I have been considering replacing my nearly 7 year old iPhone (although very reluctant) and I was checking for options. Really the only phone that caught my eye was the Sony xperia 1 V, but I found no information about how to degoogle and lock down the device. I really like the features and the built in camera apps, etc. Is there a way to degoogle the phone without loosing the funcionality/ease of use?
I have an Xperia 5 III.
All the Sony Xperia phones consistently & eventually make it to LineageOS mainline (so LineageOS for microG support too), but these ROMs don’t tend to come until near then end of a device’s 2 year warranty. I would assume that this is when they get cheap/used enough that developers can get their hands on them. Sony provides all the tools to unlock so it isn’t difficult or locked behind some centralized server for unlock keys. However, the nice cameras the come with… well you need their proprietary app unfortunately or the camera becomes a plenty bad device with the default LineageOS software.
On the plus side you get to support the only brand still shipping flagships with microSD, a headphone jack, and the ability to unlock bootloader (bonus the the 5s are <6" screens which is rough to find smaller phones now). Google Pixels won’t get you a headphone jack or microSD & Asus Zenfones don’t have unlockable bootloaders.
I have an xperia 1 iii running LineageOS w/microG and I was able to get and install the sony stock Photography Pro, Cinema Pro, and Videography Pro apps, however several features of these apps are missing, such as the ability to do panorama shots and other stuff.
Yup. That is the tradoff. I’m will to accept that one.
You might check xda forums and see if it’s capable of flashing a custom ROM. Not sure how much functionality you might forfeit though
Glue and ductape
Removed by mod
I really dislike this trend of suggesting people to buy Google phones specifically to de-Google them. Like, shouldn’t we be avoiding giving them sales?
I get it, the phones are decent. I just think it’s kind of counter-intuitive.
But the hardware is not that good.
Isn’t Sony far worse than Google in locking you into their platform and basically stealing your data? They gutted Helldivers and thru all their players under the bus by adding a PSN account requirement retroactively, even in countries that didn’t have the service. They only backpedaled because of the massive negative backlash. They have a history of installing root kits and treating their customers like absolute trash. And you want to go with them?? Yikes.
You are way better off getting a Pixel and then liberating it with Graphene.
I think you are confusing phones, PCs, consoles and music.
Sony phones are by no means worse than stock google phones. They offer very close to stock experience.
*Send from my pixel with Graphene
LOL. Yes because Sony somehow would t employ the same douchery with phones as they do with their other platforms and services.
Sorry Sony, not buying your snake oil lol.
