Where to buy a non-Apple, non-Google smartphone

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Non-Android / Linux-Based Phones

  • Several users report daily-driving Linux phones (e.g., Librem 5, SailfishOS/Jolla, AuroraOS), praising freedom and “full Linux in your pocket,” but concede app support and ergonomics can be odd or limited (e.g., weak cameras, navigation quirks, broken maps/WhatsApp/banking).
  • Ubuntu Touch is remembered fondly for its gesture UX but seen as under-resourced and partly abandoned; contributors struggle to find up-to-date repos and docs.
  • postmarketOS + Plasma Mobile is suggested as an alternative stack for experimentation.

De-Googled Android Variants & Hardware

  • Fairphone with /e/OS is cited as a successful daily driver: sufficient performance, reduced Google dependence, and support for open-source apps.
  • /e/OS is criticized for still sending some data to Google via MicroG; defenders say this is limited and optional.
  • GrapheneOS is repeatedly raised as a “best de-Googled Android,” but:
    • It currently requires Google Pixel hardware.
    • Critics argue it’s still fundamentally Google-dependent (AOSP, update pipeline).
    • Supporters counter that free software allows forks to continue even if Google stops publishing sources.
  • LineageOS is proposed as a “less drastic” de-Googling path if you choose officially supported devices.
  • Some note many “non-Google” phones in the article are just AOSP forks, not true alternatives.

Alternate Proprietary Ecosystems

  • Huawei’s HarmonyOS (and upcoming microkernel-based HarmonyOS NEXT) is mentioned as slick and well-integrated, but closed and vendor-controlled; critics question why one would leave Apple/Google for another locked ecosystem.
  • Punkt’s subscription-based “privacy phone” model raises concern: unclear what functionality remains when the subscription ends.

Societal Lock-In & Practical Obstacles

  • Major theme: the hardest part isn’t buying an alternative phone, it’s remaining functional in society:
    • Many services (banking, government ID, age verification, transit, events, QR menus, parcel pickup) increasingly assume attested iOS/Android devices.
    • Some argue you can “just use a bank branch / web browser / lawyer”; others describe concrete cases where non-phone alternatives are costly, rare, or effectively gone.
    • Workarounds include: second “sacrificial” mainstream phone, relying on PCs/tablets, or living with significant inconvenience.
  • Debate over whether individuals refusing smartphones meaningfully resist the duopoly, versus the need for regulatory action and antitrust-style “Baby Bells” for mobile platforms.

Legacy OSes & Other Ideas

  • Nostalgia for Symbian, Palm, BlackBerry, Windows Phone; some feel a third major ecosystem would have been beneficial, but others blame vendor missteps.
  • Suggestions include running Android in containers, emulators, or on a remote device (accessed via scrcpy) just for “app-only” services.