this blog does not get tired of testing Android ROMS that enhance privacy 🙂 (actually it would be nice, if software support for those devices is at least 10 years X-D because it is a constant tiresome race)

Yes it is a bit of an absurdity, that in order to get most privacy out of an Android phone, the user would have to get an GOOGLE based hardware (?) required (Graphene wants to steer the discourse, LG, Samsung: plz listen and support em! 🙂

support ’em donate https://grapheneos.org/ to keep the updates flowing 🙂 (also ask if hardware donations are wanted)

let’s go: grapheneOS on Pixel 7 Pro

0. get a high quality usb-c cable

1. enable developer mode

• open “settings” -> “About the phone” -> scroll way down and tap on build number several times until “developer mode unlocked” can be seen
• open “settings” -> “system” -> developer mode
• enable USB debugging
• enable OEM unlocking
  • problem: it might be greyed out unless a “security update” is installed (this is very strange!?)
  • 
  • 

2. let’s flash (gordon 🙂

this guide is based on https://grapheneos.org/install/cli

hostnamectl; # tested on
Operating System: Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm) 
Kernel: Linux 6.1.0-18-amd64
Architecture: x86-64
Hardware Vendor: Lenovo
Hardware Model: ThinkPad T440

# perform all steps as root
su - root

# manually install newer versions of fastboot and adb
mkdir -p /home/user/software/adb
cd /home/user/software/adb
wget https://dl.google.com/android/repository/platform-tools-latest-linux.zip
unzip platform-tools-latest-linux.zip

# set links
unlink /usr/bin/fastboot
unlink /usr/bin/adb

ln -sv /home/user/software/adb/platform-tools/fastboot /usr/bin/fastboot
ln -sv /home/user/software/adb/platform-tools/adb /usr/bin/adb
ln -sv /usr/bin/signify-openbsd /usr/bin/signify

# test all up to date versions are accesible

signify --version; # has no option to show version, but if it displays anything = it works

fastboot --version
fastboot version 34.0.5-10900879
Installed as /home/user/software/adb/platform-tools/fastboot

adb --version
Android Debug Bridge version 1.0.41
Version 34.0.5-10900879
Installed as /home/user/software/adb/platform-tools/adb
Running on Linux 6.1.0-18-amd64 (x86_64)

# unlock screen of device
adb devices
List of devices attached
2C171FXXXXXXXX device

adb reboot bootloader

# device should reboot and in green "locked"

fastboot flashing unlock
OKAY [ 0.007s]
Finished. Total time: 0.007s

# device should display red warning: "if you unlock the bootloader, you will be ablt to install cusotm operation system software..."

# download suitable firmware
https://grapheneos.org/releases

# in this case for pixel 7 pro
https://grapheneos.org/releases#cheetah-stable
signify -Cp factory.pub -x cheetah-factory-2024020500.zip.sig
# should output
Signature Verified
cheetah-factory-2024020500.zip: OK

# unpack image

# in official grapheneOS howto another BS command
tar xvf cheetah-factory-2024020500.zip

# correct would be
unzip cheetah-factory-2024020500.zip
cd cheetah-factory-2024020500/

# then pray to the god of android src
# that there will be less errors in this script + firmware
./flash-all.sh

# GRAB A COFFEE AND WAIT!
# DO NOT TOUCH PC OR SMART PHONE
# Wait for the flashing process to complete.
# It will automatically handle flashing the firmware
# rebooting into the bootloader interface
# flashing the core OS
# rebooting into the userspace fastboot mode
# flashing the rest of the OS
# and finally rebooting back into the bootloader interface
# Avoid interacting with the device until the flashing script
# is finished and the device is back at the bootloader interface.
# Then, proceed to locking the bootloader before using the
# device as locking wipes the data again:
# https://grapheneos.org/install/cli#locking-the-bootloader

... 
# if the Google logo

# and then
# if the GrapheneOS logo shows up



# DANCE AT LEAST 3 MIN NO MATTER WHO ELSE IS IN THE ROOM X-D

# then lock bootloader again
fastboot flashing lock
OKAY [ 0.228s]
Finished. Total time: 0.228s

# verify install (checksum will be displayed at the very start of boot)
Pixel 7 Pro: bc1c0dd95664604382bb888412026422742eb333071ea0b2d19036217d49182f

sim where?

what case?

if the user is also paranoid about dropping the thing (it is waterproof) get a 360 case: this is actually two cases, one for the front that clips into the one in the back. the touch screen is STILL decently usable 🙂

GrapheneOS review

• so after a few weeks of usage and direct comparison really have to say
• GrapheneOS is SOFTWARE MINIMALISM GENIUS! 🙂
  • the user can STILL use the Google Play Store in a SANDBOX mode 😀 and install every possible app
  • it nicely asks every time a App wants to access “sensors”
  • another super neat imho genius privacy enhancing feature: restrict apps on file access for certain folders (UNSEEEN IN ANY ROM)
    • so the camera app is only allowed to read + write DCIM and that’s it GENIUS!

