CalyxOS review
After being on a specific custom Android ROM (aftermarket firmware) for a year, I changed to a ROM to fully use Google services for a game that needed it to run. I’ve been using microG which is an open-source implementation of Google services but has limited features and I can’t use it to sign in to the game. Three months in, the game has been updated and I can log in to that game without the need of Google services so here I go again wiping my device storage and installing another custom ROM but this time I discovered a custom ROM that’s been also utilizing microG built-in and has security and privacy features.
Enter CalyxOS. What separates this to other custom ROMs is that this has verified boot and cab relock the bootloader. This is a huge deal in terms of security as this prevents others accessing your information through fastboot. Most custom ROMs out there need to have an unlocked bootloader to function. This method is also being utilized by GrapheneOS, but in this ROM, you can’t use microG and most apps that require it will not function properly. CalyxOS circumvent this by implementing microG to make the device functional in most cases.
From their website, they describe the features as:
- you are empowered by the combined expertise of the Internet privacy community
- ‘de-googled’ Android - does not put your data in google’s cloud or constantly report your location to google
- you can make encrypted phone calls directly, using the built-in integration for Signal and WhatsApp calls
- you are warned when you make or receive an unencrypted phone call
- text messages are encrypted and a timer can be set so they disappear
- advertising and trackers blocked via DuckDuckGo Browser and DuckDuckGo as default search provider
- web browsing is anonymized via Tor Browser
- built-in free “Virtual Private Network” services from trusted organizations protect you from being spied on
- your phone is receiving regular, timely, automatic security updates
- your data is backed up with strong encryption to your personal cloud server or to USB storage
At first, you can see that this is just another custom ROM with a bunch of privacy features as described above. The security feature of relocking the bootloader is really a big difference of it from other custom ROMs.
Almost a month of using it, I can say that it is very comparable to using LineageOS with microG. Very minimal features has been added from AOSP. This is also my first time using a device with relockable bootloader. There are some minor bugs that I’ve encounter but most of it has been recognized by the developers and their GitLab page is active.
As for the usability, since I’ve been using microG before, nothing has changed in this case. I still get most of my apps from F-Droid which like Google Playstore, but it is a repository of free and open source software for Android. My most used applications are:
- AntennaPod: Easy-to-use, flexible and open-source podcast manager and player
- Aurora Store: A Google Playstore Client
- Bromite: Chromium fork with ad blocking and enhanced privacy; need to add their own repository
- Element: Secure decentralised chat & VoIP
- mpv: Small and light-weight video player; need to add other repository
- Slide: Companion app for reddit
- Telegram-FOSS: Messaging app
Overall, I am having fun using it. I might continue using it until my device has stopped receiving security updates. I’ve been waiting for the first update of CalyxOS for my device to see if I will encounter problems.