This is specifically about Gmail, Android has had this feature for a long time (though I’m not sure if it was before iOS).

Very cute setup!

Have you remembered Charles’ present?

Android version upgrades haven’t felt meaningful to me for a long time. I’m surprised people still get so excited about them (and angry when their manufacturer is slow to push the upgrade out).

You can get LineageOS 21.0 (Android 14) here.

Oh okay. I assume those will continue for a while. They are quite obviously targeting iPhone users, so their design language is mimicking iPhones as well.

Here it is.

You can also buy through Vireo, they ship globally.

They don’t use adhesive anywhere in the phone, as I understand. It is made up of 12 separate modules that can be swapped in and out without the need for a heat gun/mat.

Actually it seems like they’ve already included the option to do this!

It seems to change quite a lot all at once on the stock software, so it might require a bit of work to reprogram that (I’m not sure). Definitely seems like something that could be supported by a custom ROM. This one is an actual on/off switch with two positions, which you don’t see that often these days. Could lead to some interesting uses if alternative functions are developed.

Is the screen curved? It looks flat to me, as with all.previous models. Fairphone usually uses components that are easier to source and that will be in production for longer, so something like the curved screen (which seems to go in and out of fashion every few years) would be a strange choice.

Officially the Fairphone (Gen. 6). They are doing away with the numbered names to combat FOMO/unnecessary upgrades, but since they will have to include the generation every time to.distinguish each subsequent Fairphone this seems kind of pointless.

The major changes this time seem to be the slightly snaller size, the return to a more conventional Snapdragon chipset, the modular back/accessories and the new switch which enables a distraction-free mode.

The size reduction is a nice improvement, albeit a small one (this is still a big phone). The chipset change is interesting, considering they made a very bold choice to go with an unusual IIoT chipset last time that did end up causing issues for some users as I understand. Seems like a good change, considering they are sticking to the same minimum 8 years support guarantee.

As for the modularity and ‘Moments’ switch - both seem like gimmicks, although I think as far as gimmicks on smartphones go these are relatively harmless and could prove useful to some. Fairphone has said on social media that it will look into opening up the modular accessories to community printable designs, which could make this feature genuinely great. I know a lot of people here probably won’t see the point of the ‘Moments’ switch, but there are people out there who do want this kind of feature and if it helps them switch off then I think it’s a positive. I’d much rather have this on my phone then a dedicated AI button/switch, like other manufacturers have announced recently.

Nearly every phone made in China comes with backdoors.

Such as?

The support is fine. It doesn’t have 5G because it is not a 5G device (and one model, the WiFi one which I have, does not have any cellular capability). It doesn’t support VoLTE or bootloader locking because it is a Samsung device (you always lose these features with Samsung devices unless the ROM is based on OneUI). It doesn’t support the automatic iodéOS installer because, again, it is a Samsung device - you have to use Heimdall. I’m not 100% sure about the firmware bit. I believe that is referencing whether the ROM includes the latest manufacturer firmware update as well, but I can’t say for sure.

iodéOS has official support for the Galaxy Tab S5e, which is on the list you linked. I own one but I don’t use it for art so I can’t comment any further.

Here is a comparison of all the various privacy ROMs (and “stock” Android), last updated on June 9 this year.

The person in that other thread who said “iodéOS is a carbon copy of LineageOS” is incorrect. iodéOS comes with a suite of FOSS apps (picked by the community) as optional installs, which is designed to make the transition easier for someone who is brand new to deGoogled Android (similar philosophy to CalyxOS). iodéOS also removes more of the Google services left in LineageOS, such as those associated with the Trust feature, and replaces them with more private alternatives. Additionally, iodéOS has developed a GSI version alongside its officially supported custom device ROMs, which means you can theoretically install and run iodéOS on any currently unsupported device that supports Project Treble.

I have an XZ1 Compact myself and was using it as my primary phone with LineageOS (+microG) and later iodéOS until 3G was shutdown in Australia. Nowadays I use it as a portable music player, although I don’t listen to music away from my desktop that often so it doesn’t see much use. It sounds fine to me, certainly good enough for the overwhelming majority of people I would say.

I can’t really tell you whether it’s a good idea to buy one for this specific purpose, that’s quite a subjective question. It is very easy to install custom ROMs on that phone, though, and those that exist are well maintained. Some of the answers here are overcomplicating or fearmongering; installing custom ROMs is just about reading carefully and following basic instructions. The overwhelming majority of issues people run into come from impatience/inability to read. Bricking the phone is not a realistic possibility unless you are braindead.

Is that a Pixel 9 Pro XL in a case with a magsafe wallet attached, or are you just happy to see me?

I wouldn’t say nobody, they are familiar to people living in Japan or SEA. If you’ve visited one of the countries they are sold in, you might have come across them (I saw them in a Tokyo department store).