’s full functionality.
You can either try to remove said apps via root access and keep your vanilla system otherwise , or install custom rom like lineageOS, that doesn’t have google apps (GAPPS) installed, so they can’t get your data unless you login to some google site, or install app associated with google, or use google to login elsewhere.
Both will get the job done but custom rom is more thorough way of doing it,.
Are you saying Android by itself isn’t that bad?
Yes. Android is open source operating system based on the linux kernel, originally not even developed by google until they bought the company originally responsible for its development, and continued it’s development. Anyone could go to read it’s source code, and check if it has trackers of some kind, for the parts that are open source. LineageOS is just one version of android that comes without that stuff. You could also elevate to root access on your phone and delete said software, but it is not as good for security.
However, all stock android comes with lot’s of googles own software preinstalled you necessarily can’t remove + software from phone manufacturer like samsung. Without those, android is pretty alright privacy vice. Bear in mind some core programs like sms messenger, or phone dialer app might not be open source, since google has been making more and more of those proprietary over time.
Alternatives to degoogling android really are just jailbroken iphone or linux phone such as pinephone, which is only for hobbyists and developers more than fully fledged usable phone. Some android phones also lock the bootloader, making it harder to install custom ROMs or root it. I have fairphone 4 that luckily does not have that, although I don’t currently use custom ROM or have rooted it, since I have not had time to look into how to make my banking app authenticator work with those.