Ask HN: What's the most open/hacker friendly Android phone for 2026? I am a long time Apple user, but their software keeps getting buggier, worse and I just want to switch. I moved all my data to self hosting solutions, so I all I need now is an Android phone which… is fun? Like Framework Computer fun. Are there still community based OSes out which I can flash onto a phone? Last time I had an Android phone was 2013. |
Fairphone: https://shop.fairphone.com/home
Widely available in the EU, in the US (and elsewhere) only through:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FTZFFVYC?th=1
Murena: https://murena.com/shop/smartphones/brand-new/murena-fairpho...
(Note: The Murena version also comes with /e/OS instead of vanilla Android)
If you're mainly looking for deGoogled phones:
Google Pixel w/ GrapheneOS (Pixel 10 support now in early beta)
Any Android phone compatible with /e/OS;
Any Android phone compatible with LineageOS;
Previously any Android phone compatible with CalyxOS would also be advisable but not any longer due to the lack of maintenance
Otherwise, for purely "fun" option, I would get smth like Google Pixel 3a (about $150) and install Ubuntu Touch on it https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/device/sargo/ .
The most practical option is probably to get Google Pixel 9/9A and use it as is with the latest Android, Google AI, etc. Also having an option to flash something else (like Graphene OS) if needed
It's gotten inoperable on AT&T recently, and the Graphene team doesn't seem to care because RCS isn't completely E2EE (due to Apple dragging their feet) and therefore not a priority