If you go back to a week after the first Android phone was launched, you'll find that "de-Googlefying" has always been around. Because of the way Android is developed and distributed, you've always been able to build it yourself, to your own specifications.
Let's be honest, though; it was fun for some people, but traditionally it's been a pain in the ass that few people are able to do. Troubleshooting cryptic commands to build some software overnight that might not even work is something most people don't feel like even trying. I don't blame anyone; it can be a headache, no matter how fun you might find it.
The good news is that you don't have to do it yourself any longer, and companies like Murena and the e-foundation are doing all the hard work for you. And you know what? They make a really damn good product, one I think everyone needs to check out for themselves, and it's called /e/OS.
I don't hate Google. The company does a lot of things I don't like, but it also does a lot of things I do like. I choose to embrace Android for a reason: I think it's the best commercially available platform and offers the most choice, so the things you buy do what you want them to do.
When you take the best parts of Android and work to turn it into software built for users instead of financial gain, the results are amazing. With the release of /e/OS 3, it's reached the point where it's a good choice for everyone.
You have access to every feature you can think of that doesn't require a giant tech company to act as an overseer. Secure cloud backup? It's there. An intuitive interface that can be customized to work best for you? That's there, too.
So are all the apps you love because it's Android; you can even access a network tool to help you find your phone when you lose it, without Google or Apple shepherding how you're doing it. While the software has been more than usable for a while, the latest version takes the final step. It's as good or better than Google's Android or iOS.
There are two reasons why now is the perfect time to check out what /e/OS has to offer. First, and most important to a lot of us, is that you probably won't have to spend any money.
The software is designed to run really well on modest hardware (remember when Android was that way?), so it will likely work with your last phone if you didn't trade it in for something new and shiny. It will even work well on phones as old as the first Google Pixel or the OnePlus 5. You can find a list of the 221 supported models here, but if you do have a few dollars to spend, you can also buy it preloaded on phones from Murena and Fairphone.
You can also trust the software, much more than you can trust anything else. I'm not saying you shouldn't trust Google, Apple, or Samsung, but /e/OS is 100% open-source, and an entire development community pores through the code to make sure it does exactly what it is advertised to do. Nothing more, nothing less.
A good portion of Android is still that way, but much of what you'll find in a new phone comes from Google or the company that made it, and they aren't sharing how it works. To know exactly what a Google Pixel can do, you have to either be part of the development team or trust the development team.
To know exactly what an /e/OS phone can do, you simply need to read what is made freely available to everyone. No marketing team or sales division is acting as a middleman between you and what you want to know.
Trying it is easy, too. You will need a computer with sufficient space to download the installer and files themselves; the process is straightforward. Make sure your phone is up to date, works, and has a USB cable plugged in. The simple installer walks you through everything else.
But maybe you're not ready to leave Google or Apple behind, and that's fine. Both companies offer great reasons to buy their products and are a good choice for everyone on most fronts.
If you're interested in privacy, having a little more control over your digital life, or even curious about what else is out there, head over to the e-foundation and have a look. I think you'll like what you find.
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