Pixel 7 Pro vs S21 Ultra camera review

S21 Ultra

Pixel 7 Pro

not really sure why the Pixel7Pro shot is so much darker, they are both good images with a lot of detail, imho there are more details on the Pixel7Pro picture though.

S21 Ultra

Pixel 7 Pro

so both are again great images, the Pixel manages to get a bit more colors from the trees, but the S21 Ultra imho managed the clouds better.

Pixel 7 Pro

S21 Ultra

the “small waterfall” image: it is the other way around, the Pixel7Pro got more contrast and great detail out of it. don’t really know why.

landscapes nice, but what about faces?

only can speek for (badly lid) indoor scenes with peoples and faces:

• the S21Ultra managed (at least in one shot) to capture more details and (post processed) more colors into the picture than the Pxel7Pro did.

what about zoom?

OF COURSE the 10x optical zoom (actually the ONLY Samsung phone to have this?) of the S21Ultra is “king”, but the Pixel7Pro actually also manages to massively zoom in distant details, almost as if it was 10x optical zoom.

so in general:

both phones have pretty good camers, where the Pixel7Pro REALLY shines is when taking pictures from moving objects or humans

While the contrast and details of Pixel7Pro cam are pretty good, the S21Ultra actually seems to manage to capture more color-nuances?

cam specs

• here is a side by side comparison of the phones

• Main Camera	Modules	108 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.33″, 0.8µm, PDAF, Laser AF, OIS 10 MP, f/4.9, 240mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.24″, 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 10 MP, f/2.4, 72mm (telephoto), 1/3.24″, 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video	50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31″, 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, Laser AF, OIS 48 MP, f/3.5, 120mm (telephoto), 1/2.55″, 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 126˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.9″, 1.25µm, AF
  	Features	LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama	Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama
  	Video	8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR

  Selfie Camera	Modules	40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8″, 0.7µm, PDAF	10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1″, 1.22µm
  	Features	Dual video call, Auto-HDR	Auto-HDR, panorama
  	Video	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps

• Pixel7Pro gsm arena says “50 MP”, but it it’s not?: “There is no way to get a 50MP image out of the Pixel 7 Pro at this time. No one has ever said the Pixel 7 Pro produces 50mp images, it produces pixel binned 12.5MP images from a 50mp sensor. Google refer to it as a “50 MP wide lens” which is baffling given lenses don’t have a resolution” (src)
• BUT it can do PRETTY DECENT night sky photography 🙂
  • • 

      this is UNMODIFIED default GrapheneOS camera app in night mode, pretty nice eh? (moonshots soon X-D)

      Pixel 7 Pro: cropped but otherwise unedited unmodified hand held moonshot with 30x max zoom:

    • 

      Pixel 7 Pro: cropped but otherwise unedited unmodified hand held moonshot with 30x max zoom:

   

  • S21Ultra moonshot cropped but otherwise unedited unmodified hand held moonshot
    

    S21Ultra moonshot cropped but otherwise unedited unmodified hand held moonshot

  • Pixel7Pro: metadata that comes with this picture:
  • exiftool IMG_20240212_213314_627.jpg
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    File Access Date/Time : 2024:02:13 09:28:24+01:00
    File Inode Change Date/Time : 2024:02:13 09:28:24+01:00
    File Permissions : -rwxr—–
    File Type : JPEG
    File Type Extension : jpg
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    Exif Byte Order : Little-endian (Intel, II)
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    Color Space Data : RGB
    Profile Connection Space : XYZ
    Profile Date Time : 2023:03:09 10:57:00
    Profile File Signature : acsp
    Primary Platform : Unknown ()
    CMM Flags : Not Embedded, Independent
    Device Manufacturer : Google
    Device Model :
    Device Attributes : Reflective, Glossy, Positive, Color
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    Connection Space Illuminant : 0.9642 1 0.82491
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    Profile ID : 61473528d5aaa311e143dfc93efaa268
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    Red Tone Reproduction Curve : (Binary data 32 bytes, use -b option to extract)
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