For a long time, I have had GrapheneOS on my Google Pixel 7 - which I don’t use anymore as my main phone, but it’s almost always on. It has some apps, but mainly, a constant connection to my email. No SIM card, connected via Wi-Fi.

I’ve always noticed a battery drain of about 4-5% overnight, sometimes even more, despite not having notifications and not using it.

Last night, I decided to remove Google Services. In 24 hours (and a few minutes of usage), it consumed 2% of the battery.

I’m trying to understand how much I need Google Services for my needs. The main messaging systems I currently use are bridged with Matrix, and on Element, I have notifications via ntfy (unified push).

In the coming days, I will try to see if it’s possible for me to do without them.

#GooglePixel #Pixel7 #Android #GrapheneOS #OwnYourData #MobileExperience

  • BearOfaTime
    1·
    7 days ago

    Good video, but just reading the transcript belies an utter ignorance about the world.

    There’s simply no way today for most people to operate without a SIM.

    Ubiquitous wifi coverage? Hahaha, sounds like a coastie who’s never ventured away from the coast at all. Hell, if I leave my suburb (of a major US city), I barely have cell coverage, let alone wifi, until I’m half way to work. And yes, that matters.

    My boss would just love me being dependent on wifi (I can think of numerous times I’ve been on a support call for hours, while traveling.) And my family, for whom I’m IT support.

    I’m sure he knows what he’s talking about, and I don’t disagree that SIMs are very problematic (saw that as an issue when I learned how the cell system worked in about 1996, I knew then it would be a massive tracking system).

    If he wants people to listen, he’s gotta be less absolutist. I’ve read all I need to not want to listen to him, and SIMs aren’t going away. What we need is to figure out practical ways to mitigate the privacy issues.

    He needs to remember that perfect is the enemy of good.