LineageOS 24

Device longevity and everyday use

• Many use LineageOS to extend life of older phones (Pixel 4a, OnePlus 6/6T/7, Poco F3), praising reduced bloat and environmental benefits.
• Battery replacement is a sticking point: some find cheap parts and DIY it; others see it as too expensive or too hard despite guides.
• Some report minor regressions (e.g., SMS/RCS group texts failing) even on recent Pixels.
• Lineage keeps phones functional when vendors stop updating, but modem/baseband firmware on old devices remains unpatched.

Banking apps, NFC, and right-to-repair

• Mixed reports on banking apps: many work on Lineage unless the device is rooted; others (Revolut, some European banks) actively block Lineage or rooted phones, sometimes by checking build strings.
• Workarounds: Magisk root hiding, private/work profiles, or building ROMs with altered identifiers.
• Some users give up on NFC payments or modern TAN apps because keeping them working on custom ROMs feels like a constant “cat and mouse” game.
• Frustration that app-only banks and ID workflows undermine hardware longevity and Europe’s right-to-repair goals.

Security, firmware, and kernel patching

• Several comments stress that if a device no longer gets vendor firmware/baseband updates, it is almost certainly vulnerable, regardless of LineageOS on top.
• Others argue even actively updated phones likely have unpatched zero-days, though Pixels are seen as relatively well-maintained.
• Lineage has backported some high-profile kernel CVEs even to EOL kernels, but participants note this is exceptional; most firmware, driver, and kernel vulnerabilities on old devices remain unpatched.
• Remote exploits against firmware, kernel, and HALs are highlighted as realistic risks that don’t require installing malicious apps.

LineageOS vs GrapheneOS

• GrapheneOS is repeatedly described as more secure/private and faster to ship AOSP and security updates, but limited to modern Pixels.
• Features attributed to GrapheneOS: secure app spawning, hardened allocator, MTE on newer Pixels, Contact/Storage Scopes, secure paste, VPN leak fixes, better forensics resistance, relockable bootloader, integrated call recording, and a non-privileged yet working Google services integration.
• LineageOS is praised for broad hardware support, including cheap and old devices, but criticized for lagging AOSP security, missing some standard protections, unlocked bootloaders, and no official root support.
• Philosophical tension appears between users who prioritize maximum user control (incl. root) and those accepting stricter models for stronger security.

Android on PCs and tablets

• A new “generic” LineageOS target runs on bare-metal x86 PCs, Apple Silicon Macs, Snapdragon X laptops, and similar, seen as promising for refurbishing old laptops/tablets.
• Current limitations: incomplete hardware codec and camera support.
• Some question why use Android instead of Linux on laptops; others cite Android’s better app sandboxing, simpler UX, and app availability (including mobile-only apps).

Cameras and proprietary features

• Some users reverted to stock ROMs because Lineage camera quality (e.g., older Samsung/Xperia) lagged vendor tuning.
• Others improve results by sideloading Google Camera ports, though this depends heavily on proprietary drivers and keys that may be hard or impossible to fully reproduce on Lineage.

Device support, ecosystem, and pricing

• Support for specific devices can disappear (e.g., OnePlus 6/6T) due to kernel/eBPF requirements; maintainers still rely on aging vendor kernels.
• Device support is volunteer-driven: if no maintainer owns/cares about a model, it won’t be supported.
• Some ask for an official shortlist of currently buyable recommended devices; today’s supported list skews toward older hardware.
• Claims that Lineage is only practical on $1000 devices are challenged; commenters note many supported Chinese devices and personal setups under ~$200.